Tag: inspiration

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The best way to start painting with watercolors

How to start painting with watercolor

The best way to start painting with watercolor is using pen and watercolor wash. We all want our art to be great and impressive. However, if you are new to some medium or absolutely new to drawing and painting, you have to bear in mind: nothing happens right away and with the first brushstroke. I have had absolute beginners who were somewhat disappointed that their first piece of art wasn’t exhibition quality. Well, that is normal.

Patience

Every skill takes time, efforts and work. Creation of drawing or painting involves lots and lots of information. Some people are courageous by nature and love to experiment, and that is very beneficial. Some people are perfectionists and they believe everything they do must be either perfect or they are ready to give it up: don’t use this approach.

Focus on potential

My personal attitude towards something new in painting: different subject, medium, tools or technique never focuses on perfection. I focus on potential. Something might work out and something might not. There will be easy parts and probably difficult parts. That way. I call this attitude: let us see what happens. Progress is usually gradual. That is why we start with simple things and move to more complicated things.

Pen and watercolor

Pen and watercolor wash is a great technique for beginning  watercolor artists. Some like it so much that they stick to this technique and turn it into their personal style. If you are insecure about drawing lines with pen, sketch them using pencil. You can draw over with pen and delete everything else. We have now clean drawing in black ink, and the white paper is not damaged.

Any subject will do

Anything can serve as a subject: from your morning coffee cup to flowers in a vase or at the fence, from a bird at your window to sprouting vegetables in a garden. Any scene with some object is good, but flowers look extremely nice when done in pen and watercolor.

Everybody can draw

When somebody says they cannot draw, I don’t believe that. Most often that means they tried 1 or 2 drawings and these drawings were not splendid. So, they conclude that they cannot draw. Talk to me after 100 drawings. That is a decent start. It is also much easier to point out what else one should do in order to create better art when they have engaged in more than just a few attempts.

Pen and watercolor flowers and spring scenes

Spring daffodils, watercolor painting
Pen and watercolor, Spring daffodils painting 12 x 12 in or 30.5 x 30.5 cm
Watercolor and pen, rose painting
Stylish and simple spring rose, all done with black pen lines and watercolor wash
Watercolor painting, apple blossoms
Apple blooms in pen and watercolor: great starting subject
Watercolor painting, apple blossoms
Pen and watercolor apple blossoms, the finished painting
Watercolor painting, pansies
Smiley purple pansy faces, pen and watercolor wash
Watercolor painting, butterflies and spring
Spring mood with apple blossoms, butterflies and beautiful colors

Pen and watercolor wash is easy

Why to start with pen and watercolor? It is forgiving, it is easy and fast, and it allows learning watercolor application more effortlessly. The pen lines provide additional support. It is a flattering technique since practically any painting or drawing looks good regardless of how sufficient one is with watercolor. I have done numerous pen and watercolor paintings over years, just because it is fun, it is easy and looks fantastic.

Copyright notice: Copyright of displayed paintings, drawings, images of work in progress and images of finished paintings belong to artist Inese Poga. The use of painting and drawing images is prohibited if I have not given a written permission. That includes no pinning on Pinterest.

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Dreaming goes on because art is timeless

Christmas gifts art sale, floral and nature paintings

Art is the most timeless thing I can imagine

Art is timeless, and for a reason. To remind us not to waste our time, but rather create. These, who do not create, can still support creativity by buying art and giving art as gift.

Dreaming goes on

Many paintings to choose from

Art is timeless, Inese's studio
Art gallery of artist Inese Poga

Looks beautiful and inviting

Taking break from teaching during holidays

It’s good to wrap up things and have the feeling of “I have done everything I could, and it is what it is”. It would be certainly even better to finish the year in more elevated mood, like “Was this ever fantastic!” It’s also good not to have any classes for a while because that allows getting back to my own preferences, not only classwork. Giving classes is a big responsibility and it takes a lot of energy, as well as time-consuming preparation work.

Finalizing steps, bits and pieces

I would like to move to my personal subjects and my personal visions in art, but unfinished paintings are standing in the way. You look at some, and it begs: hey, just add a few brushstrokes, just wash in more background. I end up spending a lot of time on finishing steps, It’s difficult to return to painting which was started many years ago. I have moved on, and it feels like catching up on some long time ago forgotten thought or idea.

Trying to be more disciplined

I will try to be more disciplined and not start that many new paintings, but then again, when I didn’t do demos on canvas, I suddenly painted a few great paintings … on messed up cardboard. The wavy texture shines through, and these paintings are not any good for display. It’s even impossible to take any picture of them. You never know with painting: something good can appear where we don’t expect it, and everything can go wrong when we have high expectations. There are so many forces and energies involved that it isn’t by far as simple as “just do it right or according to your plan”.

Prep work for art classes

Classes also put a lot of pressure on any teacher because teaching is also not that simple. I usually think and plan and sketch until I find the right image for a particular group. I also have to think about simplified ways how to put it on canvas or paper.

 

Red poppies by Inese Poga, sold

Red poppies, both are sold

Unfortunately, I don’t have any better picture of these red poppies, they were sold right away

Inese Poga's art gallery
Look at my gallery wall, most paintings are sold

Look at my gallery wall, most paintings are sold

Barn reflection
Sunset on lake, sold

Sunset over shore, sold

My solo shows at my own gallery

I had put up a beautiful show, those who came were really impressed, but I believe, my timing was a bit off. I will start to prepare the next show “Blooms and Leaves” fairly soon, and that might be ready by the end of April or by May. Anyway, there is not such a thing as lack of paintings for sale at my gallery. It’s always open and available to anybody over the internet. Just ask and you’ll make my day with a purchase.

Before you leave this site, please, spend a short moment with my other blog which  has my fairy-tale about Christmas: https://inesepogalifeschool.com/2016/12/22/christmas-fairy-tale-going-home/

Merry Christmas to these who celebrate it, and fantastic holidays to those who have other celebrations!

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Artistic freedom and risks taking to a higher level of ourselves

Artistic freedom

Making time

How to make time slow down and stop for a moment? I have the answer, but unfortunately, this doesn’t help me getting done everything. We can capture a moment in a painting, and we can capture the scene we are drawing or painting, thus, registering our feelings, emotions and impressions of time. I believe doing our best can be not enough sometimes, but that is the only result we are able to keep.

Well-organized workspace

My classroom just got a face-lift. There are so many flaws with easels which are sold at the art store that I had to finally get to the issue and design my own easels for classroom. They are extremely light and perfectly stable; nothing dances around, falls off or turns over. They allow painting when sitting and when standing. That took a while, and thanks to my husband and his skills, we have these easels working well now. I had to make also some smaller things like cardboard trays to organize the workspace better. Workspace has to be easily approachable and clean.

Art studio

Limited art supplies

We shouldn’t try using the entire art store. I counted last night; we need 10 paint tubes at most. We can paint very well with just 8 or even 5 colors. That means we learn mixing up colors. We normally won’t be using 6 or more brushes during a few hours. Most often, we can perfectly paint acrylic with just one medium size flat brush. Watercolor requires 2 brushes, but not 10 either. I can understand why somebody tries to take everything to the class: it’s called just in case. The negative aspect of too many tools and supplies is that it causes confusion. Especially when somebody is starting out, they won’t even know what each brush does.

Art studio

Practice, practice, practice 

We had a fantastic group painting today. I have 3 hour painting sessions on Saturdays. We start on blank canvas and at the end of these 3 hours we usually have something to show for. I loved that nobody was disappointed because sometimes people imagine they can go within 3 hours from never painted before to mastering painting That does not happen, so, I am very happy with people who have reasonable expectations.

No fear and relaxed state of mind

Creation of art has to be fun and relaxing activity. When I hear people saying I am afraid, I am really wondering how so? I can imagine how one is afraid from a surgery, even dentist, test or a job interview which can change the entire life. What is the worst that can happen when we paint something not as we think we should? With acrylic, nothing at all. We will need a bit more paint and possibly time to start that particular spot from new.  Most likely, that is why people who love taking risks have very good results. Once we get over the barrier we placed in front of ourselves, we are fine. I wouldn’t even call this courage. I’d rather call this: pleasure to experiment, take plunges into unknown and experience freedom.

Artistic freedom

Abstracted painting in acrylic, red flowers

Artistic freedom

Artistic freedom is like no other freedom and it is the most uplifting one. When somebody tells me there are very many rules in art, I’d like to disagree. There is no other person who can see and experience the reality in the same way we do. Why our imagination and creative potential should be then squeezed in some kind of frame of regulations? It shouldn’t. Any other freedom comes paired with duties and obligations. Artistic freedom of creative self-expression is a completely alone standing freedom. There are tips and tricks, and common sense how to get painting done faster, better, more efficiently. Art and creativity allow creating a new world every single time we take the brush or pencil in our hand.

Artistic freedom

Painting poppies, acrylic painting workshop

My popular art classes

I believe, many people like my approach, so my art groups have grown a lot. My space is limited to 12 participants, but I prefer not more than 10 artists for acrylic class. Everybody starting out in art should not take it too seriously, but enjoy and have fun. You’ll find out over time how nicely everything falls in place. The above does not refer to people who make their living with art. That is a hard work, one of the hardest I know.

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Art loaded with uplifting and positive energy

Positive energy art

Just good and positive energy

Positive energy is a big part of my art. We all probably used to have sense of energy and its vibrations, just like animals and birds still do. There are energy-sensitive people, people who do not feel or recognize any energy flow, but experience it subconsciously, and people, who are unable to perceive any energy at all, even though, they are just like everybody else affected by it.

With good thoughts

I paint implementing lots of positive energy in my creations, it’s not only because I cannot make myself draw or paint gruesome, terrifying or evil subjects and scenes, but mainly because that is who I am: a medium for converting the great energy from the impressive nature scenes, flowers, still life subjects into the sensitively perceivable feeling of good vibrations. I doubt this could be felt through the internet images or prints since these are copies of copies. I know that people, who look physically at my paintings in person can experience such strong, good impact.

Red poppies, positive energy

Red as energy carrier

I have painted numerous red flowers as commissions – poppies, wild roses and similar floral paintings on request of people, who can sense energy and are able to recognize it. Some of them have placed my paintings in the entrance hall to prevent bad luck and bad energy from entering their personal living space. I know a couple, who hang a flower painting of mine at the upper staircase overlooking the entire stair, and they told everything became much better and better in their life since that.

Pink magnolias, positive energy

Take it from subject

Some people wanted red flowers for their living rooms and some for bedrooms as an energy carrier for passion and love. I believe any appropriate place is good, and these paintings work well because I have puts lots of positive energy into them. I take it from the beauty of objects to be painted, and these paintings become a shield to stop the flow of disturbing energy.

Purple pansies, acrylic painting

Let energy flow

When it comes to positive energy, its flow in a room or in any space matters a lot. Color matters and the subject is important also. Therefore, I’d advise to use for personal space only such paintings, art and items that enable the flow of positive energy, not block it.

Positive energy from flower field

There’s nothing which makes a room look more cozy than good art. If you want to take the easy path, certainly you can go with color splash and abstract art or no color at all. However, since I always have many paintings in just one room, I can tell that the colors do not disturb and art which displays recognizable subject looks fantastic. It might take more time to decide what exactly to hang on your walls, but there’s no limitation of choices.

Blue bells and white birch

Art which releases positive energy and good vibes is usually sold. My art sells the best when people can experience its impact in person. Many of paintings which you see in this post are sold. It makes me happy that somebody else find my art so appealing that they wish to have it in their homes.

Acrylic painting, summer painting

Finally, a very large painting from 2014: the Nostalgia gardens. It was sold also. There are definitely more and new paintings to enjoy, to purchase and have the positive energy always with you.

Positive energy art

I hope you enjoyed! I would appreciate a lot if you stopped by at the art studio in downtown Whitby, Ontario to have a look at original paintings and at FFA online site to check out all  art products.

Art collections by Inese Poga

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Please accept these lovely flowers

Spring daffodils, watercolor painting, ink and watercolor painting

Flowers are nature’s mysterious beauty that is so easy to reach, to enjoy and to give as a gift.

Where do flowers come from?

From happiness.

How did they get their fragrance?

From love.

How can they be so beautiful?

God allowed them to use any color and any shape to remind us

Beauty is timeless but lasts for a short while.

I hope all moms received plenty of flowers today. They are a thing of extraordinary beauty, and they can say everything without words, just like art.

I also hope you are showing your love to your mom while there is still time enough, and you are not too late with your “I love you mom!”

It is so easy to love a small child; it takes more than superficial attraction to love genuinely very old people. To understand them and to appreciate, and to be grateful they are with us. Moms of people who belong to my generation are getting close to 90.

Thankfully, my mom is still doing lots of good things, sewing and gardening, not to mention small daily stuff like dishwashing, or cleaning. She loves flowers, so I sent her some, although, the Ocean is between us, that cannot stop us from exchanging some words on the phone or over Skype. The distance has the ability to make things clearer and more valuable. Simple words can get a new meaning.

Well, I was not very productive recently, but I have made some watercolors for cards, something unsophisticated, but sincere.

Spring daffodils, watercolor painting
Pen and watercolor, Spring daffodils painting 12 x 12 in or 30.5 x 30.5 cm

Happy Mother’s Day to every mom, grandmother and great grandmother! I hope your kids, grandchildren and great grandchildren are blessings to you.

Watercolor painting, pansies
Smiley purple pansy faces, pen and watercolor wash

 Please accept these lovely flowers as a small thank you for everything you are to my every single day!

Watercolor painting, pink tulips
For soft and gentle flowers, all shades of pink is probably my favorite choice

Beauty never ends, flowers will live as long as we do and they will keep inspiring us. Always.