My high definition realism art

Red barn, acrylic painting

Personalized vision and realism

Properties of our eyesight are very unique, indeed. There are no two persons, who see everything exactly the same way. We could say, the way we see is just as unique as our DNA, fingerprints, iris of the eye and similar extra fine things. Therefore, when we create something, some people will love it, some people will think it’s nothing special and some will either ignore or dislike it. That is normal. The thing we have created has still the same value for us personally, at least it should, because its objective value does not change depending on subjective likes or dislikes. It’s social media which either stamps some creation as success or disregards it.

High ranked mediocrity

I do sometimes wonder why a painting which is really good does not get that many likes as something rather average. Go figure. Partially, this is because of ranking. Let’s say, I post my image at the right time and it immediately gets 30 likes in the first 20 seconds. That’s it! It immediately moves up the ranks, and that is all we need. New likes follow, comments are posted and we’ve got the attention of the invisible viewer mass. Now, does the response always indicate that we are becoming a master in some area? Not really. We still need to have our self-criticism and apply our personal judgement.

Versatility

We should have options, always. The trends are out there and whether to comply and act on them is up to us. People sometimes suggest: you should paint more abstracts, you should do some black and white art, you should post more drawings and so on. I could do all of the above. The problem is, however, that I do create art which I am deeply in at any particular moment. I am not good with following trends and I actually do not care that much about them either. It is bad for marketing, no doubt about that. However, it is the only way to stay true to oneself and do more of my own realism.

Specific realism

I love realism. I need to clarify, it’s not any realism, but my personal enhanced realism. We could say, it’s high definition because I adore adding something still tasteful, but very detailed. Details are risky, but they also make a view very unique. I love specific colors and cannot stand some other particular colors. I do not like using black, in fact, I use it only for mixing up other colors. I love greens which are mixed up from black plus blue, plus yellow plus burnt sienna and white. Some grey shades require black. I really dislike black in watercolors. I never have used even 1 drop of black in any of my watercolors.

The choice of subject

We normally paint what resonates with us. I at least do. I have also many favorite subjects: still life, seasonal landscape, buildings, perspective and flowers. I think all young people want to paint portraits and figures. I did, too. Some stick to them and some move over to other subjects. I love painting and drawing from reality, and to paint face or figure, I’d need a model. That complicates things because it makes me dependent on somebody else. With my subjects, I choose time, place and medium.

Too many paintings

I’ve read how people complain they don’t have enough artworks in portfolio. I think it is also problematic to have too many artworks. I’m adding 2-3 a week in average. I have numerous paintings in different completion stages. Some are drafts, some half-done, some need change in color or more highlights. I get tired of one medium or subject quickly. Therefore, I switch from acrylic to watercolor and vice versa, I sometimes do just pencil drawing or pastel drawing. I love creating all kinds of drawing-based art because I’m very good at drawing from reality, and for that matter, drawing anything.

Preferences

My preferences are very noticeable when it comes to art. I love clean colors. I never use paint straight from tube, but the mix must be clean. It is easy to create any color from 3 primary colors, plus black and white in acrylic. I add burnt sienna, burnt umber, ocher and many shades of blue. That way, my palette is complete. I’m not a big fan of Ultramarine. Instead, I use Prussian blue and brilliant blue. Seasons have huge effect on me. I basically paint spring in winter or early spring, summer in spring, and fall in summer. Does that mean I cannot wait until the actual season arrives? Yes, it does.

Enhanced and personalized realism in art; Summer place 2, I love how it came out, acrylic painting on canvas 18 x 24 inches or 46 x 61 cm

Summer place 2 and Breezy daisy field

I would love to post just one painting in every article, but there are so many lined up. I will limit myself to just two this time. Summer place 2 is the second one in Summer place series. Breezy daisy field is also continuing the flower field series. As usually, I started them for demo purposes at art classes. The summer place 2 took about 2 weeks and daisy field about a full week to complete. My paintings consist of many layers and under-layers. It is best to paint any acrylic painting on color-coated canvas. They both are the same size: 18 x 24 inches or 46 x 61 cm. One is horizontal, the other is vertical. I’m very sure, the internet display will make one look larger and the other smaller.

Daisy fields, acrylic artworks

Breezy daisy field, it got a lot of attention on Facebook, acrylic painting on canvas 18 x 24 inches or 46 x 61 cm

Grey of spring and lush green of summer

It is still cold outdoors. This April came with such a nice promise of spring starting early. What a disappointment! It is almost May and we have freezing temperatures every night. That is why I am a lot in very strong and very rich green color. I’m not trying to overdo, but it feels so nice to surround myself with this color at the moment. My love relationship with green will pass, too, but it’s so pleasant to look at such art and be around it.

Here you see art currently for sale: Shop original art

My art prints and other art products on FAA:

Art collections by Inese Poga

My solo art show February 14 – March 19

Red country barn, acrylic painting

If it was only painting

My show is finally up. Putting up a show, small or extensive, takes time, many hours of work, dealing with selection, adjustments and paperwork. It felt as if the small tasks were never-ending: glazing, covering with protective layer, attaching wires, designing and printing price tags. I have taken numerous pictures. Light was not that good some days; well, it’s February. Therefore, contrast ranged from extreme to none, brightness went from burnt  out images to a total lack of light.

Lots of work and many decisions

Even putting up paintings at location was time-consuming. Any place has its pluses and minuses. Light is as it is, and I had to figure out the best layout immediately and without hesitation. There was staff, who went up the ladder and put up each painting, and while they were doing their best, everything took some adjustment. I think I managed to do very well with placement of my art.

It is a great advantage to see art in person

While less people attend shows or art events nowadays since everything is on the internet, I would like to still emphasize that nothing compares to seeing art with your own eyes and experience the feeling of direct presence. There are so many devices between the real painting and its image on the internet! Any of these devices change the look of painting to a great extent, so some things get lost along the way, which especially refers to balanced and carefully crafted colors and contrast.

Paintings which were included in this show

My paintings frequently display paths and roads. Road, as well as path is an important symbolic element of my art. We are always on the way, always going to something new which is still to be discovered and explored. I am posting this time a few completely new and a few overworked paintings. That especially refers to “Nostalgia” series.

Subjects of my art

I loved to find untouched landscapes in close vicinity of a town: old country barns, quiet streams, birch groves and meandering forest paths. I genuinely love wildflowers, they appear quite frequently in my art. The same goes for always painting spring in winter.  That is a natural mood lift and fantastic way of spending dark and gloomy days when storms, snow, cold and ice make the outdoor landscape very hostile.

Less text, more art

This post is intended to show paintings, therefore, less text, more art.

Red country barn, early spring, acrylic painting 76 x 61 cm, acrylic on canvas

Red country barn, early spring won the easel, Nostalgia series

Path in blue bell woods, Nostalgia series, acrylic painting, 24 x 20 in or 61 x 51 cm

Reflection of clouds, summer stream, acrylic painting on 24 x 20 in or 61 x 51 cm canvas

Nostalgia, the painting which initiated the series of landscapes disappearing from our neighborhoods, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 20 in 61 x 51

Interested to purchase? Shop originals

If you happen to live in Greater Toronto Area and especially around Ajax, please stop by. My show is on at Ajax Town Hall Council Chambers Lobby until March 19. 25 works of art are exhibited. I take from the first responses, that people like it. Enjoy!

Link to Fine Art America printed art products:

Art collections by Inese Poga

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How to create better art and flower paintings

Watercolor painting of rose, rose painting

Create better art without getting lost in advice 

We can learn painting and create better art using many tools and sources nowadays. Internet is huge and numerous sites offer tutorials, art classes and online and live workshops. I would like to share a few observations which stood out after talking to students and seeing how they learn. I’m convinced also that successful painting is a combination of many aspects. The other notable matter is that anything we want to be of high quality and value takes time, efforts and practice, and there is no other way to master a skill. I have listed below assumptions and factors which do not result in good art.

Copying colors and image will do it

Lots of people use color charts or try to recreate the exact colors of a photo. With current numerous brands and very wide range in art supply quality, the most important part is not what the photo has, but what works for your painting. Photography has different tools to create impressive image. Drawing, watercolor, pastel, acrylic and oil painting use completely different tools. Only copying colors and image won’t result in great art because that is the input of artist which makes art great. Outline drawing is important, but artist makes it alive with the use of artistic tools and paints.

Using exactly the same colors and drawing will create the same image

Using exactly the same colors and drawing won’t result in the same painting because it is usually not possible to repeat original artwork even by the artist who painted it. Ambient temperature, flow of paint, sloppy or targeted brushstroke, light conditions, air humidity in room or outdoors, inspiration, mood of artist, surge of energy or tiredness are all significant factors. It’s also not important what colors somebody else used because the differences between the same name colors can be huge with different brands. Therefore, the most important part is to test what you have and to see what your paints can do.

Color is secondary, value is primary or otherwise black and white paintings or monochromatic paintings would not make sense. They do, so, value is the aspect that provides image and subject with volume and dimension. If in doubt, you can always create a tonal or value sketch. I do that for complex paintings in watercolor going large scale or exactly the same size what my painting is.

I can paint knowing nothing about color mixing and paint features

You can paint knowing nothing about color mixing and paint features. Most likely, it will take time and many experiments to get to where you want to be. Eventually, you will arrive at all creation-related discoveries, it just might be a time-consuming process. I am talking about years, not hours. Simply, there will be good, mediocre or not satisfying result at first. Initially, all good results come from happy painting accidents, and we get what we get as opposed to what we intend to.

I will learn painting just watching others paint

No, that is not true. Art instructors or people, who demonstrate painting, know what they are doing or at least they should. Quite frequently people, who watch it, have no idea what, where and why is applied. The personal features and ability to apply paint and correct color matter, too. If the art is somewhat realistic, it is very important to be able to draw. We sketch with brush at first, and then we follow with brushstrokes to create volume, shadows, negative spaces and so on. If you can draw, you know better where to apply paint.

What, where and why

In the painting process, we have to answer these questions at any point of painting process. It is very useful to know why you are doing something. Why do you want the background dark or light? Why do you want to place some accent in the middle or in front? Why do you want distant parts cool and the front part warm? Why do you want to use black, purple or blue for grey color? Why do you paint the focal point in the most striking color? And so on. All of these answers impact your painting, later series of paintings, and they eventually create your style.

Paint night or sipping and painting

Many believe that paint night or sipping and painting will teach how to paint. These are entertaining events with a brush and paint, not art classes. The goal of such events isn’t teaching you composition, color theory, values or brush stroke. The goal is to entertain and painting is just an addition to mood, drink or food. I have mentioned many times before how important focus and decision making is for creation of art. Paint night or sipping and painting do not contain the most important learning aspects, such as reasoning, decision making or using your personalized approach.

Everything is art

Everything isn’t art and it shouldn’t be. While many people might refer to a canvas covered with some paint as art, it isn’t always art. You can hang it on the wall and it becomes wall filler. However, you can also look at it after it has dried and canvas fabric has become visible (too less paint coverage!) and try to create something decent on top of it. I wrote in my previous article that calling framed wallpaper art does not make it art. It is a decorative piece, just as an empty frame is.

Aimless splashing with paint

The reality of nowadays is such that we want everything right away, right this moment and even better yet, without much or any effort. Art has never been just brushing around or aimlessly splashing with paint. Art always involves thinking, concept, idea and the execution thereof with adequate artistic tools. Aimless splashing and brushing of paint results in nothing really. One uses a lot of paint and time with no result. I have seen over years people, who picked up art effortlessly, and I have also seen people, who had to spend years to learn. An art class is no different from a regular school class: some students learn fast, some are perfectionists, some are free-spirited, some are not that interested and some simply do not focus or pay attention.

Perfectionism and perfect skill

Perfectionism is disturbing and limiting when it comes to learning. Why? It is disturbing since there is no such thing as a perfect attempt, a perfect error or a perfect search for a new technique and skill. Perfectionism is the opposite of artistic freedom and it has nothing to do with the quality of result in learning process. I hear this often: I am a perfectionist. That is fine, but it does not apply to learning new things. One cannot be perfect with what they cannot do or do not know. Developing perfect skills is more like it, but perfect skill is a result while learning is a process. Learning process involves making errors and being mistaken. Learning process involves searching for the best or most suitable solution in the current situation.

Preparing my solo show

I am working on preparation of my solo art show next month. It opens on February 13. I just finished a few watercolor paintings which I started for November and December classes. Pink color is not a coincidence. It is a very attractive, soothing color which has also big impact and is gentle at the same time. Less people attend shows or art events nowadays since everything is on the internet. I would like to still emphasize that nothing compares to seeing art in person. There are so many devices between the real painting and its image on the internet! Any of these devices totally change the look of painting, so some things get lost along the way. Anyway, enjoy the new paintings!

Better art, flower painting, rose

The elegant pink rose, watercolor on 20 x 16 inches or 51 x 41 cm watercolor paper, the white background enhances the softness and attraction of color in the rose flower

Pink winter orchids,, watercolor on paper, 20 x 16 in or 51 x 41 cm

Magnolia blooms on white, watercolor, 18 x 14 inches or 46 x 36 cm

FAA site for art prints and art products:

Art collections by Inese Poga

Art classes: Register here

Copyright notice: Copyright of displayed paintings, drawings, images of work in progress and images of finished paintings belong to artist Inese Poga. Use of painting and drawing images is prohibited on any website or otherwise if I have not issued a written permission. No pinning on Pinterest!

The Christmas gift you can give anybody

Spruce hills, perfect holiday painting

Brief Christmas gift guide: choose art

Art is democratic and it is also a perfect Christmas gift. It is a gift which goes from very personal to very formal. Some people might not find any value in art, but most of us do. The difficult part is always having too many choices. Print is not the same as original art. Hand painted art carries the uplifting energy of colors, lines and brushstrokes, as well as artist’s thoughts and energy.

Affordable handmade luxury

Hand-drawn and crafted cards, as well as hand-drawn images and hand painted art are becoming more and more exquisite things. Handmade items are considered luxury in quite a few countries already since they are unique and one-of-a-kind. America is more inclined towards digital art. Handmade art deserves its high and exclusive position on the value list of luxury items. It is a luxury which everybody can afford.

Handmade is unique

Handmade art is always unique and pertains to the person who created it. Anybody can create digital files and print them off. It does not require the specific, elevated state of mind which makes an artist flutter above the Earth and feel like the creator of universe once the painting is completed. Each brushstroke is artist’s signature, each line – proof of excellence.

Art can be perfectly matched to the gift receiver

If you know the main values of person receiving the gift, you might be able to choose a perfectly matched piece of art for them. Nature enthusiast or fighter for sustainability on the Earth will love nature related images and scenes. People, who appreciate beauty, will always enjoy it in art, as well. Simplified and strong images will work well for these, who stand firmly on the ground. Art is a good gift when one is not sure what exactly they should choose.

There is never too much art

Many people say they have enough art already which I absolutely do not believe. I have seen million dollar houses with bad quality prints on walls. Most places would also have just one painting on a large wall. Boring. Art will either enhance and give elegant appearance, or make your space look cheap. There is also neutral art which is not too abstract, not too realistic, but has still all quality markers we should look for. Most importantly, art can be always displayed: on shelves, on walls, on desks, bookcases, dressers and even on the floor if its size allows for that.

Direct sales from artist

Buying art from artists directly is always less expensive. They created this art; they can decide what price tag to put on it. Gallery sales involve extra fees since artists showing their art have to pay either for space, provide percentage of sale amount to gallery, or both. Some galleries will take as much as 50% and more off the sales amount, even online galleries. That is included in price. With direct sale from artist, especially at their studio, no middlemen increase the price.

Christmas gift: white winter, acrylic painting

White winter, acrylic, 20 x 16 in or 51 x 41 cm

Christmas gift

 

The very red poinsettia, acrylic, 41 x 51 cm or 16 x 20 in

Christmas gift

Golden trees, moonlight, acrylic painting, 41 x 51 cm or 16 x 20 in

Christmas gift

Spruce hills, acrylic painting 41 x 51 cm or 16 x 20 in

Refreshing my own sales pages for Canada-wide, international and USA shipments

I will try to publish also more frequently my own art-for-sale images. For many years, I focused mostly on teaching. It’s time to make my own art more visible. I spend abnormal time creating it. I will have a few public shows in 2020. I have been accepted in 2 so far; when it comes closer I will publish more about that.

My sales pages are always in progress, but I will start adding more “Buy now” buttons for each painting.

Live in Greater Toronto Area? Stop by

The easiest way to purchase some art for people in Ajax, Ontario, and close by areas, like Whitby, Pickering or Oshawa, is to just stop by at my studio. I will ship all unframed watercolor art and small to medium size unframed acrylic paintings (11 x 14 in or 28 x 36 cm to 20 x 24 in or 51 x 61 cm) to other locations in Canada and the USA. I will only sell and ship my original art, not art products with printed images of my art. I do not process your payments on my site, Paypal does; therefore, you are not putting your credit or debit card info on my site and shouldn’t have any worries about it.

My  art for sale, getting updated: Original paintings

Inspiration: Inspiring gifts

I just added new painting images to my FAA site, as well.

Enjoy!

Floral watercolors: the softness that soothes

Summer petunias, floral watercolor painting for sale

Touch of flowers

Floral watercolors are amazing. It is easy to get carried away by soft colors and gentle shapes of petals. It usually depends on season, weather and what I feel like doing, but I go for the opposites. When it is cold and dark, I love something sunny and full of light. We have been painting soft and lovely floral images also in classroom most often in December and January. These paintings and process of creation provide with the much needed contrast between the upsetting darkness outdoors and the light and brightness of such artworks.

Pink color

Pink color is easy to grade from dark and cold to soft and warm. It doesn’t take much adding some purples or washes of light red and ocher. Mainly, somewhat realistic watercolors are closely associated with quality of drawing. Therefore, I have decided for the remaining classes to offer my drawing templates for use. Sometimes, drawing is more than 50% of watercolor painting. If you do not understand values, you do not know where to apply paint.

2020 sets of art classes

It is hard to say when everything about art classes and painting lessons shifted towards only end result. The most important part is actually the process of creation and the journey of getting to the completed painting. We are recently facing the following: people want everything right away and immediately. That is a very limiting approach for those who start from zero skills and want to learn. That simply cannot happen. Nobody paints like a master in a few hours. Therefore, the next sets of art classes will start with basics of drawing and painting and progress toward more accomplished skills.

Roses on fence, 24 x 18″ or 61 x 46 cm watercolor

Pink floral watercolor, petunias

Watercolor painting of amaryllis

Enjoy the gallery, purchase art

I took new photos recently, and I hope these images will look better and more balanced. I am working on a new reference booklet which will facilitate start-ups in watercolor painting. It will be available for download everywhere. I’d love to invite the art lovers and art collectors from Greater Toronto Area, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa to simply stop by at my November 23 and December 14 art shows. I am selling original art at my studio. Prints are available from Fine Art America site.

We will be painting orchids and roses, large size. Link to floral painting class:

Art lessons and painting classes

Copyright notice: Copyrights of displayed paintings, drawings, images of work in progress and images of finished paintings belong to artist Inese Poga.

Fine Art America, my art prints and artistic products with my painting images:

Art collections by Inese Poga