Virtual Art Academy

  I have been thinking all year of doing some sort of art course, or degree, or something. I have researched all over the internet for NZ art schools and online art learning. Then I came across the Virtual Art Academy from WetCanvass and the more I learnt about it the better it seemed. The only comments I came across were positive and full of praise.

    The Virtual Art Academy is a series of courses of self-study which includes up to four years worth of study material. And it is very inexpensive compared to an art school or university. There is allot of material in it, four years worth as well as an online campus where you can share your work and comment on other students work. It sounded so great that I have gone and bought the whole course and am downloading all the information now! There is a lot of it too! My earnings form my art this year paid for it which is sort of exciting for me! But now I have no more art savings! I'll have to work hard at this course and get as much as I can out of it so that I can begin selling more work.

   I'll keep posting about how I get on with the course, and I will have lots of new work to share soon. Also I'm working on a couple of drawing videos which I hope to share with you this week, so keep an eye out for them. One is very special! =)

70 Day Pen and Ink Challenge

   I have been inspired by this blog post of Brenda Swenston's to begin a Seventy Day Challenge. Every day for seventy days I will draw a sketch in ink. I thought about allowing myself to sketch in pencil too but then I would always be rubbing out and what I need to practice is making accurate lines the first time. I haven't done allot of pen and ink drawings but I love them.

From the sketchbook of Conrad Martins (1801-1878)

Here are some of Beatrix Potters works.

  I will try to post my sketches every day; it will help to keep my standard up if I do, I don't want to get lazy and just do a quick scribble!

  While I was looking for images I came across this very fun pen and ink related page! Have a look.

An Art Group

   Last Thursday my dad insisted I go along to an art group at the sailing club where he and my brother sails every week. It was a good experience and I am considering joining as they are a regular group with a president and everything. They are all old ladies and very good artists too. "Old fogies" they call themselves! They gave me good advise on the portrait I did of my friend Tabitha who also came along with her sister. They all agreed I had talent which was encouraging, though I know I have a long way to go yet.

   In the summer the cruse ships come in and they sell art to the rich foreigners that come ashore; perhaps I will be able to sell some of my work that way...

Parrots and portraits

  In June my brother turned 21 and this is what I gave him on the day. It is a scarlet macaw I believe, I didn't know until he had told me! It is a bit bigger than and A3 picture, it is no standard size as I cut it out of a lager piece of black drawing board I had. It is done in pastel.

Thomas Nash: Portrait artist

I first heard of this artist while reading the blog  Underpaintings which I follow. This post is really interesting and talks about a conference the artist recently held on how he creates his portraits. I looked up his website too and picked out my favourite paintings to share.

I love how he has painted the background in this painting and the next.

         
   Though I admire his work they do have a rather stilted feel as many portrait artists work seem to have. I guess in trying to satisfy the customer and make an accurate painting of the sitter some of the artists own originality gets lost and the end result may look more like a photograph that art. This problem also comes from
making paintings using only photos as reference as I have found in my own work. I need to find someone to sit for me, and long enough for more than just a sketch.

Starting new Painting Course

I am about to start a painting course this term. It is part of the online NZ correspondance school and I even get an online teacher! Having been homeschooled all my life I have never acctually had a teacher apart from Mum (and once my older brother) except for riding lessons so it should be a new experiance! I hope I will learn lots of new skills and techneques doing the course. Hopefully it will help me on my way to becomeing a professional painter one day!


My latest pastel painting which I did for my friend's birthday: