Monday, December 17, 2012

 Drawing classes, in my view, are the foundation for all fine art.  Training the eye to see as an artist does is not an easy feat, but one that anyone of any age can acquire.  Studio 4 Art loves to mix it up from the traditional to the more modern approaches to executing a final drawing. 

Working from nature, still-life, photographs and independent ideas, students will be introduced to specific drawing fundamentals and techniques including line drawing, value, shape, pattern, texture, shading, perspective and composition.

Mediums that are introduced are graphite, ink, charcoal, chalk pastel, oil pastel, graphic markers, conté crayons, colored pencils, ink pencils and water pencil. Personal style is celebrated and age appropriate activities will be executed.
 A fun nature hike picking up something that intrigues our eye, taking it back to the studio to document, such as a scientific biologist might. 
 A big element in any students portfolio, hoping to go to an art based high school or for college, is drawing. 
 Self portraits.  A love at Studio 4 Art.  So fun to see them come alive!
 Such focus.  Also looking at the grey tones to create a three dimensional quality.
 Contour drawing, focusing on not picking up our pen while drawing our friend.
 Pencil drawing.  Particularly fond of this one, as it is my son's self portrait.
 Hands.  Even the most practiced artists finds challenge in hands.  But, if you start young without the preconceived notion that it is difficult.....it isn't. 
Contour drawing.  Great for illustrative compositions and cartoons.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Encaustic on a not so usual surface. Happy Holidays!

 I have enjoyed being a participant in an ornament exchange for the last 2 years.  This year, I am so pleased with my experimenting!  Pottery, drawn on with charcoal, then dipped (tricky) into encaustic (beeswax with medium). 
 Every night I would draw in these 3-dimensional pottery ornaments.  Although I am sure I could have made the ornament forms, I didn't, as they were already at Studio 4 Art, already made!
 Love charcoal!!

 The sunflower was probably my favorite.
I first made my own encaustic medium in a slow cooker with refined beeswax and damar crystals.  Then poured the melted wax into this glass vase.  It took a little experimenting to create a completely smooth surface on a round form.  But I was determined and figured it out, it was all about keeping things similar in temperature.  My oven became my friend.  BE CAREFUL WITH ART MATERIALS in the KITCHEN.  Made sure to cover all surfaces, had all doors and windows open too.
 Dipping the pottery and charcoal into the encaustic medium created a really soft image.  And the feel....so yummy.  Smells good too as the base for encaustic is beeswax. 
 Torch away.  This is necessary to set the encaustic medium.  Each layer needs to be set.  Can I say, difficult on a round form.  On a flat surface this medium can already be challenging.  But I enjoyed the challenge.  Slow and steady is the name of the game.
 Seven of the eight.
Hope the receivers enjoy!  Happy Holidays everyone!