30 minute sketches- a good habit

I am so saddened by the fire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. I decided to do a quick 30 minute sketch of the building. We were there in 2013 and I worked from my photo. Perspective is not one of my strong suits and in doing this, I learned that I need lots more practice. That’s how we learn and that’s how we get better. One habit that I have achieved is doing a 30 minute sketch every day. You might ask “why only 30 minutes”?  It keeps me from getting too detailed and eliminates the excuse that I don’t have time that day. This habit has been the best thing that I do to grow as an artist. I have told many students about this and a few of them have joined me.  We have a private Facebook page and we post every day. Many of them are on Day 300 by now. I’m so proud of them. And I have seen such growth in their artwork. So, now...I challenge you! I really hope you will try this even for a week. You won’t regret it.

My challenge to myself is to work on more buildings where I can improve my perspective skills. I am starting to enjoy painting Plein air and this will come in handy. I shouldn’t be afraid to work with perspective. I’m excited to grow!  Below is my photo reference.

Day 11 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Ooh Lah Lah"            11" x 11" image      $145  SOLD

“Ooh Lah Lah” came into being because I’m excited about the Golden Globe Awards tomorrow night.  I love all that movie star stuff! J  On tracing paper, I did a free hand drawing of the girl all glammed up. To check up on my drawing skills, I then placed the drawing over the actual photo to see how well I did.  I’ve been doing that lately, because I want to improve my drawing skills so much!  I used to think of myself as a pretty good drawer, but really lack confidence in that area lately as I’m really looking more critically at my skills and trying to improve each day.  Next, I drew a value sketch using only 2 values.  This is my road map while I paint.  At the very end, I decide where to put the darkest darks, depending on what I want to accentuate.  When trying to think of a background, I came up blank.  So, I looked through all my 30 minute color studies and found the one pictured below. I made a few changes, but it gave me a good starting point.  I did it on January 27^th of 2011.  That year, I had the goal to do a 30 minute color sketch using Tombow markers every day for a whole YEAR!!!! Yes, I said a whole year!  I only missed 2 days, due to totally forgetting!  How can one forget when you’ve been doing it for that long??!!!!  Life gets busy some days-- that’s how!  Anyway, I love being able to page through the color studies and be inspired for either a total abstract or a background for a semi-abstract painting.  Be sure to check out Leslie Saeta's blog to see other artist's paintings from this challenge.  I notice that many have dropped out by now.  Sure hope I make it to the finish line! Below are my first nine paintings.  I couldn't get the 10th one on there.

color study that I used for inspiration (left)
value study (right)

30 Paintings in 30 Days: Day 13

"Friends Forever"   11" x 11" image   (mixed media)    $125

Yesterday, I hit a wall.  And I really had many life lessons in the process.  A good friend called after reading yesterday's post, and encouraged me to do what I love!  Make it fun again!  And I thought all day about deadlines, and changes.  I went to get a new cell phone and told the manager that I was really phobic about losing data from my old phone.  She told me that she used to be that way too, but now, is all about minimizing "stuff" in her life.  When it really comes down to it, what's most important?  Our family and our friends!  So, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted, and I painted a simple painting and I really enjoyed doing it!!! Yay!!   I used many deli papers that I had collaged earlier for the background.  I learned this from the Anne Bagby DVD, which is one of my favorite DVD's!  What a blast it is to make all of these papers!  I used the design from one of my 30 minute sketches that I had done many years ago.  Anyway, the moral of this story is to "do what you LOVE", and life will be good!  :)

30 Paintings in 30 Days- Day 4

"Bird Brains"

Have you ever had "one of those days"?  Today was that day for me!  I started out the day, intending to paint not ONE, but TWO paintings, so I would be ahead of the challenge, so that when I babysit later in the week, that I could pull one out of a hat, so to speak.  Anyway, I knew what I wanted to do.  I had a PLAN.  Step one, CHECK!  Below is my sketch that I had done, using Tombow markers last year.  And I thought it would be fun to turn that into a painting. I realized that I didn't like the position of the two birds, so I changed that.

Sketch using Tombow Markers

So, I thought I would use pure watercolor for a change.  But, it had been awhile since I'd painted with ONLY watercolor, and I was definitely out of practice.  So, after 4 hours struggling, I finally looked at the painting, and realized that I needed more whites, so out came the acrylics.  Another hour later, I finally finished the painting, and decided to call it "Bird Brains", due to the fact that I felt like a bird brain myself today!  This is 11" x 11" image, and is available for $95.

30 Paintings in 30 Days, Day One

"Cardinal's New Coat"

 Happy New Year!  My first painting of 2014!  I'm again challenging myself to 30 paintings in 30 days!  Leslie Saeta proposes this challenge every year, and I did it last year.  Check back to January of 2013 to see all of those!  This is a great way to get back into painting after taking December off for all the parties! Check out Leslie's blog to see all the many artists who are doing this challenge.  There are 360 this year!  Call me crazy, because this is no easy feat!  My series this year will be birds. I've always loved cardinals, especially in the winter when they show up so well against the snow.  This cardinal has a funky new coat!  It is available for $125, unframed.  I used a past simple shape study as my idea for the background.  It is pictured below. 

I hope you will follow along as I bring in the New Year with daily paintings.  Please comment too.  I love to hear what you think!

Favorite Fun Sketches of 2013

Favorite sketches of Crazy Ladies (and men) for 2013

As I reminisce about my artwork of 2013, I think about the fun I had doing sketches of what I call, "Crazy Ladies" and all the fun I had teaching workshops of this subject.  The students had a ball creating odd faces and their imaginations soared.  These were done using Tombow markers, and after completion, many times, I created paintings using the sketches as my guide.  Usually, I write goals on December 31st, but this year, I'm going to try to keep it short.  I'd really like to complete my book that I've been writing for the past 5 years, and make it my top priority.  Otherwise, I'd like to write goals every night before I go to bed about the next day's expectations.  Not only artwork, but eating and exercise goals as well.  So, there you have it.  It's in print, so there's no going back from here!  Have a great New Year everyone!  I hope to see many of you in my future workshops.http://www.karenknutson.com/workshops.htm  I'm teaching in Arizona in February and in Florida in March. So, if you live in Minnesota, it's a great chance to get some sunshine! Check out my website for my teaching schedule.  www.karenknutson.com

Painting from my Soul

"Standing Tall"

I’ve been painting figures lately that are neither male nor female.  They symbolize hope and triumph of the human soul.  This painting evolved into very tall figures, so I named it “Standing Tall”.  If you know my family, we are all tall, so I was probably influenced by genetics here.  It had been awhile since I had painted in acrylics.  I always go back to my notes from the workshop that I took from Carol Barnes, and love to start my acrylic paintings with wild abandon.  I took a workshop from Carol Barnes at Springmaid Beach in Myrtle Beach, SC many years ago, and she really taught me a lot about acrylics.  I had done many 30 minute sketches of these 2 figures, and after picking one of them, I drew my design on the wild background, using chalk.  This painting turned out to be one of my favorites.   I have several friends who are facing health challenges, and so I was thinking of them when I did this painting.  I believe anything is possible with the help our faith and our friends.  Hope is such an important feeling to hold close to our hearts!  I entered this painting into the AWS (American Watercolor Society) Exhibition which is held in New York.  Wish me luck!

Design sketches make winning paintings!

I just realized that I forgot to post that I had won second place award at the Northstar Watercolor Society Fall Show, for my painting, "Sailing Through Life". I truly believe that if I hadn't taken the time for a value and color sketch, this painting would not have turned out as well.  I'd like to talk a little bit about the importance of a plan as we paint. Whether you're the type of artist who flies by the seat of their pants, or one who likes a plan beforehand, SOMETIME during that painting, you need to stop and make a plan!  I'm the type who likes to have the plan to start with; but I have been known to start very free and wild, and then, 3/4 of the way through the painting, I will make a value sketch where either my medium or light values connect.  Plus I try to combine shapes, so that I have as few shapes as possible, making for a stronger painting.  I really LOVE making color sketches, using Tombow markers in my little 6" x 6" sketchbook.  Another trick that I use is to take a photo of my painting, then copy and paste it into Microsoft Word.  Then click in the middle of the photo, and pick Format.  Then pick the black and white version of that photo.  This isn't a gray scale.  It's where the values below a value 4 become white and those above a value 6 become black.  This truly shows where you might need to combine shapes, or simplify busy shapes. It also spells out whether your painting is balanced.  I love using the computer as a "spell check" for values.  What ever did I do before all the wonderful technology?

Finished Painting, "Evening at the Mansion"

"Evening at the Mansion"

This was my demonstration for the workshop, held on Kiawah Island, South Carolina.  It is size 10" x 10".  Based on my color study (see my post from 4/19/2013), this painting was pretty easy to do.  Adding the collage made for exciting textures.  I'm really tickled with the way that this painting turned out, and it sold at the workshop!  Now, my intention is to do another rendition of this that is image size 22" x 30", which will be acrylic and collage or possibly all acrylic.  I had such a good time with this group of 15 ladies, who meet each year in April on Kiawah Island.  It's absolutely beautiful there!  Lots of partying, painting, eating, and laughing!  We all really connected!   

Color Studies, good design

"Luring Music"

Only a few days till I teach a design workshop in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.  One of the lessons involves the students looking through magazines and cropping the photos down to a 1 inch square.  That simplifies the shapes, big time!  This color study (size 4" x 4") was done, using Tombow markers.  I love that they have two ends; one is fine marker, and the other is a brush.  Also, they don't smell, and work very much like watercolors, where I work in layers, etc.  This color study started from a photo of a dining room table and chairs.  How crazy is that?  Below is my 2 value sketch of the photo.  My steady rule (that I really believe in) is to connect the light pathway.  I can always adjust it later, but in the beginning of every painting, I have a light pathway. I will post the painting that I do from this color study after the workshop.

Where do ideas come from?

"Springboard for ideas"

Recently, I gave a demonstration for a local watercolor group; my topic was how I get my ideas for abstract paintings.  The idea for this 30 minute sketch actually came from a handmade card that I recently made for a good friend.  I've had painting friends sometimes tell me that I shouldn't waste my time making handmade cards.  Each one does indeed take about 1 hour and 30 minutes to make, but I always get ideas for paintings or discover interesting new color combinations when I allow myself to "play".  It's refreshing to me when I don't have to think about design, color dominance, etc, when I'm making a card. I used scraps from old paintings to start with, and just added black marker and brads.   Although, I have to say that when I did this 30 minute sketch, which was based on the card pictured below, I did remember to focus on design, color dominance, zinger colors, and center of interest.  Watch future posts, because this 30 minute study will turn in to a real painting very soon!



Handmade card which folds inward from both directions.



Demonstration for Minnesota Watercolor Society

Last Thursday, I gave the demonstration for the Minnesota Watercolor Society.  My subject was how I get my ideas for abstract designs.  This painting, "Which way to the beach?" was derived from a view of Minneapolis buildings from my friend's studio window.  I love to use contour drawings, and link my light shapes, thereby simplifying the design.  Both of these paintings are about 15" x 15" image size.  I'm a big fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, and it's fun watching his influence creeping into my work lately.  I also showed the cropping technique of working with a little 1 inch square frame to spot good designs when you hover over a busy photo in a decorating magazine.  Below is my other interpretaion, using basically the same light pathway design.  I asked the group which one they preferred and the top one got more votes, although it was close.  There were about 150 people watching my demo.  Really a fun evening!

30 Minute Studies, One Year Challenge

"Radiating Beauty"

I again am challenging myself to do a 30 minute study every day for one year! Limiting the time to 30 minutes makes me use bigger shapes, and simplify. These aren't meant to be framed works of art, just studies!  I find that my whole life is in better balance when I do these each day.  And they often lead to paintings later!  Working out the design and colors on a small format is a practice that I really like. So....my one year challenge started on March 2nd.  I won't post every one, just my favorites, OK?  Unlike last year, I will give myself a little more slack when my schedule is busy, and will allow myself to do extra 30 minute studies before the busy days.  But no catch up!  Only thinking ahead sketches.  This one started as a contour drawing from a flower.  I then used Tombow markers to build up the layers of color.  I can't wait to turn this into a big acrylic painting!

Happy Valentine's Day!

"Happy Valentine's Day"

For many years, I have hosted a painting group at my home studio, and every Valentine's Day, we would all paint only one handmade card and then, we would draw numbers to see which card we would get.  Change is hard for me, but sadly, we finally had to stop meeting every Friday, due to "snow birds", teaching schedules, grandchildren duties, etc.  The list goes on forever.  We really LOVED painting together and sharing ideas, and critiquing each other's paintings.  So, we changed our group to a Critique Group and we will be meeting seasonally, (4 times each year).  I just realized this morning that this is the first year in about 15 years, that I didn't paint a Valentine painting.  This one was painted several years ago, but I do like the abstract quality of it.  Maybe I'll get time yet today, to paint a valentine painting.  I love the romance of this holiday, and wish all my blog followers a very Happy Valentines Day! 

Day 30- 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Party Time!"

Can you believe it???!!!  I'm done with the 30 paintings in 30 Day Challenge!  This portrays my excitement for reaching that goal, I think.  I did a contour drawing of some friends,, and then basically doodled with the Elegant Writer pen.  I think this would make a great card!  Now, all my friends are going to be wondering, "Is that me?"  I'll never tell!  What I learned from doing this 30 in 30 challenge:

1. Perserverance pays off!'

2.  It is madatory that you have a very understanding family before attempting this.

3.  Practice makes perfect!  I am a better artist than I was 30 days ago!

4.  Doing a series actually increases my imagination and creativity.  I have so many more ideas of people to paint!

5.  I lost weight during this challenge.  Perhaps staying busy keeps me from snacking????

6. Balance is a must in my life from now on.  Everything else fell by the way side this past month.

7.  It really helps to have friends cheering you on during this huge undertaking.  Thank you dear friends!

Now, what am I going to do with my time?  Organize..... for one thing!  Clean my studio, and I've made a new goal to create a 30 minute daily sketches every single day in the next year, starting now.   I love doing those, and we all have 30 minutes every day!  Hope you'll all keep checking in to see my blog.  I enjoy staying in touch!

Day 28- 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Statuesque"

Today, I felt like using the Elegant Writer pen and doing a vignette.  OK, I took the easy way out, by letting the bottom of the painting just fade away.  I like it because she might or might not be nude.  Who knows?  I forced myself to use gray tones, and just a little yellow tone added subtly.  I thought she looked almost like a statue when I was done, so that's why I titled it "Statuesque".  I did the sketch of this girl in April, 2011 while waiting for our plane to take off.  And I did the background abstract then too.  We were on the runway for over 30 minutes, all loaded up, but going nowhere.  I was so glad that I had a pen, so I could sketch.  Below are the 2 sketches that I combined to make this painting.  I turned the abstract upside down.  For those who don't know, an elegant writer pen is a marker that smears when you wet it, so it adds great shading.  Karlyn Holman introduced me to it years ago, and I really LOVE working with it.  This painting is 10" x 10" and available for $125.



sketch from April, 2011



Sketch from April, 2011

Day 25- 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Frazzled"

     Need I say anything more?  At Day 25, I'm running out of energy and feeling totally worn out, totally FRAZZLED!!  This is a self portrait, part of my Crazy Lady series.  I did the 30 minute study of this some time ago, (See below) when I taught back to back workshops.  I like to teach 4 day workshops and then have at least one week to refuel, but this time, I had scheduled these workshops in order to pay for some remodeling that we had done.  Never again!  Although I'm glad that I'm almost done with the challenge, I'll never be sorry that I did it.  Thank you, Leslie Saeta for setting this up. 

     I've got a friend, Karlyn Holman, who teaches many workshops within a year, and I don't know how she does it!  I call her the Energizer Bunny.  You definitely should look into taking a workshop from her.  She's the best!  My paintings are in several of her books.  Click on this link to get to her website.  

     This painting took several hours to complete, but was very fun to paint.  It always works better when I work from a color design sketch.  I use Tombow markers to do these.  That's what I will be doing daily after this challenge is over.  I miss doing them, and I'll pledge to do another year of 30 minute studies.  Did I just say that???!!!!  Below is my study for today. 

Day 23: 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Big Shoes to Fill"

Today's painting is to pay tribute to all those husbands and fathers out there.  My husband is a real keeper, and this is especially for him.  Dick is such a great supporter of my art and even though he is the main bread winner in our family, he always makes me feel so special.  When he used to help me out at outdoor art fairs, he even wore the name tag, "Mr. Karen Knutson".  Here he is, a very accomplished businessman, and he's making me queen for the day, actually queen EVERY DAY!  I like the design in this piece, with an abstract F in the background to symbolize father, and the papers piled on the table, because Dick does so much paper work for everyone in our family.  Taxes, bookwork, receipts, banking.  I used one of my 30 minute studies for my reference, so this painting was a pretty easy one today.  The image size is 10" x 10" and will be a gift for my husband.  I will be making cards out of it, though if you would be interested.  They will be available for $10 for a package of 4. 

Day 14- 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Dreamer"

I have long been influenced by the achictectural style of Frank Lloyd Wright. Last April, I did a value study that is pictured below, and used it for my background of this painting.  Of course, I didn't follow it exactly, but it gave me a good start.  Last year, I did 30 minute studies every day, and now, I can use all of those design studies to incorporate into my current paintings.  I tried to stretch myself to use different colors this time, because so many of my paintings are red and golds.  Only one day till my illusionary workshop, so this was another warm up for that.  This painting is 10" x 10" and is available for $125.



Value study that was used in the background



Acrylic painting, Letting Go

Here is the finished painting from my study that I posted on January 24th.  I'm pleased with the simple shapes and the drama factor of this one.  I've been having so much fun painting in acrylics lately.  I use Strathmore Aquarius paper for the large paintings and I paint on stretched canvases for the smaller ones.  I use completely different procedures for the 2 of them.  This painting was one of the first paintings that I liked after going through the dreaded "January artists' block".  I'm having so much fun looking back through all the 30 minute studies that I've done over the last year and a half, and intend to do many paintings in the next few weeks, using the studies.