Art Blog

The Golden Age of Botanical Art

The aim of seeking to recreate this type of botanical illustration is to give artists a technique that is effortless to pick up while looking like it has taken years and years of practice.

Botanical Illustration has up until the 20th century been the sole means of information on various plants, identification, dangers, uses and more. Botanical illustrators traveled the world cataloguing plant life in new worlds and unexplored territory. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the modernization of the printing press led to widespread distribution of the work of botanical artists. Widespread access to books on plant life became available just as gardening was becoming a popular pastime for a growing middle class in the Victorian Age, . Having readily available, affordable books on plants and cultivation information fed the gardening rage of the 19th century that continues to this day.

The printing press and its continuous improvements led to the popularity of Botanical Illustration as both a science and an art form. The printing press was evolving so rapidly during 18th and 19th century that new methods brought Botanical Illustration more and more acclaim. According to Hunt Botanical, there were three classes that the methods of printing pictures fell into:

  • relief
  • intaglio
  • planographic

These terms relate to the printing surface:

  • Intaglio is etched into metal
  • Lithograph, (planographic) is etched in stone
  • Relief stands above the block or plate

George Glazer.com says the first major book of Botanical Illustrations was Hortus Eysttensis published in 1613 by Basilius Besler. It took a team of 10 engravers 16 years working under Besler to create this book. These illustrations in Besler’s book remain very popular to this day. Follow the link to George Glazer.com to see examples.

In a paper by Mary Burns of Northern Illinois University published in Cogent Arts and Humanities that can be found through Taylor and Francis Online goes into great detail about the printing processes of Botanical Illustration in 19th Century Great Britain. Burns categorizes the primary printing types as:

  • Aquatint
  • Lithography
  • Wood Engraving
  • Color-printed wood engraving
  • The Baxter Process

This article by Burns gives wonderfully detailed descriptions of each process and what it entailed. It is well worth a read for the new appreciation it gives on the process of creating the wonderful Botanical Illustrations of the 19th century and why they are worth preserving.

The techniques used by the 18th and 19th century Botanical artists have been my goal to imitate through modern tools. Over time I have been able to come up with some ways to simulate those techniques, at least partially, minus the printing presses. The aim of seeking to recreate this type of botanical illustration is to give artists a technique that is effortless to pick up while looking like it has taken years and years of practice. The primary focus is to have a beautiful painting to be proud of without a long period of practice.

Happy Painting!!

Frustrating Frustrations

All artists have those frustrating days when nothing seems to be working. Follow these simple ideas for breakthrough to making art fun again!

All artists have those frustrating days when nothing seems to be working. Every effort just isn’t coming out right. You want to throw everything in the trash and start all over. Or worse, you want to give it all up. Its too hard.

What can you do when you are at the point where you want to throw in artistic towel? The main thing is don’t. Don’t throw in the towel until you see what other artists who have been in that same boat have to say.

The Virtual Instructor says when things aren’t going your way that it is often a sign of growth. All the more reason to stick with it! The Virtual Instructor goes on to list some helpful points for overcoming Frustrations.

  • Take A break
  • Don’t quit
  • Success is victory over adversity

In other words, keep going. On his blog, Don Corgi also says to take a break. He says, “Either just stop drawing for some time and instead watch and do things that inspire you.” Step away from easel or the table or whatever you make your art on.

Another site, SomeCallMeBeth, says, “Go easy on yourself.” That’s a very important point. So many of us are our own worst critic. The other important point SomeCallMe Beth makes is, “stop comparing yourself to others.” We can become critical of our art that is not working and then start looking at other artist’s work. We have a tendency to think other artists never go through frustrations. That its always easy for them. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Taking a break is the first thing I do when I’m in that place. Take a few minutes or take a few days. Walk away, then come back and take another look. It’s amazing how taking a break then returning will frequently point out something I did not see before. It’s hard to resist the temptation to make comparisons with other artists but sometimes, an idea can come from looking at what another has done. It may spark an idea. What’s important is not to fall into the trap of thinking other artists couldn’t possibly have felt what you are feeling. They do. They all do. It comes with the territory.

Take it from other artists and go easy on yourself. Take a break. Success may be just around the corner. The most important thing is: do not quit!! We all hit roadblocks. The is the moment to keep on pushing. When you do, you feel really good about yourself and your art. Then you’ll be flying high again!!

Developing Artistic Style

Developing your personal artistic style can be fun with a little dedication and experimentation.

Once you know that all artist’s have a personal style, if you haven’t already, it’s time to develop a unique style. So where is the best place to start? Do you choose a topic to focus on? More than one topic? What about paint? Are you a watercolorist? Or maybe an acrylic painter? Oil may be your preferred medium. Pastel, charcoal, ink, the possibilities are endless. Then there is sculpture, ceramics, wood and more.

One of my favorite teachers, Ellen Soderquist in Dallas, TX said something to the effect of, “be sure you like what you choose as subject and medium because once people know and love what you are doing, it is hard to change.” In other words, choose something you don’t think you will get tired of. Does this mean you can never change? No, of course not. It means if you gain some success with a particular style you will probably want to continue with it. If you like what you are doing, then it won’t be difficult to continue. You’ll enjoy your art and so will other people.

  • Concentrate first on knowing what you like.
  • Test different materials and mediums.
  • Experiment.
  • Try out various subject matter or no subject, (abstract).
Oil Pastel

Now that you’ve narrowed down the medium and subject, it’s time to get to work. Christine Nishiyama, in a post on her blog, Might-could.com, says one way to develop your style is to make lots of art. She goes on to say that it is important to pay attention to any patterns or repeated elements you may notice developing in your work. When you see patterns or anything that repeats, focus on it. Spend more time working with those things that are repeating. See where they go. As Nishyama says, “Make lots of art.”

In a podcast for Laura Horn Art, Australian artist, Amica Whincop says she gave herself 6 months of painting everyday. That may be a bit stressful to put a goal that strict. A more casual goal might be to plan to spend some quality time making art for the next 6 months and see what develops. During that 6 months, you can experiment more with the different materials you have narrowed down, as well as subject matter. Take photos and look at them for comparison. Sometimes you see things in a photo that you don’t notice in the physical.

It’s important not to stress over any of this. The goal is to make art and enjoy the process. If it’s pushed to the point of becoming a burden, you will risk burn out.

So get going with your art making. Find what you like and run with it. Don’t think about it. Just do it and see what happens. You may come up with some interesting surprises. Think how exciting it will be when you begin to see your style emerging! Have fun! Happy painting!

Why Artistic Style?

A unique artistic style is something all artists have whether we know it or not.

A unique artistic style is something all artists have whether we know it or not. Some artists can be unsure what exactly is their personal style. Others may struggle with what they think their style ought to be. Seeing someone become successful with a particular style can trigger copycat attempts. Artists can think copying someone successful will make them successful too. Do you really have a personal style and why is that important?

One of the most important reasons for uncovering your style is your personal uniqueness. Your uniqueness is something that no one can completely duplicate. Gary Randall, in a post on his blog says, “Being unique is the best way to stand out in a crowd.” With all the many artists there are out there, we all need a way to cut away from the herd. Many people think copying the style of someone successful will make them successful too. Maybe, but not likely. The successful artist expressed something different from the crowd but copying that artist’s work does not mean copying their success. Instead look at what made that artist successful. What made that artist stand out?

Instead of copying, think more about why your own personal style matters. Pekoeblaze gives drawing artists three great reasons to develop a personal artistic style.

  • “Your drawings have more of a sense of ‘personality’.”
  • “Your work is a lot more recognizable.”
  • “Your drawings stand out and are more memorable.”

Who you are is the best thing about your art. Flaunt it! It’s great to learn from other artists. We all learn from each other. The difference is not to copy but to take pieces from each artist and add your own spin. When you copy, viewers know it. They may not realize they know it, they just know they don’t like what they are seeing. When you put your heart into your art, people sense it. No matter what your style is, that it is unique is what’s great about it.

Shakespeare knew what he was talking about when he said, “To thine own self, be true,” in a line from the play, Hamlet. He may not have been talking about art but it holds true for art, as well. When you sit down to paint next, think about your unique style. Then unleash it and let it rip!

Coming next week: Developing your personal style.

Inspired Art

As Painting during church grows in popularity, many are asking is it, “Prophetic Painting” or “Worship” visual art?

Painting during church services and similar events is growing in popularity. As visual art during church flourishes so will the attempts to define this type of painting. One name which has been frequently used is “prophetic painting.” Another common description is “Worship Painting.” Both names are correct although there appear to be some differences. While the names aren’t necessarily important, the art and the process are. Visual art was vital to the worshipers understanding of God and His ways during the age of the Renaissance. As churches became more utilitarian in appearance, visual art was lost as a vital part of the church. Is it now making a comeback?

oil on canvas-live event

“Prophetic” visual art appears to be more defined in its meaning. In an article one her website, The Prophetic Artist, Wendy Manzo makes three specific points about how Prophetic Art is defined:

  • God may speak to many different people through the one piece of art.
  • Prophetic art is an invitation into a divine partnership. 
  • It is art that carries a message from the heart of God to strengthen, encourage or comfort.

Helen Calder of Enliven Publishing, says, “It takes more than skill or talent to be a prophetic artist. The prophetic artist is someone who has a spiritual gift of prophecy, and who is also gifted and called by God to minister through art.” In Prophetic art, God is relaying His Love and direction through the work of the visual artist. The visual artist receives what the word is through images of some kind in spiritual form. As Calder further says, “A prophetic artist reproduces that picture, vision, or concept in art form.” Basically, the prophetic artist translates the message through visual artistic means.

Praises

Painting during church services can also be called “Worship Painting” and is created as an act of worship with the rest of the worship team. In a wonderful article for Experiencing Worship, author Manuel Luz, refers to painting during church as, “Live Painting,” and makes a number of important points:

  • Live painting is an act of creativity. And the act of creativity reminds us that we worship and are made in the image of an Eternally Creative God.
  • Live painting is a non-verbal expression of the sermon. 
  • God meets us in the act of creation. The Holy Spirit is our Inspirer. He works not only through the artist to express each brush stroke, but also works through the audience to ascribe meaning to that colored canvas.
  • Art can be Prophetic. The artist of faith has the ability to tell the story of God, and share the heart of God, through means beyond mere words.
  • The painter (or other visual artist) is considered a worship leader, and often stands alongside the other members of the worship team. 

Visual art painted during church can be “Prophetic,” an “act of worship”, or both. Manuel Luz makes another important point. Art during church must be professional, so to speak as the purpose is to focus on the message and worship of our Lord and cannot be undertaken lightly. And as such Luz says, “we cannot settle for art that is simplistic, derivative, superficial, propaganda-driven, or mediocre, for it reflects on the message. And our message is that of God’s love through Jesus Christ. If the story of God is to shine from our work, and we must be diligent and committed to pursue excellence, originality, and honesty as we express it.” 

All of these points are valid and important. My first experience with painting in church came at the request of a church who was seeking artists to paint on a particular topic during the lead up to Christmas. It was a very moving experience for me. The second experience was to paint a painting to be displayed on Easter. I painted the painting in my personal studio and delivered it to be hung the day before Easter behind the altar. The second one turned out to be as moving as the first. My third experience was painting during church in the sound booth while services were taking place. That started when I began getting visions in my head of the meaning of the sermon. I’m not sure whether I call my painting, “Prophetic” or an act of “Worship.” To me, the distinction doesn’t matter. I call them “Inspired by the Spirit.” I don’t know what the next step will be. I’ll just wait for inspiration from the Spirit of the Lord.

My next workshop is about creating Worship and/or Prophetic paintings. Join us HERE

Clearing the Channel

Once a creative block is recognized, a few simple steps may be all it takes to get the creative flow moving again.

Creative blocks can strike fear in the heart of many artists. It feels like a desperate situation that will never go away. “What if the creative spark is gone forever?” is the constant refrain in the brain. The frustration builds and builds. It’s like rocks in a stream. Enough rocks and the stream becomes a pond. As the rocks build and build, the stream gets smaller and smaller until eventually nothing gets through. After a while, scum builds up on the surface. How can you break that dam and get the water of creativity flowing again?

One way to breaking the dam according to Freedom.to is to, “step away from the project and take time to clear your mind before you come back with fresh eyes and new ideas.” A little time out in Nature may be just the ticket. Check out the butterflies that are loving the rocks in your stream. Let the breeze blow through your hair. Check out the clouds in the sky. Give your eyes something beautiful to look at for a bit. Take some deep breaths of fresh air.

Another way to break the channel may be to focus your energy in a different way. Ward Andrews for Design.org says, “Take on a simple, fun project that you can do well and quickly.” For me, that’s drawing flowers and birds with an ink pen. Why an ink pen? Because I don’t want to concentrate so hard that I have to use an eraser. Thinking about lines and shapes without color to interfere seems to do the trick for me. I grab a piece of copy paper out of the printer and draw. Just mindlessly draw. Before long, a trickle of creativity starts to flow.

Not letting a block move into scary territory takes some work but it doesn’t have to be difficult work. Recognizing a block for what it is and realizing it is a temporary situation gets halfway through blasting the block. Keeping the panic from taking over simply requires acknowledging that there is an issue. Once you can name a block for what it is, it’s not nearly so big and mean as you first thought. In the midst of despair, look up and look out. Check for butterflies. Dig up an ink pen. Go for a walk. All kinds of new things can pop up once you get your mind off the rocks that are impeding your stream. Fun things could happen!

Some artists think a block is not at all a bad thing. Ashley Goldberg is quoted in Openup.com as saying, “I think some of the biggest bursts of creativity and artistic growth I’ve had are usually preceded by a big creative block.” When sitting in the middle of a block, it doesn’t feel at all like it will ever remotely be a good thing. Having the courage to stay on the journey and do whatever it takes to blast the blocks away may be one of those life-changing moments. As you continue pushing on, you may just begin to hear the sound of trickling water.

Before long that trickle will grow stronger and eventually you’ll have ideas bubbling up like crazy. That’s when you look back and say, “Why was I so worried?” as you race off to capture all those fresh new ideas, as the trickle becomes a stream, then a river.

Artfully Refreshing

Viewing art can supply a much needed refreshing for the soul.

Getting lost in a piece of art can provide a reprieve when the craziness of life gets to be too much. We can’t always get away to some quiet place. That’s when a piece of art can supply a much needed refreshing for the soul. Whether abstract, realist or Impressionist, a painting can take you away from reality for a while, give you something carefree to focus on. Even it’s only for a few short minutes, that may be all you need to get refreshed enough to tackle the next issue facing your day.

Oil on canvas

The Naples Art District has a great article on the healthful benefits of viewing art saying, “Art…can help take one’s mind off of stressful things in his or her life.” Park West Gallery cites recent studies and research that “have proven that a trip to the art gallery or a museum can positively impact your health and well-being in several essential ways, like lowering anxiety and depression and boosting critical thinking skills.” Well, I better get to viewing more art! I need some critical thinking skills!

Even better, ArtThou in the UK says viewing art can improve your mental health. “Looking at art can cause increases in dopamine, the pleasure hormone, to be released, which helps to reduce stress and in turn leads to lowered rates of anxiety and depression.” We better hurry and get more art out there because there are some serious mental health issues plaguing our world today. It’s encouraging to note that art can help. Anywhere art can be part of the solution, and not the problem is a good thing.

In my own research, the Art to Heart Project published in MedSurg Nursing we found healing benefits to viewing art in the hospital. Still the thing I am most proud of in my life, in the Art to Heart Project, we found viewing art created by the hospital staff made a difference in the lives of cardiac surgery patients, as well as the staff who created the art and the people who worked on the unit. With all this research floating around, it seems that the thing to do is get out and look at art. Or even better, make art!

Distracting the Distractions

Ideas to distract from distractions to painting can be hard to come by but here are a few possibilities.

In our crazy world today, distractions keeping us from our art making come at us from all sides, physical and digital. Distractions come in all shapes, colors and forms.  Its a daily battle.  What’s an artist to do to stay on track? This is my daily battle. Its not an easy one. For those who have no trouble shutting themselves off for studio time, I aspire to be more like you. Searching for answers from other artists, I came up with a few possibilities.

Belinda Delpesco has several good suggestions. Number 3 on her list is, “Make a date night with your art supplies. Ink in the time on the calendar, plan your pursuit for that slot, make some art, and then write down what you liked about it.” This, to me, is a great idea.  Its harder to give in to distractions when you have planned your time.  The drive is stronger when you are looking at your calendar and it is staring back at you.

In an article for Light Space Time Art Gallery, Carolyn Edlund speaks of the problem of “People Pleasing.”  This can be particularly difficult if you have a family at home or young children. Some of us have a difficult time saying, “No.” Edlund describes people pleasing as, “wanting to make everyone around you happy by doing whatever is asked of you.” Saying no may be easier if you have something specific planned.

My favorite suggestion comes from Vicky Rubin for Skinny Artist. Rubin’s suggestion is “a change of scenery can help you focus.” The article goes on to say, “Taking a walk or a workout is a healthy and inspiring distraction.”  Being Mindful is another recommendation, “enjoy and experience sensations of smell, feel, and touch.” Healthy and inspiring all at once.

All three of these articles articulate why I began putting together the artist’s retreats.  The retreat forces people to make a date on the calendar for the retreat, For one week end, people pleasing comes to a halt. Lastly, and more importantly, the change of scenery connects to nature, with all the sights, sounds, and smells of growing things.Taking a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life may be just what is needed to give your art a new kickstart. I always try to bring back, a leaf, a twig, a pine cone, an acorn or some other artifact to remind me of the sensations of being in nature. Sometimes just looking at that tiny bit of nature is enough to get inspiration flowing.

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Bird Loving

Birds are special. There is something about birds that fascinates and inspires our curiosity. Songs from birds in the trees can spur the urge to stop a few minutes to listen to the happy sounds. The sight of an unusual or uniquely marked bird brings up the birding app on the phone or google for identification. You don’t have to be a bird enthusiast to enjoy moments of pleasure from a bird encounter.

There are names of various levels of bird enthusiasts. Wiktionary says a person who loves birds is an ornithophile. Thayer Birding says there are different types of people who watch birds. An Ornithologist is a studier of birds and likely has a professional degree in biology. Clinton Atkins for Thayer Birding, describes the rest of the bird watching types as:

  • Twitchers
  • Birders
  • Listers
  • Dudes
  • Protobirders
Bluebird

From this list, my shortened description is that Twitchers are knowledgable bird chasers, while Birders are people who simply love watching birds as a hobby. A lister does exactly that, make extensive lists of birds from birdwatching. A dude just likes to watch birds but doesn’t go out of the way to watch. The newest term, Protobirders, is someone who enjoys watching birds and may have some bird knowledge.

After studying the list, I’m puzzled as to whether I am a Birder or a Protobirder. I love watching birds. I take a lot of bird photos. And I paint cute little birds. Definitely not a Twitcher, as I don’t chase them. Probably not a lister, but I count my photos as a list of sorts. I think I’ll go with the Wiktionary description of ornithophile. I am a lover of birds.

If I did decide to become more of a bird watcher, like maybe a twitcher, Clinton Atkins has a great list of items that are helpful to have on hand:

  • Birding Vest
  • Brimmed Hat
  • Bird Song App
  • Birdwatching Journal

Several years ago, I went on a couple of Bird Watching tours at the Saint Marks Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Most of the people on the trip could probably be classified as either Twitchers and/or Listers All of them had the above listed important items. I had only camera and binoculars. I definitely could have used all of the things on the list. The group was wonderful to me and were enthusiastic about pointing out various birds and letting me look through their telescopes. If some were a little condescending about my novice status, the others made up for it with their joy in sharing their knowledge. I came out of the adventure with many lovely photos, a whole lot of knowledge and a terrible sunburn, (no brimmed hat).

Roseate Spoonbills at St. Marks

Jeff Mann of Because Birds says, “Nature has a way of surprising us, and birding is no exception.” That pretty much sums it up. Birds are a constant surprise so I’ll go on painting them, casually watching them and taking the occasional birding tour. With that, I’ll refrain from typing myself and just say, I love birds!

Summer Wonders

As summer heat slows everything down, 2 beauties begin to proliferate, flowers and butterflies. So many things are wilting in the heat but Black-eyed Susans are taking over the flower beds. The lantana also seems to love the heat. There among the flowers are where the butterflies are too.

Tiger Swallowtail

Former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson is quoted as saying, “Where flowers bloom there is hope.” Letterpress Play says, “They represent joy and growth, and they bring color and wonderment to everything they touch.” Letterpress Play has a paper toy and greeting card that turns into a vase with paper flowers. 15% of proceeds they give to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. When things continue to heat up through July and into August, the flowers do give us hope.

As the butterflies flutter all around, they remind us of the cycles of life. While they are flitting around they are laying eggs so the next generation can begin the process of overeating to building a cocoon to transforming into a beautiful butterfly to giving joy. In a post about butterflies, Everyday Power. com tells us, “We can learn a lot of lessons about our own growth process from the butterfly life cycle.” That is so true.

Monarch

As the summer heat drags on limiting many outdoor activities, it’s an easy thing to look out the window and marvel at the butterflies among the black-eyed Susans. It’s also a great time to paint flowers and butterflies. Not a bad idea to contemplate the cycles of life while painting the summer beauties either. And maybe wonder with hope for fall and the next cycle of life.

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