A blog about my work and the way it happens. Things I see, hear, feel and find interesting, funny, odd or just plain curious. News about Everything and Anything Art wise, Expected or Unexpected. This blog is an open work diary for myself, and you are very welcome to follow me on my journey...

torsdag den 25. september 2008

# 4 Art Class - Feeling Blue

Tuesday’s class was loosely based on the concept of Picasso’s blue paintings. I started out showing a brief slideshow with some of his work from that period, to give an idea of how one color can create a whole painting. They all agreed that the blue shade created a sad atmosphere, and we talked about ‘feeling blue’, and ‘blues’ music...

They were given a palette with as many different blues as I had been able to find in my studio, as well as all the white they needed. They seemed surprised how different the colors looked next to each other. Some turned out to have a green shade, some seemed almost purple when you added white. One student looked really surprised and said: “I thought there was just one blue!”

I sensed that they had a lot of fun using just one color for a whole piece, they experimented with a light background and then using a darker shade of blue as an outline. Some of the students painted freely from their mind, others looked around the room for items to look at and paint. The drawing on this page, of the two old women, was actually inspired from one of my favorite clay sculptures, made by a local artist where I grew up. As always I was excited and surprised to see how differently they approached the idea, and how different the results came out.

Next week is illustration - a H. C. Anderson tale with lots of good visual stories, ready to be put onto paper...

fredag den 19. september 2008

# 3 Art Class

This week we got a new student. Or, she was actually enrolled, but she was not able to show up until this week. She is the only girl of the group, and truly a social butterfly! As mentioned before, the two previous classes were very quiet, everyone was very shy. But she just walked in, started chatting to everybody, and before we knew it, the class was buzzing and laughing and there was a great relaxed atmosphere.

The theme of the week was figure drawing. I wanted them to LOOK at the person modeling, draw what they SAW, not what they thought they saw. It turned out fun; each student modeled in front of the others for four minutes, they took turns and returned back to the same drawing, as they each kept the same pose a few times. I wanted them to think of a good pose: not to difficult to draw, and one they could hold for four minutes. We started with charcoal and later moved into pastel, to put a bit of color in the drawing. I encouraged them to draw BIG on the paper, and use as many sheets as they needed. So by the end of the session, four stacks of great drawings were produced, along with dirty faces & fingers, black from charcoal ; - )

They all did extremely well, as previously they worked very concentrated - I had to stress them to LOOK, and also tell them a few times that the figure was the main focus as their fellow student did their pose - hairstyles, glasses and details of the clothes could be added later.

Next week is BLUE - creating a painting in different shades of blue only... I am excited and know they will come up with some surprising paintings.

mandag den 15. september 2008

Amalie and her portrait

Usually I don’t paint portraits of people! I have done a lot of pet portraits, cats and especially a load of dogs, and often I am asked if I can do a portrait of a person - sometimes even combined with a pet portrait. I always say no; personally I find it really difficult and very time consuming. Also often, after spending hours, perhaps days on the project, I have to start over, as it has taken a wrong turn, I just can’t come back from.

But no rule without exception! My artist friend Karen asked me if I would paint a portrait of her daughter Amalie. I was debating, wasn’t sure, thought about it, then I said to Karen that I would give it a try, but if it ended in disaster I would just stop... Being a painter too, she knew exactly where I was coming from, and that’s what we decided on. I went back to the US, Karen emailed me the photo of Amalie that she wanted me to work from, and filled in the actual pet portrait form (she described Amalie’s “breed” as “human with a touch of angel” : )

The photo was of a very young Amalie, and there was a special story to it; she had been upset and wanted to leave home, wearing her little tiger costume. She sits in the garden on a stack of her small suitcases, she was clearly ready to leave! The portrait took some time, but was fun to do, and I knew Amalie enough to decide whether it looked like her or not. I brought back the painting to Denmark this summer, an luckily she liked it. It had been a surprise, she had no idea...

I asked them to take a photo of Amalie with her portrait, and I just received it a few days ago, and she is - once again - sitting on the grass on a stack of suitcases - and this time with the portrait, and luckily, not upset!

Another exception I did was a portrait of my good friend Poul. I wanted to give him something for his 70th birthday. I know Poul well enough to immediately know, wether the portrait worked or not. And for some reason the portrait was quick and easy, I saw Poul in it right away.


fredag den 12. september 2008

# 2 Art Class

It has just been the second week of the Art Class for Kids, and we were going to explore Still-Life. Only two kids were able to make it for this class (the third one came on his own on Thursday instead) but I sensed that they both felt a bit less shy - definitely more talking and a bit more relaxed although it is still a very quiet group. I started out with a short slideshow, I wanted to show different still life; vases, flowers, fruits & drapery, but I also found a few more unusual subjects, such as dolls heads and an ipod!

I had a vase with sunflowers ready on the table, as well as a small fruit bowl. I didn’t want to restrict the elements they had to work from, and so pencils, paint brushes & erasers were used too. The main goal was that they really looked at the object, and painted what they saw, not just what they assumed they saw! And I think they all three did a really good job.

They did a few sketches first, to decide which of the object they wanted to concentrate on, and later moved on to a sheet of water color paper, where they first drew the object and then used water color.

Just like last week, I was impressed with their attention to detail, and the concentration they put in the painting. They each produced one really well made piece, apart from their beginning sketches.

Next week is people and charcoal...

mandag den 8. september 2008

The Right Typeface

I like the use of letters in paintings. I like them for their meaning as well as their visual presence. It is interesting how a certain font makes you think of something. They can provoke feelings, almost like a smell or a song - I think so anyway. And when put together, the combinations even hold a meaning - quite fascinating. As some may have noticed, I often use letters in my work too. When I have the word or sentence I want to use, I go the computer and experiment with different fonts.

Sometimes it takes a very long time to find the perfect one, other times I know what it is going to be, even before I sit down... I remember my professor in Brighton once said that he thought “Broadway” was one of the ugliest fonts ever. I don’t agree (although it is not my favorite either) but now I always think of his statement when I see it. To me it just scream out Charleston, art deco and silent movies... Not at all that bad! It seems like a very personal thing to take a dislike to a font - much like a song or a color.

I have a favorite font when it comes to writing a letter or text: “Garamond” is so nice, clean simple and easy to read. But when it comes to a visual part in a painting I like all different kinds of fonts for all different reasons...

“Old English” is one of those interesting fonts that looks very old/classical but have gotten a serious comeback. (- I believe Guan Stefani’s brand L.A.M.B is using a font very similar) “Cracked” is interesting in a cartoonish way. It is very graphic, but works well in the right context.

My latest “find” is “American Typewriter” which is a great writing font, simple, but (in my opinion) very stylish...

I was trying to think of a font I hate, but I can’t think of one at the top of my head. I am not loving “Casual” (for no real reason) but I can’t say I am hating it either... Hmmm. May have to come back with an update when I come across the ultimate ugliest font, according to me...!

torsdag den 4. september 2008

The First Art Class

Yesterday was the first day of my art class for kids. I was quite anxious throughout the day. I knew I had four students signed up and I looked forward to meet them. I was preparing most of the day by getting paint, tables and chairs ready, and I was excited at 4 p m when I heard the first knock on the door... The kids were all great: sweet, quiet and very very shy... It is funny how I always forget how they are (obviously) extremely shy on the first day when nobody knows each other. It is interesting how contagious it is! I felt it myself, as I was trying to get them involved in a chat about primary colors, the fun of mixing colors, and Matisse’s work...
The first lesson was about colors, how they effect each other and how to mix the right shade. I was very impressed with their results, and happy to see how they all were into their paintings, spending a lot of time and concentration on the details. I know they didn’t want to talk, so I left them alone most of the time... I see myself in them totally - when I was 8-10, no way would I have involved myself in a conversation on the first day. So I hope (and feel sure) they will loosen up as we get used to each other. They were all great - that has got to be a great beginning. Next week is drawing a still life, I better come up with a funny, unusual & very visual decoration... I have some good ideas! I look forward - and I do hope my little group does too!