color theory

So it's a little hard to see but I wanted to share. I was working on a painting and noticed color theory in action. The same color will look different depending on its surrounding colors.

The green (though it looks more grey in the picture) triangles are completely the same but they looked different in the orange ring verses the blue. Color theory is cool.

The Process

I've been working on a new painting, I haven't actually started painting it yet but a lot of work has gone into it already.

It starts off in the sketch book, I try different things to see what might work and what doesn't. The next phase is to make a study, I haven't always done this but I'm trying to get better at it rather than winging it as much. Anyway in the study I draw out what I think the painting will or should look like and use colored pencil to give and idea of the colors I want and what they might look like. Things might change from the study to the painting. Drawing out the painting is the final step before painting.

100th Eight Fold

About two and a half years ago I began this series to see if there really was infinite possibility for variety of designs from one base. I recently finished the 100th design, it is not infinity of designs but there were times along the way that I never thought I'd get that far. I'm taking a break from the series to focus on other things for a while but I have many more ideas for designs and I'll come back to them in time.
For now I'm striking off in pursuit of different designs and silly though it may be, I'm quite excited. It has it's drawbacks at times but I love the freedom of being my own boss as an artist, if I want to go one direction, I can, and can also change on a whim in another direction.

C
watercolor
9x9in.
2015
Series: Eight Fold

Paint problems

While painting today I came to wish that I had a different shade of green, I have two but neither of them is really what I would hope. I've been looking around for a new green but I haven't been able to find one that doesn't have multiple pigments, or the possibility to cause cancer etc. The search continues I suppose, maybe I'll be able to find something.
If you know of a green that's great, let me know.

Landscapes

I've been working for at least two years on my Eight Fold series, I decided that once I made it to one hundred different designs I'd do something else for a while. I'm rethinking that some because I'm now working on the 98th design and I still have so many other ideas for designs.
I started a landscape and now I want to do more, so I'm going after landscapes for as long as I feel like.
I feel like I'm a lot more eloquent when I'm not writing on this blog.
I'm really excited to work on landscapes and to find the images to work from. I'm very blessed to live in a very beautiful place, there's lots to choose from.

East Canyon

watercolor

9x12 in.

2015

Colors

I am constantly fascinated by color theory, by the way colors interact and influence one another. I've tried to document the process and I've missed days but I think it still gives you an idea, it's just so crazy how this color looks this way with these colors around them etc.

Painters of the past

We've had a painting for a long time, it's by a relative and I just figured out who it was by.

This painting was painted by my grandpa's aunt's husband (so his uncle but by marriage not blood relations) Edgar Jenson. I like it, it hung on our wall all growing up but it got taken down during some home improvements and just came out again so I'm seeing it with fresh eyes. I don't know that it's a masterpiece but it's a lovely painting.

Interesting new product

So today I went to my local art store where they were having a demo on Windsor & Newton watercolor markers and sticks.

I didn't use much of the sticks, I don't know how effective they really were. The blue and yellow were the stick.
 I really liked the markers, they were a lot of fun to work with. The mark at the bottom is how the marker looks on it's own and the pink/peachy is the marker with water brushed over. You can see where the marker lines were, which can be a good thing. It's a fun concept and they claim they work with regular Windsor & Newton paints but I don't know that for me the cost would be worth the novelty. I don't see the markers lasting as long as a tube of paint. If you do plein air painting etc. these might be just the thing for you.

Progress Update

Hey, I've been working towards greater success as an artist and now I want to share some what I've been up to. Check out the updates to my website, including new pieces.

Arches

I want to take a moment to say how wonderful Arches paper (pronounced arsh, it's French) is. Arches is fantastic watercolor paper, it's such a high quality, it's the best I've used, though I imagine there might be a few other brands better. Good quality paper makes it possible to make better paintings, there's a reason that they've been in business for centuries. Thank you Arches, for beautiful paper and a quality product!

Spiritual and Religious Art Show

So I mentioned that I was fortunate enough to have a piece included in the 29th Annual Spiritual and Religious Art show. It was a great experience, I always love this show and am so honored to have been a part of it. Thanks to all those who came to the show and for anyone who was unable to come see my painting while it was on display, here it is. A big thanks to the Springville Museum of Art!

Home
watercolor
9x9in.
2014
Series: Finding Home

Ps, it's the top one.

Update

So I haven't blogged for a while but I'm really excited to announce that my art will be in two shows opening this week.
I am thrilled to again be included in the 29th Annual Spiritual and Religious Art of Utah show at the Springville Museaum of Art. The show opens this Wednesday!
I'm also pleased to be a part of the holiday show at the Utah Arts Festival Gallery! The show opens Thursday night and there will be a gallery stroll Friday from 6-9.
If you have the chance, check out both or either of these show!

Watercolor blocks

I would like to thank the person or persons who invented watercolor blocks. I normally use Arches watercolor blocks because I like the paper and because it's wonderful not to have to worry about my paper warping. I've been working on a specific painting and I wanted a different size than the watercolor blocks I normally use.

 I still used Arches paper but I didn't tape it down or stretch it, with a smaller painting you can get away with that but apparently my paper was too big because it's been warping.  A reminder to me and everyone else to tape or stretch larger pieces of paper and a reminder of just how nice it is to have watercolor blocks.

Fresh Paint

So currently there are three places where my art is on view currently (and available for purchase). You can still see my art at the wonderful Lamp Co. and a few more weeks at LunaBerry and you can see a piece of mine and many other lovely pieces at the Loge Gallery until the 27th of September. If you get the chance check any or all of them out! PS Gallery Stroll is this Friday.

On view

An exciting announcement, there are now two lovely locations to view my art, my art is still in it's mini gallery space and the Lamp Company, and now for about a month, it will be at LunaBerry's local art space. Check it out!

 These are all from my Hex series.

Eight Fold Show

It's been a while and I'm sorry. I've had quite a bit going on and honestly I'm out of the habit of blogging. I'm hoping to make up for that now though. My show just officially closed on the third, unofficially it will still be open for a little while longer. It's been great, from the opening reception and participating in the local art walk, I've gotten to to meet people and share my art with them.
To those who've come to see or tried to come and see the exhibit, a huge thanks, I really appreciate your support. To those who couldn't see it for whatever reason, here's the next best thing.

P.s. This is not the whole exhibit.

Eight Fold FAQs

So last night was the opening reception for my Eight Fold exhibit. It was really fun to be able to show my work off and talk to people about it. It also gave me insight into what questions people have about my work, that was enlightening, so here for those who see the exhibit when I'm not there, are some FAQs from last night, in the order that I remember them.

Q: Why is the exhibit called Eight Fold?
A: All of the pieces in the series shown in this exhibit are based on the same underlying pattern most of the facets of this pattern and the resulting pieces are eight based.

Q: Where did you get the base pattern/what started you on all this?
A: I went to a workshop given by Dr. Lisa DeLong of the Prince's School of Traditional Arts. She showed us the base pattern.

As for the start of my interest in Islamic art/designs, I can't remember exactly how it all started. I know it was while I was at BYU, almost certainly in classes with Wulf Barsch, through an introduction to Little Wooden Books. I'm not really certain how but here I am.

Q: How do you make everything so uniform and tight?
A: With a compass and a ruler/straight edge. With the question applied to the painted parts, I use watercolor washes, I use multiple brushes in various sizes, I let sections dry before painting around them so that there's no bleeding and when I do go over the lines I do my best to clean it up with some paper towel.

Q: Do you have a favorite?
A: No, there are currently close to sixty of these designs, I have ones that I like better than others, maybe some turned out better or I like the colors better but I don't really have a favorite.

We'll start with that, maybe I'll remember some more. Comment if you've got other questions.

Now Showing

So I've been saying that there are big things coming and it's super exciting.
May 12th through July 3rd the first fifteen paintings in my Eight Fold series will be on view at the Sprague Branch library in Salt Lake.

While that's happening my own mini gallery space is opening up at the Lamp Company. Check it out.

Pro tips and rookie mistakes

So I just delivered fifteen framed paintings for my upcoming show. I had everything ready I just needed to get the eye hooks in and the wire on the frames. I forgot how long it can take to do that by hand. Sufficed to say that I didn't listen to the advice to use a drill for pilot holes right away and wasted hours chipping away at the process when I could have been done well in advance. If you're putting in lots of screw eyes in, have a drill.
Also, I don't know why I always forget this but Michael's they're just never the place to go for anything related to art, always go to Utrecht/Blick!
That is all.

One more, remember that the post office is not open very long on Saturdays.

The progression of an Eight Fold painting

I thought I'd take you through the progression of one of the paintings in the Eight Fold series.
I start off with a design, I draw out the design and to keep track of the design I outline different sections in colored pencil. In this case I tried to keep pretty close to the colored pencil colors but I don't always.

Then I draw out the design on my watercolor block.

Then the colors come.

And the final piece.

LVIII

watercolor

9x9in.

2014

Series: Eight Fold