2014 plans

2014 Plans
No new paintings this week but lots of plans for paintings. I intend to do a 30 day challenge and paint a new painting every day for 30 days.  So you will see these in this blog.

I also plan to change my website in January but this will take a while to plan and get it right before I change over. Eventually even my blog will be from the Wordpress site. This will be beneficial to getting new viewers and hopefully selling more paintings.

This year I will be teaching more..Tuesday mornings for a few in my home, at Hennes Drafting and Art Supply in Mansfield : Wednesday evenings for my continueing class 5-7pm of Painting from Photographs, Thursday 10 to 12am for a Watercolor class, and Landscape Secrets 1-3pm. So I have about 10 days to prepare for those as they will start the week of January 5th.

Then there is the Ohio Plein Air Prairie Challenge so hope to get out there with some other artists to paint Ohio prairies for a show at the Springfield Museum in the future.

So lots of work to do and now must put Christmas decorations away. It is going to be 44 degrees today so good time to take down the outside decorations. Cooler and rain tomorrow in this ever changing Ohio weather.
Here are my links to my current websites:http://www.judyfischerwaltonfineart.weebly.com

http://www.judy-fischer-walton.artistwebsites.com This is my print website and all my past paintings.
If you think of someone who might like to follow this blog, please forward to them. Thanks.
My email:jwalton15@neo.rr.com

Hope you had a marvelous Christmas and wish you the the best New Year ever.

The Gift of Pet Portraits

Gifts of Pets completed yesterday. The dog, Piper, likes to ride in the front of the boat so that is why the background. It probably would have been better as an 8x10 but I wanted them to be a matchiing pair. I could have raised the dog's head a bit but then the horizon line would have been in a strange place so thus it was done. The cat, Pumpkin was put on the black canvas to make her look like she was focusing on something exciting. I hope they like their pet portraits.

Tonight is our family Christmas and most everything is done except for wrapping. I actually sold  two paintings that were shipped and will post after Christmas as I don't want to spoil the surprise. I had printed off the Poinsettia painting on Yupo and used it as a Christmas card.  

. I am looking forward to painting some things I have been wanting to try. I have a Christmas break. Two more days of work at Kingwood before the new year. Then classes start the second week of January . I am seriously thinking of doing a 30 day challenge. A painting everyday for 30 days. I believe I can do it. To prepare ,will go through my pictures and decide what to do for each day. 

 Have a great Holiday!

Paintings for Christmas

Attempting to get Christmas things done. I did get all my cards done and need to send my emails soon. I decided to paint something special for a gardener at Kingwood Center whose name I drew for the exchange. So did this little 5x7 Oil.I wanted a painting that depicted Kingwood and the Perennial Garden inspired me with the Mansion in the distance.

Then decided to print them so everyone who works at Kingwood would get a print for the Christmas Party this week. Then I thought of a few more people who might like to have one also. So now to mat them and frame the oil.

Then I am going to do some acrylics, small on little canvases.

So off to work as tomorrow I have a class in the morning and a party Wednesday noon and a class in the evening. It seems the days are flying by and little time to paint.

Christmas Teddy Bears

Just a cute little Christmas painting of Teddy Bears. These were actually in a bag to go to Goodwill and I forgot the bag. Then decidedto paint them. The large one was actually brown but I thought the family would look better in all white. 8x8 oil. You can buy this in my store at www.judyfischerwaltonfineart.weebly.com

This next picture is of my Christmas painting for my Christmas card. I had such trouble with all that Holly painting! So I tried watercolor on Yupo and Yea! it worked. So last night I printed my Christmas letter and my cards and today will address them. Then to get some Christmas paintings done! I am running late this year!

Hope you are getting your holiday paintings done, too. I need to get my next newsletter out also. If you want subscribed to it, just write me and put newsletter in the title with your email in the main letter. jwalton15@neo.rr.com

You can subscribe to my blog  on this page and for prints and cards of my paintings go to. www.judy-fischer-walton.artistwebsites.com

Demo Paintings

This is the photo and the value sketch that I used to do my demo last Saturday. As you can see in the value sketch I changed some things to make it a better painting. Then two days before the event I painted the demo and did it in one hour and fifteen minutes. This is the result. 11x14 Oil

 It is not perfect but I worked on it later and corrected a few things.I had the two tall trees the same height and I did not like the bank area and some more detail was needed in the focal point area so this is the corrected painting.

This next painting is the demo I did on Saturday in front of the group. I had premixed my colors and it did take one hour and a half, due to late comers that needed explanation as to what had previously been done and questions. I did work on a few details after I brought the demo home.

I do like this mountain ridge better than the first but overall it works.

Then I came home and did this one! Guess I was just in a painting mood.

The photo is a little dark and needs to be photographed better.

Zinnias and Holly paintings

Reworked this little 5x7 . I was unhappy with the background that I had originally painted in all that olive green so did some knife work on it.. A much better painting now.

After watching a webinar by Linda Kemp I attempted some negative painting in watercolor. Old habits continue! Found my self painting positively so had to redirect myself. It got darker than I wanted so had to scrub out the one corner. I love Strathmore's Gemini paper!

This is a work in progress. The plan is to not overwork it! Wish I would have left some white in the upper middle left! Still trying to come up with a Christmas painting for a Christmas card.

This weekend Northlight is giving 50% off everything so I ordered Linda's book Simplified Design and Color for Artists and also her Negative Painting Techniques for Acrylic. At $15 each and no shipping. I can use these in my classes.

I also signed up for Johnnes Vloothuis's three week online webinar for $11! 

I am bummed as will miss part of Saturdays webinar as I have to judge a  gingerbread house contest at Kingwood Center at 2 pm and buy poinsettias for my classes next week and the greenhouse at Kingwood doesn't open until 3pm. Everything happens at the same time around the holidays. At least the webinar will be available to download for free for whoever signs up. He is going to paint the Grand Canyon in oil on Saturday.

Re

Juicy Holly and Snow painting

Problem..no connections with the darks

Holly and Snow, a better version.

What a difference in the photos. Cool light vs warm light!I will photo with my good camera when it dries some so there is no glare.

  At any rate if I would have followed the value study more I could have accomplished the painting sooner. Also the value study was too big, 81/2 by 11.Hope you can learn by my mistakes. "No matter how skillful you become, painting never actually gets free and easy. we all learn something each time we paint."

 I had put the value study aside and just painted! At any rate, I do feel the painting is overworked but it was fun. It is so wet with paint it will take a long while to dry.I also learned how to put wet paint on wet paint with a knife! 

 My intention was to do a Christmas card painting and the inspiration was that photo of Fall and Winter greens below. I think I want to do more of a simpler painting, perhaps watercolor.

 I watched a free webinar yesterday on watercolor, promoting a new book. Simpllifyinmg Design and Color for Artists by Linda Kemp. Wonderful and now I am excited about watercolor.I think I may purchase the book when it comes out in December and use the techniques in my watercolor classes starting in January.

I did purchase Richard Schmid's new book, ALLA PRIMA II. It is my Christmas present to myself. Ever since I have been single I buy myself a present since I don't have to buy a spouse or significant other a gift.It will take me some time to get through it. The paintings are beautiful in it. 

If you wish to receive my Newsletter, send me an email jwalton15@neo.rr.com

You can find my art work at www.judyfischerwaltonfineart.weebly.com and prints can be purchased at www.judy-fischer-walton.artistwebsites.com

Hope you all have a great week and remember there are no mistakes, only lessons.

Composition work.

As much as I love the knife work in this painting the composition has failed thus far. So I will be working on it this afternoon. The value thumbnail looked good small but I need to make some connections to the dark areas. This painting is so full of paint it is calling for the lightest touch of the knife or should I say the lightest touch of the paint to paint to get it to stick. The photo this time is more accurate to the colors than the earlier one. This painting is still exciting me and I am loving working with the palette knife.

Here are some little canvases and tags I picked up at Hobby Lobby this past week. I think they may make some nice little gifts. Will show you what I come up with when I do them. 

I did get my newsletter sent out earlier this week and have learned a lot since then so the next one will be much better and will have linkable links!

One thing certainly on my list is to organize my photos on the computer. I am getting too many and it is hard to find the ones I want to upload. I post for Kingwood Center. on Facebook twice a week and I have many Kingwood photos.

An upsetting event: My Facebook was hacked! One of my friends notified me that my name was being used to make a new Facebook site and asking my friends to friend that site. They used my picture and when someone friended the site,the scammer instant messaged them with my name and picture saying I had received $50000  and it was legitimate and to call a number and talk to an Atty who was a smooth talker and insisted that I had received the money and all they had to do was send some money to cover fees and the money would be theirs. Unfortunately one of my Facebook people fell for it. I was blocked from the site so those who got involved, I hope notified the authorities. I notified Facebook three times with what knowledge I had. I hope this is resolved now.  Please be aware.....Never send money to get money no matter what they say.!

To go to my new site: www.judyfischerwaltonfineart.weebly.com

To get my newsletter, email me jwalton15@neo.rr.com

Have a great day and remember there are no mistakes, only lessons.

New Newsletter and New work in progress

 The photo  is my inspiration. I loved the colors and the abstract shapes of the snow and foliage. I did a quick value study which I try to do with each painting when I design it. I mixed up some puddles of blue, white , lavender, permanent rose First.Then added some white to the colors for the lights. Then knifed in my darks and then the lights. I decided to add some spots of dark to make a better composition. Then decided I needed a spot of sunlight. The yellow white may be a little strong and may be muted tomorrow. My center of interest will be where the spot of red is in the upper right area. This is very heavily painted and will be a challenge to add paint on top of paint. It takes a very light touch.

I will work on this tomorrow afternoon as tomorrow morning I am volunteering in the office of Kingwood Center helping with mailings. Possibly mailing tickets to members for the Christmas House Tour in December.

Worked on my first newsletter and did get it sent today. I have a couple errors and need to learn how to make my websites clickable! Which I think I figured it out with this post.
Thought I would get this posted as it is windy, rainy and we are under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning and a Tornado Watch.

My new website is up and running. http:judyfischerwaltonfineart.weebly.com

Life gets in the way of the Creative Life

This morning on my Facebook, I saw a beautiful photo of leaves, and snow and greenery from Kingwood Center. I want to paint something like that. I am so inspired that I want to leave my schedule today but I can't. A lunch calls, a storm door to be put up , walk the dogs, A newsletter to craft and paintings to post on my Fine Art America site. Hopefully this afternoon or if I hurry with the house cleaning, this morning.
Life certainly gets in the way of the creative life.So while I vacuum I will be considering what medium this painting will be. Oil, watercolor, acrylic, on paper or Yupo? Lately I have had a craving for Yupo. Next blog you will see what I decide.

I have much on my creative list: A Christmas card, a painting that can be printed for a free gift, posting, photographing paintings, newsletter, Just plain painting. I was thinking it is sunny and warmer and the outside holiday decorations could be started but ART is the priority here.

Here is another demo that I did in my Landscape Secrets class. This is an 8x10 oil.

 I have so much to teach. I have learned so much from workshops, books, videos and I can pass all that on to students. My Landscape Secrets class has been crafted from my studies with Johannes Vloothuis. Three years of his online classes and my own paintings have improved so much. This Saturday he is having a free demo at 1pm on composition which I won't miss! If you are interested I can  forward an email for you to sign up. He is also going to be doing a three week class on Saturdays starting Nov. 30. His site is www.Improvemypaintings.com 

A new website and newsletter.

This is a painting that I have been demonstrating in my Tuesday morning Landscape Secrets class. This original photo was from Johannes Vloothuis's online class. He is doing a free one hour class online this coming Saturday from one to 2pm on how he decides on photographs to do paintings and composition. I will definitely be watching as I have studied with him for almost three years now. If you are interested in this class, send me an email at jwalton15@neo.rr.com and I will forward an email where you can sign up for the free class.

My Wednesday night class participants at Henne's Drafting and Art Supply ,are working on their own projects and I am helping by teaching and critiquing. Some students  have been with me for almost three years.There has been some interest in a watercolor class and that will most likely start in January.

I am going to do a one hour demo on Landscape Painting Secrets on Dec.7 at Henne's Drafting and Art Supply to spur some interest in the Landscape class at Henne's.

As some of you may know I am following Roos Schuring's Grow Your Art Business project. I have started a Mailchimp account and have asked many for their permission to receive my newsletter, which I hope to have out the beginning of the week. I will have current paintings, art tips, and what gets me excited to start creating. If you are reading this and wish to be on the newsletter list, email me at jwalton15@neo.rr.com. You can also sign up on this blog to get this blog.

I plan on putting many art lessons on this blog also.

I should have my new website up and running by the time you get the newsletter. Today I will be selecting paintings to go on the site and working on the newsletter.

I have also reduced my prices for my originals on Fine Art America. You can check them out at www.judy-fischer-walton.fineartamerica.com. I will publish my new price list in the new newsletter.

I am so excited about this new project. I love teaching what I have learned in my art experience and hope that many of you benefit from what I can pass to you.

Thanks so much for reading. I sure would like your feedback.

Heron painting party

www.judyfischerwaltonfineart.weebly.com       This is my new website that I am constructing. I am also on www. judyfischerwalton.fineartamerica.com    I am now working on Roos Schuring's Grow Your Own Business project so hope to work steadily on this.

Below is the the Heron Painting Party that was done  the 25th of October. We had 14 people of whom some had never painted before. This was a private party where the participants brought appetizers and their drinks and painted following my demo. We had a great time and everyone was pleased with their painting.

#5 is the top one. 16x20 Blue Heron acrylic. Done for a painting party, of which they now want a Fall scene so if I have time this week I will change this to a Fall scene!

Next is #6 5x7 oil, done from some Zinnias which I bought last Tuesday at the Farmer's Market and here it is Tuesday again. These are all so wet it is hard to photograph them.

#7 was finished this morning as a demo for my class. The photo below was the photo that we used. The theory used: You can make a great painting from a bad photo. This is an 8x10 oil. Teaching everything I have learned in Johannes Vloothuis's classes for almost three years and still learning. And all those lessons that I have taken over years of workshops, reading art books, and just plain painting, Oh, and plein air painting.

Whew! I am behind already! The top one is a 5x7 oil of Kingwood Center. This was #3 and the bottom one is #5, an 8x10 oil Road to somewhere, done with the Zorn palette with higher key colors added at the end. I have learned a tremendous amount working with the Zorn but not sure I will stick with it. Maybe as an underpainting. #4 is still on the easel so I am three behind when I finish # 4. I just don't have the time with working and teaching.. I paint at night and cannot photo til later and then it is wet and doesn't photo well so will not post every day but will paint every day but may not finish the painting.

The Zorn Palette Paintings

I am doing the Zorn palette with Ken Vloothuis online and the top one is the first I have done. Winter River. The second one I did yesterday. Fall Reflections. What a challenge, getting those colors with just Yellow ochre pale, Cadmium Red Light, Black and White. I need a lot of practice! Must get busy to get one out today for the 30 paintings in 30 days!

Great sales at Lakeside

Terrific Art Sales at Lakeside 07/24/2013 0 Comments The weather was hot and rainy with biting flies but it was a terrific weekend. On Friday I painted until 11 am, a scene of Lilys and the lake. I was so hot with the heat that I had to take a cold shower and rest a bit. That evening I set up to sell but did not sell anythiing as most people were going to the concert. Then I found out that both my entries to the Katherine Crampton show sold. Thursday was another hot day but painted in the Pavilion under cover and watched and painted the racing sail boats. That night I sold 2 paintings. Sunday I painted the boat show, got moved 3 times due to tents being put up and then a large boat was pulled in front of my scene. I did take a photo and then winged it. That afternoon I sold 13 paintings. They were all 8x8 and 8x10, some unframed , some framed. So excited about that. Some of the paintings that sold below. I need to photoshop them, crop, etc. I have learned so much from my online workshops with Johannes Vloothaus. Two years ago I went to this show and sold nothing. This year took a lot of the old paintings and sold them with no frames. Just very exciting.

Summer Blossums

I am not sure the first painting is done. I think it needs more color in the sky.

The second painting was done with inspiration from a C.W.Munday download about dramatic still life.So this was an attempt to put various colors on the brush and do one stroke and then another and I found it very exciting and inspirational and have another one my easel that I need to get to painting.I certainly need to photo these paintings better.

Watercolors

Have some oil paintings on the easel so have been working in watercolor. The top one is from a photo at Lakeside and the bottom two were done at Kingwood plein air of the rabbit statuary in the Herb Garden. Haven't worked in watercolor for sometime so it was a challenge.

Quest, Australian Shepherd

I have been working on this 11x14 Oil for several weeks. I wanted to do something for my agility instructor. Quest is one of her agility dogs. The photos she gave me were of Quest jumping a bar with a very serious look on his face and she wanted him smiling and jumping something in nature. I chose a stream as the dog does live in the country.. She is very happy with the painting which pleases me.

I wish I had more time to paint as I am working part-time, working on agility, trying to keep the garden and house up. I am pleased that this painting turned out and am anxious to start something new.

Went to the May Show opening and Artist's reception at the Mansfield Art Center. The show was nicely hung and it had so much more representational art than previous years and that was nice to see. There were many people at the opening. Not many I knew. I was so pleased to get two paintings in this year.

I have not been able to paint much with working at the Kingwood Center and my allergies are especially bad this year and my eyes are itchy and swollen. I hope the trees are soon done pollenating or we get a heavy rain.I am working on an 11x14 dog portrait and will post soon.

Painting Paths of Light

After listening to Artists Helping Artists on Blog Talk Radio, I have learned so much about marketing. You can listen to all the series at. www.Artistshelpingartistsblog.blogspot.com. So much information. I decided my theme would be Painting Paths of Light as I am intrigued by paths and I love the light in paintings.I would like to get her widget (Leslie Saeta) on this blog as she is so great at helping artists. I also made up a new business card today with the following picture on it.

Both these paintings were accepted into the Mansfield Art Center's May Show. It will be interesting on Sunday, May 5 opening to see the show as usually most of the art is innovative and unusual and not representational. I loved doing both of these paintings as they have paths with light beyond to intrique you, just as our own paths are uncertain and we are always looking for the light.

Forest Glow 9x12 oilo

Mystery Mail 8x10 oil although this photo is cropped strangely!

Carmel Mission and Welcome IN oil paintings

Finally worked on the bell from standing out too much. This is one of my favorite paintings and the first one done after the Kenn Backhaus workshop. He challenged me to look at things differently.

This painting was done next. The photo had a new blue door and the building was of logs . I changed a lot of features and it was all very frustrating, so I see why Kenn said, "When you change things not there, you have trouble! So true.