BeckerArt FLOAT-YOUR-PIGMENT Newsletter January 5th

Published: Tue, 01/05/16

 
Hello 

Welcome to the FLOAT-YOUR-PIGMENT Newsletter #36

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 
For many of the artists that I have talked to recently, it seems like the beginning of the new year is filled with positive thoughts and attitudes of getting things accomplished. I love this notion of a fresh start and the beginning of something new and possible changes for the better. This isn't so much about the resolutions I talked about in last week's newsletter, it's more about the attitude people get in the beginning of a new year that makes many of us want to achieve a fresh start. Because of this attitude of a fresh start I've decided that I would make this first newsletter of the new year about beginnings, starting from the beginning or beginning with the basics. 

I am starting this year hoping to find more locations in the US to do workshops at. I am looking to get back to the Scottsdale Artist School and would love to get back to doing a workshop in California. Would also like to get to Washington, If you are part of an art league or know of a school that is looking for new workshop instructors, please pass on my name and in return if your lead leads to me doing a workshop in your location I will give it my best shot to have the organization let you take that workshop at no cost to you.

On January 31st I will be in Florida at The Marco Island Center for the Arts, demonstrating in watercolor for Dillman's Festival of Artists. more info below

YES to Class this Thursday at the Civic Center in Libertyville
YES to Class Saturday at The Studio in McHenry.

To a new beginning
David
 
From the beginning.... 1, 2 and 3
Let's start at the very beginning
A very good place to start
When you read you begin with A B C
When you paint you begin with 1 2 3..... colors that is!

The first thing I like to teach students that are beginning to learn to paint is to work with one color, preferably a dark color so you get a full range of values. If you use 2 or 3 colors I also look for a light and dark color along with a cool and warm color. This is such a good exercise to do now and then, even if you are already a skilled painter, it never hurts to practice.

Another good practice is to turn your photo references into one color photos, make them Black and White with a one color printer. This shows you if you have a good value pattern or if you need to change things about the scene to make it a better value pattern.

If you are ever having a problem with a painting and you can't quite figure out what the problem is, take a photo of the painting in progress and turn it into one color, this will more times then not show you where your value pattern problems are at and then also take it to a mirror and look at it in reverse, this will show you where your drawing and composition problems are at.

No matter how good a painter you are it is always a good idea to practice and start from the basic beginnings.... it many times leads to fresh ideas that you can add and use with your already skilled executed works of art.

 
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Above I have turned my painting from color into a one color values to see if the value pattern holds up.
 
Dillman's Festival of Artists at the Marco Island Center for the Arts
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On January 31st, I will be demonstrating for the Dillman's Festival of the Artists in Florida at the Marco Island Center for the Arts.
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BeckerArt Brushes
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NEW! The BeckerArt Brushes are now available to purchase.

1 1/4" Flat Series 020, #16 Round and a #4 Rigger Holbein Gold, Short Handle, Superior Synthetic Blend Watercolor Brushes. Made to my specifications, which were, The point of the 1 1/4" flat brush and the # 16 round had to come to a razor sharp point, along with a bounce back to straight action when applying watercolor to paper. The # 4 Rigger had to be the perfect length, the perfect thickness and the perfect point.


The BeckerArt  1 1/4" brush retails for $40.65  you can get a personally autographed BeckerArt Brush direct from me for $25.00
The BeckerArt  #16 Round retails for $25.00  you can get a personally autographed BeckerArt Brush direct from me for $18.00

The BeckerArt #4 Rigger retails for $8.75 you can get this brush direct from me for $6.00 To small to autograph

Buy all 3 as a set which retails for $74.40 direct from me for only $45.00
Priority shipping along with handling per order is $6.00


Click Here to Shop


 
Workshop Flyer
 
Link of the Week

Turn your photos from color to B&W or SEPIA HERE
 
 For any other info please email me at david@davidrbecker.com