Mixing Greens
In nature, there is a myriad of green, warm yellow-greens like those found in sunlit leaves, cooler blueish greens like the shadows upon the grass, and then on from those shades, there are greys and reddish browns and purplish reds and a good deal of yellowish and orange hues too.
I love the colour green and use tones of it throughout my paintings, green signifies growth, harmony, health, life, spring, wealth, and many other positive qualities, for me green is the colour of hope.
BUT, green is a troublesome colour to mix, especially when you are starting out on your painting journey. I think this is more a problem with how we perceive green and then try to mix and replicate the colour on canvas.
In nature, there is a myriad of green, warm yellow-greens like those found in sunlit leaves, cooler blueish greens like the shadows upon the grass, and then on from those shades, there are greys and reddish browns and purplish reds and a good deal of yellowish and orange hues too.
I have developed a Green Chart that I use to mix the exact greens I require, I use:
3 Yellows - Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow and Raw Sienna.
3 Blues - French Ultramarine, Cerulean Blue and Phthalo Blue
3 Reds - Cadmium Red, Permanent Rose and Alizarin Crimson (red is a complimentary colour to green and is used to tone it down)
I hope you have found this inspiring for the next time you see a beautiful green aloe or a seascape that you would like to capture.
If you are wanting to perfect your technique or are just starting out on your art journey, why not join my art classes offered by @capepalette
Paintings in a kitchen?
Though not as common, Art belongs in kitchens just as much as it does in living rooms, bedrooms, and dining rooms.
We often shop for artwork to fill a wall in the living room or create an eye-catching display in the entryway of our homes, but hanging art in the kitchen?
Though not as common, Art belongs in kitchens just as much as it does in living rooms, bedrooms, and dining rooms.
Create a Kitchen Focal Point
The pop of colour may even make cooking even more fun!
What do you think about paintings or any artwork in the kitchen?
I have varying sizes of artwork that will compliment any space available on my web
Art is incredibly versatile and can be displayed in any setting, serve as the showpiece, and is a great way to show off your good taste and style.
Having fine art on the wall of your home space will reduce your stress, and help induce relaxation, making your home feel more welcoming.
How to paint glass realistically in oil paint
Painting realistic looking glass in oils so that your subject looks like actual glass may seem complicated, but with practice its not as difficult as you may think. With the right amount of practice glass can be a beautiful and fairly easy element to add to your still life collection.
Painting realistic looking glass in oils so that your subject looks like actual glass may seem complicated, but with practice its not as difficult as you may think.
1.Set up your still life
I use medicine bottles, glass vases and carafe's to hold beautiful flower cuttings from my garden, I have found that glass looks better with a great light source.
2.Sketch out your subject onto your prepared board or canvas
3.First paint what your glass holds
I like to block in my lights and darks so i can layer the elements of the glass on top making it look like the contents (water, stems etc.) are INSIDE the glass
4.Block in the darks and shadows in the surroundings
5.Fill in all the mid-tones and background
6.Start adding in the lighter reflections showing on the glass, the use of certain colours like yellows and greys can help define the glass subject and round it out
7.Finish with white highlights - ONLY where the light is brightest
I find just a few highlights go very far.
With the right amount of practice glass can be a beautiful and fairly easy element to add to your still life collection.
I hope you have found this inspiring for the next time you see a beautiful viola or pansy in a vase that you would like to capture.
If you are wanting to perfect your technique or are just starting out on your art journey, why not join the art classes offered by @capepalette
How to help an artist for free
Artists in South Africa produce some of the world's most unique works, often depicting the abundance of surrounding nature. Historically our art was often abstract interpretations of animals, plant life, or natural designs and shapes.
More recently as outside influence has grown, we have been lucky to see the unique touches of our African heritage survive and shine through in our country's creativity, from the street artist peddling his wares along the beachfront, to the famous painters with art hanging in world-famous galleries!
But selling art isn't easy, and being in the position to have met so many artists over the past couple of decades, one thing has always stood out, Art in Africa is severely UNDERVALUED.
So how can you help a South African Artist?
Quite simply by LIKING, SHARING, COMMENTING, TAGGING and most importantly leaving a REVIEW on Social Media platforms such as Facebook & Instagram as well as on their Google pages will go a long way.
& don't forget to visit their websites, and have a look at what your favourite artist is up to, you might just find the piece of your dreams and make a local artist do a happy dance
Please visit my social media by clicking the button below.
My favourite paint colours
When I sit down to paint, I set up my colour palette with my favourite colours & whilst I own a wide range of different colours, I have my favourites, that I like to work with often:
When I sit down to paint, I set up my colour palette with my favourite colours & whilst I own a wide range of different colours, I have my favourites, that I like to work with often:
Titanium White
French Ultramarine Blue
Alizarin Crimson Red
Cadmium Yellow & occasionally Lemon Yellow
Burnt Siena
My limited colour palette allows me to mix my secondary and tertiary colours and I find that my canvas flows better, as all the secondary and tertiary colours compliment and enhance the primary colours.
A limited palette has many advantages for artists whether you are starting out or, like me, a seasoned artist
Cost - Instead of using every shade of blue, you can mix the exact tone you want using just 2 colours
Unity of the painting - your painting will flow better and look more cohesive when you have used the same tones and shades as your colour bases
And the best reason, I have found is that I know these colours so well and can tweak the shades and use them in ways that I wouldn't if I was using a huge range of colours
Below are a few examples of my paintings that are done with these colours and a limited palette.
The owls in my Garden
Owls seem to have always been the bird that sparks my creative imagination, as a bird that symbolizes different emotions, such as victory, wisdom or solitude, I find painting them,as seen in the below picture or capturing their essence in a woodcut print both eery and exhilarating.
My garden in George has a few owls that come out at night with their haunting 'whoo' on the hunt for dinner, we have been privileged to experience such a symbolic bird in nature.
Owls seem to have always been the bird that sparks my creative imagination, as a bird that symbolizes different emotions, such as victory, wisdom or solitude, I find painting them,as seen in the below picture or capturing their essence in a woodcut print both eery and exhilarating.
““Do not trap yourself into an owl’s hooting sound Where sad nights linger through the blackness of a hound.””
Moon light
oil on canvas
1000 x 760 cm
R 8 500
Night hunter
wood cut print
size 34 x 24 cm
framed size 52 x 58 cm
R 2 700
A change of season
I believe it is inherently in our spirit to help those around us and now, it is the most vulnerable in our society that require our help more than ever. When art and life is seen from this perspective, I believe that we can overcome any crisis and hopefully, it may contribute to us even growing closer and stronger as a nation.
Inspired by South Africa, its people and its landscapes, I paint that which is personal to me and touches those around me. Having moved to South Africa as a young woman, more than thirty years ago, I am proud to call South Africa my home. Having witnessed our nation grow over the years, has moved me to the extent where today, I seek to express visually that which words cannot convey. I wish to capture true emotions and to express a strong message through purest simplicity. Ours is a country of stark contrasts, artistically illustrated by our beautiful landscapes, warm-hearted people and the richness in diversity and spirit. It is however, also a country of great inequality, poverty and hardships. These contrasts I try to conceptualise through art and I strive to inspire my fellow citizens to see the contemporary South Africa in its entirety. This is more poignant now than ever before, with the enormous challenges which we are currently facing. Only by standing strong and helping each other can we hope to succeed. I believe it is inherently in our spirit to help those around us and now, it is the most vulnerable in our society that require our help more than ever. When art and life is seen from this perspective, I believe that we can overcome any crisis and hopefully, it may contribute to us even growing closer and stronger as a nation.
The Boy with the Soup
The young boy symbolises the youth and the future of the country. His coat is too big; wearing a coat from another adult hereby representing the past. He has a bowl of soup and some bread in his hands. The soup represents the help from the community and the vital nourishment the boy requires. Without the soup, the boy will struggle to find a future. In summary, we need the past (the coat), with the help of the present (the soup), to face the uncertain future. Despite these hardships, the boy’s expression is not that of defeat, but rather hopeful
We All Belong
The man in the painting is hoping to return to lost, better days. He is cold and he is looking to the soup to comfort him. The blanket further symbolises this. As he stares into the soup, your eyes are draw to the ring he is wearing and you wonder, who his loved ones are and where they are now.
The old man
Too often we overlook the importance of old people to our society. Western culture in particular idealises youth, thereby adding pressure to appear forever young. This stems from problems dealing with our own mortality. I feel we should start to see the benefits that old people bring into our life through the sharing of their wisdom, which they obtained through the years. Let us find the beauty in a face and person that shows signs of a long life lived.
Summer Impressions
“I believe in the ocean curing all bad moods. I believe in the waves wiping away worries. I believe in seashells bringing good luck. I believe in toes in the sand grounding my soul.”
“At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun. “
Sandi Gingras
Inspired by the coastal area I live in and my love for the beach and the ocean, these works strive to capture the feeling of the beach and its visitors.
I moved to George in 2002 and fell in love with the picturesque Garden route area. George is blessed to be surrounded by beautiful beaches and a stunning coastline. There’s just something so peaceful about looking out at the ocean and it’s even more amazing to see if you stay long enough to watch the Sunset.
The reason I paint
“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”
— Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
You've heard the old saying ''a picture's worth a thousand words''? That's because art can get ideas across using a different kind of vocabulary. Some people respond more to visual images than words. Like most artists I try to communicate through my art with the viewer .
“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”
You've heard the old saying ''a picture's worth a thousand words''? That's because art can get ideas across using a different kind of vocabulary. Some people respond more to visual images than words. Like most artists, I try to communicate through my art with the viewer. My work is an expression of myself and I love painting personal subjects, drawing inspiration from my immediate surroundings and subjective experiences. Through manipulation of color, light, composition, or concept I try to visual bring my message across to the viewer.
In today’s world, everything seems to be fast, grand, and extreme. Social media adds extra pressure to be beautiful, rich, adventurous, and successful. But happiness can be found in the ordinary things in life. Through my art, I like to show the beauty of everyday things like a small flower, the color of a fruit, or a morning walk in the mountains.
Life is fickle and we need to stand still, smell the flowers and enjoy the moments. Beauty can be found everywhere. The key is to appreciate the little things around us. This means keeping your eyes and ears open, honing your senses to pick up on things that we otherwise would not see.
When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment.
Georgia O'Keeffe
My basic palette
Today I like to share the colors that I recommend to all my new students and the palette of colors I am working with. My colour palette works on using two of each primary colors, with the addition of Titanium white and Burnt Siena. Working with a limited palette will create a unity throughout your painting . It is not to difficult to paint with only three or four colors ,but requires some practice in colour mixing .The benefit of using less colors is a more harmonious painting. By limiting your palette, you are forced to discover the full possibilities of each colour as you work.
Today I like to share the colors that I recommend to all my new students and the palette of colors I am working with. My colour palette works on using two of each primary colors, with the addition of Titanium white and Burnt Siena. Working with a limited palette will create a unity throughout your painting . It is not to difficult to paint with only three or four colors ,but requires some practice in colour mixing .The benefit of using less colors is a more harmonious painting. By limiting your palette, you are forced to discover the full possibilities of each colour as you work.
Here are my basic colors :
Lemon yellow
Cadmium yellow
Cadmium red
Alizarin crimson
Cerulean Blue
French Ultramarine
Burnt Sienna
Titanium white
When you mix a colour on your palette do not stir it to much or you may dull the mixture. Use of the palette knife for mixing will help you obtain a more vibrant colour. Keep the use of white to a minimum. The white neutralizes your colour and often causes a chalky look. As you experiment with the mixing of colors you will also discover that some colors have a greater staining power than others.
Below see a colour chard that I use in my art classes to explain some basic colour mixing .
“”Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.””
Grape season
My husband loves grapes. They are actually his favorite fruit. While I enjoy them as well (specially fermented), I just love how beautiful they look. My art is always a reflection of my life and it is not surprising that I have painted many grapes. I hope I can show through my work how beautiful simple everyday things like grapes are.
For this blog I went a bit deeper and found some interesting facts :
My husband loves grapes. They are his favorite fruit. While I enjoy them as well (especially fermented ones), I just love how beautiful they look. My art is always a reflection of my life and it is not surprising that I have painted many grapes. I hope I can show through my work how beautiful simple everyday things like grapes are.
For this blog I went a bit deeper and found some interesting facts :
A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the woody grapes vines.
The cultivation of the domesticated grape began 6,000–8,000 years ago. Yeast one of the earliest domesticated microorganisms, occurs naturally on the skins of grapes, leading to the discovery of alcoholic drinks such as wine.
The earliest archeological evidence of wine-making in human culture dates from 8,000 years ago .
In the Bible, grapes are used as a symbol of altruism.
Some common symbolic meanings for grapes include charity, wrath, and abundance. Famously, these meanings are used in the Bible and the well-known song "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." They are also used in the book "The Grapes of Wrath," by John Steinbeck.
The Greek God, Dionysus is the god of fertility and wine. He is credited with creating wine and viticulture. Bacchus is the comparative Roman God of wine. Bacchus was probably a copy of the Greek God Dionysus. The grapevine across this entire region is tied to fertility, prosperity social, and cultural rituals. Greek songs and literature like the works of Homer have extensive references to wine made from grapes.
The Food and Agriculture Organization has estimated that seventy percent of the cultivation of the grape is for winemaking. Of the 10000 types of grapes, 1300 are used in winemaking.
I hope you all enjoyed this information on one of our oldest cultivated berries.
“The juice of the grape is the liquid quintessence of concentrated sunbeams.”
Thomas Love Peacock
Here are a few grape paintings that are available through my website:
My love for succulents
Succulents are very special plants . They are the tough survivors of the harsh conditions in the Karoo.
Africa is a harsh country for its inhabitants and like the plants , also the people of this continent have to adapt to often harsh conditions. Like they say “Africa is not for sissies” .
While I love most plants and I have painted many flowers in the past, succulents keep on featuring more in my art than lots of other plants from my garden and home. Succulents and cacti come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. These plants have the most amazing sculptural forms, which is inspiring to most artists. The flowers of succulents are often magnificent .The versatility of these plants are amazing, especially when used creativity. The world of succulents is your oyster....................
Succulents are the survivor plants in South Africa. Africa is a harsh country for its inhabitants and like the plants , also the people of this continent have to adapt to often harsh conditions.
Like they say “Africa is not for sissies” .
Interesting facts about succulents:
South Africa is home to more types of succulents than anywhere else in the world. In some regions, like the arid west coast, nearly all visible plant life is succulent, including the trees and shrubs
One hectare of Spekboom can eliminate between 4 and 10 tonnes of carbon per year. This makes it a powerful tool in the fight against climate change.
Aloe vera gel can kill bacteria, viruses and fungi owing to its naturally-occurring antiseptic qualities.
All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.
The word "succulent" comes from the Latin word sucus, meaning juice, or sap.
Tequila can only be made from the blue agave, or agave tequilana,
I thought it might be fun to share some of the reasons that I love these hearty little plants so much. Do you have succulents too? If so, I'd love to hear about them.
Adaptability is the simple secret of survival
Jessica Hagedom
THE PAINTING PROCESS
So how do you start a painting and what are the steps from the beginning to the end of an art piece? This is a question that I have been often asked by my students, as well as many people that are interested in the process of making art .
The painting process is difficult to explain in words, so I thought I share some pictures that I have taken while I was painting a small still life of strawberries. The images will show the different steps from the beginning to the finished work. usually start blocking in the dark colour first and works towards my lighter values. It is also better to block in the larger shapes and I leave the highlights and detail to the end . work After the paint dries for a few days I give the painting a spray retouch varnish before I sent it off or sell it in my studio.
Strawberries in old enamel plate
We picked the lovely strawberries on the Redberry Farm in George, which is a beautiful outing for young and old in the Garden Route .th Before the sweet strawberries were all eaten I decided to make a small 20 x 20 cm still life painting from them. I used oil pains and started to block the main shapes and darks in by using burnt sienna and a little french ultramarine. Thereafter I continued using alizarin crimson, cadmium red, and a cadmium yellow, as well as little viridian green. To adjust the values I used Titanium white.
Exploring new mediums to kick start a creative and exciting New Year
As an artist I realise that routine is the death of any creative process and in order to grow in your art, any artists need to try new things. While oil painting is my favorite medium I look forward to break away from the canvas for a change.
One of the things I like to do more in 2019 is printmaking. While I dabbled in printmaking in the past and sold a few monotype prints, my enthusiasm was sparked again through a workshop I attended in 2018. The monotype workshop was hosted by my artist friend Ig Terblanche, who is an excellent printmaker and artist. His way of teaching was very inspiring and even so the workshop we hosted at my studio was fully booked, I also managed to do a little print. Since then I didn’t had a chance to explore this wonderful medium again.
As an artist I realise that routine is the death of any creative process and in order to grow in your art, any artists need to try new things. While oil painting is my favorite medium I look forward to break away from the canvas for a change.
Due to many requests Ig and I decided to host another monotype workshop in my studio in George. The first one will be already in February to kick start this new year with lots of creativity.
Below are some images and a short video of our latest workshop, as well as the finished monotype I made. Please leave your name in the comment if you want to join me in doing a printing work shop with Ig Terblanche.
Printing workshop 2018 at Cape Palette Artist Studio
The finished monotype print .
SECOND HAND FOR A NEW YEAR
Happy New Year to all my friends and followers. I spent the first week of 2019 sorting through our cupboards, to clean the house for our soon arriving holiday guests. I went through our bathroom, bedroom and our kitchen cupboards. You wont believe the junk that one collects over the years and we had to throw a lot away to make extra space.
Whilst I went through all the odds and ends I relised how many normal household things would work great in my studio, and I thought I share some of these ideas.
Happy New Year to all my friends and followers. I spent the first week of 2019 sorting through our cupboards, to clean the house for our soon arriving holiday guests. I went through our bathroom, bedroom and our kitchen cupboards. You wont believe the junk that one collects over the years and we had to throw a lot away to make extra space.
Whilst I went through all the odds and ends I relised how many normal household things would work great in my studio, and I thought I share some of these ideas.
In the kitchen I found old knifes and plastic knifes, which could be used for palette knifes. Little pots and containers are great for storing painting mediums and left over paints. Of course jam jars are always needed for cleaning brushes whilst painting. The cutlery basket from my old dishwasher works well to hold brushes, paints and other utensils.
Old sheets were torn into rags and paint cloths, and I also found little mirrors for my art lessons. Looking at your work through a mirror is a great trick to see any flaws in your painting. It gives the artist a new perspective and works very well.
So my next project will be to give the studio a good clean. For me this is a nice way to get back into work mode after the holidays.
Please let me know if you also have some useful tips.
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I believe it is inherently in our spirit to help those around us and now, it is the most vulnerable in our society that require our help more than ever. When art and life is seen from this perspective, I believe that we can overcome any crisis and hopefully, it may contribute to us even growing closer and stronger as a nation.