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Thank you for visiting my site! Because you are here either means you saw me at a show, in an exhibit or heard about me through the grapevine. Any way you put it means you have at least a small interest in what I am doing and where I am going. I thank you for that interest and your patronage.
I LOVE ART! That should be everything said in a nutshell. I quasi-detailed my process below so you can get a feel for how I create each piece, start to finish.
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| My Steps as an Artist |
Step One
Each painting I create involves an extended research process. It starts onsite with photographs, sketches, and whatever else I can take with me about the subject matter. Luckily, my husband, Joseph Held, is a photographer and he helps me get a variety of perspectives. |
Step Two
Once the photos are taken, it is time to start getting my supports ready. My supports of choice are illustration boards or 140# Cold Press Watercolor Paper. I find that they are the best for the way I rough them up! Sometimes I add gesso to the boards with a thick hard bristled brush to lay down the underlying textures or just go start with straight paper. |
Step Three
Illustration boards are easier to start with because warping is limited. When you work with straight watercolor paper it is a more intensive process. I usually use gator board and staple down the paper and then use watercolor tape to cover the staples to create a straight line. (Blue Painter’s tape also works fabulous for this! Plus there is less bleeding). Then I soak the paper down and let it dry completely so I have a flat non-warped surface to work from. |
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Step Four
Now on to the outline! After going through all of my photographs, manipulating and creating the compositions I want I lay down the outlines on my boards. |
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Step Five
Now, I go back over the painting with watercolors glazing and layering each section. (The trick is multiple transparent layers)! I have found that watercolor is actually a very forgiving and unforgiving medium. Unlike acrylics, that dry to fast and are permanent, watercolor can actually be manipulated to a certain extent. As with all media, too much can give you a big pile of mud just like any oil painting. |
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Step Six
Next, I keep layering the transparent watercolor. I start to get a little more detailed and put in lines and overlays. I just kind of go with the flow. I keep layering in shapes and colors so I get a bright and vibrant image. |
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Step Seven + (There are more?)
Once I am happy with the main subject, I work on the background. I know this is backwards for most people, but when you are out in the hot sun watercolor dries FAST! I wet down the paper where I want my wash to be and drip on various colors. Watercolor is a really cool medium, because if the paper is bone dry, the color will only go where the water goes and you don't have to worry about bleeding! It is AMAZING! |
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Step Eight
When I am finally happy with the piece, I go in and layer a transparent color over the top (In this case Pthalo Blue) a great transparent color! Then I just kind of go with the flow again. I add shapes and lines where I think that the human eye needs to move and flow throughout the piece. I never forget about the four quadrants of the eye.
The whole point of a piece is eye movement.
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Mission
By natural influences, create affordable original artwork that people can enjoy and bring into their homes or work space.
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"A Good artist has less time than ideas. "
~Martin Kippenberger
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