I’ve really been into painting owls this year. Fortunately so have many of our painters, so we’ve had some fun painting owls together. First there were the ornaments, then the snow owl. Here is our latest in our owl collection. This time a more realistic painting. My wonderful students created a whole flock of fluffy owls.
Barred owls by my talented students.
This beautiful design was by Sue Beckerton in Paint Works, Feb 2013.
We sure did pack in the painting with Kathie during our 3 days this year, each day different new techniques and skills. I’ve painted with Kathie, learning batik, but each time I paint with her I learn something new, and this year was no exception. And Kathie is such a patient, sharing person, giving her time and talents to everyone of us at her class. Once more a successful seminar.
And Kathie is taking some lucky painters on a painting holiday to South Africa next April 12 -23, 2014. Be sure to check out the details on Kathie’s web site. You might just want to join her.
Here a just a few moments from our seminar. I was so absorbed with my painting that I didn’t get photos the first 2 days so here is our last day of fun. Love the ducks and the dyes. We’re making plans for more dye projects. What fun. Notice the concentration and then smiles with the completed paintings.
Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!
It’s a beautiful fall day with colorful trees and very pleasant weather here today. It’s a perfect Halloween eve.
I have a Halloween treat for you. It’s directions for my spooky owl pen.
Spooky Owl Pin A Liz Miller CDA design
You can use your favorite colors but here are some of the ones that I’ve used:
DecoArt Americana: Lamp Black, Raw Umber, Butterscotch, Warm White, Marigold, Irish Moss, Tangerine, and Burnt Sienna.
The blank is available at my studio or you can order from Viking Woodcrafts if you can’t drop by my studio.
Spooky Owl Pin
Let’s Paint a Spooky Owl in a Tree:
I used a flat Bringle Blender to scuff in the tree using the chisel edge of the brush and RU. Then use Butterscotch and a very little Butterscotch + WW to lighten the left side of the trunk and branches. I then added a little scuffed in Tangerine to accent the light side and middle of trunk. Use a side loaded flat to darken the right side of trunk with Black. Of course the hole in the base of the tree is painted black. The spider webs are also painted black. Dry and then pattern your owl.
Using a #0 liner dab in the owl with RU to create fluffy feathers. Begin to fluff in the lighter feathers by adding WW to your dirty brush. Notice the light feather on the face and details on the head and body. Don’t forget the tail feathers. Lighten the face by adding more WW to your dirty brush. Eyes are Marigold and shaded at the top with BS when dry. Outline them with RU. Pupils are black with a WW glint. Beak is RU with a WW glint. I added a little dabbed in BS under the chin and at the base of the tail. Add a few WW claws to hold onto the branch that you add with your tree colors. Add any other owl like detail that you would like.
To finish up dry brush a little WW on the spider webs and touch in some Tangerine eyes inside the hollow of the tree with black pupils and WW glints. I then flick up some grass at the base of the tree with Irish Moss, a nice spooky bright green color, using my flat blender.
Dry and spray with DecoArt Triple Thick spray several times allowing plenty of dry time between sprays. Remember not to touch the varnish to check dryness unless you would like to leave a nice finger print for later ID purposes. When dry glue a pin back to your painted treasure and enjoy wearing.
pattern
Have a spooky time painting this project. We still have some fall season to enjoy this little pen.
You are welcome to teach this design but be sure to give me credit for the design.
Watch for a winter version of this design coming up soon!
Liz
It’s exciting to see painting and art work by our younger artists at the NC State Fair. Artful Endeavors sponsors Best in Show for our younger artist and encourages them to continue with their artistic endeavors. Congratulations to the young artist who earned this year’s Best in Show.
I just took some time to read and learn. Forget the “to do” list and enjoyed learning from some other artists. What inspiration! Now my mind is into “what if I tried this or I want to try that technique”. My day just became a lot more fun. Thanks Kathie George/Watermedia Workshops and Nancy Medina Art Studio my inspiration for today.
If you don’t follow Kathie you really should. Keep scrolling down on her blog to find her wonderful lessons and tips.
Nancy Medina is a wonderful inspiration also for forgetting that word “perfect” that really doesn’t exist in art anyway.
· Kathie George seminar is coming up quickly. We still have some seats if you would like to join us. I have the prep and patterns at the studio if you have already registered. We have some exciting new techniques and lots of fun planned with Kathie.
Ducks in a Row
Mixed Media with powdered dyes.
Shell Weave
Watercolor with cheese cloth accents.
Cat in the Snow
What fun to visit the NC State Fair each year and see our beautiful decorative paintings displayed for our community to see and this year was no exception.
Rick and I went to the State Fair on Sunday, the last day of our vacation, and were very pleased with all your art work submissions, beautiful work. I saw lots of ribbons and even more paintings that I would have given ribbons to. While we were at the exhibit two women walked up, one pointing out a pumpkin and squash painting by one of our students that did not receive a ribbon. She exclaimed how much she loved that “pumpkin painting”, the other woman agreeing. Then a mother and son walked up to the exhibit and the son was holding out his mobile phone to take a photo of a painting with a wolf, again which did not get a ribbon. I asked him if he liked the wolf and as he gestured yes with a head nod, his mom explained that he loved wolves and had brought her to see the painting that he liked. I’m sure there were many more paintings not receiving ribbons that were some one’s favorite. If you are on face book, Artful Endeavors page, you can see all the admiring “likes” and comments on the St Fair photos that I posted. If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to “like” Artful Endeavors
As far as I am concerned, you all were winners to me. Thanks for sharing your art. It’s our best form of advertizing and letting others know what terrific painting you are doing.
If you haven’t been to the fair yet, decorative painting has a larger area this year, down where the carving used to be and across from the fudge.
Congratulations to Carol Burns for earning Best In Show Hobbyist Category for her mixed media. Beautiful Carol.
Congratulations Jean S for your blue ribbon.
Congratulations to Dianne W and all our ribbon earners.
Beautiful Maggie W. Congrats!
So many beautiful paintings entered this year. Our original paintings made an excellent showing.
Congrats Emiko.
Congrats Jean S. And Donna B.
If you go to the Arts and Photography exhibit be sure to look for Rick’s photos. He had both of his photos displayed this year, a win in itself. 75 out of 300+ were displayed for the professional category. He had the oak tree like the photo in our hall and our clothes line with clothes pins in the fog.
Liz
Once a month I visit a health and rehab center to do a painting demo for the residents. I had always wanted to provide some service for our older population and when this opportunity found me, I was pleased to share my painting with them. I enjoy seeing and interacting with the residents. My regular attendees help me decide what to paint and colors to use as we discuss past times, seasons, events, or what ever evolves from our getting together. It doesn’t’ hurt the attendance that my demo is right before Bingo.
This painting evolved from one of my 20min, upside down paintings (so they can see what I’m painting). I like it so much that I’m offering it as a 3 hr workshops in Oct, on 10/11, 10a-1p, and on Sunday, 10/27, 1p-4p for those who can’t attend during the weekday.
Plan to join us and register now!
Pumpkin and Crow
Owl ornaments
I’ve been in the mood to paint owls this summer and fall. I’ve collected owl photos, there are lots on Pinterest by the way, and studied them. Seems like there are lots others out there who are into owls right now too. I’ve found them in magazines, on line, and in our painting journals this year.
When I found some delightful owl ornaments in the latest issue of Paint Works Ornaments, I had to paint my version. My students had so much fun painting their versions this week.
The winner of my 3 class basic techniques series on Creative Workshops is Elaine Allen!
Congratulations Elaine and thanks for your interest in my classes. I’ll be sending you an email.
Mastering Decorative Painting Basics Part
Thanks to all of you who participated in our exciting blog party. You can still take a class with me at Creative Workshops, so hop on over there and register. I’ll be looking for your name on my registered list.
Liz
