A new challenge

Creating in another medium.

I have been distracted for the last 3 months with a project that utilized some creativity along with endurance and muscle. It was spent remodeling a rental property that my husband and I own, which had been neglected for the past 12+years. Luckily our last tenant stayed for that duration, but on the other hand the deferred maintenance took a huge toll on the poor dwelling. It required a total gut job from the floor up.

Since this is “income property”, there was no time to dally around and put it off… like we have done with so many other things in our life (tenting for termites, constructing a trust… and deferred upgrades in our own home). It put me on a timeline to go from start to finish. Something we can’t always do with painting.

So… this quick little post is to let you know, I’ll be back into posting again… but more importantly to say that sometimes there are situations out of our control that keep us from getting to the finish line when we expect to. I know for me, this can happen with painting.

Don’t let the pressure of deadlines dictate a finished painting. Be your best judge to let things go out when you “know” they are ready.
Let the canvas sit in the studio longer, look at it in different rooms, under different light. Then set it into the frame and look at it more. The time you spend “vetting” your work, will ensure that you have given it the time needed to bring it to the finish line.

In closing… remember to make time to take care of yourself and the things in your life that matter.

With much gratitude,

Robin

Your Palette to Success

Palette organization can help keep your colors fresh and radiant, which is just one way to keep your paintings “winning”.

Here are some tips to keep your palette working for you and not against you.

Step one: Lay out your colors the same every time. Every time. Every time. They say if you read or hear something 3 times it will sink in. So here is one extra mention to make sure it sticks… Every-time.
If you are painting outdoors, you may be working with fewer colors, as opposed to when working in the studio. When using fewer tubes, still lay the colors on hand out in the same pattern. Here is the reason: so you never need to look or think about the color you are dipping into. You should be able to paint in total darkness, because you know where every color is.

Think of your palette as your keyboard. You are going to write a novel, and the letters on the keypad change every time you sit down to type, consider the time and energy it will take you to find each letter to form a word, to structure a sentence and ultimately write the book. The same is true when painting. If you have a color in your mind you want to mix and find yourself looking around your palette for where you put the blue, your concentration has now shifted from that color you wish to mix to searching for and locating the blue. Now you have broken the flow of creation.

Painting is difficult but we can lessen our struggles with an organized palette.

Lets make a note here also about squeezing out enough paint. Paintings can appear dull and drab if you are miserly with your paint. Make sure you put enough down. That way you won’t need to continually stop to add more. Also, squeeze out all your stable of colors. Just because you think you will not need “red” – still put a little on your palette. You will need it! Why sacrifice the quality of your art, by pre thinking what you might or might not need. Give yourself every opportunity for success.

Below is a palette that has colors laid out in an organized manner. This palette has had years of use. You can see that the colors have always been put out in the same place every time. How you decide to arrange your colors is entirely up to you. This example is a prismatic layout (rainbow order).



Palette laid out…Now for Puddle Jumping.

Mix your colors in puddles.

Example:





The reason for puddles is that when you make a color mixture, that new color will be unique with it’s own hue and value. This puddle holds valuable information. When mixing another color of the same value… the reference is right there to compare, side by side. Or possibly you need the same color with a darker value. Again you can reference from the original puddle.

The other great advantage to keeping paint puddles, is that these puddles can be treated as additional colors on your palette. Different from your tube paints, these are colored mixtures are available to use in new mixtures. Using puddle mixes can also help paintings keep a cohesive finish.

Eventually the puddles will take over the palette. Don’t be lazy. Wipe the mixing area off, so you have a clean area to work in. Color gets dull and muddy from working on a disorderly and chaotic palette.


Check your palette score.

Organized Layout.

Enough Paint squeezed out

All your colors on the palette

Clean mixing area

WINNING!!!!!!

How To Stretch a Canvas

“How To Stretch a Canvas for Painting”. Stretch your dollars, define your dimensions….and then canvas your world.

TOOLS NEEDED:
canvas pliers (I recommend the ones that have a rubber grip)
Heavy-duty staple gun. “Powershot” is my favorite.
Wood Stretcher Bars: 4 total, (2 pair- each of duplicate length).
Canvas or linen.
square
tape measure





All stretcher bars come with at least one side that has a raised ridge along the edge (some bars are raised on both sides). If your bars have only one side with the ridge, make sure they are fastened together so the ridges are all on the same side. This matters.





Step 1:
Your support (stretcher bars) for the canvas must first be put together ;each length has a 45˚ angle on each end. Once they are joined you will have a frame (support) square or rectangular with 90˚corners.
Measure to insure you have a perfect right angle (90˚) on each corner. To check this -measure each diagonal with a tape measure and confirm the diagonal lengths are the same . The example below shows each diagonal to be 17.5 inches.





Once you are confident the bars all have a 90˚ angle, staple each corner of the wood bars to secure them. If you wish to use canvas keys later (small wooden wedges), you can remove these staples once the canvas is attached.

Step 2:
Linen and/or canvas can be purchased either in a roll or by the yard. I think the roll is a better value, but if you are trying this for the first time, you might want to buy your canvas by the yard for your test trial. I will use the word “canvas”to represent both canvas and linen. Notice there is a gesso side and a raw side to your canvas. You will want to do your painting on the gesso side.

Amount: You will need your fabric to be a minimum of 4” larger than the dimensions of each length of your desired canvas size. As an example – a canvas size of 16”x20”, would require a swatch of canvas to be no smaller than 20”x24”, or as another example an 8”x10” would require a sample of 12” x 14”.

Step 3:
Layout: Important- do not fail to pay attention to this step. Make sure that when you measure and lay out the fabric, the woof (weft) and warp is perpendicular and parallel to the stretcher bars. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weaving) Basically the threads that run horizontal must line up with the horizontal bars. The vertical threads must be parallel to the vertical bars. If the threads do not line up with your bars, your finished canvas will have puckers or ripples.


Step 4:
Cut the fabric so you have 1.5” or 2” beyond each stretcher support. This will allow you to have enough fabric to grab the canvas over the wood bars with your pliers. Example:



Step 5: Lay canvas -Gesso side down. Place your stretcher bar support on the raw unprimed side of the canvas. The raw fabric side should be facing up toward you. Make sure the wood support frame has the raised lip facing down against the raw canvas.




Once your support and canvas are properly aligned, lift one edge of the canvas and staple it to the support. Do this with care, so you don’t disturb the layout position of the canvas and support.



Step 6: On the opposite end, use your pliers to stretch the canvas over the support, so now you will have 2 opposite ends stapled.




Step 7: Now rotate your support (wood frame) and canvas and stretch a 3rd side and staple along end.



Step 8: Repeat on the 4th unattached length. You should now have 4 sides stapled. It will have a diamond shaped pucker on the gesso side of the canvas. example:






Step 9: Now you will pull and staple the canvas on the left side of the existing staple- and then the right side of the first staple. Keep your staples evenly spaced, approx. 1” apart. Rotate and repeat this process until you have staples all 4 sides. The diamond shape pucker on the front of your canvas will get larger and less pronounced as you work toward the edge of your support. NOTE: you are only putting 2 staples in at a time and then rotating. Do not attempt to staple an entire length or side all at once. You must keep rotating after you have added 2 staples.








Step 10: Repeat step 9: 2 staples 1” away from each existing staple -and rotate. 2 staples and rotate, 2 staples and rotate, until you have completely fastened the canvas across the entire edge of each length. The diamond pucker on the front should be completely gone now. Your canvas should look like the example and have no puckers. (If you have puckers, go back and check what is off. Either the canvas was not true to woof & warp, or your stretcher bars were not at true 90˚ angles. You will need to remove all your staples and try again).



Step 11: Securing the corners and finish: fold one corner over, make a pleat and fold over again as shown. Then staple the corner down.





You’re done! Bravo.

Keeping the tools ship shape

What is the best way to clean a brush?

After years of cleaning brushes and all the different methods I have tried, (brush soaps, shampoo, conditioners, oils…etc., the method illustrated below is the quickest & simplest method and will keep your bristles in beautiful shape and flexible for a long and useful life.

One note about the lasting quality of brushes: if you paint on a rough, course linen or canvas, your bristles will wear down, much like running acarrot over a grater. Your brushes will wear regardless of how you clean them.

HERE IS MY BRUSH CLEANING METHOD:
First wipe the excess paint from your brush using a rag or paper towel.
Next, use your cleaning solution, thinner. I like Gamsol, as my thinner-cleaner solution as the emissions from this solvent is lower than other mineral spirits.
Swish the brushes in the Gamsol and get the majority of oil paint off. Do not scrub the brush- just swish them with some vigor.



Now- it gets easy- set the brushes in a solution of concentrated Simple Green. You want to place your brushes so the brush-handle rests against the side of the solvent container (as shown below). This will keep a minimal amount of pressure on the bristles and they won’t loose their original shape.



You will want to make sure the bristles and the very bottom section of the metal ferrule is immersed in the Simple Green. Do not let any part of the wood handle to be in contact with the Simple Green. Simple Green is very effective in removing paint and it will also remove the paint from the handle and the glue attaching the ferrule to the wood handle.




I leave the brush in this solution overnight and then rinse under cool water the next day. (I have left my brushes in Simple Green for days, with no damage)
When rinsing your brushes, do it under a good stream of water and press the bristles against the bottom of the sink, again do not scrub it. If it seems there is still paint left up in the ferrule, put the brush back in the solution for another day. Paint trapped in the ferrule will cause your bristles to eventually fan out and loose their shape.



When you are satisfied the bristles are clean, tap off excess water and leave to dry in a horizontal position where air can circulate all around the brush. Your brushes should be dry by the next day and ready to use. Note, some pigment colors will stain the bristles, and this does not affect the life or flexibility of the brush.




Note: You can also remove dried on paint from palette knives in the same way. Leave only the metal blade in the simple green, you will be able to wipe the built-up paint off after leaving them soak for overnight, maybe longer if you have a lot of build up. Remember… don’t let the handle be in contact with the Simple Green- only the blade.

Happy Painting!

BRUSHING UP

Let’s talk about brushes. Students ask me what to look for when purchasing brushes, as there are so many out there to choose from.

A good oil painting brush is your tool. A brush should lay down paint on the canvas, not drag or scrape it. Many of my students show up to class with a handful of brushes, which are “over the hill”. It is frustrating for them, because the paint won’t come off the brush and lay over the paint layer under it. Brushes do not last forever, but with good care they will live longer. I will cover cleaning in another post. Hey, but don’t throw out your old brushes. I like to use my old brushes for other uses, like paint touch ups on walls, cleaning lint out of sewing machines, crafts, scouring drain openings… use your imagination, there are many useful ways to use that old brush.

"Over the Hill Brushes"



My favorite overall choice is a filbert bristle brush, second is a flat. That said, there are many different brands and quality of bristle brushes. Remember, this is one of your most important tools (next to your brain). Just like a chef needs a good quality knife that cuts with ease, you need a brush that will apply the paint without a fight and keep the process fun.





This is what I look for in a brush.
Flexibility: A good bristle brush should have flex and be long enough to bend in the middle.
There is a difference between flex and soft. A soft haired brush, as in sables, is good for softening edges in oil or in painting with watercolor. I prefer a natural hog hair bristle brush for the majority of my oil painting applications.
If the bristles are too stiff the paint will not leave the brush and lay paint over the layer underneath, it will merely scrape it. Your painting will look thin and anemic and your colors will be dull, not luminous.





Dimension: I choose filberts that have a thin profile. This allows the brush to be used as a drawing tool as well as for layering of paint. If the brush is too thick, you loose the ability to make beautiful thin linear notes as well as overall control. Notice how much thinner one brush is. These two new brushes are both size 8, by different manufactures.





Flats vs. Filberts: I really like flats when I am working with square shapes or wanting a sharper edge. Filberts are the brush I use 90% of the time.
Notice how the paint layers differently with a flat versus a filbert. The filberts add layers without a hard edge. Also shown is the path of each brush as it paints on a clean canvas. The flat & filbert brushes used are both size #6.




Remember: Our tools are an extension of our desire. Choose the best and make a beautiful mark on the World.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE HERE!

During this time of year I took a look back and reflected on things past that have made positive impacts on my life and led me to the path I am on – making art.

As an artist, I realize how wonderful it is to wake each day, knowing that today will be unique from any day before it and that I will loose myself at some point into the “zone” of creating.

For the freedom to create is a glorious gift. I am very grateful to my Mother, who engaged me in art, as a child. It is because of that exposure, that I am an artist today.

If you are a Parent, Grandparent, Uncle or Aunt, and have the opportunity to introduce art to a young person, please do not hesitate. Sometimes the most insignificant exhibit, play, musical performance or book can make a significant impact on their attitude to art as they grow to be adults.

This year, I received many emails with request for more classes or more blog postings; it was amazing actually, that so many people even look at my website or blog. So, with that discovery, I am resolving to make regular posts on my blog this year. Anything from new discoveries, pigments, exhibits, workshop exercises, mixing color… just about anything current that I think will be of benefit. On this posting, I have just listed 3 new workshops for 2011. Look to the right for the Workshop link.

Thank you for being part of my artistic world and I encourage you to keep striving to squeeze more art into each day.

Thank you again for visiting my Blog.

Sincerely,

Robin

2011 Workshops

MAY

STUDIO PAINTING- Dynamics of a Strong Painting 3-DAY Workshop Class full
Dates: May 25-27 Wed- Fri. 10am – 4:30 pm Cost: $395.

This 3-Day Workshop will utilize exercises toward a goal of developing strong paintings. We will be working in the studio of the Southern California Artists Association located in Laguna Beach. Areas of concentration will be focused on composition- values- color.

12-Student limit. $100. Deposit requested upon sign-up. Please call to ensure space availability (949) 496-2993
If you need to cancel a class, your deposit will be refunded, provided you notify me 2 weeks prior to the beginning of the class. After this date refunds will only be granted if there is a waiting list. Deposits may apply toward another class in the future.


Mail deposit to:
Robin Hall Studio
P.O. Box 2952
Capistrano Beach, CA 92624



Please look for further announcements of classes. As we get closer to Spring (a season of more cooperative weather), I will post Plein Air workshop and their dates.