Tag Archives: painting instruction

Golden cats

Posted on May 14, 2023 | Leave a comment

Leo napping, original painting, acrylic on canvas 16 x 16 with gold leaf on sides.

As an artist, I’ve often been asked over the years, where do you get your ideas? This is a tough question because you can’t just go to the store and pick some ideas up. Well, maybe depending upon which direction you feel like moving.

For me, ideas can come from a variety of sources. Something I see, read about, even from dreams. Sometimes I think I want to explore a certain idea but end up going in an entirely new direction. That is what happened to me recently.

I was contemplating a series of local scenes. Landscapes, cityscapes. Just a variety of ideas have been strolling through my brain. Then I found myself noodling around with some sketches of my cat, in fact, various cats that I’ve owned throughout the years. (Not forgetting all the dogs, birds, lizards, and a variety of other pets we’ve had over the years.) No, I am not a crazy cat lady. I like cats and it seems as if I’ve had one around nearly all my life.

Tom. Original painting on canvas with gold leaf on front and sides. 8 x 8 x 2.5

So I started with some sketches of my little buddy Leo the cat. He seems to manage to find so many different ways to sleep that he’s almost acrobatic. One particular pose leads to another. Then I removed his ratty old blanket and put him on an Oriental carpet. And this lead me to think, Why not really jazz it up with some gold?!

Anyway, Leo was the first victim, er uh, volunteer. Then came Tom, my dad’s cat. Then Princess who is just too too glam. Adding backgrounds of oriental carpets and some real 23K gold or silver leaf. I have never done anything with gold leaf before but, hey, it’s always good to try new things.

Ki, original painting on canvas, 8 x 8 x 2.5. Unfinished.

Then I realized that I was running out of cat subjects. Even photos of my old cats.

So with the help of a friend who volunteers, I went to the local humane society. BINGO! Back in business. They have lots of cats. Every time the volunteer was telling me that this cat was shy or standoffish, it would come and climb all over me, waiting for its ears to be scratched or belly rubbed. Such a beautiful variety. These people do such good work, especially with the help of many volunteers.

But what really broke my heart was seeing the older cats who appeared in good shape but had been turned into the humane society because their owners died or who were no longer able to take care of them. How confused they must be. They looked so sweet and loving.

Anyway, I’ll be making more trips back there in the coming months. If you have a humane society near you, check it out next time you need a new pet, or just another pet. They definitely get high marks on my list.

Meanwhile, check out my Etsy shop KitMiracleArt to keep track of the new golden cats.

Dubois County Humane Society if you need to adopt a pet.

Shiny stuff

Posted on April 23, 2023 | Leave a comment

I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to call this post Reflections or Shiny Stuff. As you can see, my campy sense of humor won out.

I’m taking a photography class this spring. Not so much to learn about composition but more to learn how to make better use of my equipment. I’m using my cell phone and my Nikon. Neither is one of the most remarkable of their class, but they still have plenty of options, bells and whistles that I don’t utilize as much as they should be.

Ooooo, shiny pretty stuff. And who doesn’t like rainbows and unicorns?

This week’s assignment was to take photos of reflections and do some shallow focus assignments. Well, after trying to figure out how to make use of windows and mirrors, I nixed that idea. So what next?

The chef spoons in the camping department

Grocery shopping at the neighborhood big box store. They should have plenty of shiny stuff. Actually I was looking for those big round mirrors that they have mounted at the tops of columns and aisles. Guess what? They’re not there anymore. They probably rely solely on cameras these days.

As I walked around the store, I was tuned into shiny stuff. This is what caught my eye. I whipped out my phone and took pictures here and there. I think security was watching me but this isn’t the first time I’ve taken photos in the store. The fruit and vegetable aisle is striking with all the colors. And one time I even set up my plein air easel in the flower department outside during Mother’s Day weekend. People kept thinking that I worked there.

The remainder of my photos were from a couple of walks in the woods. Capturing the reflections in the creek, seeing through the surface, focusing on leaves and branches.

If you’ve wondered where artists get our ideas, this is the convoluted path we take. One thing leads to the next and then to the next. I’m not using any of these photos as inspiration for future paintings…at least not right now. Maybe I’ll come back to them in a month or a year or several years. I guess the whole inspiration thing just means to be prepared, keep your eyes open and your camera handy. Today might be the day of the BIG IDEA!

Painting small

Posted on March 19, 2023 | Comments Off

Let’s face it. There are few people who are not inspired when they walk into a museum or cathedral and face a giant painting depicting a well-known scene. I have been brought to tears when I’ve been overwhelmed with some exhibits.

But that is not always the case. Most people cannot accommodate a wall-size painting or afford one. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t like real art nonetheless.

A typical variety of colorful flowers, 4.5 x 6.5 to be matted to 8 x 10

Over the years I have created and sold paintings of many sizes. Some pretty large ones but most have been medium size. And I’ve sold a whole lot of small pieces.

There are pros and cons with creating small paintings. On one hand, larger paintings are immensely fun to create, taking that large brush and swishing it across a wall-size canvas. But they are also much more difficult to sell due to the size.

Small painting have many advantages, too. They are a good way to try out new ideas, materials and techniques. They are very portable. You can just pick them up and move them around your home, or transport them easily. They are also economical to create since they use less materials.

Vertical tulips in various colors, to be matted to 8 x 10.

I’ve used small paintings to make preliminary compositions and try out various mediums. Some of the mediums that I’ve used are drawing, watercolor, pen and ink, acrylic, oil, etching, collage and prints. The most common has been watercolor with pen and ink overlay for the details. These are usually on medium weight (140 pound) imported watercolor paper.

Small paintings were also my bread and butter when I used to travel the country for art show, earning back the booth fees and traveling expenses. At one time, I painted a series of over forty different fruits, vegetables and flowers, each hand-painted and individually matted. These were all 4 x 6, matted to 8 x 10, and either framed or inserted into glassine envelopes. I initially hand-cut the mats but eventually found sources for ready-cut mats, backs and the envelopes. This made the whole process so much more efficient.

Ready-cut mats, backs, and bags from Clear Bags. Also, check out Ready-cut mats.

These days, the primary size of the small paintings are 4.5 x 6.5 plus a border for matting. Very easy to assemble. BUT…I also create 4 x 6 size painted postcards. These are so fun. I cut out a bunch, maybe 100 of that size. I take them with me on my travels, make quick original sketches, and then mail them back to friends. Surprisingly, all of the postcards have arrived safely at their destinations and my friends are so surprised.

Some of the tiniest paintings that I have created are 2 x 2 and 2 x 3. These are cute and fun but I have to specially cut the mats. Unless I want to order a bunch of ready-mades, I just don’t do that too often anymore.

A variety of teen-tiny, 2 x 2 and 2 x 3.

One thing that I would like to point out is that all of my small paintings are originals, not prints. If you are buying these on the market, make sure what you are getting. Many small paintings are digitally reproduced, either on paper or printed on canvas. The artist may add a swipe of paint in order to call them original but they’re not really. Just pay attention

I still enjoy making larger paintings, mostly for the challenge. But I would certainly recommend that you give small paintings a try. They’re great for experimenting with new ideas and compositions without having to put an excessive amount of time into them. And they can be attractively priced if you’re planning to sell them.

Good luck and let me know how they turn out if you experiment with this option.

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Posted in art, painting instruction, Uncategorized, watercolor

Tagged framing small paintings, kit miracle, painting instruction, painting small, pen and ink, watercolor

Foggy Morning, East Field – a painting how-to

Posted on February 12, 2023 | 8 comments

Initial sketch and color notes. Notice that I trimmed back my initial sketch to eliminate some of the trees on the left.

Recently I posted some photos that I took of a very foggy morning out here on the farm. The atmosphere of the scene has been nagging at me so I’ve been wrestling with some ideas. I’ve done several sketches, including some color sketches in both watercolor and acrylic. It seems the most challenging part to me is to tone back the color as I like to use bright colors so much. Fog is basically various shades of grey. I’ve cut back the color in the foreground and added more grey tones.

One of several preliminary paintings testing the color scheme of Foggy Morning.

First I prepared the canvas which was already gessoed. In this case, I sanded it, added another coat of gesso which I texturized with a soft cloth. After this dried, I gave it a wash of a very pale but slightly warm tone. This would be my underpainting. Then I drew the image on the canvas.

I don’t usually use a wide variety of paint colors as you can see in the image above. I rarely use a commercial green, instead preferring to mix my own shades of green from the limited palette. There are only seven colors plus white. I also use an acrylic modeling paste which adds more texture. A matt medium cut with water is my mixing medium.

First I mixed several shades of grey and started with the trees, then worked my way down through the field, adding more color as I reached the foreground. I really had to keep reminding myself to focus on the foggy grey tones and not add too much color. Then I added some more notes in the tree line. The sky was painted with a very pale grey leaving some of the warm undertone showing through. The hint of the rising sun through the fog was actually an accident but I liked it so I left it in.

Toned canvas with first layers of paint.

Then it was just a matter of adding the trees, darker in front, lighter in the distance. Not too many details but enough.

I’m not sure if I’m done yet so I think I’ll let the painting rest for awhile. I’m working on a companion piece so we’ll see how well that one comes out and if I’ll need to make adjustments.

Foggy Morning, East Field 18 x 24, acrylic on canvas. Kit Miracle

I guess the lesson here is to learn restraint. For me it’s with color, also perhaps too much detail which can be a hazard for many artists. I’ll probably do some more tweaking before I call this finished. I’m always interested in feedback so let me know what you think.

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Posted in art, contemporary impressionism, impressionism, landscape, painting instruction, Uncategorized

Tagged contemporary impressionist, foggy landscape, kit miracle, painting fog, painting instruction

Water themes as a painting subject

Posted on September 18, 2022 | Comments Off

Waterlilies at the Spillway, acrylic, 12 x 12

Many lists of the most popular painting subjects include landscapes and seascapes. I must admit that I’ve painted quite a few pieces with these subjects. Although I live in the Midwest, many of my landscapes include some water feature – streams, rivers, ponds, lakes. And my travels have taken me to the ocean in various places. There is something very primal and soothing about hearing ocean waves…most of the time.

Fishing at Patoka Lake, acrylic, 12 x 16

Recently I painted a couple of paintings based on the very large lake nearby. Lake Patoka is 8,800 acres and is a major water and recreation source for the area.

Leaving the Cove, Cape Breton, NS, acrylic, 9 x 12

But I also cruised through old photos of places we have visited, particularly Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, and New England. Such beautiful scenery that it was difficult to choose. Many more subjects for future paintings.

White Wharf, Rockport, MA, acrylic, 12 x 16

Fishing Shack (or Motif #1), Rockport, MA, acrylic, 8 x 10

And, of course, I did an entire series of beach paintings but those are mostly about people and children with the ocean being a common denominator for each painting.

Beach Readers, Intimate Spaces series, acrylic on linen, 24 x 30, Kit Miracle The whole attraction of this subject with the irony of the two young women who are reading and totally ignoring the beautiful day at the beach. I also love the way the red beach chairs draw the viewer’s eye into the scene.

Wet Reflections, acrylic, acrylic, 24 x 30

This is not to say that painting water features is the only subject that I tackle, but it is one of my favorites. So many opportunities if I take my time to look for them.

What are your favorite subjects to paint?

See more paintings at my Etsy shop KitMiracleArt or my main website ContemporaryImpressionism

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Posted in contemporary impressionism, painting instruction, plein air, travel

Tagged kit miracle, lakes, ocean, painting instruction, painting water, ponds, rivers, subject matter, water

A month of art

Posted on August 30, 2022 | Comments Off

August has been scorching here this summer. Too hot for outdoor work. So I spent much of the month in the studio just being an artist. This was a great respite from all the other chaos of the summer.

However, we did have a couple of days of lovely cool temperatures, in the low 80s. Fling open the windows! I took advantage of the cooler weather to clean out my studio. This meant dragging nearly everything outdoors, rewrapping and packing many of the paintings, vacuuming, debris clean out. Just making an inviting space to work again.

Our garden was in name only this summer. And I only gave cursory attention to the weeds and flowerbeds. This meant that I had plenty of time to devote to creating some art.

I began with building up some inventory, especially of sunflowers, some of my favorites. Although I usually grow several different varieties from the mammoth giants to the multi-stemmed, to all the colors that are available, this year I only had a few to work with. I planted them but they just didn’t want to make an appearance. So I used some of the many photographs that I’ve taken over the years.

I did several sheets of minis. I can get four 4 x 6 on a quarter sheet of watercolor paper. Although I often repeat a theme, they never turn out the same. I buy mats and backs in bulk so it’s pretty easy to prepare them for display or shipping.

Four mini sunflower paintings on quarter sheet of watercolor paper. Although the top two are the same subject, they’re not exactly alike.

Then I did a few larger ones. After that, I created duplicates of two local scenes. These are not standard sizes so I have to cut the mats to size for framing. More time and money involved.

Two paintings of the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center on quarter sheet of watercolor paper

Finally, the last half of the month, I was really missing our usual vacation. This was probably prompted by selling some previous western scenes so I dove into that subject. These paintings were larger and more complex, the smallest being 9 x 12 and up to 12 x 16. I have some pretty extensive photo files from some of our western vacations so plenty of subject matter to choose from. The most difficult part with these paintings is canvas prep. And trying to come up with new titles. Grand Canyon Vista #1, Grand Canyon Vista #2, etc. But it’s so satisfying to just put on some music or recorded books and zone out. Due to the many years of plein air painting, I can generally produce a painting a day, maybe two. But I did discover that I had duplicated two scenes from previous years. They came out similar but not exactly the same.

Overall production for the month of August was twenty-five. Not all are shown in the multi-image above as several were duplicates. And I didn’t work every day. It’s very rewarding to spend time alone with my thoughts and just create. To build inventory for online shops, the holidays, or local and regional shops.

Most of these paintings will be up on my Etsy shops soon. https://www.etsy.com/shop/KitMiracleArt?ref=l2-shop-info-name or https://www.etsy.com/shop/My90Acres

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Posted in art, contemporary impressionism, country living, impressionism

Tagged art, contemporary impressionist, gardening, kit miracle, painting instruction, painting multiples, sunflowers

Series Paintings

Posted on July 24, 2022 | 2 comments

*Tire Swing, Park Series. Kit Miracle, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 30.*

I have introduced several series of paintings over the years here on my blog. It seems that I’ve started another one, the Park Series. This will focus on, what else, scenes from the park. A park. Many parks. Parks are usually filled with scenic landscapes and people doing activities, two of my favorite things.

Most of the series paintings are a little larger than some of my other pieces. They also tend to concentrate on the same color palette. In fact, I’ll often make a schematic of the colors I plan to use. Using the same color family adds a cohesive theme to a series of paintings.

Some of the series paintings I’ve created over the years include Westerns, particularly The Grand Canyon, Intimate Spaces – Beach Series, Intimate Spaces – Breaking Bread Series, The Food We Eat, Lucky Red and Alley Views.

I might have an idea for a series of paintings at the beginning but more often I just cruise through my extensive batch of snapshots until something catches my attention. I’ll write about using photos as an art subject in a future post.

I’ve created a step-by-step page for the painting above, Tire Swing for those who are interested. Click here for more detailed information.

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Posted in art, contemporary impressionism, painting instruction

Tagged art, kit miracle, painting instruction, painting series, park, series paintings, tire swing

Compositional framing

Posted on July 10, 2022 | 3 comments

There are many rules and ideas for composition. No one idea is perfect for all situations. You may have your favorites or you may like to try new ideas frequently. Today I’m going to discuss the idea of framing. I’m not talking about the frame of the painting but using framing as a composition device.

I most often use framing in landscapes, cityscapes, and sometimes interiors. This means that I’ll often place a large tree or bush near the front of the picture frame, usually on one side or another, with the main view in the middle distance. This leads the viewer’s eye into the painting and directs its focus.

Sometimes in cityscapes, the view might be between two buildings or down an alley.

In a recent couple of paintings of the same subject – a child flying a toy airplane at the park – I first explored just the child and the plane. In the second painting, I used the framing composition to lead the eye from the near subject matter, to the large tree on the left, to the child and plane in the background.

In another couple of paintings, I painted a straight view of a Grand Canyon vista. The second landscape shows the Grand Canyon framed by tree in the front.

Here is an interior view using compositional framing. The doorway, chair and plant, lead the eye through the doorway to the desk in the distance.

There are no hard rules on when to use compositional framing. It’s mostly a matter of what you feel comfortable with, what helps your painting. I’ll often do several thumbnails or even larger charcoal drawings to test the feel of the subject.

3 Comments

Posted in painting instruction, plein air painting, Uncategorized

Tagged Arizona, composition, contemporary impressionist, indiana, Kentucky, kit miracle, painting instruction

Useful art tools

Posted on October 10, 2021 | Comments Off

It seems hardly a day goes by that I don’t get a catalogue or an e-mail trying to sell me art supplies and gadgets. Oh, look, newer, better, scientific! You’ve got to have this latest gizmo! This will ensure your success and you’ll be the best in your field.

This is true not only for artists, but golfers, automobile enthusiasts, bikers, campers, what have you. It seems as if the only people getting rich are the ones who keep trying to sell you things.

But as an artist, I always like the challenge of trying to do things myself. I guess that’s why I’m in a creative field. Here are five very simple tools that I use in my studio or outside. Three I made myself and the other two can be purchased for less than ten dollars each.

1. The first tool is a simple composition aid made from a small 4 x 6 frame with the glass taped in. On the back side, I’ve divided it into nine sections with a permanent marker. I got the idea from an old drawing (Durer) of an artist who had created a standing frame divided into squares by threads. He then divided his paper into squares, and then transferred what he saw in each square as he was viewing an object, into the respective square on his paper. This same technique is used today for blowing up drawings.

Woodcut of Durer’s perspective drawing tool.

In this case, I take the little frame and hold it up in front of a landscape, and draw with a felt pen on the front side. This can be used for still lifes, figurative works, street scenes, whatever. The trick is to keep the frame and my eye at the same level for the few minutes that I need to sketch on the glass. Then I transfer the image to my paper or canvas. Sometimes it’s amazing how different the actual drawing looks from the way my eye wanted to read it. I’ve used this technique in teaching third graders up to adults. Now, of course, you can buy a similar ready-made frame but these were not available when I first made mine.

Proportion Scale with several 20 x 16 equivalents marked by red arrows.

2. Proportion scale. I’ve had this little plastic tool for so many years that I forgot where I bought it. It is so easy to use for both reducing and increasing sizes proportionally. Just line up the numbers of say, a 20 x 16 and then everything else on the scale will be proportional to that, 10 x 8, 5 x 4, 40 x 32, 80 x 64 and everything in between. Or maybe you have a canvas of a certain size but you need to make adjustments in your drawing to fit; the proportion scale can help you do this. Less than $10 online.

3. Red gel sheet. I used to have access to colored gels (used for lights) when I worked in the theatre business. These scraps are useful, particularly this red gel. Hold it up in front of a green landscape, and it immediately grays everything out so you’re only left with values. Commercial products are available now but you can probably get gel scraps from your local theatre or playhouse for free. See previous post here.

4. The View Catcher has been around for a long time. Made of grey plastic, the little slide opens the window to a variety of sizes from square to rectangles. Marks on the plastic indicate the scale of the window (8 x 10, 11 x 14, etc.) Less than $10. We used to use old film slide windows but no one knows what those are anymore.

5. Painting bridges. When I painted a lot of watercolor, particularly architectural images, it was helpful to have a steady hand when drawing the lines. I made these two bridges from some wood scraps. They kept my hand off the paper and from smearing the paint or ink. Also, they were very helpful for guiding my pen when drawing lines. My cost was nothing but now you can buy plastic ones for about $35. I like free.

I hope these useful art tools will inspire you in your quest to be more creative. And don’t be afraid to make something of your own invention, too.

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Posted in painting instruction

Tagged art tools, homemade art tools, painting instruction

Commissioned artwork

Posted on October 3, 2021 | 2 comments

A recent commission. The customer wanted to feature a bit of the courthouse square, change the season so the weeping cherry tree was in blossom, and tidy up the flowers. It’s still in my style but I didn’t mind making these adjustments. Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 36.

If you have been an artist for any length of time, you have probably been asked to create something especially for someone. Maybe a friend or a relative, someone special. It is always difficult to decide if that is really what you want to do. Here are some concerns for you to think about.

1. What is a commission? This is basically when someone asks you to create something special for them. Frankly, commissioned artwork was the norm until a few hundred years ago. Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel. At that time, the artist was primarily a sculptor and didn’t want to do the job but was persuaded one way or another. That turned out well.

2. Know your style and what you are comfortable doing. If you have been an artist for any length of time, eventually someone will ask you to make something for them that just doesn’t fit your comfort zone. Maybe they want you to copy another artist, or perhaps paint an abstract painting when you paint only in a realistic style.

To be totally honest, I was asked early on in my career to copy another artist’s painting and just was not comfortable with it. Although I eventually I complied (it was a relative), it never sat well with me and I haven’t done it since. Be true to yourself.

3. Don’t compromise. This hooks in with the paragraph above. Know your style and stick with it. If the client wants something different, you may just have to pass on the job. It always helps if you can steer them towards someone else who can help them.

4. Take notes. I have several notebooks which I have filled over the years with notes for commissions. Obviously, the client’s contact information, but more details about what they want. You might even have a list of questions before you meet. For instance, size, materials, deadlines are obvious. Less obvious are what they want in the commission and what they don’t.

5. Come to an agreement. If you really want a formal agreement, you may need to draw up a contract. I don’t usually do this but it is a good way to cover yourself should any misunderstandings occur later. Are they agreeing to your style? Will you submit sketches or mockups? When do they want the final?

6. Arriving at a price and getting a down payment. You should do a little research ahead of your meeting or perhaps you will have to get back with the client later. Remember to include your materials, time, driving time or shipping. Condition for submitting the final product. Don’t forget your overhead. And don’t be afraid to ask what you deserve. Do some research for your area and medium. What are other artists charging for similar commissions with a similar level of skills and background?

7. Ask about a deadline. Is the commission for a special event or doesn’t the client really care when you complete it? I really like to get the commissions done and off my plate. If there is a deadline, do you have time to meet it? Is it around the holidays when everyone else is clamoring for work that must be done yesterday?

8. A commission is work for hire. Get comfortable with that idea or don’t accept the commission. Maybe you’ll be excited by the first few commissions you have, but perhaps by the 100^th, you’ll be so tired of doing them. Raise your prices! I did house portraits for many years until I became annoyed with them interfering with the work I was really interested it. After awhile, I kept raising my prices until I finally just had to quit doing them.

9. Do your best. If you have agreed to accept a commission, then you owe it to your client to do your best. Maybe you’re getting a little tired of work for hire, but get this one out of the way. Then decide if you still want to keep doing them. But remember that your reputation is on the line and a disgruntled client can be a real pain. If you can’t make it right, maybe you can refund their money and aim them in the direction of an artist who can better suit their needs.

10. Ask your client for input. Most people who commission an artwork are thrilled with the prospect of having something made especially for them. Ask for their input and a written recommendation. Develop a thick skin in case they have some criticisms. It might prickle at first, but you can always learn something from a good critique.

To see a step-by-step demonstration of how I created this painting, go to the Artworks tab or click here.