We have some wonderful teachers traveling to Artful Endeavors to hold seminars for us this year.
French Country chair
Our seminar with Ros Stallcup is almost full. There are just a few seats available. Contact Liz regarding availability. Register now!
Hummingbird
We still have a couple of seats available in our seminar with Mark Polomchak.
Kathie George and I are making plans for our Nov seminar. Sure to be exciting.
Acrylic Painting Play Day! Introduction to Acrylic Painting
Waiting to Hatch
8 x 10″
June 7, Tue am 10a-1p or June 8, Wed pm 6p-9p
$40
Join us for a fun session of acrylic painting. I’ll have all the supplies and surface ready for you to paint our Waiting To Hatch, bird’s nest.
No experience is necessary, just the desire to learn some painting techniques and have fun. I’ll teach this project in a step by step manner that is easy to follow.
Bring a friend or several and let’s enjoy a morning or evening of painting.
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What a beautiful day with the sun shining and a nice breeze. I’ve been taking reference photo of the flowers beginning to bloom in our yard…. painting inspiration….. We’ve been busy at the studio. This past weekend CADANC chapter of SDP had a seminar with Patty Stouffer and what fun they had. I painted a loose daffodil with them on Friday and enjoyed exercising my loose self. I was so glad to meet Patty and now have another painting friend! Love having these travel teachers visit to teach for us. We’ve been working on the schedules and have new, exciting classes planned. Now I just need to get busy on painting samples so that you can see what’s coming. |
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Notes: ▪ Right now our Wed classes are small enough that anyone wanting to make up a class or work on an individual project can join us on Wed. Just let me know when you want to come. You can come 10-12:30p, 1-3:30, or 4p-6p.
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When you are painting from a photo, especially for a portrait or pet portrait, you want to be able to see good detail. Your painting is only as good as your photographic detail. We don’t want you to struggle to see detail as you paint. And I can’t just make it up for you no matter how talented you think I am.
Sharp detail.
Most cameras are set to deliver sharp photos. If your photo is blurred it may be operator error. I see many snapshots that are less than clear. These may be terrific for capturing a special moment but they are not adequate for a painting reference. Make sure you get a sharp, clear photo.
Not clear when enlarged. Won’t be able to get a good pattern or see detail for painting.
If you are using a photo from a mobile phone or tablet make sure your camera is set to the highest resolution. You need photos with good detail for reference.
Photos need to be at least 240 dpi at a size that you can use for your design. Or at least high enough resolution you can enlarge in a print to use for a pattern. If when you print your photo the size is not large enough to see detail for your pattern you are in trouble from the start. Newer mobile phones, especially Samsung, make wonderful photos at the high resolution setting.
When we are painting portraits from a photo I will ask to approve your photo to make sure you are not struggling as you paint. We want the painting to be fun.
I’m offering new Basics Classes starting March 1!
Basic Techniques
Yellow Daisy clock
Session 1
It’s time to get some more of our potential painters started on their art journey. Pass the word, let everyone know, and we’ll take them step by step through the basic techniques. You’ll find more details here: details.
Classes start:
Tue am, 10a-12:30p, March 8, 15, 22, and 29.
Register now! Tue am, $130 (4 wks), supplies $75 Basics in Decorative Painting $130
Basic supplies. $75
Wed pm, 6p-8:30p, March 9, 16, 23, and 30
Register now! Wed pm, $130 (4 wks), supplies $75 Basics in Decorative Painting $130
Basic supplies. $75
My Blue Eyed Kitty video class on Creative Workshops opens Tuesday! Join me to learn how to draw attention to your cat’s eye paintings.
24/7 access and no time limit on Creative Workshops.
If you know what that means then you have learned about side loading your brush from me either at one of my studio classes or one of my online classes.
And, you have improved your side loading and floating. Once you have the hang of side loading correctly it’s such an easy and convenient technique for adding volume and depth to your designs. And quick.
So many painters moan and groan when you mention side loading that I realized that it was just not being taught in a logical manner so that they understood the technique.
My students asked such good questions about why my SL technique was successful that I had to really think about what I was doing that worked. And I did. When my students use the technique correctly they are successful also. That doesn’t mean that we don’t get lazy some times and get sloppy. But cleaning up the technique will bring us right back.
Here is an example of floating glazes with a SL that I painted from a beautiful Gretchen Cagle design.
From a beautiful Gretchen Cagle design.
If you would like to find out about my technique for SL to learn or improve your technique, you’ll find my Mastering Decorative Painting Basics #2 video class on Creative Workshops where I break it down in a step by step manner for you. I’ll be glad to demonstrate as many times as you would like. And then it’s just practice.
Remember push, cross over, and blend 20 times.
Good SL to you!
Liz
The first of the year is a time for me to check my to-do list to see what ideas first inspire me for my upcoming art work. Some ideas sit on the list for awhile until the time comes when it just seems to stand out and say “it’s my turn now”. It’s so much fun to look back at my lists. Some ideas are instantly inspiring and some ideas make me wonder what I meant by that. I’m dragging out my list this month so stay tuned to see what’s coming up.
Our classes have their to-do lists also. Some ideas stay exciting and some fall by the way side. Here are a few ideas on our list for this winter:
more batik, I have lots of Kathie George’s patterns to chose from
Tjap
more Tjaps
Sherri Nelson wren
another skyscape
Pet portraits
My Annie
more watercolor!!!
playing with colored pencils
paint your own landscape from your photo
Landscape reference photo
Kathie George’s rooster with pastel pencil over watercolor, or maybe another subject, same technique
Rooster Liz MIller CDA
Portraits!
Tom’s Mom
Wow, I’m excited with all the possibilities for this year. Plan to join us.
2016 is here and we are getting back to our painting now that the festivities are enjoyed for another year. I don’t usually make resolutions at the beginning of the year but I do have some goals that I work toward. These usually include refreshing my creative techniques and learning something new.
One of my goals for this year is to work on creating more painting videos. I teach weekly classes and workshops in my studio in Raleigh and also in Cary, but with the internet and social media available there is the opportunity to teach beyond my local area. So if you can’t come to me, let me come to you.
Mastering Decorative Painting Basics side loading
How is your side loading? On Creative Workshops I have the Mastering Decorative Painting series. The second video in the series is all about side loading. It is an excellent, stand alone guide for those of you who want to improve your side loading or have had difficulty with side loading. You will learn easy to follow steps that lead to successful side loading. I’ll teach my step by step method for side loading your flat brush to smoothly and effectively shade or highlight the elements of your design. We’ll also explore the art theory for creating volume within the elements of your design. Follow the above link to register.
Summer Romance
Also, Session 3 of the Acrylic Painting Club is getting ready to start. You can still get in on the beginning and paint my Summer Romance. Just use my link to Register now! and give me credit for your interest.
You have a full year from the time the video posts to enjoy and review the classes.
And the best thing about the videos are, you can have me repeat anything on the video as many time as you would like just by rewinding.
And the best thing about the videos are, you can have me repeat anything on the video as many time as you would like just by rewinding.
And the best thing about the videos are, you can have me repeat anything on the video as many time as you would like just by rewinding.
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Liz
My Blue Eyed Kitty class is now an on-line class at Creative Workshops!
Join me for a video lesson in painting vibrant blue eyes for our kitty. All skill levels.
Register now ! Class opens Feb 9.
Blue Eyed Kitty
