Blog Find of the Week

I am really excited about next week!!!  I get to do an on-line class with Susan Carlin all day Sunday AND I get to drive to Kentucky to spend three days with Dreama Tolle Perry!  Woo Hoo!!  Cant wait.

This poor little boat that I did a few months ago sure could have used what I learned about drawing in the last "Blog Find of the Week".  It has all kinds of problems.  lol.

This weeks' Blog Find of the Week builds on the drawing instruction from last weeks BFOTW.  ArtPapa.com is a blog by Alexei Antonov from Russia.  Did I tell you I've been to Russia?  I digress.  Anyway, the blog is 85% commercial which is ok.  A guys gotta eat.  But there are a few free tutorials.  Mr Antonov paints in the classical Flemish technique which uses layers and layers of glazes.  About 7 layers of paint in all.  {I am actually trying this out on my next self portrait.}  Since the layers have to dry in between each other it will be several weeks before I can post the finished painting.  I'm hoping for the best.

Anyway here is a tutorial of a flower that he did with this method.  The main thing that I took from this technique so far is the use of permanent ink to hold the drawing in place.  With his technique you can draw with charcoal and be rather loose and then finalize the drawing with ink.  The first layer of paint called the IMPRIMATURA will "wash" away the charcoal and leave the ink.  I purchased a small bottle of India Ink in yellow ochre for $3.50 at Hobby Lobby and a bamboo quill for about $1.50.  It works really well and dries fast.  So I will be adding that to my bag of tricks. 

I'll write about my workshops and post some finished paintings from them soon.