Prints 'n Stickers 'n Stamps - Oh My!

June 10, 2017 in Artist Diary, Studio, Inspiration, Oil Paintings

Hi Friends! Happy Full Moon weekend!

Ok, so today's share might seem a tad unremarkable to some, but realize that my excitement lies more within what these little gifts and accents symbolize rather than what they actually are (I'll explain later;) )

I can't help it, I'm just really proud to share all the little things! Like, for example these really sweet vinyl stickers I've had made twice now. How clear and bright is that image?!? Along with these postcards I got last year that I use for 'thank you' notes and I've always been in love with my teeny tiny business cards.

Plus I recently designed these super sweet stamps for authenticating my prints and giving a more polished look to my outgoing artwork parcels.

Now let me tell you why these small things are so meaningful:

All of these little bonus goodies with coherent logos and the same 'look' and branding and all that good stuff that I pack with every purchase as well as hand out to folks I meet, is exactly what you would expect a well-seasoned professional artist to bring to the table. I mean, don't get me wrong, I have been creating and showing work locally for years, but it is only within the last few months that I've actually starting culling together all the trappings of an artist who actually "knows what they're doing." Ha!

Simply having prints available is totally new for me!

I guess what I'm trying to say, dear reader, is that I am tremendously grateful that my ambitions as a career artist are starting to blossom in ways that I could have only dreamed they would. Because these are all tangible objects associated with sharing my artwork, they're meaning feels all the more real.

It's truly amazing what the smallest symbols of professionalism or achievement can mean to one artist working her very hardest to make it in this bustling world:)

PS. Make sure you pop on over to my Instagram @caleighbirdart asap because I'm doing a Full Moon Goddess Print Giveaway this weekend! The winner receives an 11x14 inch gallery quality giclee print of their choosing from my two recent Bohemian Goddesses oil paintings. Yay!!

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originally posted: June 10, 2017

3 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Paint Tubes

May 30, 2017 in Studio, YouTube Videos, Tutorials, Oil Paintings

Hi friends! You know how I'm always throwing in little tips and tricks to help reduce waste and use less plastic and other materials? Well today's tutorial hits on those positives PLUS is a super awesome way to save serious money on painting supplies.

I am sharing with you three ways that I have personally used to get every last drop of paint out of their tubes. I use oil paint, but this works on watercolor or acrylic paints too, as long as they are in little metal-type tubes. We all know how expensive quality art supplies can be so figuring out any ways to make those dollars stretch is totally essential.

For squeezing your paint tubes effectively your options are basically a book (or other flat object), pliers, or - my favorite - a tube wringer. Check out this short video detailing those methods and see why the wringer is what I recommend most.

Are there any other great ways you've found to conserve paint, or any other material in the oil painting process for that matter? Leave me your experience in the comments!

PS Here's that link for a tube wringer from Dick Blick Art Supplies.

originally posted: May 30, 2017

Two New Bohemian Goddesses!

May 20, 2017 in Acquire Art, Inspiration, Oil Paintings

I am always beyond thrilled to finish any piece of art really, but these two oil paintings of contemporary women from far reaches of the world have turned out especially beautiful and full of character, in this humble artist's opinion.

So get inspired by these fashionably creative Bohemian Goddesses!

First let me introduce 'Nubia', a marvelous muse who is an experimentally creative and artistically gifted modern South African woman that treats the face, both her own and others', as her preferred canvas. Nubia enjoys using bold, eye-catching color application when practicing her unique brand of makeup artistry, as well as trying out basically every hairstyle under the sun. She is a ground breaking and inspiring fashionista, and I personally can't wait to see where her skills take her!

oil painting portrait of a beautiful black goddess

12x16 inches, oil on linen mounted on birch panel; pricing and prints here.

If you would like to see more of her makeup artistry visit @nubiasilvermakeup

And on the other side of the planet....

'Zumee' is a loving and supportive wife and mother in Sulawesi, Indonesia. She is a watercolor artist who has a real eye for color coordination, whether on the page or in her wonderfully put together fashion sense. Zumee not only enjoys painting in her own time, but she and her artist husband also make a point to pass their love of creativity down to her young daughter Aluna.

10x14 inches, oil on linen mounted on birch panel; pricing and prints here

To see some of Zumee's watercolors check out her Instagram @zumeeoscar

I really feel that my Bohemian Goddesses series is my most important body of work thus far. If you haven't yet read why, check out my Artist Statement here.

originally posted: May 20, 2017

Mounting A Painting Onto A Wood Panel

May 09, 2017 in Studio, Tutorials, Oil Paintings

Hello folks, glad to have you back! Today I want to share with you my method for attaching finished paintings to their permanent wood panels.

I like to paint on oil-primed Belgian linen. It's a really finely made, super smooth surface which allows me to get into tiny detail in my works. I really like that it comes primed for oil painting in particular since it saves me a bunch of priming and sanding time as well as doesn't suck up the oil and make the paint dry too quickly. (I'll do a post about my linen soon, too)

How To Clean Up After Oil Painting

May 02, 2017 in Studio, Tutorials, Oil Paintings

Welcome, fellow artist, to another Tutorial Tuesday! Today I am sharing how to best and most efficiently clean up your oil painting station. I strongly recommend taking 10-15 minutes to thoroughly clean up every time you finish.

For one, it's waaaaaaay easier and faster to just tidy up as you go rather than scraping dry paint. And for two, it will make your easel area more appealing to jump right back into whatever you're working on because it will be all neat and ready. I mean, I know when I'm struck with a bolt of inspiration the last thing I want to do is scrape paint for 20 minutes and potentially let my inspo fizzle out.

So here's a short vid all about my easy methods for keeping a clean palette and organized workspace that's super conducive to harnessing creativity. Enjoy!

originally posted: May 27, 2017

Studio Tour :: My Painting Station

April 11, 2017 in Studio, YouTube Videos, Art Vlog, Tutorials, Oil Paintings

Howdy folks! Welcome back to my art studio! If you didn't catch it, last week I invited everyone in for a super quick peek around my home studio. So, as promised, today I am giving you all a more in-depth look at my painting station and how I set up for working efficiently. Also included are a few tips for your own home studio, like taking care of old oily rags safely and the very best lighting for seeing paint pigment accurately.

Check out the video notes on the YouTube post for references, and go ahead and give me a thumbs up and subscribe while you're there so I know folks are enjoying my vids:)

Do you have any super simple easy tricks for helping keep your creative space organized? Feel free to drop me a comment!

originally posted: April 11, 2017

Painting the Glass in a Pair of Glasses

April 04, 2017 in Studio, YouTube Videos, Tutorials, Oil Paintings

Hello fellow artistas! Today you get a real time demo and instruction on painting glass in a pair of glasses. It's not a difficult feat, but it does take care and a tender touch.

I like to start with a dry painting for this paint layer because it makes blending the glass sheen a thousand times easier when you don't have to worry about it mixing with the skin or surrounding area.

I only used Titanium White for the shine, and added some Payne's Grey for the earrings (and the same with my "oopsie" you'll see at the end of the video). I prefer Payne's Grey to any kind of black because I feel like it has a richness that regular black lacks; I'll go into more detail about their differences in a later blog post. I also used my linseed oil and turpenoid to help thin out the translucent white area.

As always, feel free to leave feedback for me and if you liked it, give me a subscribe on YouTube too so I know folks are getting something out of my vids. Thanks friends!

originally posted: April 4, 2017

Painting Eyebrows, Eyelashes and Really Short Hair

March 21, 2017 in Studio, YouTube Videos, Tutorials, Oil Paintings

Welcome to another Tutorial Tuesday! Today I am continuing with my 'Nubia' portrait in an oil painting demo to share with you of my technique for painting her eyelashes, eyebrows, and super short hair. Since I tend to paint my works in color/object/surface texture groups with dry time in between, I will have another video showing me painting her thick braids.

Today also features the first exclusive video release to my Patreon page as well. Woo Hoo! (Don't know about Patreon? Click here for info) For my wonderful loyal viewers I have this speed painting demo available here and on my YouTube channel, but for my $5 and up Patreon contributors I will have the same video in real time PLUS step-by-step explanations.

I also have a tutorial about painting rich melanin skin tones right here.

Do you love my muse as much as I do? You can find Nubia and see her fantastic and creative makeup artistry at
https://www.instagram.com/nubiasilvermakeup

originally posted: March 21, 2017

Traveling Goddesses :: Two Shows at Once!

March 18, 2017 in Artist Diary, Studio, Oil Paintings

I have been bursting with excitement since finding out I got ALL FIVE of my completed Bohemian Goddesses accepted in two gallery shows during March and April!! Woo Hoo!!

The first show is this weekend at Willis & Sellers Art Gallery, which is a friend and fellow artist's new gallery in Tryon, NC. Ben Sellers creates whimsical, almost poetic, watercolor and ink works, and has been so inviting and encouraging of me in my artistic journey. A lot of 'making it' as an artist can happen due to the connections one makes, and I feel very fortunate to have made this one. I'm grateful not only for help with exposure, but because Ben is a very intelligent and creative person in his own right and watching his progression and successes have been incredibly inspiring to me.

The second is in Kansas, if you can believe it! The opening is called Art in the Center in Overland Park and I honestly don't know much about it, but it looks like a really great gathering of a lot of talented artists so I am very honored to be there!

So all five of these amazing ladies are already off on their respective journeys to their big shows and I may not see one or two of them in the flesh ever again.... I hope ;)

PS. I've got a tutorial in the works all about how to package and ship art for a gallery so that it can be easily and safely sent back to you afterwards. It's a bigger ordeal than you may think!

originally posted: March 18, 2017

2016: A Fond Look Back

January 05, 2017 in Studio, Oil Paintings, Figure Drawings

While I'm busy putting my resolutions to actions and preparing for my most productive year yet, I figured I'd share a few of, what I think, are my best works from 2016. Enjoy!

The first three women in my Bohemian Goddess series! I've got my artist statement in the works for this portfolio which I'll be sharing here soon!

I feel like I really made some great strides this year on my shorter term figure session drawings. I was forced to really step my game up when I started attending the weekly figure drawing session here at the Honolulu museum of Art School because they don't do any longer than 20 minutes for each pose. I'm used to having hours to do a drawing, but these little sketches in my homemade sketchbook are quite pleasing for the most part.

And last, but most certainly not least, here are few of my favorite graphite and conte drawings. I just can't get enough of these fabulous people, ya know?