Day #8 :: RIVER COLOR :: January Daily Painting Challenge

RIVER COLOR
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

The art supplies I ordered came in and yes, they are pastels. Perhaps tomorrow I'll take some photos of them and link up to where I bought them in case you're wanting an excuse to buy some new color! UPS was to deliver them "by the end of day" and dang it! They arrived at the END of the day --- 4:58pm! 

As is my norm when I have new tools, I fall back to subjects that I'm comfortable with to familiarize myself with my new (wonderful) materials. The juncture of land and water is a magical place for me, and I'm always striving to make a painting sing as the actual scene does -- and maybe stretch the color a bit the way I'd like to see it. 

This piece is inspired by my neighborhood and is painted on archival suede board. Usually I love the softness the board provides. Today, though, I would have loved the chance to get some straight, hard lines for the reeds. Next time! New surface. Perhaps a Sennelier sanded board. Or a UART mounted board. It's fun to make these decisions. 

After yesterday's draining day, it was wonderful to have some support from you. I always end with "thanks for reading" but today there's a deeper meaning in that phrase. 

This challenge is shaping up to be a most interesting journey. Puppies and people and still lifes are bound to make an appearance shortly ;)

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Art supply order!

After a self-imposed hiatus of nearly two years, I splurged and ordered a BUNCH of new art supplies.

As a pastel painter, I always want to try another brand to see how I like them and if their colors will be the resplendent glories I imagine. The problem is I probably will like them and then I'll simply need EVERY color in the line. Since I began pastel painting in earnest, I dreamed of the day when I'll order the complete set of some brand of my choosing. What a day that will be!

Diane Townsend's Soft Form Landscape sets A and B were my selection this order. They are beautiful and the sticks handle well on the Pastelbord I have and the Hahnemuhle velour paper. Lovely. If there's any negative it's the selection in these sets - a LOT of muddy warm greens that I seem to have too many of in my general pastel collection. If you're looking for a go-to set to bring with you on a plein air painting outing, this would not be my set. Instead I'd bring the Sennelier plein air 80 half stick set. The colors are perfect.

At a workshop with Deb Quinn-Munson, she mentioned that she uses Cretacolor hard pastels rather than Nupastels. I figured I'd give them a shot and so far so good. The color assortment is just beautiful!

Since the pastels arrived I've been squeezing in painting time. So far so good. Love getting new supplies. What a treat it is!

Demonstration photos

My recent demo for the Taunton Art Association was such a great experience.

I nearly completed two paintings of the same scene employing two different strategies. One was painted directly on a toned sanded surface. The other had an underpainting of pastel washed with alcohol on a white sanded board. Both were such fun to paint, but the second with the underpainting felt more resolved to me at the end of the 2-hour demo.

Taunton Art Association photo of my demonstration in pastel 

Try as I might, I don't often get photos of me in progress because I'm busy painting and trying to give a good demo. Today I luckily found these two photos on Taunton Art Association's website.

Taunton Art Association photo of me doing something I don't remember.
My pastel looks pretty good, though. ;)

Frankly, they crack me up - that's me in action!

Thanks for reading,
~kmw

Art Demonstration Feb 13, 2012

The Taunton Art Association has asked me to again come to their monthly meeting and perform a demonstration for them. It's always such fun for me to share some insight about how I create my artwork, and I have been excited for this demo since they asked me months ago!

Kim Morin Weineck, BRANT POINT ROSES, original pastel (c) 2011
created by direct painting on Sennelier Pastel Card

In October I demonstrated for the Foxboro Art Association and really stretched myself doing four quick studies in 2 hours on four different pastel surfaces. Each behaves so differently, and I wanted to showcase the pros and cons of each. After the four sketches I was exhausted but in the best possible way!

For the Taunton demo I'm going to paint the same picture two times using direct painting on Sennelier Pastel Card and with and underpainting using mounted UArt sanded paper. I think the techniques showcase the most dramatic differences and the end results will excite the artists in attendance.

If you're local to Taunton, do try to come. 7-9pm. It'll be fun, I promise.

Pastel panorama

Always one of extremes, after a while not painting, I have been at my easel a lot for the past week. Today and yesterday I've been working on this pastel panorama from a vista I've been enjoying working from lately.

©2012 Kim Morin Weineck
RED TREE PANORAMA
original pastel, 3.5x18"
on mounted UArt board

While I'm at my easel I listen to my girls at play. What fun it is to listen to Lucy and Pippa pretend to make cakes for an imaginary party. According to Lucy, Play-dough makes good frosting.

Painting always brings up issues, and this little spate of painting exemplifies my chronic struggle. I want less marks with more impact. Instead, when painting, I just keep going and going and going. More strokes does not mean a better painting.

Without practice I'll never figure it out. It's fun to practice!

Thanks for reading!
~kmw

Some time to paint

Near Christmas I had an intense desire to make a painting.

©2012 Kim Morin Weineck
RISING MOON
original pastel, 9x12"

on prepared gatorboard 

Little would have made me happier than to have uninterrupted time in the studio. Alas, the holidays are not conducive to this selfish request. A two-year-old and a four-year-old make the holidays amazingly wonderful so my desire was put aside for time decorating, watching movies, making gifts, baking, and other delights.

©2012 Kim Morin Weineck
LAST LIGHT
original pastel, 9x12"

on mounted UArt board

Now the holidays are past, and I have finally been able to paint! It's like a time to decompress and oxymoronically be intense.  Whew!

©2012 Kim Morin Weineck
REFLECTED TREE
original pastel, 9x12"

perhaps not finished yet
on mounted UArt board

Funny how I always seem to work in a series. These three are shown in the order I made them. The bottom one isn't quite done yet, but I'm excited about my experimentation and where it may take me.

Thanks for reading,
kmw

Surfaces for pastel

Tonight I'm doing a demonstration for the Foxboro Art Association.

©2011 Kim Morin Weineck
BRANT POINT ROSES
original pastel, 5x5" Sold

I have to say that I love doing demonstrations. Standing up in front of a group and discussing your talent is a sure-fire way to solidify how you work.

I'm taking the girls with me to Jerry's Art-A-Rama this morning for a fun materials buying spree. A little art supply fix also is a sure-fire way to get inspired about your medium!

©2011 Kim Morin WeineckSCONSET PATH
original pastel, 5x5" Sold

The focus of tonight's demonstration is about pastels and contrasting the various surfaces available.
There are so many but my time will concentrate on Sennelier's Pastel Card, Clairefontaine's Pastel Mat, UArt paper, Wallis paper, and perhaps Canson Mi-Teintes paper (I never know how to pronounce that last one.)

©2011 Kim Morin Weineck
PASTEL MARSH
original pastel, 5x5" Sold

More information on supplies I use in making pastel paintings as well as sources for everything can be found here on my blog.

I enjoy making pastel paintings thoroughly. It's my hope that tonight's demo will impart this joy to other artists. What a wonderful opportunity!