Painting the Light

Painting light after all is what we are doing in our artwork. Light creates volume, sets the mood, creates interest, and gives your painting life. In our classes we’ve been concentrating on different lighting situations recently in our landscapes and our upcoming seascape. I thought I would share my thoughts and preparation for painting the Bass Harbor Light.

Bass Harbor Light

Bass Harbor Light

I was asked by one of my students to paint the Bass Harbor Lighthouse in Maine so I began to research the structure and different lighting options. I decided that I wanted to make the light house stand out through my use of light and detail. I wanted the lighthouse to have the most detail and gradually use less and less detail as I moved away from the center of interest. Of course, that’s the way to create a center of interest.

Sunset , one of my photo inspirations

Sunset , one of my photo inspirations

Being a sky enthusiast, I love watching clouds and the colors in the sky at different times of day, I’ve taken lots and lots of sky and cloud photos. This was a good opportunity to go back through my photos as inspiration for the sky in this painting. I found the color ideas and cloud formations to create drama and decided where in my painting I needed to have the most vivid colors and active clouds to call attention to the center of interest.

Sunset clouds inspiration

Sunset clouds inspiration

Next I decided on the size canvas I would use, actually I went to my stock of canvases and discovered the 12 x 24″ which I though would add even more drama to the painting.

I created my drawing of the lighthouse, sized it, and positioned it roughly on my canvas since I would be covering it up when I added the sky. I used DecoArt Traditions paints because I like the vividness of the colors and quality of the paints, just right for a dramatic sky.

Half of the work of creating a painting goes in the research and preparation before I ever pick up a paint brush. I sketched a thumb nail of my design and when I was satisfied with placement and possible colors I was ready to choose my paints and begin the sky.

I had decided on an evening sky with strong sunset colors just before the sun goes beyond the horizon so I chose oranges, yellows peaking through a dark blue sky. Then I applied my first layers of paint for the sky and water.

Beginning the sky

Beginning the sky

I’ll continue my process in my blog so check back to see how I progressed and what needed adjusting as I painted. As you see there will be a lot of changes made.

Or even better, you can join one of my classes at Artful Endeavors and paint along with me. Check the schedules for the Raleigh day class and the Cary evening class. I’ve been asked to hold a Saturday class and I’m looking for a day that works. Let me know if you would like to come paint with us any of these times.

What’s Happening In Sept At Artful Endeavors

A Short Note to Catch Up

 

I’ve just returned from a wonderful weekend workshop with Lisa Ann Watkins, watercolor pencil artist which left me inspired and wanting to do more, right now! But I thought you would appreciate being updated on studio class happenings, so here’s what coming:
* Yes, we are painting the Santa Face this Wed. I have the paints, just register and come join us. My surface is a 8″ round but any smallish size will do. Wed, Sept 13, 10a-2p.
* And we are all set to paint my Kitty Angel Ornaments this coming Fri, Sept 15, 10-2p. I have the ornaments. You are welcome to paint any color cat you would like.
* Wed pm at the studio is painting my mixed media Blue Bird starting this week, Sept 13, 27, & Oct 4, 4p-6p.
* If you missed the Road to Know-Where, our Cary painters will begin it on Sept 26, Oct 3, 10 & 24. From my basic design each painter can personalize. Class is 6:15p-8p.
Kitty Angel Ornaments

Kitty Angel Ornaments

 

Road to Know-Where

Road to Know-Where

 

Mixed Media Blue Bird

Mixed Media Blue Bird

 

 

 

 

 

I’m working on getting the web site updated and will have all the classes posted soon. We’ve been planning classes for the rest of the year and hope you can join us. A little holiday sprinkled with some other favorite designs + lots of imagination.

Here’s the dog that I penciled with Lisa. Carol, Pat and I had a great time and I really enjoyed learning something new to me. It’s not finished but I am pleased with it.

Watercolor Pencil In Progress A Lisa Ann Watkins design

Watercolor Pencil
In Progress
A Lisa Ann Watkins design

Water Lily Gelli Kathie George design

Water Lily Gelli
Kathie George design

Details for our Nov seminar with Kathie George are posted! Hope you can join us. We have an exciting variety of projects planned.
Details and Register.

Donkeys Batik Kathie George design

Donkeys Batik
Kathie George design

Green Swamp Golden Acrylic  Kathie George design

Green Swamp
Golden Acrylic
Kathie George design

Mark Polomchak seminar 2017

Mark Polomchak seminar 2017

We had a great time painting with Mark Polomchak again this year.

Watch for photos on the blog. I have them already on Face Book.
Mark and I are talking about next year. Stay tuned.

Watch the web siteand Face Book for more updates.
Liz

©2017 Artful Endeavors | 200 Sawmill Rd, Suite 201, Raleigh NC 27615

 

 

Summer Classes and Workshops at Artful Endeavors

Join us for one of our 2017 summer workshops with Liz at Artful Endeavors. We’ll explore our creativity with acrylics and watercolors.
Be sure to register at least 2 wks prior to class.
We need at least 4 participants to hold the class.

close to finish

* Some of you have requested a class to paint the Road to Know-where. The class has been rescheduled to Saturday, Aug 12. Register by July 26.
* The classes are updated on the web site so let’s do some summer painting.
* Note that we are starting another paint your own from your photo of a beach sunset starting next week on Wed am. We’ll explode our painting with color.Our Wed evening class has requested to paint their own landscape. Bring that photo inspiration and let’s paint.Watch for an upcoming portrait class a little later! Start looking for the photo to use. Don’t have one of your family you want to paint? We’ll find you a family member. Maybe a self portrait…Fri Aug 18 is our next Paint Your Cat for Purr Partners. I’ll have more information on that soon.

Can’t travel to Artful Endeavors? Join me on Creative Workshops on one of my online classes.

Summer Romance

Summer Romance

* It’s time to sign up for our summer seminars if you haven’t done so already.

Seminars

Mark your calendar that I’ll be out of town June 19-23. It’s beach time!

I’m on Face Book at Artful Endeavors. You don’t even have to be on Face Book to follow me.

On the Road to Daytona!

Hello, Art Enthusiasts!

What’s New

I’m traveling to the Society of Decorative Painters conference this week! And I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing friends that I haven’t see in too long and learning from the classes I’ll take. I have my colored pencils packed and my acrylic supplies. My classes will be with Mark Menendez, Janelle Johnson, and Lorinda Hull for colored pencil, and Sharon Hamilton for acrylic. It will be fun to do something our of my usual area of expertise.

I’ll try to post photos from the conference so watch our Artful Endeavors Face Book page.

I just got congratulated for making the cover of the summer Decorative Painter Journal. I haven’t see it yet so it will be a surprise to me.

18447457_1726345047392660_5879650011400141943_n

On Creative Workshops!

My Summer Romance is at Creative Workshops now and available for some relaxing summer painting. It’s time to add a little romance to our paintings with this fun feminine design. We’ll exercise our shading techniques to create shiny pearls and a gracefully flowing hat brim. Then we’ll set all of our items down on a surface to give the effect of just waiting to be picked up. Join us in painting this quiet summer moment.

Theory and Techniques included: Light Source, Side Loading, Shading and
Highlighting, Dry brushing, Creating ripples, Border line work
9 videos, 10-15 minutes in length

web-Hat-and-violets

Pink Hydrangeas Packet Available

You’ve asked for a packet for my Pink Hydrangeas design in acrylic. It will be available when I return from conference. Watch the blog and Face Book for information on ordering. Packets will be sent in email form.

web-Pink-Hydrangeas

 

Seminars for 2017

Registration is open!

Ros Stallcup: July 19-22, 2017
Join us for our 20th year of painting with Ros at Artful Endeavors. Once again Ros has designed entirely new projects for us. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Ros and just enjoy a painting-ful 4 days. Register now.

Flower Basketflowers WED edt Stan’s BeachStan's beach edt Winter Still Life with BunnyBunny still life edt

 

Pumpkin extravaganzaPumpkins edt

Register now for our 3 day seminar with Mark Polomchak.

Mark is back with more watercolor excitement. Plan to join us Aug 26, 27, & 28.
Single day registration opens in July if seats are available.

Koi Mark Polomchak

Koi
Mark Polomchak

Sunday: Koi

 

Saturday: Ibis

Ibis Mark Polomchak

Ibis
Mark Polomchak

Monday: Red Truck

Red Truck Mark Polomchal

Red Truck
Mark Polomchal

Our seminar with Kathie George

is scheduled for Nov 13-15, 2017. I’ll post details soon. Kathie has just returned from her Africa painting journey. She’ll have lots of exciting details to share with us.

kathie-demo

 

Waves and missing the gulls in progresswaves and gulls in progress

Weekly Classes and Workshops

We’re adding to our schedules so be sure to check the web site for updates.
The waves and gulls in on the schedule and we’re adding more Paint You Owns since the students are enjoying them and asking for more.
Class Schedules

From our Cary Class painting their own landscapes.20170509_194551 20170509_194901

 

Have a nice week and I’ll see you back at the studio next week.
Liz

My Favorite Painting

I am sometimes asked, “What is your favorite painting?” My answer is usually, “The next one.” Actually my favorite part of painting is the process. I do have paintings that I have completed that I especially favor but they are done. It’s pleasing to look at them and share them with others. I like and need praise like all of us and that’s rewarding, but those paintings are completed.

The process is the most exciting part to me, the most absorbing, where time just passes unnoticed.   I love getting started on a new painting, figuring out how to begin and in what direction I’ll wander.

web-turtles

turtles, the beginning of an idea

off-the-bridge

The turtles would be great in this setting.

The best part is that there is no rule about what I have to do with any one painting. Yes, of course I have studied, know about composition, perspective, color harmony, and all the rest of our artistic theory, absorbed it all and take it into consideration. One of my favorite ideas from Candice Olson, HGTV designer, is knowing the rules and knowing when to break them. We do need a good base of knowledge about our art, how is good art structured, know the rules. As these rules are internalized and become the foundation for our art, they are then liberating. We can explore from there.

I love figuring out how to create something new to me, a new idea, a new texture, technique, subject. This is usually done by experimenting. If I try this does it work? If not try something else. If it does, wow, exciting. And there is no end to learning. That’s my favorite painting.

Sunning Turtles designed by Liz Miller CDA video class can be found at http://creativeworkshops.me/classes-by-artist.html

Sunning Turtles
designed by Liz Miller CDA
video class can be found at http://creativeworkshops.me/classes-by-artist.html

2017 Seminar and Workshops!

Our seminar schedule for this year has come together with some exciting teachers returning. Plan ahead, mark your calendars, and register soon.

July 19-22: Ros Stallcup. Our all new projects have been chosen and registration is open. Register Now

August 26-28: Mark Polomchak. We’ll choose our projects a little later, however, registration is open. Register Now.

November 13-15: Kathie George. We’ll have more information later in the year but you know it’s going to be exciting.

kathie-demo

Upcoming Workshops

 

Feb 3: Batik. 10a-3p. Choose your design and join us for a day of batik.

MythFeb 24: Paint-N-Party. 6p-9p Once again we will paint our own cats. This class is a benefit for Purr Partners. If you missed it the first time here we are again. Bring a photo of your cat and a bottle of wine if you would like. We’ll provide the instruction and the fun. Register now.

March 3, 4, & 5: 10a-4p. Portrait Workshop. Join us to learn about painting a portrait. Bring a photo of someone you would like to paint. We’ll work on creating a likeness. More details.DSC_0145

March 24: Colored Pencil. Watch for details.

Watch for more workshops this winter and spring. Plan to join us.

Winter is Here

And we’ve had our first postponed class before we even got started. But that’s what happens in a NC winter.

Our Tue evening Cary class will begin next week instead of this week. So there’s still time to join us in painting the Winter Skies. Register now.

Keep a check on the schedule for any changes through out the winter.

Winter Skies Liz Miller CDA

Winter Skies
Liz Miller CDA

Weather Will Happen

NC weather in the winter is always unpredictable and this weekend has turned out so iffy that I am going to cancel the Back to Painting Party.
I just don’t want anyone out on the roads if it is not safe and rather than have to make a last minute decision, I have just made one.

No Party this Sunday, Jan 8. Don’t come to the studio. I won’t be here.

Let me know if you will be coming to one of our classes. You can register on the web site and I’ll send prep. I’ll look forward to seeing you next week!

Liz

Paint a Happy New Year 2017!

Winter Skies Liz Miller CDA

Winter Skies
Liz Miller CDA

Welcome to 2017! I hope you had a holiday season filled with family, friends, and holiday fun. And now it’s time to look forward to the new year with all it’s possibilities.

2016 was a busy year for us filled with lots of new painting techniques and creativity in our weekly classes and workshops. We had four seminars with wonderful instructors bringing us various new ideas and techniques, and bringing students from around the state and beyond. We’ve stretched our abilities, tried new concepts, succeeded and failed, and learned from all.
Did you see our pictorial review of 2016 on the blog?

At Artful Endeavors I’ve had 3 weeks off from class that have sped by all to quickly. I’ve worked on the web site, updated schedules, explored some new painting ideas, and taken some needed time off for family and relaxing. And now I’m preparing for our 2017 classes.

cat-scarf-web

This year at Artful Endeavors we have some exciting exploration planned: more acrylics of course, more watercolors, learning about new products and their possibilities, pushing our artistic and painting knowledge, and just having fun with our art and fellow artists. We are scheduling some time for painting scarves, batik, portraits, pet portraits, and original “paint your own” projects. And more seminars with Ros Stallcup, Mark Polomchak, and Kathie George! Be sure to keep checking the schedule for updates.

As you know our winter weather in NC is somewhat unpredictable so watch the blog for class changes due to weather. Our painting time is important but more important is keeping our painters safe and off the roads if the weather conditions are unsafe. I’ll post any class postponements that day and schedule adjustments as needed.

Let’s get ready for some painting in 2017!
Liz