my palette buried  and collecting dust. Though I am proud of myself for actually scrapping off the paint that was there for three months! That cad red sure doesn't dry!


Well I've been gone for awhile because we had our second child! I'm back, not yet painting since the little feller doesn't nap long enough. So I have revisited making wine charms! I have an etsy site (http://www.etsy.com/shop/brushmarx) and have some of my really crazy faces for sale there along with shortly pictures taken of my charms.
My mother n law gave me a great suggestion: take pictures of my studio, random ones of it. I thought that was something that could be fun! I could then take pictures of other art related things that i am doing or that I see is cool.
i plan to get back to painting here soon!
Thanks for checking in!
maria





a top view of a crazy spill from the box of "random stuff" I've realized how bad it is to have these "random" boxes because it seems for me everything ends up there!

Heard of her? No? Get with it! ;)
She was an awesome impressionic artist. I though ( maybe it's a blonde thing) forgot that I had like 4 of her books. I realized this was after I was researching to buy a few particular ones and was depressed because they ran very expensive. Then while stumbling through a mass load of art books I found them! I was totally excited by this and the fact that the one I really wanted was selling for $65 or more and I had bought it for $14.50! Sweet! I think I forget I have certain books because I have so many. I am going to go through all the art books and give away the ones I know I won't use. Why keep a book on pastels???
Anywho, I am learning a lot about color temperature and mixing. As well as portraits and all that is involved with this. I picked up the knife again and did an abstract impression of a dude in one of my facial expressions book. I 'll post it when I think it's to the point I shouldn't touch it any more.
Until then happy painting or whatever you do that makes you smile,
maria

I tell you something! Painting round objects tends to lead me into cross-eyed mode. I think what would help is the use of the good old mirror. I suppose I should find one and actually use it instead of thinking that that would be a great idea to see things differently! I wonder know if there is some friendly world wide web information on this roundness subject that has tips and tricks! I 'll look for this and let you all know!
Maria

I've been researching which of my colors are cool and which are warms. I feel like I know them but realized after watching Gamblin Space Color Video some of my thoughts were wrong. Or are they? For example, take Phaltho. I think of it as cool, but Gamblin says its' warm. Same goes for Cad. yellow light...thought it was warm when Gamblin tells me its' cool. I'm going to attempts to recreate the color wheel that is suggested on the Gamblin site and see if I can see what they are taking about.
It's really intriguing to me how colors are made: from way back in the Renaissance( classical era) where all the colors they had available were from the earth, to the modern colors (that are the additions to the classical era), made in laboratories giving rise to more intense colors and transparent colors as well.  I sometimes think I should go into making paint because I get so intrigued ( yes again) in how things are made. Some of the curiousity is to ensure quality of materials I'm using to just plan curious!
Check out some interesting facts about this era that I love:
Impressionism.
My favorite painter is Pam Ingalls. Pams style is quite impressionistic I think! I was fortunate to be gifted a course with her many years ago and I look forward to the day that I get to again! Her use of light is wonderful to me and the choppiness of what the brush leaves behind is inviting! I just had to share her with you all!

Well off to read a very useful book called I'd Rather Be in The Studio. Check this out because..what?! It's INTRIGUING! HA!
Maria

Top of the morning to you all!
Thanks for stopping in to see what I'm up to or thinking about!

Today I realized as I stood in my studio that I really need to incorporate charcoal sketches into my daily routine. I love charcoal ( could deal without the dust) and so enjoy seeing others works ( like that of Michael Crockett's YouTube "11 minute portrait video). I'm going to set up a specific area to do sketches before I do a painting. Who knows maybe they sketches will turn out good enough to sell!
Maria

We have completed my new studio! It's much smaller than before but the amount of natural light that comes in is well worth it.