Category: inspiration

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Works and artworks

Artworks, lifting fog

It’s time to feature a few summer-related artworks, something which widens our space and takes us to places which might or might not exist. The power of imagination! I use imagination to a great extent since life has become somewhat subdued in the post-COVID era. Back to summer artworks.

Artworks, summer nature
Artworks, summer
New 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm summer landscape from art classes
Artworks, summer
Artworks, summer

I have to take new pictures of paintings which were created years ago, as well as quite recently. I mentioned in previous posts: an artwork for a show and an artwork for demonstration at art class simply cannot be the same. As art teacher, I try to adjust the subject to the skill level of students. Therefore, such paintings are more abstract. One example from the recent classes: bright summer landscape which is quite abstract, but uses strong colors.

Artworks, lake view
Vertical paintings
Home, textured acrylic art
Artworks, reflection

While I was using iPhone 6, all my pictures were dark. With iPhone 8, then iPhone 10 Pro Max, all my pictures had yellow and purple overcast, the colors in paintings were as if yellowed out. With iPhone 13 Pro Max, I have sometimes extreme contrast, but there’s more ability to adjust the distorted perspective and color. However, paintings have extra bright blue-green, too strong blue, or all-over yellow-green and too much purple. Basically, any edits are global. I’ve never gotten my painting images right, practically never.

Summer landscape
Artworks, lifting fog
Daisy fields, acrylic artworks
Home, art for sale

So, I have to take new pictures replacing all images between 2010 and 2018. They simply have no saturation, no contrast and make no sense either. One might ask: why to bother? Well, although few people ever read entire posts or look at all images, online images are often the only way they will see what I have painted. Since I have spent numerous hours cataloging my artworks, I decided to feature quite a few artworks from different years.

Summer clouds, artworks
Home, Daisy field, acrylic painting of summer daisies
Blooming wildflowers

In Ontario where I live, summer is not that long. I rush to do gardening, painting, teaching while I have to catch up on regular chores also. Lots of things are still in boxes and many tasks await their completion. However, summer is for taking a break, too. Therefore, I won’t apologize for not posting very frequently, but I hope you love and purchase some art and love my artworks added to this post.

Have a great, green and blue, enjoyable summer!

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Not sure how to start painting? I have some tips

How to start drawing, drawing by Inese Poga

When it comes to painting, I wish all potential students had: the ability to create value sketches and drawings of whatever subject they intend to paint. That doesn’t apply very directly to abstract artists, yet, even they would benefit from knowing what value, color temperature, contrast, negative space, etc. is. More or less realistic painting features even more components, including direction of light, shadows, aerial or atmospheric perspective, linear perspective, elements of composition and so forth. When creating art, we cannot forget about the quality of materials, artist’s ability to apply them, and there’s also a spiritual and mental factor to creation of art. Confidence, inspiration, focus, being able to observe and memorize visual information are all important aspects of creation when you start painting.

Start drawing, still life drawing from real items

We were using real items for our still life drawing, its size is 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm

When everything comes together: theoretical and practical skills, experience, perfect mood and great materials, we can speak of excellent artwork. Beginners will normally focus on the technical side of creation, and using brush or pencil with confidence and skill, is a huge part of success. However, if we want to see progress, we have to build a base. Value sketch or drawing are the best possible base building blocks which help you start painting. Controlling graphite pencil is much easier than swiftly flowing paint, therefore, one can learn very gradually. Pencil drawing includes all aspects of painting, plus pressure control, minus colors.

Why is it important to know how the shadows are formed? Why is it important to create negative space and apply different values? Because that’s how our drawing gets dimension, depth and interestingness. If you are very familiar with these aspects, you will paint easier and the result will be more satisfying. Painting uses exactly the same visual components. If you are like me who has excellent visual memory, you will create art without thinking about these aspects. If you are just starting out, you will have to learn how everyone of these aspects contributes to successful painting and brings your idea to life.

Still life drawing by artist Inese Poga
Drawing still life
For this still life, we used real items again, size 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm

To be honest, it’s by far not enough to trace the outline and then apply color to create a painting. Painting works when you know why something is there and why it is like that and no other way. Pencil drawing teaches all of the above and provides with good hand movement memory. It doesn’t matter actually what medium we use: if we master the principles and components, only the physical application of medium is different. As we know: the stronger the base, the better we can build upon it. Not sure where to start? Start with drawing.

Start drawing landscape
Landscape sketching
For this spring creek drawing, we used photo which we modified as necessary, size 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm

Drawing big and huge is even better than simply drawing. The aspects and components of painting I mentioned before need space to make them visible. We use most often large size paper: 24 x 18 in or 61 x 46 cm for classes. I use the same size for my value sketches. We don’t have to finish the drawing as finalized artwork, but we can do that, as well. I bring most of my value sketches to condition when they can serve as a reference for watercolor or acrylic painting. Setting up real items or viewing real trees, grasses and plants and anything else allows creating easier. I teach drawing only in private classes because it requires very individual approach. The attached images are created from real things and photos. The weather is great in spring and summer, so start drawing outdoors and turn your sketches into completed artworks.

Good luck! Thanks for reading!

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Playing with green color

Green spring landscape, painting in progress

Green is a color which we feel extremely attracted to in spring. I do feel that way, and maybe you do, as well, if you’ve had many months of grey and white view out of your window. I celebrate the return of green color since it uplifts my mood and promises nicer days ahead.

There are numerous concepts and assumptions about using green in art. Many artists avoid it almost completely not be accused mixing their colors properly. Just like with everything else, it’s better to have our own take on that and experiment.

For acrylic painting, there’ s practically no need to buy green paint. Why? Depending on your personal preference, it’s possible to mix up any green shade from other colors, including three primary colors. I don’t like aqua and phthalo too much, and although, they are strong and good for cooler areas, I prefer using the quieter tones.

Green spring landscape

After 5 layers are applied on the textured background

I love black plus yellow plus touch of blue, or blue plus burnt sienna and touch of yellow. Here and there simple blue plus yellow work well. The thing is we can have cold and warm yellow and very cold and warmer blue and that changes the green we are having. Every one of colors we get has some good potential for applying it. Where? It always depends on the project, intention and technique.

Green spring landscape

After 7 layers of paint or so

It is advisable to break up the green spaces with calming tones of purple, red or cool/warm brown. My most favorite set of basic colors for spring is blue, green, grey and some warm brown, burnt sienna or white. It is a calming combination and surely conveys the concept of an artwork well.

Green spring landscape

After adding light color to selected areas

I had a 24 x 20 in or 61 x 51 cm canvas from 2015. Everything is expensive right now, and that is an extremely high-quality canvas. I cannot recall what exactly my idea back then in 2015 was, but I decided to reuse it. This canvas had quite visible textures underneath of a few layers of grey/green/blue colors. I couldn’t change the tree shapes or location dramatically, the same goes for the water patch. Therefore, I adjusted the textured image and after a few layers it started to come to life.

Spring creek landscape painting
Green spring creek
Closer view of top and middle parts of painting

It’s interesting how many starting-out artists believe they’ve got to finish their painting in one sitting. That is the damaging impact of paint nights which are not art classes, but entertainment, and tutorials which use rather tiny canvas or paper. If the size of painting is quite large, it is physically impossible. Every single spot need attention and work. Acrylic paint requires timing the paint application. That means, we cover some areas very quickly and for some – we wait until the previous layers are dry. That way we get our colors to shine and shapes to work well. That translates as painting in small segments and retuning to them layer after layer.

Green spring landscape

I called this painting “The moment before”. That includes everything that happens before the nature explodes in brilliance of blooms and abundance of green in leaves and grasses. The photos are taken with iPhone and the camera of 13 Pro Max is quite disappointing. The actual painting has no real yellow in it, and the green is well-coordinated in cool and warm areas. You might not see it that way, but anyway, that’s how it is.

The moment before, 24 x 20 in or 61 x 51 cm. Enjoy!

And don’t forget to sign up for art classes: Group art classes

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Inese’s Art Studio reopens in Pickering Village

Moving art studio, artist Inese Poga

It’s been an excruciating and exhausting stretch of time. These tough 5 weeks also seemed to last forever. I posted the previous article when I had started to pack, that was more than a month ago. My art studio wasn’t doing anything for quite a while. Now, after about 40 days of packing, moving, unpacking and sorting, I can say my art studio has started getting in shape, and I mean by that – in a great shape. Well, not everything has found its place yet, that is certainly a task for a few more months. The positive aspect of all these immense efforts is being able to set up my living and painting space finally.

Art studio, setting up

I didn’t have internet for quite a while and my work station wasn’t set up either. Just yesterday, I got to my most important art supplies. They are lined up now and ready to use. It is painful not to paint for a long time. It really is. I hope picking up my brushes over the weekend already. That brings me to the issue of selling more art, or rather selling any art. I pretty much know where any particular painting is, therefore I will edit the sale pages.

Art studio

Art classes are about to resume at full pace at my art studio, as well. I would like to keep the ages between 13 and any age adults. The type of instruction I provide with requires some life experience and some knowledge of basic matters. I intend to focus on three main directions in teaching.

Light in studio

The observational and realistic drawing I teach is suitable only for private classes. I’ve written many times how one can learn drawing, and that’s not done by copying or tracing a photo or mimicking a tutorial. Drawing is a very individual skill and it can be developed properly only in individual settings. Private classes can start as soon as April 6.

Private art lessons

Acrylic painting can be taught in groups and individually, but it is always best when the potential student has practiced brushing techniques. That’s the most important thing with any painting, but especially acrylic since it dries fast. Small group acrylic painting classes will start I believe on April 20. Initially all classes will be daytime.

Small group watercolor painting classes will start on April 19. Currently, only daytime also. I intend to stick to large size practice paintings, like 18 x 24 in. Using watercolor is amazing. Every wash creates art on its own, however, size really matters. The larger the watercolor application space, the better results can be achieved painting traditionally: leaving white of paper for white and using practically no masking medium. I personally dislike using it and prefer pure watercolor.

Group art classes

Inese's Art studio

If you ever wanted to purchase a painting of mine or art print, now is the right time. As we all know moving is a costly, and the time spent on moving doesn’t involve any business activities or even website updates. Unfortunately, shipping is what Canada Post charges me. Art on paper and 12 x 12 in paintings are not heavy, therefore, the shipping is mostly for size.

Durham region art classes

I still have lots to do, numerous adjustments and figuring out the best was of making every aspect of art studio easily accessible. Art studio has specific requirements when it comes to space. Thankfully, natural light is very good here, that’s a huge plus, luxury even. My art studio is overloaded with plants at the moment, but many of them go outdoors for spring, summer and fall, and by the next winter, I will know better where and how I can accommodate my plants.

I am so satisfied; the move is over and the worst is past me. Such a relief.

Original watercolor paintings for sale

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Art collections by Inese Poga

I hope seeing some of you in my art classes, and I also hope there might be somebody who purchases at least an art print. I’m sorry, I was absent from blogging, but that is changing now. Thanks for reading! Enjoy pics of my not-yet-completely-set-up art studio. You are seeing just one end of it because it’s the mostly organized. Have a blessed spring!

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Fall art projects for art classes

Art projects for art classes

Art projects for art classes and paintings for a show: they are very different by nature, subject and size. Time is of essence since one can attend only that many art classes usually (I always hope they’d come back for more!) and an art class needs to be of certain length. After holding extremely many of them, I’ve stayed with roughly two academic hours or 1.5 hours. There is a reason for that. The attention span can stretch only that long, and to create something good, we absolutely need to be attentive, focused and alert.

Art projects barns
Art projects

For show art projects, I’d definitely choose a much larger canvas size, as well as maybe more tricky, more complex and more intriguing subject which my students who can be almost or practically beginners would not be able to paint. The painting process itself is not the same also: I work on the entire painting and not with a few colors or on a few areas. My attention goes to any spot which requires it and I obviously do not follow special steps, but rather my idea and its implementation. All attached images are 20 x 116 in or 51 x 41 cm in size.

Art projects
Art projects for fall classes

Over time, one learns how to apply paint automatically, how to clean brush automatically and very frequently, as well as how not to skip the messy stage of acrylic painting which can look quite horrible at times. Brushstroke is one of the most important parts of the painting process. When somebody starts out, they just don’t have it yet. If you still remember how you learned to write manually, you know that the hand cannot follow what the brain tells it to. The other sensitive issue is that if you have experience, you never start acrylic painting with the final color and layer. You build color, build your subject, all shapes and color transitions starting with dark and moving up. Our art projects allow practicing all of that.

Fall art projects for acrylic painting
Country barns, acrylic painting

To cheat the visual perception easier, as well as to have at least one good base layer on what to build the rest on, I do ask my students using pre-painted canvas only. Yet, still people are so afraid of dark colors that the pre-painted canvas is way too light. Without strong base, there is nothing much of a painting. We can all move paint around, even to the point when it becomes muddy brown-grey, but to get on that canvas some impression and some mood, takes much more than that.

Art projects for fall art classes
Art project with fall trees

Since everybody paints abstracts and there’s no clear understanding what’s a good abstract and what’s just a colored canvas, I stick to my personalized realism. It definitely allows implementing my own features and apply something which others do not. Therefore, my art projects include some of realistic features. While having texture layer on canvas attracts lots of attention let’s say at a show, it can look not good on photos because the high spots catch more light which doesn’t always correspond to light areas on the painting.

Art projects
Fall art projects

The attached images were initially painted between 10-5 years ago. The subject of these art projects is what we liked back then: barns, roads, fall colors, something not too complex, but bright and vivid. The current acrylic class deals with slightly more sophisticated acrylic art projects. We’ve just had one class by now and the start looks promising. The group is tiny as in COVID era, so no problem treating everyone very individually.  They are still very good paintings, the ones which took the first brushstroke long time ago, and I will hang them in the studio room where I can put art on the wall because I cannot do that everywhere. Well, I rent, and that comes with requirements.

Enjoy! What better time to immerse oneself in color than now?

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