Unleash your Creativity Art Lessons!

The idea that creativity can be enjoyed only by a select few is FALSE!  The greatest joy there is in life is creating.  Sometimes however, we need a little help to bring out our creative abilities. 

I have been asked repeatedly about giving art lessons and now that I have my new Creative Art Nexus space I have the perfect venue for this.  Here's the info, but don't hesitate to get hold of me with your questions. I always love hearing from you.

Have a creative day!
Leisa

I've formed a new group, "Creative Art Nexus"!

Due to the huge interest generated from artists, youth and the community regarding the Del Ray Community Mural project, (see details in  my posting yesterday) I decided to form a new group called Creative Art Nexus. (CAN) Our slogan is "Artists CAN bring change!  Here's my logo.

My new home for CAN is located at 118 N. Fayette Street, Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. I am sharing a wonderful 3,000 square foot space with Camille Leverett, the owner of a new store called the BeautyFull Boutique. Its a cool, artsy consignment shop for women size 14 and up.  CAN will become a new  local community art hub while providing an art mentorship program for youth.  I will also give art lessons to both adults and children.   The wonderful gallery setting of BeautyFull Boutique provides a perfect venue to showcase the work of CAN and to display my own art work plus the original art of other social minded artists involved with CAN. 

Our Grand Opening is next Wednesday, 13th October. There is an Open House between 11 - 5pm and the ribbon cutting with local city representatives is at 3pm.  Here is your personal invite!

Catch ya later,
Leisa

Thinking Big - 60 foot painting of Alexandria street scene takes form

My latest project has been to organize a LARGE SCALE "pen and watercolor" of a street scene within the community spirited main street of Del Ray, Alexandria.  The 60-foot mural shows how the city of Alexandria supports the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through the depiction of every-day  activites in Del Ray --activities that are the very essence of any real community.  The bulk of the painting of the mural took place last Saturday, coninciding with Del Ray's Art on the Avenue. 

See article in Del Ray Patch.

 

Right now we are in the process of doing the finishing touches on the mural.  Have a look at our  "making of a mural" sequence below. . .

 

 

 

Cheers!

Leisa

My "On the Streets of Old Town" Show opening tonight!

After completing over 30 Old Town House Portraits in my series, I am now painting Old Town street scenes as well.  My first pieces can be seen in this show which is being held at a charming antique store on King Street in Old Town Alexandria, called Imperfections.  Here are the details -- all are welcome!
Leisa

My Growing Old Town Historic House Portrait Series

We're now settled into Old Town Alexandria and my series of historic homes is continuing to grow.  There are currently eight paintings in the series, as displayed here in my new studio in North Alfred Street Old Town.

Here is one of the latest in my project: The Faces and Homes of Historic Old Town Alexandria -- Connecting the Past with the Present.

This charming home at 217 South Columbus Street, Old Town Alexandria, was built in the early 1800's.

It's current owner is Amanda Washburn who purchased it in 1986. Amanda has lived in Alexandria for 30 years. A passionate supporter of Old Town preservation, Amanda is responsible for the vibrant colors of the house and for keeping it's historic fabric in tact.  Here's Amanda's statement as to why she loves Old Town: "Old Town exudes history.  It's also a true community. The houses are so authentic, they're priceless. And most of all I love my cobblestone drive!"

More to come....

Leisa

Moving into Old Town -- Day One

I'm so excited to be right in Old Town! Last night, after loading the last of our stuff in our wagon and arriving at our new home/studio to unload, my husband Bruce and I were looking for a reason NOT to have to start the ascent of two flights of narrow and somewhat slanting 200 year old stairs with endless loads of heavy boxes and art bags.  In Old Town we are quickly discovering there are wonderful diversions! Even though it was 9.30pm, we WALKED just 200 yards from the studio out on King Street and experienced the "nuevo Latino cuisine" of the Cafe Salsa.  Wonderful meal!  At that stage there was no further excuse and the last of our "work-out sessions" began.  

At midnight we collasped into our air bed (how do you get a real bed through the door?) Today I am putting order into the chaos! Right now it looks more like a train wreck. These are my BEFORE photos...

And so you can see that my whining about the stairs is justified, check this out. Now that is one narrow entrance!

          

In the morning we watched the sun rise (from bed) over an Old Town skyline. Awesome! At 7.30am I went into my studio and stood at my easel -- this is the view I saw! Now THAT is inspirational!  I'm dying to get at that empty canvas on my easel.... but I have my battle plan for the day and there will be no more deviations!

For now, it's back to work.

Leisa

My New Studio - Right in the Heart of Old Town Alexandria

Here it is, my new studio and our new home!  It's at 105 North Alfred Street, just half a block from King Street, Old Town's main drag.  The building is the now the home to St George Gallery, which specializes in beautiful hand made Ethiopian furniture and decor accessories.  The building is over 200 years old and has been granted a plaque by the Historic Alexandria Foundation for it's historic excellence. 

We have the top floor. Lots of light, high ceilings... perfect. I'm itching to start painting!
Leisa

From Spring in Duke Street to Spring in Cameron Street Old Town Alexandria!

Continuing my House Portrait Series,  The Faces and Homes of Historic Old Town Alexandria -- Connecting the Past with the Present

This next home is a one of the most untouched original homes I have seen in Old Town -- both inside and out.  It could be transported to a museum site as so much of the historic fabric is in tact.  The date it was built was 1796 - 1804 and it is called the Ramsay-Snowden House, named after the two original owners. 

The current owners owners are Richard and Trish Klingenmaier. They were able to provide me with a wealth of information about the history of their home and Richard, I discovered, is quite a history buff when it comes to Old Town.  He has become my "historical consultant" and so far there isn't one question he's not been able to answer!

Onto the next one!
Leisa

More Old Town Alexandria House Portraits in my Series

This is a lovely home in Duke Street, owned by two lovely people, June and Bob Nemchin (see below).  They are both retired now. June was in the interior design business -- you can tell as soon as you enter the house-- and Bob is a chemistry researcher and an impressive freelance photographer.  The Nemchins are very fond of art and their home also serves as a gallery of original art and photography. 

I chose their home as part of my house portrait series of Old Town Alexandria as I love the unique rose pink hues (that was June's creation of course) and the three flags in a row caught my eye.  The Nemchins were granted a plaque by the Historic Alexandria Foundation which is proudly on display.  They have kept their home very much to the original, complimenting it with antique furniture and a great patio garden out back where spring colors are now bursting forth! 

My Lastest Old Town Alexandria House Portrait - Third in Series

Here's my third pen and watercolor painting.  A gorgeous home in Wolfe Street Old Town Alexandria. Love those spring colors!  The original is now in the hands of the home owner, my new friend, Tom Amontree. He has decorated the interior beautifully, in vibrant but earthy complimentary colors.  Tom gave me a tour and even showed me the trap door leading to the basement that was once part of a morgue -- that's right!  Last century this building was an Old Town funeral home. 

Here's Tom and his house!

That's all for now. Doing more homes. Can't get enough of Old Town!

Leisa

My First Two House Portraits of Old Town Alexandria Historic Homes!

Announcing My Old Town Alexandria Original Homes Series

I've finished my first two paintings and have now selected a further array of unique homes in Old Town that I want to include in my series.  Once completed, I will be using this series to create a calendar and eventually put a book together.  My compilation will be a little different, however, in that it will not just be a series of paintings of old buildings, it will be a melding of the glorious past with the equally interesting present. I'm not only fascinated by the history of these charming houses, I want to know about whose living in them now, in other words how did that old building become a beautiful unique restoration of the past!

Here are the first two, on Prince Street and Duke Street respectively.

Onto the next ones!
Leisa

My New Studio in Alexandria

At this time my studio serves as a workshop as well as a place to display my paintings.  It's a good start.  Got to get back to work. . . it's art in action time!  I'm busy on my first house portraits of historic homes in Old Town Alexandria.  I've been walking the streets and selecting my subjects. What fun!

 

I'm about to finish my second Old Town house portrait. . .

Leisa

We Found Our Home in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia!

Historic Buildings, Art in Action.... a Community with a Message!

Finally, after 25,000 (road) miles travelled across America and all over New Zealand in the last six months we have found the perfect location to call our home!  Alexandria, Virginia is that place.  It's a hip city but also a real community steeped in history.  In fact Old Town has more beautifully maintained historic homes than anywhere else in the country -- a constant inspiration for house portraits!  What's more folks smile and say hello as you walk down the streets of Old Town, Alexandria's hub.  Washington D.C., an international city with its own regal charm, is only a stone throw away and the state of Virginia is lush and green and outdoor water and land activities abound.  And hey, it also has seasons!  Now that's exciting.

Here's a taste of Old Town Alexandria.

Next, I'll show you my new Alexandria studio!
Leisa

How to Create an Original House Portrait Painting -- Lesson Three

Painting a House Portrait Lesson Three: The Final Stage -- the Watercolor Wash

If you have decided to paint house portraits, this series of lessons is your step by step guide.

Lesson #1 taught you how to plan out your house portrait, choosing your subject and taking photographs. Lesson #2 walked you through pen drawing stage. This final lesson teaches you to complete your work of art with a watercolor wash of the pen drawing.

As I stated in an earlier lesson, you can of course use any method you choose to represent your house -- from oil paints to pastels -- but from my experience, certain mediums work better than others for house portraits. My preference for house portraits is a pen drawing followed by a watercolor wash. The line drawing records the finer points of the house and the garden while the watercolor wash or painting really brings it to life. This enables you as the artist to create a detailed, attractive but subtle representation of the home and its garden surroundings.

Now that you have your house portrait drawn out, including all the lines and shading, so that it has contrast and dept, it is time apply the last step – the watercolor wash. There are specific skills regarding watercolor painting techniques and obviously the purpose of these lessons is not to teach you these, but give you the simple steps that you can take to produce your own house portrait. There are however there are many books, tutorials, and step by step videos available on watercolor painting.

Firstly lay out small amounts of the colors that you will need on your watercolor palette. Have your source photo at hand so you can clearly see the colors of your house portrait. You will need a container of water and different sizes of paintbrushes, finer for the details and broader for the larger areas such as the sky, lawn and garden areas.

As per watercolor technique one usually starts with the larger areas first. Once these areas dry, fill in the shadows, deeper tones and details to create contrast. You will find that with a straight watercolor painting, where there is no pen work to follow, you will need to do many more layers of watercolor to get the depth and detail needed. Remember however that while the pen lines and shading does a lot of the work for you, to make your painting attractive you still need to use those basic watercolor techniques. But don’t overdo the watercolor wash either. It needs to be translucent so you can still see the pen work underneath. Otherwise, what’s the point of doing the pen work in the first place? One tip I can give on translucency is the use of acrylic paint rather than watercolor paint. In this case, one uses acrylic paint -- which is water based of course -- in exactly the same way as watercolor paint, but simply adds a lot more water than is usually used for acrylic painting.

In summary, you want the watercolor wash to add character and capture the personality of the home. With the pen and watercolor wash technique you are combining two distinct art forms, pen drawing and watercolor painting and if done well the result can be a vibrant mix of detail, accuracy and color. Don’t forget that any skill or art form takes practice and patience.

Good luck in creating your first house portrait!

About Leisa Collins:
Leisa's artistic motto is Art with a Message. Her website stresses the importance of artists creating social change and includes an online gallery of landscapes and portraits. She specializes in house portraits, pet portraits, child portraits and original landscape paintings.

Contact Info:
Send an email
www.leisacollins.com

Posted via web from Art with a Message

How to Create an Original House Portrait Painting -- Lesson Two

Painting a House Portrait Lesson Two:  Choosing your Medium and Drawing the House.

If you have decided you want to do a house portrait painting, this series of lessons is your step by step.  

Lesson #1 taught you how to plan out your painting, including working out the subject of your house portrait, determining the best angle and taking your photos. Now it’s time to decide on the best medium to use.

You can, of course, use any method you choose to depict your house -- from oil paints to pastels -- but from my experience, certain mediums work better than others for house portraits.  It is important to include detail. If you were doing a portrait of a person, you would not leave out characteristic details of the person’s face. It is the same with a house. You want to include the details that show the unique personality of the home.

My preference for house portraits is a pen drawing followed by a watercolor wash. The line drawing records the finer points of the house and garden while the watercolor wash brings it to life. This enables you as the artist to create a detailed, attractive but subtle representation of the home and its garden surroundings.

You will need a good quality watercolor paper. These come in different paper weights (thicknesses) and are commonly available at any local art supply stores.

The first step is to draw out your subject in pencil. This requires an understanding of perspective so that the angles of the building are correct and look three dimensional. When doing a house portrait, nothing creates an amateur impression faster than crooked lines and a building that looks out of plumb. If necessary, study and master this skill before you draw your building. (You can find excellent books on perspective drawing in art stores, bookstores, libraries and on the internet.)

To make sure your drawing is accurate, use a tried and true method of dividing  your main source photo into four quarters and then compare the content of each square with your pencil drawing (also divided in matching quarters) as you proceed.  After you have done as many house portraits as I have, the pencil stage can be reduced down to broad strokes only, which includes making sure the drawing is correct compared to the source photo and the overall layout is balanced and attractive. At that point I move onto the pen work.

It’s up to you how detailed your pencil draft is and the big advantage is that you can use an eraser.  But don’t go overboard with the eraser or you will end up scrapping off some of the surface of your paper in the process.  What is important is that you feel comfortable with the pencil stage before moving onto your permanent pen drawing.  

The next step is choosing the black pen you want to use. There are many different choices. Some artists like a fine ink stroke while others prefer the lines to be heavier. There is an abundance of quality art drawing pens on the market, most of them using ink cartridges, but with different size and types of nibs. Go to your nearest art supply store to get help in making your selection. Some artists prefer to use a thin tip felt pen or just an ordinary black ballpoint pen. If you plan to do a watercolor wash, make sure your chosen pen medium is water resistant. The only way to establish what works best for you is to try them out.  That’s what I did many years ago and I established that my favorite tool is a simple black ballpoint.  I found that one can perfect a fluid, more spontaneous look using a ballpoint, which is what I prefer.

Complete the pen work, starting with the main architectural lines of the roof and the walls. Then add shadowing and contrast, which is basically additional definition where needed. Use a set square or ruler on the key vertical and horizontal lines for a more professional final product. Include good contrast between differences in light and shadow to make your art work interesting and appealing. The standard I go for with my house portrait pen drawings is that the drawing is good enough to stand on its own as a piece of art, depicting the subject accurately and aesthetically. 

In fact, some artists prefer to leave their pen drawing as it is rather than add a watercolor wash.  Another option is to give the drawing a grey-tone wash. These creative choices are simply a matter of personal and artistic  preference. 

In my opinion, adding the watercolor wash adds life and character and helps to capture the unique personality of the home.  With the pen and watercolor wash techniques you are combining two distinct art forms, pen drawing and watercolor painting, and, if done well, the result can be a vibrant mix of detail, accuracy and color.  

My next lesson, Lesson #3, will cover how to apply the watercolor wash and complete your house portrait painting.  

# # #

About Leisa Collins:
Leisa's artistic motto is Art with a Message. Her website stresses the importance of artists creating social change and includes an online gallery of landscapes and portraits. She specializes in house portraits, pet portraits, child portraits and original landscape paintings.

Contact Info:
Send an email
www.leisacollins.com

Posted via web from Art with a Message