Color Resources

A visit to the paint manufacturer Gamblin Artist Colors' website is well worth the time. Their site has useful information such as a post about three secondary colors that can be mixed together to make the primary trio of yellow, red and blue--very interesting even if somewhat muted.  Visit Gamblin's video.

First Decent Carrot

If I weren't so excited, I would be embarassed to admit that after over 20 years of dedicated gardening and  some market farming, I finally got a decent carrot--over 12 inches long and 1 1/4" wide. Veteran gardeners out there will no doubt scoff at that, but after years and years of misshappen gnomelike pest infested roots, to get even just a 12-inch carrot is an event worth painting. Here's a photo of the painting in progress. It is different now, but gives the idea.

Sticky Solution for Ticks

A foray into the gardens for a plein air painting inevitably results in a tick hitchiking a ride. I wrap my water bottle with a few rounds of masking tape making an easy solution. I tear off a two inch piece of tape, catch the tick with it and then fold it up. Scotch tape works, too. This beats having to try to touch the tick or find some way to kill them. They don't have the leg strength to get free from the tape.

Here's a fun experiment. Put your hand  behind a tick that is walking around. It will immediately turn around toward your hand. Could they somehow be used to identify a heat source in a scientifically critical situation and thereby redeem themselves?

No ticks today. With temperatures in the high 90's, I'll be in the cool air of the studio!

Sun Protection for Painting in Plein Air

This UPF 30+ lightweight hoodie made of recycled plastic bottles is PERFECT for painting and working outside even with the hood up and on a hot day. Wearing it with gloves (and pants!) one's face is the only area needing sunscreen. At $45 you might feel a little bad about getting paint all over it, but not being all gooked up with sunscreen makes it well worth it! (Note: This is NOT a paid link--I just really like the shirt's functionality!)

Google Art Project

Google's amazing new Art Project allows us to tour the great museum's of the world with just the click of the mouse. Check it out:
http://www.googleartproject.com/

Operating like Google Earth, where you can zoom into neighborhoods, Art Project provides a visual tour of a gallery with links that you can click on to zoom right into a closeup of the paint surface of a masterpiece.

Finally Warm

Painting is hindered by freezing extremities and bulky coats, so not much was happening in my studio as the winter descended into its depths of cold. The ornamental JOTUL wood stove is quite charming, but I feared, too small. Turns out it just needed even smaller "logs" what for most fireplaces and stoves would count as kindling. It means being able to paint, so all's well that ends well.

Studio Progress

Although moving took its toll on my painting output (an understatement), great progress on the studio has been made. We sheetrocked the walls, and along with repurposed wood floor laminate and pink marble at the entrance, it has become a really nice place to be. Pictures will follow as soon as I take the plunge of hammering the first nails into the walls and get some paintings hung. More slowly, the former driveway is evolving into gardens (an overstatement). In the not too distant future, I'm hoping to invite everyone to visit for coffee and cookies by the wood stove!