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July 28 PAINTING SNOW
Some artists find painting snow easy, some find it hard. It also depends on which medium your painting in. Most artists find watercolour the hardest to paint snow. That's true; you have just one attempt with watercolour to get it right. With acrylic and oil you can have numerous attempts to get it right. Like I said before, what you put down in watercolour you can't take it back. The key to painting snow with watercolour is to let the paper do most of the work. Look at the picture below. Even though the painting looks complicated, look at the snow and see how I achieved the look with a few simple brush strokes; just simple brush strokes here and there. I used the shadow colour to make the snow look more realistic. Remember painting snow in watercolour, the less you put down the more convincing it's going to look. CLICK PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW
The second picture looks even simpler with less brush strokes and just the paper doing most of the work., again with the shadow colour. Dont over work the shadow colour, if you do it can sometimes look confusing. CLICK PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW
So what do you need to paint snow in watercolour? 1. Watercolour paper, 2. A good shadow colour(mix in previous blog). 3. Practice. 4. Patience.
PAINTING SNOW WITH ACRYLIC AND OIL Painting snow using acrylic and oil is an entirely different skill. The colours are basically the same, you just have to apply the paint different. With watercolour you leave the paper white for the snow. With acrylic and oil you have to paint the snow on the canvas instead of leaving the canvas white. Of course, in the real world snow isn't white. It's a mixture of colours reflected from the sky just like water. If you're going to paint an early evening atmosphere you're not going to paint the snow white. EXAMPLE BELOW CLICK PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW
If you applied the paint this way in watercolour it would look wrong. There are restrictions with watercolour compared to acrylic and oil. With acrylic and oil you have the freedom to do whatever you like; not with watercolour even though it's a fantastic medium. HAPPY PAINTING
April 22 COLOUR MIXING WITH WATERCOLOURCOLOUR MIXING WITH WATERCOLOUR
 There are some people who are natural colour mixers and some who have problems. When an artist first starts out they buy a set of about 20 different colours. That's great at first just to get acquainted with your paints, but in time you have to limit your colours to learn how to mix. Some artists make the mistake of carrying on with their 20-something paints and never learn how to mix their colours. Also, their paintings will start to look patchy and artificial. If you just limit yourself down to six, making sure you have the primaries, you will learn how to colour-mix and your paintings will look more real. Experiment with your six colours; that is the key - experimentation. Take a break from painting and just concentrate on colour-mixing an hour a day. Soon it will become second nature. Anybody can colour mix, you just have to get used to your colours and understand them. Every artist has a different set of colours for each subject they paint. An artist who just paints flowers has a different set from an artist who paints portraits. Mine is landscape, which are earthy colours. An artist who paints flowers has more fresh and vibrant colours. Below I have done a few diagrams to show important colour mixes that might be useful in your paintings.
As a landscape painter, I see a lot of greens. When I'm out and about painting, especially when I see masses of trees, I use Hookers green which really helps me get the green down. I dont use just Hookers green. I add other mixes to it, which really creates a fantastic earthy green. Of course, I mix my own greens but this really helps me get it all in one go. In the picture below are my primaries and the earthy green mix.
CLICK ON THE PICTURES BELOW FOR A LARGER VIEW
Other important colours to learn to mix are shadow colours. In the diagram below I've included a useful mix for shadow, distant fields, mountains, trees, etc. Remember, cool colours like blue, etc. recede. Warm colours like red, etc. come closer to you. CLICK ON THE PICTURES BELOW FOR A LARGER VIEW
I don't like using ready-made black for my landscapes. A lot of artists use black to darken their colours. If that is your preference, then that's great. Me, personally, I think it makes the colour look dead, especially in landscape painting. With mixing your own black it will look more alive and fresher; also you can mix different types of blacks to your own preference. If you want a grey colour, add more water to the mix. If you look at the diagram above, it shows you how to mix a simple black and grey.
Say you're making a dark brown. Always put the dominant colour first. So that would be BLUE first, then RED and a touch of YELLOW. If you were making a light brown, then that would be YELLOW first, then RED and a touch of BLUE. Again, just practice, practice and practice and you will learn how to colour mix.
THE ROCK EFFECT This has nothing to do with colour-mixing, but I have included my technique called the rock effect using the dry brush technique. I'ts really effective in foregrounds CLICK ON THE PICTURES BELOW FOR A LARGER VIEW
HAPPY PAINTING
April 03 A SHORT FILM BY STEVEN DOLBY
A SHORT FILM BY STEVEN DOLBY MUSIC COMPOSED & PERFORMED BY STEVEN DOLBY ART WORK BY STEVEN DOLBY FILMED BY STEVEN DOLBY
I hope you enjoy this little film I made Steve.....
March 22 STEVEN DOLBY ON MUSIC STEVEN DOLBY ON MUSIC
Music, to me, is like art. You start of with a blank canvas and then you turn it into something special with your own style. I've been composing and performing music since I was 13 years old. I regard myself more of a composer than a performer. I mostly play synthesizer and piano, but I also play drums from time to time. I've always loved to experiment with different sounds, especially with synthesizers and samplers, and make them into my own sound. When I start to compose a piece of music I always start off with a drum beat (if it has one) and then the chords and it all develops from there. I tend to spend most of the time getting the sounds right rather than the compostion. If you're a musician then you will understand. The composition is easier than getting your sounds right in my opinion. It could be the best composition in the world but it has to sound good. I don't mean the engineering side, but your guitar, bass, strings, etc. They all have to fit and relate to one another.
I'm all for music software. Recently I've been using fruityloops with my Casio and it's fantastic. I can create some really great sounds and more complex sequencing.
EQUIPMENT USED
 This little synth is a gem, especially for sampling and quick playing because the keys are so flexible.
This is the mother keyboard of my music. About 90% of my music is created on this synth. It only has a 6 track sequencer, but it's okay, but I wanted more tracks so I got fruityloops, which has about 60-something tracks.  This is a great music software package, great for sounds and complex sequencing. There are better music software packages out there; this one just works for me.
To be able to create something with your hands for other people to enjoy is an amazing feeling. Whatever it might be - art, music, etc. I wouldn't change it for the world. There are extremely gifted and talented people out there who don't have the privileges like you or I to buy instruments, painting materials, music software, etc.
I've included some new compositions I've been working on. I hope you enjoy them. Press pause on the flash player to turn the music off.
song 1 click here This track was performed with my Casio and fruityloops. Its a short piece called Stakeout. song 2 click here This track was performed with my Casio also using a sequencer. It has an oriental feel, which I was trying to create. The track is called Lemon Tree.
song 3 click here This track was performed with my Casio, again using a sequencer. The track is called Black Forest.
February 21 GEORGE VLOSICH Etch-A-Sketch ManART NEWS
GEORGE VLOSICH - Etch-A-Sketch Man
 This is about the Etch-A-Sketch artist George Vlosich. I can always remember Etch-A-Sketches when I was a kid. I can remember my parents buying me one every year for christmas. But I could never do anything on them, and still can't. When I came across this artist, I was amazed what he could achieve with an Etch-A-Sketch. Apparently he started when he was just 10 years old. He went to Washington with his Etch-A-Sketch and drew the capital on it, and that's how it all started. Now at 27 he's world famous. His subjects range from portraits of famous people to baseball players. He has been on TV and radio and featured in over 250 newspapers all over the world. Apparently it takes him around 50 to 55 hours to complete a picture. Today, he still does demos of his work to people at the cooperstown baseball of fame, prints and originals are for sale.
I have to say not anybody can do this type of art, me for one. But it's amazing what people can do with different things you wouldn't expect from. Enjoy his work.
CLICK FOR A LARGER VIEW
HAVE A GO YOURSELF. USE YOUR ARROW KEYS TO PLAY CLICK BELOW TO PLAY
February 16 FOCAL POINTS & DETAIL IN YOUR PAINTINGFOCAL POINTS & DETAIL IN YOUR PAINTING
3RD'S
Most artists and photographers know the rules of 3RD's. For those who don't, don't worry it's not algebra. Below I've included some paintings, which are devided up into 3RD'S. Notice there are four rectangle shapes. If you have your focal point anywhere in or near the rectangle shaped areas, you have a good composition. Where the rectangle shapes are, it's where the eye rests and makes it easier to look at and appreciate a picture rather than your focal point being dead centre. Don't get me wrong, you can paint your focal point anywhere you want in your painting. These are just guidelines that can improve your painting to the onlooker.
CLICK FOR A LARGER VIEW
CLICK FOR A LARGER VIEW
Also you want to try and help the eye lead to the focal point by using other objects in your painting. Look at the picture below to get a better understanding. CLICK FOR A LARGER VIEW
DETAIL IN YOUR PAINTING The more detail you put in your painting the eye automatically travels to. You have to be careful where you put detail in your painting. Obviously the focal point is where the most detail is added. If you want the foreground to be the area of interest you put more detail in the foreground, etc. If you put detail everywhere in your painting, you block out the centre of interest, which is the focal point. A lot of inexperienced artists make this mistake; also the eye can't relax when looking at the picture and is also confused. Example: say you paint a picture of a house, which is the focal point, and you place it in the middle distance. You have to be careful not to put too much detail in the foreground. If you do the eye will stop at the foreground instead of your focal point. Look at the pictures below to get a better understanding. CLICK FOR A LARGER VIEW
CLICK FOR A LARGER VIEW
Art is a great way to relax and have fun. Don't take it seriously or you wont enjoy it. I've been a professional artist for 5 years and I dont take it seriously. As I've mentioned above, It's not life or death, these are just guidelines that can improve your paintings. If your happy with your work, that all that matters.
February 01 MY MUSICMUSIC COMPOSED & PERFORMED
BY STEVEN DOLBY
SOUNDS CREATED BY S.DOLBY.
DRUM PROGRAMMING BY S.DOLBY.
ALL PLAYED LIVE.
THANKS TO SATURNS EYE FOR THE ADVICE ON RECORDING
I HOPE YOU LIKE MY MUSIC, ENJOY
CLICK ON THE LINKS TO LISTEN TO MY MUSIC
IF ANY NETWORK ERRORS APPEAR ON YOUR MEDIA PLAYER, JUST PRESS CLOSE AND PLAY AGAIN UPDATE: MORE MUSIC ADDED ON THE MUSIC BY ME LIST
January 30 WINTER SCENESPEACE & QUIET Acrylic winter painting, painted by Steven Dolby in the studio
THE FOOTPATH
Acrylic painting, painted by Steven Dolby on location
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.5 License. January 24 SIMPLIFYING YOUR PAINTINGSSIMPLIFYING YOUR PAINTINGS It's quite easy to overwork your paintings. Also, not knowing when to stop. Some paintings can look overworked, and overworking can ruin a painting. With a few brushstrokes you can achieve the results you want without overworking.
I have included some paintings just to show you how I simplify various objects in my paintings without overworking and acheiving satisfying results.
In this painting, the technique most used is the drybrush technique with simple brushstrokes. CLICK ON THE PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW
This painting was painted outside. I wanted to capture the light before it started raining. Notice, no overworked brushstrokes, just simple strokes. CLICK ON THE PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW
This painting was painted from the sketch below. I sketched this scene in the summer, but I used my imagination to paint the scene in winter. The paper did most of the painting CLICK ON THE PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.5 License. |
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