Applying Gold Leaf :: My First Time!

Aloha fellow artistas and gold-lovas! I am super psyched to bring you a tutorial featuring my first time using the most exciting accent of them all: gold leaf!!

I was a little wary of filming myself using a brand new (to me) art medium, but I figured any screw-ups might help someone else learn, so why not, right? You won't believe how surprised I was to have the gold leaf turn out PERFECTLY on the very first try! Hooray!!

So check out this fun tutorial and you can literally be gilding like a pro in no time at all!! Fan-freakin-tastic!!!!

Optional:

• Pencil
• Talcum Powder

Supplies:

• Mona Lisa Metal Leaf Kit
• Large stiff but soft brush
• Paint brush(es)
• Painting surface

You can snag some gold leaf here using my special Dick Blick affiliate link and anything in your checkout basket goes to helping support my YouTube channel - Yay!

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originally published April 25, 2018

Painting a Dahlia in Oil

Aloha friends! I'm so glad to be back in the studio sharing another painting vid with you! I feel like it's been so long since I've made one of these since I just finished that whole fun series all about 'Putting on an Art Show on a Budget.'

I've been loving the addition of all these flowers to my latest paintings. So much fun to play with all that color!

Painting this dahlia in oil was a really fun and unusual challenge for me. It's important when depicting something as geometric as these petals to start out with a strong and accurate drawing. Once you have that down, enjoy the next steps in my video!

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originally published April 11, 2018

Good Enough?

From the responses I get to my blog and videos I can tell that most of my supporters are ambitious, hard-working, and creative in their own right so I feel like many of you will be able to relate to a recent gnawing feeling I had when creating a painting that was not my best work. I struggled a little bit with an internal dialog when deciding whether or not to take the time to go back and correct my shortcomings.

Sometimes good enough is good enough, but often times it’s not.

When working on a repetitive or tedious part of a painting it can be tempting to just go through the motions until the paint is on the canvas (or linen in my case) and be done with that area as soon as you can. However, in the grand scheme of things I have learned that there really is no point to making art unless you are sincerely doing your very best and genuinely trying to use all of your skills to make the most remarkable work you possibly can.  

As much as I hate to admit it, art is not a necessity, at least not in the way food, water and shelter are, so if you have something creative yet extraneous to minimal survival that you wish to share with the world, I have learned that it is wise to push yourself to your limits and go all out in creating something truly incredible and unusual. A good rule of thumb is that audiences don’t remember ‘average’, they remember ‘mind-blowing.’  

Today I am happy to share with you friends a little demonstration of how I decided to take my own advice, even though it meant redoing something I had already spent a few hours on.

Last week I painted this dahlia, the first one like it I have ever done, and I kind of knew that I didn’t start off with a strong enough drawing, which is honestly why it eventually turned into a weak painting. At first I thought I could just muddle through and maybe go back in with a few corrections, but after feeling dissatisfied every time I glanced this painting on my easel I just knew that this was not remarkable enough to be proud to show an audience. Good enough was not good enough for me. 

I decided to completely go over what I had done before and give myself a better ground surface and a much better drawing. I also took extra time and care while painting and I'm pretty thrilled how it turned out! It did take me a few hours to paint just one and I still have two more to go, but in the end all the time is worth creating something I can truly be proud of:)

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originally published April 8, 2018

How to Frame Your Paintings Inexpensively :: Putting on an Art Show on a Budget

Aloha and Welcome to Part Two of my video series on 'Putting on an Art Show on a Budget'! Today I am showing you how easy and inexpensive it is to frame your paintings using slat boards found in the lumber department of your local home improvement store. 

Now for this video you will see me using my super kickass miter saw and electric sander. You don't have to use either of these to make frames; a steady hand with a hacksaw will work along with a lil extra elbow grease for sanding. However if you are interested in playing with power tools ('cause who isn't?!), I'm sure you can score some for less than you think. I bought my miter saw, blade included, on Craigslist for $75 and the sander from Ebay for $40, which to me are small investments considering you could easily spend $150 getting just one painting professionally framed.

As far as the other materials go, the slat boards are between $1.50 - $3 depending on length and the spackle, black paint, 2" paint brush, wood glue, tack nails, painters tape and fine grit sandpaper can be purchased for around $50. All in all (not including the power tools which I already owned) I spent about $110 to frame 12 paintings which is like HELL YEAH!!!! 

So tune in to see it all come together in the most delightful way (as Mary Poppins would say)!!

Materials:

Part One + Three:

• Pliers

• Hammer

• Tack nails

• Saw (hand or miter)

• Sander (hand or electric) 80-120 grit

• 220 grit sandpaper

• 1/4" x 2" slat Boards

• (spray) paint for
  inner Wall

• Wood Glue

• Paper Towels

• Pencil

 

Part Two:

• Scissors

• Painter's Tape

• Parchment Paper

Part Four:

• Size 8-10 flat artist paintbrush

• Damp sponge or towel

• Sander/ Sandpaper 120 + 220 grit

• Spackle

• Spreader card

• Paint

• 2 inch paintbrush

A little sneak peek of my artwork hung up for the big night. More pics here

Let me know how your framing went! I chose to use black paint for mine, but I recently saw another artist use this method without the spackle and using a wood stain instead. The possibilities are endless:) Tune in next week for my video about setting up and proper signage for your art show. Yaay!

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originally published March 7, 2018

Huge Success at My Solo Art Show!!

HOOORAYYYY!!! I can't believe how many people showed up on opening night!! I had a lot of familiar faces as well as so many new eyes on my work so it was perfect!! 

I'm sure you noticed my promised vid did not come out on this past Wednesday and I'm so sorry... who would have thought that framing 12 works while filming and editing the process in the same week as repainting the gallery wall (yep, I did that too :D ), hanging work, creating signage, shopping for and preparing loads of snacks and arranging a musician, while I worked my barista and surfboard painting jobs of course, might have been a bit of an overloaded schedule? 

Gosh, when I write it all out I can't believe last week even happened! Ha! 

So check out these fun shots from the show and I promise I'll have my 'How to Frame Paintings on a Budget' vid out for your enjoyment this Wednesday. Mahalo and big love to everyone who made it out!!

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originally published March 3, 2018

Creating a Flyer :: Putting on an Art Show on a Budget

Okee dokee artsy friends, here is Part One of my series Putting on an Art Show on a Budget :: How to create a great flyer. This is so  super duper essential for inviting people.

You absolutely positively must have something to hand folks as you promote your show. If you try to just tell people to remember or give them your website card to look it up you will wind up with one empty art opening. But have no fear, you too can create a super stylish yet simple flyer using this easy free program Canva just like me. Yay!

Let me walk you through all the steps to make a noteworthy flyer for your successful event!

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originally published February 21, 2018

Solo Show in 2 Weeks!! Aaah!!

Wow! That happened fast!! I'm thrilled to announce that I will be having a solo show of my Bohemian Goddesses on Friday March 2nd at an art and music space called Ong King here in Honolulu. Yaaay!!

So because of there is a lot more to curating a successful show than meets the eye, I have decided to do a series here and on my YouTube channel about how to throw an art show on a budget ('cause you know that's what I'll be doing anyway! Ha!) 

Here's the plan, though things may change...

1. Creating flyers (as you can see above that one is done so I'll have a video of my process this Wednesday. [UPDATE: Watch it here!])
2. Making simple, yet sophisticated, frames
3. Setting up the venue
4. The Big Night!

So enjoy the series! I'm looking forward to continuing to make it! 

Also, if your curious about some of the struggles of finding an exciting contemporary art venue here in Honolulu, sign up for my monthly Birds of a Feather letter here where I talk a bit more openly and honestly about taking the good with the bad when it comes to being a working artist. 

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originally published February 18, 2018

New Prints Unboxing.... Oops!

Oh boy, oh boy!! There's very little I love more than receiving bright shiny new prints in the mail!! Well... my prints actually come on watercolor rag paper, so their more of a matte, but you get the idea:)

I always like to do a color test for my prints before offering them for sale, and it's definitely a relief when they come out well the first, or even second, time. It can get pricey having to tweak over and over again!

I did have a lil 'print unboxing malfunction' but it's nothing that wasn't totally this goober's fault and I was able to remedy it soon enough. Enjoy!

'Morning Dew' Figure Painting Demo - Timelapse + Technique

Aloha from the sunniest studio around! I have been having so much fun playing with light and shadows for this next series of oil paintings - this reference image even came from the early morning sunlight beaming through my outdoor bathroom.

Hence the warm shadows and cool highlights in this piece - a wild reversal!

Today's video features a timelapse of the painting process of 'Morning Dew' along with a voiceover by yours truly where I discuss various techniques I use and some color mixing tips. Hopefully you find it helpful as well as enjoyable to watch. Pop me a comment and tell me whatcha think - more like this? How about real time vids with technique discussion? 

But this painting is not over yet, friend! I am going to be bringing a bit of flora and a dash of magic to this piece..... just you wait ;) 

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originally published January 24, 2018

Artist Diary :: Cheers to New Beginnings

Hi friends! As you know I have been working so hard over this last year and a half on my beloved Bohemian Goddesses collection which has afforded me so many opportunities to connect not only with my muses from all over the world, but also viewers of my work as well. I have been so thrilled and honored to have numerous folks tell me that they have felt inspired and represented by my culturally rich group of creative and strong female subjects and I look forward to continuing to create more works that really speak to the soul.

This has been my most meaningful body of work yet, but alas, all good things must come to an end.....

So have a little listen and reflection on why I have decided to conclude this powerful series and what it has meant to my development as an artist, plus get a little teaser on the new and exciting oil painting series I have in the works!

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originally published January 17, 2018