Heather Lynn White's Etsy

ink and watercolor

2010-04-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for an inexpensive way to break into painting I've found my favorite medium (besides oil paint) is using ink (with pen nibs) and then watercolor.

What you will need

India ink (or waterproof ink)
Pen nibs (I prefer sketching set type nibs- speedball creates many)
Watercolor tube paint (or some you've already put in a palette. I let mine dry then moisten as I use them)
Water
Good sable or synthetic brushes (invest in a nice small medium and large)
Watercolor paper- again, invest in decent so it doesn't absorb too fast or too slow

1-sketch on sketchpaper to get your ideas
2- once you have a good composition go ahead and transfer it to the watercolor paper. (tracing paper and a dark pencil works well)- more on that to follow in subsequent posts
3- Ink your drawing. This is like using a quill pen like they did in the old days. Dip every time you start losing ink strength
4- lay down your lightest layers of color
5- start layering your darker colors over top and create shading with the colors

This technique works well if you don't feel like you are a strong painter because the ink lines tend to keep the watercolor inside the lines

etsy mini

2010-04-27T18:07:00.001-07:00

new painting

2010-04-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

Canvas texture for detailed paintings

2010-04-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

If a canvas texture is too "strong" or you would like more detail you can actually add more layers of gesso on a canvas even if it is already pre-gessoed and sand the new layers to create a smooth finish. I find that if you really need a tight surface to work on with fine detail that doing this helps a lot.

Support for the arts

2010-03-22T13:52:00.001-07:00

Very few people actually support the arts. They may like art. They may even do art as a hobby. I want to see people stand up once in a while. "Art isn't a real job." "You'll never be able to do anything in the art field, you either need to teach or have a day job". It's these attitudes that actually make it hard to survive as an artist. Next time somebody says "art is easy" or "you don't need to be intelligent to create art" stand up and say something. Tell them that art requires many types of skills, not just physical "I can draw" skills, but imagination, observation, color relationships amoung others. Art is one of the hardest things to do sucessfully, so we should appreciate those that create beautiful or interesting art.

POST YOUR FAVORITE PAINTING SOMEWHERE! Discuss artwork with a co-worker. Have fun looking at your favorite style.

Go enjoy art. It's there for you, the artist and everybody. It is one field where you TRY and get someone to think about what you do and how you do it.

2010-03-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

Slowest Drying Oil Paint Color

2010-03-21T20:03:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's just me, but I find hooker's green to be the slowest drying color out of all of mine. I hardly ever use it as I tend to mix all of my colors besides the primary colors...but it's sooooo slow. Almost like prussian blue in that way. I love oils because I can work them for a long time but this is almost too long :).

Interview- Art Marketing- Art Creation

2010-03-20T15:04:00.001-07:00

1.When is the first time you realized you were an artist?--- I realized I was an artist when I started drawing in my free time. I would spend weekends with paints, pastels or any other art materials rather than seeing the latest movies. I was a young teenager when I realized how much art affected my life. I create art for myself and for others to see. I created art because I knew that it meant something.
2.When someone is viewing your work for the first time, what do you hope they’ll see in it? Or, what do you want them to say about your work?--- I hope they reconnect with the magical imagination of their youth. Just because you grow older, does not mean that you have to give up the imagination in yourself. Just because it is something you have never seen in real life does not mean you cannot think about it or dream it up.
3.Who are some artists that you admire and why? What is it, specifically, about their work that draws you to it?--- There are many artists that I admire. A few were my teachers who inspired me to create more and didn't judge me. I had a bad experience with my 2nd grade art teacher telling my parents that I wasn't creative and shouldn't be encouraged in art but I'm glad they didn't listen. My other art teachers were amazing and always knew I could become something amazing. As far as art I admire, well... I have always been attracted to Art Nouveau posters and paintings because they are so visually beautiful and design oriented.
4.What is it like to be an artist in your community?--- I live in a community where art is considered carvings of bears or paintings of ducks. Now...these types of art are very important but I feel that many artists in my neck of the woods feel limited to subject matter that fits the scenery. I love painting animals both local and not, but why stop there? What about animals that don't exist? What about people that don't exist? What about people that live in far away lands or creatures from my imagination? I look at the world like a child that has had a lifetime to see.
5.If you could take a fantasy artist vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be? Your goal would be to soak in art history or to make your own art. Where would you go?---I would live in a hut in a mossy forest and paint the foggy trees and streams.
6.How do you promote your art?--- Word of mouth, blogs, social networking, repeat customers.
7.Why are you drawn to the media that you use?---I love watercolor because it seems like most people do not use the medium to it's full potential. I love layering and creating fine detail. I use oil much in the same way. Much layering and glazing

Painting

2010-03-10T18:34:00.000-08:00

Have a few paintings in progress a few oil paintings done. I'll scan them when they are dry!

etsy mini

2010-03-09T17:04:00.000-08:00

2010-03-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

New Items on my Etsy Shop, I'll try to keep everything updated on here but you can also check my etsy shop daily as I post something every day now.

http://heatherlynnwhite.etsy.com