Day 10: 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Everlasting Love"  SOLD  (11" x 15") Acrylic

  “Everlasting Love” is a commission painting that was long OVERDUE.  Now that I’m done, I don’t know why I took so long to get started with it.  It is 11” x 15”, and acrylic on paper.  The process of this painting can be found on my video, that is available through this link.  https://painttube.tv/collections/acrylic/products/karen-knutson-fun-with-acrylics  They have a nice preview if you'd like to think about purchasing it.  They did a nice job with the filming.  I've had great feedback about it.  

Tip #10:  When painting in acrylic, starting with black in the areas that will later be light in value, leaves such a cool effect.  And you can add small dots of water while the second layer is wet, wait 5 minutes, and blot with a paper towel to get the effect below.  Then it's up to you whether you like that, OR if you want to add another layer for depth.  I LOVE acrylics! 

Day 9: 30 paintings in 30 Days!

"Zig While Others Zag"  $85. (7" x 10" image)  

  “Zig while others Zag”  looks like a quilt in many ways.  It’s 7" x 10” and is acrylic.  If interested, it’s available on my website, karenknutson.com 

Tip # 9:  Don’t be afraid to take a risk. Add sewing to your painting! It’s exciting and if it does go bad, you can always paint over it with acrylics.  Whenever I try something new, I always get so excited.  Today, I had 2 pieces of paper that were prepared with matte medium, but they were too small.  So, I decided to sew them together and treat this painting like the quilting I’ve been doing lately. I LOVED sewing into this painting.  After I patched the 2 pieces together, I knew that I needed to repeat the zigzag in a vertical manner too.  This lead me to more ideas for future paintings.  Below is how I started this painting by zigzagging the 2 pieces together. 

Day 8: 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Deep Entanglement” is an acrylic, size 11" x 14” image.  I think of it as the thick brush below your feet when you take a walk in the woods.  I did the design sketch for this many years ago, while I taught at Kanuga Workshops.  I had never brought it to completion as a painting till now.  If interested in this painting, go to my website, karenknutson.com 

Tip #8:  To soften edges where there is strong contrast, I paint with a stick that is dipped in black paint.  (The best sticks are oak trees from MN.  Haha)  I tap the end of the stick in the liquid acrylic paint to load up it’s end, then I tap most of it off on a paper towel.  Then it is ready for you to make linework on your painting that is more sketchy and subtle.  Here is a close up of the line made with a stick.  

Close-up view of middle area, so you can see the effect of painting with a stick.

Day 7: 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"I've had Better Days"  $75  (8" x 8" image)

I think I’m finally over the hump.  I’m in a routine of being one day ahead for this challenge, and trying to get a few more ahead, in case of busy days ahead.  I do feel that the practice of painting every day sure makes you better faster. 

Today’s painting, "Looking ahead to Better Days” is a blind contour drawing on top of a 3 color design. I love doing blind contour drawings. If interested, it's available on my website, karenknutson.com 

Tip #7:  Look at a magazine photo or maybe even one of your photos, and do a very fast, blind contour drawing.  Do NOT look at the paper, till you are done.  I don't lift my pencil.  You can always make changes at that time if things don’t match up, but the fact that you don’t look at the paper gives your people such character.  

Then I like to close all the shapes, meaning there are no lines just hanging out.  Every shape has to be closed, like pieces to a puzzle.  I then trace that drawing onto tracing paper, and use graphite paper to transfer it to whatever surface you want to paint on.  I like to start an abstract and before I get too far into it, I add the blind contour drawing.  To see more abstract beginnings, just do a search for color studies on the opening page of my blog.  At the end of the painting, I use a permanent marker to trace the drawing again.  

Day 6: 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"The Green Apple"  $65  (8" x 8" image)

"The Green Apple” is a watercolor and collage abstract.  I call these little paintings, “Little Abbeys”. (Small abstracts)  I love doing these as warmups.  They teach me good painting habits.  I start out colorful and add collage for special effects, then tie it together with a unifying color.  This painting is available on my website, karenknutson.com  if you are interested.  I’m offering these paintings at lower prices than normal, just during this month.  

Tip of the day:  How to add metallics for that finishing touch.  Using double stick tape, ( I use an ATG gun, with 1/2 " double stick tape)  apply gold foil paper, (or gold reactive foil).  It’s so much easier than gold leaf.  Available at joggles.com It comes in many different colors too!  Fun, fun!  I have a video on my Facebook page, but can't figure out how to put it on this blog, so you will have to look that up there. 

Day 5: 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Fowl Play"  $125  (7.5" x11") 

 “Fowl Play” was created by using a half done watercolor collage.  I have a pile of what I call, “U-Turn” paintings, that really need to take a U-Turn to be successful.  I really enjoy bringing them back to life, with the use of acrylics. 

Tip #5:  Using "U-Turn Paintings" as an underpainting, and reviving them with acrylic.

Below is the finished painting and the underpainting that I started with. The most important thing to do is to make sure you have a light pathway in the original painting.  Then you draw whatever subject you want on a piece of tracing paper, so you can move it around till it works.  Look for a quiet white spot for positioning the eye and most of the head.  Then you transfer the image onto the collaged underpainting, using Carbon Paper.  (Available at most office supply stores.)  Paint around whatever animal or subject that you drew, using black acrylic, and saving a few abstract lines that will direct the viewer into the animal.  Then, it’s up to you how many layers you add around the subject.  I find thee so fun to do!  I also add lots of wire drawing within it.  (Do a search on my blog for wire drawing to see more examples of it.)

Day 4: 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

 

"Day at the Beach"  $85  (7" x 12" image)

“Day at the Beach” is a plein air painting. That means it was painted on location outdoors.  This scene is from Casperson Beach, in Venice, FL, which is a great to look for shark's teeth If interested in purchasing it, go to my website, karenknutson.com  I absolutely LOVE plein air, although I’m still working on mastering the many variables of painting outdoors.  If interested in this painting, go to my website.  

Day 4 Tip:  Try plein air painting!  It will teach you how to really SEE, and get fresh air at the same time.  The first time you attempt plein air painting, bring just a sketch pad, pencil and a marker.  That way, you can learn early not to bring too much.  I always go with friends, so we can visit while we draw and paint. You will need a lightweight chair and a water bottle.  The first thing I do when painting on location, is to pick a spot in the shade. You will usually have about 2 hours to complete your drawing, so it’s important to be comfortable and out of the sun.  I do gestural drawing at first just to get loosened up and trying to place the subject in the correct place on the paper.  Then, I pretend that there is a 90 degree box around my subject so I can see the angles better.  If time permits, I use the marker to go over the pencil lines.  I don’t bother erasing as I draw.  When you add the marker the wrong lines will get smeared anyway, so no need.  After a few times, you may want to try watercolor outdoors.  Remember, the colors will look different when you get inside.  Usually I don’t paint dark enough outside.  Things will dry differently outdoors too, but that’s part of the learning curve.  You really learn how to SEE better by plein air painting and you will see your drawing skills improve tenfold.

Day 3: 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Put it in Reverse"  $65   (8" x 8" image)

“Put it in Reverse" developed using the same design as yesterday’s painting. It’s 8” x 8” image and can be purchased through my website, www.karenknutson.com   These are listed at a special price during the month of January.  

  Today’s Tip: Do another painting using reverse values. I discovered my favorite app many years ago. It’s called PencilSketch. One of the choices on it is a blackboard. That reverses the values of your painting. I like it because I can check out my light pathway and see if my design is simplified enough. Here is the reverse of yesterday’s painting: 

Blackboard version of yesterday's painting.  It reverses the values.  

 Today’s painting, “Put it in Reverse”, was done using this value study. I traced the main pathway of light from Day 2, so that I could at least start with the same design. This painting used the same colors as yesterday’s painting, believe it or not. (Lemon yellow, red rose deep, and Antwerp blue.). Below are both versions.  A fun challenge for myself.  Hope you will try this!

Day 2: 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

"Chartreuse Color Study"  $65  (8" x 8" image)

This painting I did just for me.  I totally love doing these color studies.  “Chartreuse Color Study” is image 8” x 8” and is available on my website, www.karenknutson.com Every day of January, I will be sharing with you a tip about painting. 

Tip 2: Try using only 3 colors.  You will make great color discoveries and see a glow because the glazes are applied in wet washes where you follow the drip. 

I love these exercises so much and always learn something new. I used lemon yellow, red rose deep, and Antwerp blue.  I loved the chartreuse colors that appeared after a few glazes.  If you want to try some easy 3 color studies, check out my blog. https://karenknutson.blogspot.com/2018/09/color-studies-great-warm-ups.html?m=1 It was posted on Sept 1, 2018.  Below is my first step of this painting. 

 

Day One: 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

 30 paintings in 30 Days!   2023- Happy New Year!

I've decided to start the new Year off with a bang and challenge myself to do a new painting every day in January. My intention is to give a daily tip.  Feel free to share these posts with your friends. Happy New Year!

Day 1: 30 Paintings in 30 Days!

Tip 1: How to make an abstract beginning using acrylic and a brayer.

Pick 2 acrylic colors, making sure one is light and one is a medium value. I picked

1) Golden Hansa Yellow, medium, mixed with titanium white and

2)Craftsmart ocean breeze

Use a brayer to load up the lighter color. Swoop the brayer lightly over the paper so it hits and misses. Do the same with the medium color. Use the edge of the brayer to make lines. Complete as you wish. I like to draw a wire drawing on top and then develop the design with darker watercolor glazes. All of these paintings are available on my website ( go to: Gallery, 30 Paintings in 30 Days) at special prices.