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PACKED WITH ARTICLES YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS...Congratulations to Anna Finkel, our winner of the October Monthly Challenge.

Her winning painting takes pride of place on our front cover.

Paint My Photo 8Winter Edition 2013

Original reference photo provided by Charlotte Yealey

‘Snow Scene 1’ Photo by Steve Lyddon

Where Photographers and

Artists Meet

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Season’s Greetings!

Welcome to our winter edition of PaintMyPhoto’s magazine. It has been a very busy few weeks for me and I haven’t had as much time as I’d like to comment on all the amazing photographs and works of art that have been posted on PaintMyPhoto. Nonetheless, I’ve managed to find time to produce our quarterly magazine with the help of our generous contributors, artists and photographers alike - a great big thank you to you all! As usual, there is a great selection of articles to inspire and encourage everyone.

I never fail to be thrilled when an artist uses one of my photos to inspire a painting and, as an amateur artist, I’m also eternally grateful to the photographers who share their photos with us. If you are an artist who uses photos from this site, please don’t forget to let the photographer know that you’ve been inspired by their work - let them join in the pleasure of creativity!

One last thing, all of us who help keep PMP running would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Happy reading...

Ruth Archer

EDITOR’S WELCOME

Duke’s Eye

Shadows of the Past

Night Vision

If you aren't a member of PaintMyPhoto, then please have a read of our magazine and find out more about us. Are you are a photographer who would like to contribute good quality, copyright-free reference photos for our artists to use for inspiration? Are you an artist using traditional media (a complete beginner or a professional, it really doesn't matter) who would benefit from being able to use photos without copyright worries? Perhaps, like me, you are a bit of both! Membership is free and you will find the site a very welcoming and friendly community.Everyone is welcome! ����������� ������������������  

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A Mixed Bag...

First and foremost, on behalf of all members, may we thank you for your generosity in sharing your wonderful photos! Can you tell us how you first discovered Paint My Photo?

I had accumulated a bank of photos that I’d taken as reference photos, but needed some images of subjects that I didn’t have access to, so I went online to search for like-minded folks who also wanted to share images. I came across PaintMyPhoto and the rest is history. I find PMP fantastic and would like to thank Roy and all the admin team, who willingly volunteer their time to make this site the wonderful resource it is. I have made so many friends and learned so much since joining - long may it continue.

What is your favourite photography subject?

Oooh, that’s a very difficult question for me as I don’t tend to favour any one subject, but I suppose my connection with horses and boats makes them 2 subjects that I particularly enjoy. I also enjoy creating images that have a surreal or supernatural undertone.

What type of camera and equipment do you use for the photographs that you post on Paint My Photo?

My early photos on PMP were taken with my trusty Canon EOS 350D (my first ‘grown-up’ camera)

and it served me very well indeed. Recently I have upgraded to a Canon EOS 60D, which I love.

I have 3 lenses that I use:

Canon EFS 17-85mmCanon EFS 55-250mm

Lensbaby - the trickiest to use and my favourite because of the amazing effects it can create.

My dream would be to own a Canon ‘L’ series lens, but they are extremely expensive. I can but hope, one day...

I also use a tripod, particularly when shooting still-life images.

I very rarely use artificial light as I don’t like the effect it has - candlelight is my favourite light source.

Ruth Archer

Visit Ruth’s Gallery on PaintMyPhoto

Contact Ruth via PaintmyPhoto

MEET THE PHOTOGRAPHER

‘Red Mask, Carnevale in Venice’

Ruth Archer

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What, if any, photography/image software do you use to manage your photos?

I enjoy fiddling! I use Adobe Lightroom to manage the bulk of my photos. I’d dearly love to try Photoshop, but it’s very expensive to buy, so I have downloaded Gimp, which is a free product and allows me to try out some interesting effects. I also occasionally use Photomatix HDR software.

If you had to choose just one photograph that you have posted on Paint My Photo, which one would it be and why?

I think it would be ‘A Friendly Welcome’ because it has been popular with our artists and there have been so many fabulous paintings created from it. I never fail to be thrilled when someone finds one of my photos inspirational and worthy of painting.

Finally, we’d love to know a little more about you, do you have a personal website (or other online presence) where we can see more of your work?

I am currently rebuilding my own website which is www.archerart.co.uk, so forgive its current state - there just aren’t enough hours in the day!

I have also recently opened a shop on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArcherArtwork

RUTH ARCHER

Catch of the Day

Someone’s at the Door

Cock-a-Doodle-Doooooo

Mother & Son

Homecoming

Bumble in Lavendar Wish You Were Here

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RUTH ARCHER

Four Gondolas

White Geranium

The Hands of Time

Sand Dance

Sea Shells

Ruth’s Choice - A Friendly Welcome

Fish Supper

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RUTH ARCHER

Nature’s Bounty 2

Starburst

Honeysuckle

Sunday Morning

Captain Jack Sparrow A Sunny Monet

A Burano Backwater

Orange Boats

Low Tide

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Thought-Provoking, Magical Photos!First and foremost, on behalf of all members, may we thank you for your generosity in sharing your wonderful photos! Can you tell us how you first discovered Paint My Photo?

Thank you very much, It's a great pleasure and also an honour that people enjoy my photographs. I first discovered PMP via an active member (Neil A Kingsbury) who has also been featured in "Meet The Photographer".

What is your favourite photography subject?

My favourite photography subject by far is portraits, but not just bland, normal and generic ones. I like to be different in my work. I like to look at different angles, shapes and subject matter in the image as well as the model or subject. I guess you could say I'm not normal.

What type of camera and equipment do you use for the photographs that you post on Paint My Photo?

Everything you see on PMP is taken with my trusty Nikon D90 and a variety of lenses. I do have favourites and

those have to be prime. I love my 50mm 1.8G and recently my 85mm 1.4. Stopping down to such

a large aperture with a 1.4 lens is enough to make everyone happy.

What, if any, photography/image software do you use to manage your

photos?

The majority of my photographs you see on PMP are processed through Photoshop CS6, I have now moved onto Photoshop CC which I have to say, even though you pay monthly, its definitely worth it. Everything is fine-tuned and some of the things you can do in it open up so many opportunities.

If you had to choose just one photograph that you have posted on Paint My Photo, which one would it be and why?

"Red Riding Hood" is the one I have chosen and I have reasons for this.

Alex Lee Johnson

Visit Alex’s gallery on PaintMyPhoto

Contact Alex via PaintMyPhoto

MEET THE PHOTOGRAPHER

‘Docile’Alex lee Johnson

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Firstly, it actually hasn't done as well as my other photographs on PMP, but to me it's up there with the best I have ever taken. It was hard work getting that shot, up early and cold but it was definitely worth it. Also my reason for picking this is; I think it sums up my photography style of a Fine Art Fashion Portrait Photographer.

Finally, we’d love to know a little more about you, do you have a personal website (or other online presence) where we can see more of your work?

I am a professional portrait photographer. I recently turned 20 and I have had a passion for photography since I was very young. I consider myself as outgoing, confident and as I said before not normal. Photography is literally everything to me, I know it sounds cliche but it’s literally what I do and want to do for the rest of my life. I live and breath the thing.

I have idols in my life; the one that makes me think and stands out is David Bailey.

Here are my two most important links. Firstly, the Facebook link updates more or less daily, whilst I also run my own YouTube channel with over 100,000 views, so you can check that out as well.

Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/AlexLeeJohnsonPhotography

YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/user/johnsonleealex

ALEX LEE JOHNSON

Present

Pixie

Changing Seasons

PollyAmber Lake

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ALEX LEE JOHNSON

Eiffel Tower

Lonely

Polka Dot

Fallen Leaves

BrowBreakfast

Breeze

Alex’s Choice - Red Riding Hood

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ALEX LEE JOHNSON

Call

Wanderer

Ashleigh

HallucinateWidow

Fallen Petals

Creep

Autumn

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The Art of Glazing

When I hear that word, it makes me think of doughnuts with their sweet, delicious, transparent, glossy icing poured on top. Or glazed carrots, maybe even a ham. If you're visualizing this, your stomach might be starting to growl, as mine has. But I digress.... what I really wanted to talk a bit about is my love of glazing in paintings.

Similar to the way you can see through the thin, transparent coating on the culinary treats - a glaze works in a similar manner when painting. For instance, putting a transparent red over a dried layer of yellow makes a luminous orange you just can't get straight out of the tube. Something magical happens and that excites me to no end when I am painting.

I have fun using this technique in my watercolours, acrylic and alkyd oil paintings. I'm able to achieve an illusion of depth and interesting colour shifts that adds some excitement to the paintings, a little something unique that the viewer, perhaps, is unable to put their finger on, precisely what it is they're noticing... I thought Roy Simmons, the creator of Paint My Photo, as well as an amazing artist, said it perfectly when talking about the glazing technique in a painting ...

Gwen Card

Visit Gwen’s gallery on PaintMyPhoto

Contact Gwen via PaintMyPhoto

ART IN THE MAKING

Gwen Card

"Glazing just doesn't photograph well, in the same way as seeing a photo of a stained glass window is not the same as the real thing. The light is filtered through transparent layers of paint, creating a very subtle effect"

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I thought I'd share a couple paintings-in-progress, using photo references from PaintMyPhoto from when I first joined in 2010, where I applied the glazing technique. The first one is a watercolour ...

'Table for Two' a watercolour painting

This was just way too much fun!! It was just supposed to be a "permission to practice" piece, trying to loosen up my painting and I ended up having a blast! When I started this piece I figured that when I had finished mucking around, it would be going to the biggest collector of my art, our garbage man, but I was so pleased that it turned out well enough to frame.Photo reference credit to Deby Dearman ( http://paintmyphoto.ning.com/photo/table-for-two )on paintmyphoto.ning.com

The first stage of painting, after securing the watercolour paper to my support and adding my line work, was to mask the areas where I wanted to preserve the whites ...

2nd stage ... and this is where it starts to get fun ... is pouring the yellow and, the very important step of letting it dry completely!

Note: No brush is used during these pouring stages.

ART IN THE MAKING byGwen Card

The Art of Glazing Cont...

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The 3rd stage is pouring red over the yellow, creating a brilliant orange, letting this layer/glaze dry completely!

Fun!

The 4th stage is masking over the chairs to save the gorgeous

orange - let dry - then pour blue over the entire area. Let this glaze

dry completely!

Exciting!

The 5th stage - I poured more of the same red and blue at the

same time and sloshed it around to mix together on the paper and

darken the background more and let it dry. Next, I removed the

masking.

So many wonderful colours appeared magically. So much fun!

The 6th stage is where I picked up a brush for the first time since

beginning the painting and started to add the details, which involved

applying paint and then some lifting of paint and then, perhaps

applying a glaze or two over some of the detailed areas, whatever

was needed to create the effect I was looking for.

ART IN THE MAKING byGwen Card

The Art of Glazing Cont...

[14]

Finished !

"Table for Two" - 16" x 24"

Framed view.

A wee bit about Alkyd oils & glazing ...

The glazing techniques work so wonderfully in my alkyd oil paintings as well. I fell in love with alkyd oils

because of my impatience and frustrations - impatient with the lo-o-o-o-ng wait for traditional oils to dry

before I could layer/glaze over them and the frustration of how quickly acrylic paints dry, not allowing time

for blending and soft edges that I have such a passion for.

Alkyd oils are a happy medium between these two.

They are touch-dry on the canvas in 18 - 24 hours

so I can start glazing the next day; they offer lots

of beautiful colours to choose from; they can be

mixed with traditional oils for more options; they can be used for an under painting for traditional

oils; they can be used over an acrylic under

painting; they have greater transparency and

luminosity straight from the tube; they have a nice,

creamy texture - great for blending and soft edges

and, when adding the Liquin medium, you get an

even more transparent colour which is perfect for -

you guessed it - glazing!!!

ART IN THE MAKING byGwen Card

The Art of Glazing Cont...

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Pink Peony - painting-in-progress.

I used one of Mike Simmons gorgeous floral photo reference that he shared on Paint my Photo.

His beautiful Ty Canol Gardens - www.tycanol.org - in England must be incredible to see in person, but since I am way across the pond in Ontario, Canada, the best I felt I could do was try to recreate some of the beauty onto a canvas ... a BIG canvas of 36" x 36"!

After cropping and rotating the image, I sketched it onto my stretched canvas using the grid system. The squares on the canvas were 12" x 12" ... it felt like doing 9 mini drawings! I made sure I took many breaks during this step when my eyes started to cross or go blurry from concentrating on the many petal shapes of the flower. This is about where I started asking myself "what have I gotten myself into?!"

Here is a close-up shot of the canvas and photo reference.

First layer on the background with many layers/glazes to follow to create the depth and colour shifts.

ART IN THE MAKING byGwen Card

The Art of Glazing Cont...

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Plugging away at shaping the petals with the first layer of alkyd paint ....

... moving around the flower shape by shape...

(Notice my crack security team on-duty in this

photo. No art theft happening in this studio!)

... until all the petals are finished. I worked 6 more

days of layering glaze after glaze over the

background and each petal until I achieved the

effect I was hoping to accomplish.

ART IN THE MAKING byGwen Card

The Art of Glazing Cont...

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The finished painting

"Pink Peony" 36" x 36" Alkyd Oil on

canvas

Perhaps, if you haven't already given glazing or alkyd oils a try, this might spark an interest to try a new-to-

you technique or medium. I would never say I am an expert at any of this, but I do believe that there are

not enough lifetimes to learn everything I'd like to in the art world so, for me, it about having fun

experimenting - giving myself permission to play; always wanting to grow as an artist; trusting my instincts/

intuition, as well as trusting the process; honing my observation skills; loving the personal challenge of trying to recreate on canvas whatever it was that made me “gasp” when I saw the reference ... The colour?

The glow? The interesting shadows? All of this and more equates to endless fun and with all the great

inspirational photo references and wonderful support from the PaintMyPhoto community, I'm all set for a

good long time!

Now, back to the studio with my cup of tea .... and maybe a glazed doughnut.

Visit Gwen’s websites to see more of her work:

www.thefrontporchartstudio.com

www.porchpaws.weebly.com

ART IN THE MAKING byGwen Card

The Art of Glazing Cont...

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Here are some more examples of Gwen’s wonderful paintings:

ART IN THE MAKING byGwen Card

The Art of Glazing Cont...

"Budding  In"  -­‐  18"  x  24"  Alkyd  Oil  on  canvasPMP  Photo  reference  credit  Rosemary        

   "Red  Shoes"  -­‐  20"  x  20"  Alkyd  Oil  on  canvas  PMP  photo  reference  credit  Freda  Nichols

"Explorer"  -­‐  36"  x  48"  Acrylic  on  canvasPMP  Photo  reference  credit  Ruth  Archer

   "Ready"  -­‐  12"  x  24"  acrylic  on  canvasPMP  Photo  reference  credit  ESP  

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Calling All Budding Arty Authors...Yes, hardly new I know, but there is a shift happening that is going to be very useful for artists and, indeed, for us here at PMP. Many of you will already have noticed my Kindle Ebook, ‘Introduction to Loose Watercolor’, and some of you have left me a review (thanks!).

The experience of going through the necessary technical hoops to get the book onto Amazons Kindle store has been an education! I am pleased to say that my book at no. 2 in the ‘Art Instruction’ section of the kindle bookstore on amazon.com

So what is the shift I am referring to? Well, originally, the kindle store held only books designed specifically for the kindle e reader devices, text and monochrome only. Over the past 12 Months the market has shifted considerably. Color devices, tablets, smartphones and indeed Amazon’s own Kindle fire have exploded onto the market, and this trend looks set to continue. A quick google for technical innovations that are ‘in the pipeline’ drew me to this article:

http://smallbiztrends.com/2013/05/amazon-liquavista-color-kindle-ereader.html

Roy SimmonsRoy is the founder/owner of PaintMyPhoto and a fantastic artist too!

Contact Roy on his profile at PMP. View Roy’s paintings in his PMP Gallery.

EBOOKS!

Roy Simmons‘Sunshine & Showers’

View Roy’s book on Amazon - UK linkView Roy’s book on Amazon - USA link

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So, for books that rely heavily on color photos and illustrations, this is a very exciting time!

The traditional art book publishers do have a problem. They would struggle to reduce the price of ebooks without destroying the print book sales. Now I must make clear, I am not at war with print books, especially

Art related books. In fact, the main

print art book publishers should, in my

opinion, be safer commercially than, say,

fiction publishers. There is something

special about having a hefty large book,

full of illustrations, by your favorite

Artists and long may this continue.

However, this leaves a large market share available for us. If you are

browsing Amazon for a book to learn a

specific style of art, say, loose watercolor

for example(!), you will find some

traditional watercolor print books, some

ebooks and my book. As we have low

overheads, we can price at $2.99, which

becomes a quick financial decision for many.

Over the coming year you will see some really interesting collaborations and new ebooks being produced. So, do you have an art-related book in you? Do you need a friendly partnership with a publisher who will be

transparent, generous with royalties and assist with marketing your book? That is us, we are just getting

started, and we invite you along for this fascinating and rewarding journey.

EBOOKS! byRoy Simmons

Calling All Budding Arty Authors...

‘Horizon Light’

“Amazon recently announced acquiring Liquavista, a Holland-based company, from Samsung.   And speculation is rife  that the purchase may lead to a color Kindle e-reader to come.”

Want to find out more about this exciting opportunity? Contact Roy Simmons for a friendly chat.

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Gary Jones - Wildlife Photographer

‘Portraits of Nature’ has at long last come to fruition, it’s been a long road to get there but at long last I can now think of myself as a serious Wildlife Photographer, after all I have my own website now!!! But is that what it is all about? Is that what it comes down to? I don’t think so, because wherever this photographic journey takes me, one thing will never leave me and that is my love of the natural world and all the beautiful wildlife that lives in it.

Gary Jones

Visit Gary’s gallery on PaintMyPhoto

Contact Gary via PaintMyPhoto

PORTRAITS OF NATURE

Gary Jones‘Out of the Dark’

Visit Gary’s Portraits of Nature website

[22]

When I was asked to write this article for the magazine I must admit I was at somewhat of a loss about

what to talk about. If I talked about myself, believe me the reader would be asleep in minutes, I am a

Wildlife Photographer, I just live for the time I get to spend in the great outdoors doing what I love, I have never before given any thought to talking about what I do, I just do it. But this has given me the

opportunity to try and express what drives me

and where I hope to go, how I discovered PMP

and how that has changed the way I look at my

photography and, hopefully, that will maybe

inspire others to get out and try it.

For as long as I can remember all I have ever

wanted to do in my spare time is to be outside

doing something. As a child I was very much sport related, but whilst in the great outdoors I

discovered very quickly that the natural world

really interested and intrigued me, and that

interest has shaped me as an individual ever

since. Then mountains came calling and that really hooked me, climbing and walking them became a real

passion that has stayed with me to this day, days off and holidays are special times as it gives me the

opportunity to visit new places and revisit old favourites. And along this journey the camera came into it, I

never set out to be a serious photographer, this is very much something that has happened later in my life.

I look back now with frustration sometimes thinking of the golden opportunities I have missed to get that ‘shot’. I have walked and climbed in some stunning places over the years and never took a camera with me,

but those images are still locked in my internal hard drive in my head, but oh how I wish I’d had a camera

with me!

But it happened. It started as most people do with a simple point and click and I found that I quite enjoyed

seeing the fruits of my efforts, but it quickly became obvious that a better camera was needed, and over the

years as my enthusiasm and experience grew they got better and better, but my bank balance got lower

and lower!! The camera bodies became more sophisticated and the lenses grew larger, but all the while the

same philosophy was ringing in my head.... it really does not matter what kit you have and what it cost, you

really need an ‘eye’ for a good photo, and that is what drives me on to take better photographs. Is that something you are born with, or can it be learnt? A question that divides opinion. Personally, I think it is

within you and you either have it or you don’t, but as I said opinions differ.

PORTRAITS OF NATURE byGary Jones

Gary Jones - Wildlife Photographer Cont...

[23]

If I could pick one photo that really kicked this journey into life, I need to go back maybe five years or so.

As I had done many times before, I visited one of my favourite wildlife reserves at RSPB Leighton Moss in

the North West of England. It was just after dawn on a chilly autumnal morning, the rising sun was starting to illuminate the reeds, the air was awash with the bellowing sound of rutting Red Deer stags. As I opened

the hide door and settled down a stunning Red Deer stag waded across the pool in front of me. It was a

moment that will live with me forever and I swear that I held my breath for the time it took to wade the

pool, whilst I fumbled with the camera to get ‘that’ shot. As it disappeared into the reeds my hands were

shaking as I reviewed the shots I had taken on the cameras viewfinder. It was relief at first when I realised

I had ‘that’ shot, but it was then the complete feeling of what I had experienced and being able to capture

that moment that really made me realise what it was I wanted to do and become a wildlife photographer.

This was the shot...

Since that day I have continued to visit many beautiful places, seen some amazing sights and, of course,

seen lots of wildlife, but the big difference now is where I go the camera goes too. It has been a steep learning curve and there have been lots of failures along the way, but I pride myself on the fact that I am

completely self taught, having had no formal training.

What I have learnt has been from my own research, trial, error and sheer determination to get it right. But

that is the beauty of digital photography - you can afford to keep trying to get it right, it would have cost me

a fortune in film days!!

PORTRAITS OF NATURE byGary Jones

Gary Jones - Wildlife Photographer Cont...

[24]

If I am really honest, the photographic equipment, all the techno

blurb, ISO’s, exposure etc. really does come second. They are the

tools and techniques that help me record what I see at the special places I visit. Nothing could ever replicate that feeling inside you,

when the hairs stand up on the back of your neck; whether it was

sitting in quiet reflection the day after my father died and a Kestrel

silently flew in and perched on a log in front of me and quietly sat

and looked at me as if it knew what I was feeling; or watching that

stag wading the pool, a gannet soaring in from sea to The Bass

Rock, or seeing a Puffin returning from sea with a mouth full of sand

eels for its hungry chick and watching a Whooper swan return and

land from its 2000 mile migration. These are all special moments

that stay with you, the photographic equipment is my way of recording these moments.

To date I have now have tens of thousands of images neatly stored on hard drives. Not really doing a lot

except the odd occasion when I scan back to have a look for particular favourites. Then I guess life changed

somewhat that gave my photographic journey a new purpose and a real change in direction……. that

change was Sharon and PMP.

Sharon started by sharing, with my permission, some of my images on a site I had never heard of, PMP, and

with a little encouragement she got me to sign up. That was over two years ago, I now have over 800 images on my page, lots of these are some of my favourite shots.

PORTRAITS OF NATURE byGary Jones

Gary Jones - Wildlife Photographer Cont...

[25]

Why?

Up until then I can honestly say that

anything to do with art and painting

really did not interest me at all. I would

never have seen myself walking around

an art exhibition, sat watching an artist

painting, or even picking up a pencil and

having a go myself (I did have a bash

and quickly realised where my talent was,

behind the lens not with a pencil!!) It was Sharon that really changed my

perception of art. As many will know,

she has only just started painting herself

over the last few years, not since school

days had she last drawn and painted. She

started by painting some of my wildlife images and I was blown away by her talent, and that of the other

artists on PMP, and I was soon uploading images to my new PMP page.

The more I bought into the PMP community, the more it really

started to change the way I photographed. I found myself more and more thinking about what artists would like to see, I

would get a shot and my first thought would be ‘that would be

a nice image for PMP’

We spend a lot of our spare time out walking in the mountains,

visiting wildlife reserves and, whilst out and about, Sharon

would see something and ask me to photograph it. Images that

I would never think of photographing, but through her ‘arty’

vision she would see an image that she could use as reference

for a painting and wanted it recording. This started to rub off on me and I soon found myself looking at everything in a different

way, the composition of my work has changed dramatically, and

I now find myself trying to get that different shot, different from

the norm that every wildlife photographer gets.

PORTRAITS OF NATURE byGary Jones

Gary Jones - Wildlife Photographer Cont...

[26]

Over the last couple of years I have had an enormous amount of pleasure seeing many of my images

recreated by so many talented PMP artists, some have become great PMP friends, and when I load an

image now I find myself starting to think which artists I think it may appeal to. It is quite amusing sometimes, as I will get a special shot that Sharon will really like, and I am told in no uncertain terms that

she wants that one, or I will post some images and then get told off as she wanted it all for herself…. But I

think she is only joking and wouldn’t deprive fellow artists….or maybe not!

Not only are there an amazing group of artists here on PMP, there are many outstanding photographers, and

it is through their complete generosity that the artists now have a gallery of over 60,000 images to use, and

this will continue to increase. It is because of this that I started to think that us photographers really needed

our own part of PMP, a place where we could build our own community, to bounce ideas off each other, set

ourselves challenges, be able to ask for advice and guidance and basically to show off our work. A quick

chat with Roy…. He was all for it….. And The Art of Photography was born. In the few months we have been running we now have nearly 200 members. It is very much an evolving forum in which the members

decide which way we go, what we discuss and how we take it forward. My role is very much to facilitate it,

set challenges and run what has become a very popular challenge, Pic of the Month. A monthly competition

for members to upload three images taken that month, and the winner is voted for by all PMP members.

PORTRAITS OF NATURE byGary Jones

Gary Jones - Wildlife Photographer Cont...

[27]

We have lots of interesting discussions being started now every week, such things as ‘Size Matters’, nature

or nurture, as it comes or tweaked, objects of desire and macro photography to name a few. Out of these

discussions some members have really become actively involved, and the help, advice and friendship they are contributing will really make a huge difference to the group as we move forward. So my thanks to

members such as Nigel (ESP), Craig C Johnson, and all the members that are actively making this group a

real pleasure to be involved with.

As PMP evolves and moves on, with a site revamp in the pipe line, E-Books and a conference to look

forward to, one thing will be guaranteed and I think I speak for the Photographers, we will still be here

supporting the talented artists that paint our photographs, and the thrill I get from seeing the work an artist

produces from one of my images still remains as strong today as the very first painting I saw Sharon

complete. Keep on clicking!

Gary

PORTRAITS OF NATURE byGary Jones

Gary Jones - Wildlife Photographer Cont...

Click here to find out more about the Art of Photography group

[28]

Hello Everyone!

In the last PMP magazine, I wrote about using the treasure-store of PMP photos, in a more creative or inventive way than directly copying them in paint. If you missed the article, it’s still available to read here :http://issuu.com/paintmyphoto/docs/newsletter_autumn_2013?e=5895411/4668459

My suggestions were to

• select or adjust elements of the photo, e.g. crop, add, move or remove things;

• combine photographs to make a new image;• transform the photo, e.g. abstract, or develop ideas from the

original image.

(There you are – now you don’t have to read my last article!)

I illustrated these suggestions with my own paintings and the excellent photos, shared on PMP, that inspired them. In this issue, I want to highlight the creative paintings that have been made by other artists on PMP, and the fabulous results that they have achieved by adding in a little more creativity. I might also sneak in one of mine!

Lorna WebberLorna is a very talented artist and photographer based in the UK.

View Lorna’s Gallery on PMP.

You can contact Lorna by visiting her PMP profile page on PMP.

PAINT MY PHOTO... CREATIVELY

Lorna Webber‘Rockpool Ripples & Bubbles’

A Celebration of Skill and Imagination that will Inspire You!

Link to last newsletter

[29]

Adjusting and Interpreting

Let’s start off with two very different interpretations of the same great photo reference shared by Gail Larcom:

The first painting is Gail’s own version, in which she has cropped the image and adjusted the background for maximum impact.

The second version is by Marie S, who has also kept the original composition, but used a fascinating technique to make it her own.

A Celebration of Skill and Imagination that will Inspire You!

PAINT MY PHOTO... CREATIVELY byLorna Webber

[30]

Here is another example of selecting a technique to emphasise the most important aspects of the source image.

I love the way Karen Sellers has used torn tissue paper collage to represent her photo of an old truck. The medium is a perfect match for the subject.

Here is another wonderful interpretation of a photograph. James Swanson shared this super photo, which has great movement through the grasses and interesting shadow shapes…

Helen Evans has used it as inspiration for this lovely pastel work, in which she has emphasised the swaying grass and the shadows.

A Celebration of Skill and Imagination that will Inspire You!

PAINT MY PHOTO... CREATIVELY by Lorna Webber

[31]

Combining Photos

Let’s look at some ‘photo combos’ now. These are all excellent examples of how the ideas and images in one photo can be enhanced and emphasised by adding elements from another – sometimes more than one other photo!

Here is Suzanne Wallick’s magnificent “Captain Jack and the Treasure Chest”, which she cleverly and skilfully composed from George Gallocker's “Cornwall July 2012 011”, Li Newton’s photo “Pigeon Creek View”, Steve Lyddon’s “Pirate ship” (adapted), and finally Franklin's "Birdy".Now that’s inventive!

A Celebration of Skill and Imagination that will Inspire You!

PAINT MY PHOTO... CREATIVELY by Lorna Webber

[32]

Another artist who excels at combining source images is GEM (Gloria). Her painting “Artist at Work” is informed by two splendid source photos. Sylvia M. Lang’s “Temple in the Park” and Ruth Anne Kruuv’s photo “Making a Heart”

This gorgeous watercolour by Lavender George was realised using great photo references from Steve Lyddon's sparrow photos and Rodney Campbell's Winter Sparrow:

A Celebration of Skill and Imagination that will Inspire You!

PAINT MY PHOTO... CREATIVELY by Lorna Webber

[33]

The next two paintings are combinations of a single source photo with the artists’ own image or imagination….

Peter Williams is very adept at selecting great reference images and combining them in a totally convincing way to make wonderful paintings. He used his own source material and invention for his “Pigeon Hole”, and an invaluable reference for the pigeon from Ruth Archer’s photo of the same title.

This painting by Carol Gorenko, “The Tiger & the Frog Prince” is based on a superb photo by Nicola B, but with a little added magic that really makes the painting special.

A Celebration of Skill and Imagination that will Inspire You!

PAINT MY PHOTO... CREATIVELY by Lorna Webber

[34]

Transformation

Finally, my favourite set of paintings – those which include some element of transformation of the original source image.

This painting “Who is Cheating Nr !V” by Yvonne Lautenschläger, is just brilliant. It is based on Dave Webb’s super photo “Landrover sheep herding on Exmoor”. But what a transformation! When you have identified the biggest cheat, you can amuse yourself by trying to work out which artist decorated each sheep. I love it. (I would like to see “Who is Cheating” numbers 1, 2 and 3).

Another transformation with a wicked sense of humour… Take a look at Terry Dekker’s “Saruman’s Spy”.

It’s a brilliant coloured pencil drawing with a fantastic narrative and atmosphere. You could argue that it was but a short step from Steve Lyddon’s fabulous “Scary Sparrow”, but how many of us could take that step and pull it off so well?

A Celebration of Skill and Imagination that will Inspire You!

PAINT MY PHOTO... CREATIVELY by Lorna Webber

[35]

So, I said I would sneak in one of my own, and here it is. I often go ‘off-piste’ with Craig C Johnson’s photos, and he doesn’t seem to mind. He had to be a particularly good sport with this one, because I put him in it! The amazing source photo was this one “Rush hour in Alaska”.

I had a pretty good idea of how Craig achieved this shot, and he was kind enough to post a photo of his good self on a rock climbing trip.

The resulting painting is called “In Pursuit of the perfect Shot” and I hope it is a tribute to Craig and all the other great photographers who share their images on PMP.

I have put together a video slideshow, in case anyone would like to see the development of this painting. If nothing else, it has a really great music track – worth watching just for that. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=595789550480043

A Celebration of Skill and Imagination that will Inspire You!

PAINT MY PHOTO... CREATIVELY by Lorna Webber

Link to Video

[36]

Capturing the Landscape in WatercolorLandscape paintings have been fascinating artists since very old days. It is not about just painting the scene in great details to achieve the likeness with the spot so that one can identify the spot or the place, this is not the intention. It is about capturing the mood, the atmosphere, the light; it is about overall impression of the location in the mind of the artist. The painting based on photorealism in landscape has never been very exciting since the spontaneity is lost, it does not impress the viewer even though they may be amazed by the details. So the following points should be kept in view while painting landscapes Pencil sketch: The sketch should be a very simplified version of the scene, whether done on location or from photograph. Draw only important lines that define over all shapes and relative sizes. The more the details more rigid the painting becomes and freedom of painting and spontaneity is lost.

Composition is another important aspect to be kept in mind while making the sketch. For composition purposes you can make necessary changes in the drawing, such as shifting a tree to the left or right, or drop it altogether, or if the building nearer is slightly smaller in height than the next one, increase the size of the building nearer to you, or you can swap the positions of the objects to suit the composition.

Dilip Bhalerao

View Dilip’s gallery on PaintMyPhoto

Contact Dilip via PaintmyPhoto

ART IN THE MAKING

Dilip Bhalerao‘Kashibal Temple’

Chulband Forest

[37]

The foliage of the tree should invariably extend beyond the left or right edge of the paper if it is nearer to

the viewer. The symmetry in the objects should be avoided, e.g. while drawing a road/river/canal, the lines

of the edges should not be symmetrical on both sides, otherwise it is very odd feeling for the viewer that he is standing in the middle of the road/river.

Perspective deserves very careful consideration at the drawing stage. The roof lines of the buildings, the

lines on the road or pavement, the footpaths, the poles of street lights, the compound walls or poles of the

fencing that lead the viewers eye into distance should be carefully drawn. Any mistake in the perspective is

immediately noticed by the viewer since human eye is very much acquainted to the 3-D vision. This also

lends depth to the painting.

Normally, no sketch should take more than

5-7 minutes.

Painting: Broadly speaking, painting involves

two steps - initial washes and finishing

touches. The washes should be very light in

values and of watery consistency. Use broad

brush strokes that allow beautiful accidents to

happen due to of spontaneous mixing of wet

on wet colors. It lends spontaneity to painting.

The light in the painting is decided by the

washes, so if you are painting from a photograph that has no light from any specific direction, we should introduce the imaginary light source. It

should be from the top right/left hand corner of the paper so that it provides numerous possibilities of

shadows of the objects on other objects or on the ground that you will be painting after the initial washes

are dried. Do not hesitate to leave white paper in some part of the painting to depict light in some portion of

your painting. Painting light is in fact painting shadows. The final stage is finishing touches. The colors are

of milky consistency and the care is taken to ensure the values depending upon the light and shadows in

the painting. These should be fading out with the distance. Harsh contrasts should be avoided, the shadows

should be transparent and strips of light should get thinner and thinner as you go further away from the

viewer.

To ensure that sufficient wet paint of the same consistency is available throughout the painting, I place

small amount of paint from the tube on the palette and prepare sufficient pool of each color ready in

advance. It is good practice to take small amount of fresh color from the tube even if it is already on the

palette.

ART IN THE MAKING... Demonstration byDilip Bhalerao

Capturing the Landscape in Watercolor

Aix en Provence, France

[38]

Watercolor landscapes are one of the most

favorite subjects for all artists. Watercolor is

an unforgiving medium, but it has got its own beauty. Landscape paintings with free,

transparent colors look great if the

freshness of the colors is maintained. The

best way to do a landscape is painting on

location. Paintings done on location are not

necessarily the museum pieces, but they

provide great learning experience. However,

if that is not possible, then one can take a

photograph and do it in comfort of the

studio, at home. The books on paintings do not teach you painting but they inspire you.

I have chosen a photograph by Terry Dekker titled ‘Pueblo Home’ for demonstrating the three basic stages

in which I paint a landscape. Do not forget to see the beautiful painting of the same photograph done by

James Swanson in oil.

Before deciding to give this demo I had done the same painting based on this photograph some time ago

when writing this article was not on my mind. As I usually do, I had drawn the sketch from the photograph

and then switched off my lap top leaving

everything to imagination so that spontaneity is achieved because when

you keep the photograph in front of you,

you tend to copy every thing from it,

including colors. So it is good practice to

keep the photograph away after pencil

drawing which provides full freedom for

painting.

It is up to you to decide which one looks

better. So here is the earlier painting or a 1st version of this photograph.

ART IN THE MAKING... Demonstration byDilip Bhalerao

Demonstration 1 - Watercolour Landscape

[39]

Here is 2nd version of the same photograph done by keeping it on the

desktop.

Stage 1 :

Pencil drawing……whether done from photograph or on location, the drawing should be very simple

and the details should be kept to minimum. The

lines drawn need not be very smooth, but the

composition and perspective of the painting is

decided by this drawing. This should not take

more than 10 min normally.

Stage 2 :

Initial washes …….This is the most important

stage that decides the light and depth of the

painting. The initial washes should be very very

light and should look very fresh. Here I have used

much diluted burnt sienna for the wall of the

house, which is expected to be seen after I paint

shadows of the tree on it.

The tree trunk is touched with French ultramarine

blue + vermilion hue while the colors are wet.

Similarly in the foliage, yellow ochre, lemon

yellow, sap green, viridian hue are used in varying

values painting patches of irregular shapes

touching one another so that they get mixed on the paper. It is not wet on wet, but the colors are placed

side by side touching one another, so that the freshness is maintained.

ART IN THE MAKING... Demonstration byDilip Bhalerao

Demonstration 1 - Watercolour Landscape

[40]

Stage 3 :

Highlights ……….This decides the success of the final painting. So, before starting, take a break! That allows

the washes given in stage 2 to be perfectly dry. The shadows on the wall, as well as on the ground, are

done by drawing criss-cross strokes with wet brush first (without any color) and then with burnt sienna. It

produces sharp edges where color brush hits the dry portion of the paper and gets diffused and flows when

it touches wet portion, creating interesting patterns. The wall on the right side is almost left untouched,

with basic wash in stage 2. Highlights on tree trunk can now be added to enhance the shapes and few

shadows of the branches and leaves are added carefully. The foliage touched with same colors with thick

consistency leaving holes in the process to show the light washes.

The houses on the background are just suggestive, so are the logs and bushes on the right side.

ART IN THE MAKING... Demonstration byDilip Bhalerao

Demonstration 1 - Watercolour Landscape

[41]

Landscape Painting, Done on

Location:

The photograph taken before starting the

painting, but unfortunately the trees on the

left side of painting are not in the photograph

which I noticed only after returning home. So

here is the photograph taken at village

Hingna near my city.

Stage 1:

Simple line drawing, I have added some

stones on the lower left quarter of the paper

as I did not want to the show hand pump in

my painting, and adding it in the foreground

would be a great distraction and is not suitable for composition.

Stage 2:

Initial washes …….This is the most important

stage that decides the light and depth of the

painting. The initial washes should be very

very light and should look very fresh. Here I have used all light colors like lemon yellow,

orange, yellow ochre, sap green, burnt

sienna. The trees in the background are

painted, leaving the tree trunk blank.

Similarly, the cow and human figures are left

blank.

ART IN THE MAKING... Demonstration byDilip Bhalerao

Demonstration 2 - Hingna Village En Plein Air

[42]

Stage 3:

A continuation of Stage 2 above, I have added

foliage of the trees on the right and also on the

left, leaving tree trunk blank. After the washes

have dried I painted the tree trunk on left

adding little bit of dark brown patches to

highlight the texture. The cow is also done in

burnt sienna, without many details. I have also

suggested some imaginary huts beyond the

human figure to enhance the perspective,

which were not there.

Stage 4:

Finishing touches are given to the ground using colors of thicker consistency, working around the stones and

highlighting the slope of the ground, adding grass and little bit of details on the cows, human figures and

huts on the b/g. Few finishing touches to the huts, poles so that overall painting looks finished. Though I

feel that I have overworked the color on the foreground and look little bit louder than I wanted, well, then

that is something that is bound to happen working on location. One should be ready for such things.

ART IN THE MAKING... Demonstration byDilip Bhalerao

Demonstration 2 - Hingna Village En Plein Air

[43]

PaintMyPhoto on Etsy - Team PMPAs an artist who finds inspiration everywhere and one that has a very limited (it’s very safe to say) ability to take a decent photograph, PMP (Paint My Photo) has been absolute gem and a constant source of reference for my art practice.

I am a lifelong artist, drawing is always something that I have done, and I was able to concentrate on developing my art practice professionally in 2008, when my husband and I moved with our family to Canberra, Australia. I now exhibit both internationally and nationally, attend Art Shows which support the local community as well as trying to have a fairly strong online presence.

Until I found PMP, I was often unable to capture studies I wanted to focus on, particularly of animals. I often used my imagination, relying on my memory, to avoid being worried about inadvertently breaking copyright law. I admire photographers, and their ability to be able to capture moments or subject matter in interesting ways.

In my art practice, whether I am drawing, painting or printing, it is an important part of my process that I have an accurate starting point, regardless of how loose the rendition becomes when exploring a new path in the work. I stumbled across PMP on Facebook when I found Peter William’s work after it was shared by another artist. He had mentioned the credit to the photographer at PMP. I couldn’t believe that there could be such a generous group of photographers out there. But there is – PMP.

Kylie Fogarty

Visit Kylie’s gallery on PaintMyPhoto

Contact Kylie via PaintMyPhoto

SELLING ARTWORK ON ETSY

Kylie Fogarty‘Give Me A Kiss!’

‘Duck’

[44]

It is a subject that often comes up in the various workshops and drawing groups that I attend – where do you find good images that you can safely use without getting into trouble for it? I now point them towards the website and recognise the relief they show when I hand over the website address.

I need to be honest and tell you I was unsure if PMP was for real when I read the terms and conditions, particularly in respect to using the images for works which are to be exhibited in Art Shows. So I joined and held back for a little while, reading the threads and contacting the two extremely patient admins – Roy and Ro with quite a few questions, (thanks for your support guys J)

Like many members on PMP, I enjoy creating and like to connect with others through my work. This being my full time career, the next part of the process is then to work out which ways are best to sell my work. I now have my work held in Galleries here in Canberra, alongside the online avenues that are available to all who wish to utilise them. The question for me became which one? I had set up my website, so I knew that was ticking along, however, I wanted to be able to reach an international market as well as provide an avenue for my local followers that are unable to physically attend the galleries.

As a result I opened an Etsy store in July 2011. (www.KylieFogartyFineArt.etsy.com) I was incredibly nervous and wondered if I was doing the right thing – the answer is yes! It took a little while to establish myself and make a few sales, but I can honestly say that it has been a positive experience for me. Only once so far have I been spammed, which was dealt with swiftly by the Etsy Team, and the supportive

community there has been incredible. Most team members and fellow shop owners are happy to help answer questions and provide a bit of positive morale when needed.

I chose Etsy as I felt that buyers may feel more secure in an established arena rather than to buy direct off my website, now I am thinking that it is nice to have both.

I sell a lot of my ACEOs off Etsy, which have made their way to various parts of the USA, NZ and England. I’ve also sold cards and prints, they are mainly smaller items as postage becomes pricey from Australia as the size of the parcel increases. I think the benefit of using the Etsy platform, as is with Facebook, is that it is already established with a lot of traffic, so you are not fighting the bigger sites to be seen. Etsy is well known and so there is a level of comfort and familiarity there.

SELLING ARTWORK ON ETSY byKylie Fogarty

PaintMyPhoto on Etsy - Team PMP

‘Easter Bunny’

‘Lew Trenchard Ice House’

[45]

The fees for Etsy are varied depending on where you live in the world, you can find out more here: https://www.etsy.com/au/help/article/2028?ref=help_search_result. The fees to list are relatively small, ($0.20US per listing) and there are no fees to join.

I do get a little nervous when posting my one of a kind artworks, however, so far it’s been OK, I’ve been fortunate that nothing has been lost as yet.

Not only has Etsy facilitated a platform for me to sell my artworks internationally, I have also been contacted to be involved in other collaboratives, including broadsides with international Poets and recently a book of pictured poetry, by Australian Poet, Crystal Davis, called Azure Assurances, to be released next year. Freda Austin Nicholls kindly allowed me to use her photo as a muse for one of the drawings inspired by one of the poems in the book, which resulted in this drawing:

I noticed that the discussion of selling has come up in the PMP threads, so after chatting to Roy and getting the OK, along with the lovely Ruth Archer, we have decided to start a team for PMP members who are interested in doing the same. We would love to have new members, and it’s a great way to support one another, it’s a very new team, (Ruth and I are the only members at present), so we can hopefully support one another to get our work out there and also to spread the word about PMP as well.

For anyone who would like to be a part of the team, you can find us here: https://www.etsy.com/au/teams/19403/pmp-team?ref=pr_teams

If you would like to see more of my work you can find it at www.kyliefogarty.com, or you can visit my blog (I’m fairly new to blogging) at www.kyliefogarty.com.au

SELLING ARTWORK ON ETSY byKylie Fogarty

PaintMyPhoto on Etsy - Team PMP

[46]

Painting Perfect PastelsI first started painting in Pastel around 12 years ago, when the classes I was attending in china painting disbanded and I was left looking for a new artistic outlet.

Not having any experience in other art mediums, and as I was working full time, I found a night class in soft pastel with Nell Frysteen, and decided that the medium might just suit me. I was not prepared for the dirty hands but I soon got used to that. I have since dabbled in acrylics, water colour and my latest exploration has been with oil pastels but I always return to my first love - soft pastels.

As well as finding a class, I joined some local art groups, namely The Nell Street Painters and Plenty Valley Arts Soc., where I get a lot of encouragement. I enter most of the local art shows with varying success. I also have my work hanging at a regional Hotel that I change over every 2 – 3 months.

I suppose you would call my style realist, some people might say I’m a photo realist. I love that PMP have so many great avenues to try, the monthly groups and the photography are so inspiring. When I choose photos I firstly look for light and colour and then a subject that catches my eye.

Dale Cato

View Dale’s Gallery on PaintMyPhoto

Contact Dale via PaintMyPhoto

ART IN THE MAKING

Dale Cato‘Juicy Fruit’

Jennie’s Girls

[47]

This picture is called ‘Resting’ painted in pastel from a photo by Gwen Card.

This picture is ‘Winter Solstice’ painted in pastel from a photo by Shaun.

This picture is ‘Reflections’ painted in pastel from a photo by Joanne V.

ART IN THE MAKING... Demonstration byDale Cato

Painting Perfect Pastels

[48]

This picture is call ‘Fantasy Rose’ painted in pastel from a photo by Nicola B.

This is shows how I work, with a grid first and then I apply the colour.

Demonstration:

I have prepared is from a photograph by Gary Jones, I just liked the complete look of relaxation in the subject’s eyes.

I start by gridding the photo in 1cm squares with a sharp point that actually scratches the photo surface, (it makes a thinner line than a biro so that no detail is left hidden under ink).I then work out the ratio between the paper size I am using and the photo.

I generally work on black paper but I also like to work on deep ultra blue. I like to use Artist Spectrum Colourfix or Mi-Teints by Canson which both have a light sanded finish and Stonehenge which is a printing paper also by Canson, smooth but takes several layers of pastel.

For this painting demonstration I will use a variety of hard and soft pastels and pastel pencils, I do not use the very soft pastels as I find that they fill the tooth of the paper too quickly.

The paper I am using for this painting is black Artist Spectrum Colourfix.

ART IN THE MAKING... Demonstration byDale Cato

Painting Perfect Pastels

[49]

In the first photo I am just getting the eyes and nose in the correct position and like many artists I start animal pictures with the eyes, if they are not right the painting will not be successful. I have also completed the platform he is laying on and the background which is a mixture of subtle colours.

In this photo I have finally got the eyes the way I want them to look, and I am putting the colour and

shading in several areas to judge the way the fur sits and try to get the stripes in the general area. I am still blocking in using soft pastels and larger marks at this point.

ART IN THE MAKING... Demonstration byDale Cato

Painting Perfect Pastels

[50]

I make the most of the black paper base, letting it show through the top layer of pastel as shadows

between the fur, however I will add black pastel when I want to make a black area stand out.

All the while I make judgement calls to darken or lighten. I adjust the colours when necessary. My pastel

mark application is made to suggest individual hairs.

As I get towards the final stages of this painting I use my pastel pencils to accentuate fur highlights, or to

blend and soften the colours in the furthest hair as it is the more distant.

More detail for what is close up and less detail for what is further back.

ART IN THE MAKING... Demonstration byDale Cato

Painting Perfect Pastels

[51]

Here is the finished painting.

I have made his eyes the focal point though use of the yellow colour, which does not appear in other parts

of the painting thereby calling for attention.

As you can see my choice of Gary Jones’ photo is all about the bright light against a dark background,

wonderful strong colours and I love painting Big Cats.

ART IN THE MAKING... Demonstration byDale Cato

Painting Perfect Pastels

[52]

Robyn’s Been Busy Finding us a Fabulous Selection of Photos - Enjoy!

Robyn LovelockRobyn (Ro) is a very talented artist and photographer based in Australia. She is also one of PMP’s superstars, helping to keep PMP running smoothly and looking after members.

You can view Ro’s gallery or contact her though PMP.

RO’S HIDDEN TREASURES

Robyn Lovelock‘Vatican’

link

Paul ShermanPin Mill in the Morning

Winter SceneFreda Sidaravicius

Big SkyWanda McDonald

[53]

RO’S HIDDEN TREASURES A Mixed Special

Meanderings in MechelenESP

VeniceMichael Yates

Maple Tree in FallSue

White-Tail Deer FawnBen Swadley

ArchesGillian

Vineyard, Early FallJill Trear

[54]

RO’S HIDDEN TREASURES A Mixed Special

Snow SceneElaine Cross

Winter LandscapeAngelina Rijkeboer

Barwite Mt. BullaRobyn Lovelock

Robber’s Bridge, DevonRuth Archer

Winter Trees at SunsetHeidi Andersen

SeascapePepino Peter

Reuben & BrodieStephen McLean

[55]

An Interview by Suzanne Wallick with Anna Finkel, Winner - October Challenge

Anna, as winner of the October challenge, Life is Just a Bowl of Colors, we were wondering what about the challenge caught your attention and gave you the inspiration to take up the challenge?

I had never done a painting using such a tight range of colors, so for me it was a big challenge. Also I had only done still life a couple of times, and one of those was my lunch! So that also was something different to try.

What made you decide to use Charlotte Yealey's reference photo called Pots? Why did you choose to paint it in watercolor? Can you tell us what your thought process about the colors that you chose to use for this painting?

The thing that immediately caught my eye in Charlotte’s photo was the beautiful green of the pot in the upper left of her photo. As soon as I saw it, I could see the whole painting. I used the same color for that pot in my painting also. I used several different greens and blues, turquoise green was probably the farthest in the green direction, ultramarine blue was the warmest blue. In between were prussian blue, perylene green and various mixes of all of them. For the places where I needed darks, I added very small amounts of complementaries to the greens to get an olive color and used perylene green, which by itself is very dark.

I chose watercolor because that’s all I have been painting with for several years.

Anna Finkel

View Anna’s gallery on PaintMyPhoto

Contact Anna via PaintMyPhoto

OCTOBER CHALLENGE: - LIFE IS JUST A BOWL OF COLORS

Anna FinkelOur Winner!

‘Mr Forbes’

[56]

What would you like to tell us about yourself and your art? Did you have specific training in

art, or are you a self-taught artist? Is there a particular medium you like to work with?

For the last 20 years before retirement I worked as a graphic artist, and I do have some training in that.

Most artwork I did for graphic art was either pen-and-ink or computer-created. My hobby painting during

that time was with gouache. After retirement I set out to learn watercolor and I am self-taught in that. It is

far and away my favorite medium as well as the most difficult I’ve ever tried. I’m a convert!

Is art your main passion/hobby, or

do you have others that you enjoy?

When did you know that you wanted

to pursue painting as a form of

creative outlet?

I have had other interests over the years,

knitting, basketry, jewelry-making but the

only one I would call a passion is art. I

would guess my parents knew it would be

a passion for me, when I was a toddler I

smuggled crayons into my bedroom for

drawing on the walls during nap-time.

Do you have an art studio? Could you tell us about that?

I do have a studio. It’s an extra room that was added under the eaves on the second storey of our house.

It’s a long rectangle 10 feet wide by 24 feet long with a slanted ceiling, chock-full of art stuff. It’s almost like

a hidden room since you have to go through the main bedroom and bathroom to get to the small door to it.

I like the hidden aspect of it. I can’t even hear the doorbell from up there.

Do you promote your art in shows, or galleries, and do you have a website that you would like

to share with us?

No, I have no website, art shows or galleries although I live in a very art-conscious community, Asheville, NC, and I should keep an eye out for shows to enter, but so far I have not.

OCTOBER CHALLENGE An Interview withour Winner, Anna Finkel

An Interview by Suzanne Wallick with Anna Finkel, Winner - October Challenge

Sweet Pea

[57]

What are your thoughts about the input of photos provided by our photographers in the main

gallery for artists to use free of copyright?

I think everything about the website is wonderful. It’s a multi-faceted real community of like-minded people

who support each other in very real and practical ways. The challenges are great learning tools, the

availability of copyright-free photos means that reference on any subject is always at hand. I want to

express my appreciation to all the photographers who offer their art for us to use to make our art.

Since you have joined PMP, and have now had the experience of winning the monthly painting

challenge, what do you think of our growing community of artists and photographers?

I am delighted to have found and become a member of such a talented, supportive community. And a

special thanks to those of you who do all the behind-the-scenes work to keep it going for us.

Thank you, Anna, for participating in our October challenge....and for giving us a little insight

into your world of art!!! We appreciate your being a member of our community here at Paint

My Photo!

OCTOBER CHALLENGE An Interview withour Winner, Anna Finkel

An Interview by Suzanne Wallick with Anna Finkel, Winner - October Challenge

The Winning Painting - Blue Green Free

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Congratulations go to Jim Humphreys, whose wonderful pastel painting called ‘Eye Eye’ won 1st place in the Pastel Guild of Europe’s monthly challenge - well done Jim!

Reference Photo - ‘Ginge’ Jim’s winning painting - ‘Eye Eye’

Well that’s all folks - I hope you’ve enjoyed reading the magazine. The next edition will be published in Spring 2014.

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year from the Admin

Team at PaintMyPhoto!