Lessons in Art

Positive and Negative Space by Texas Artist Laurie Pace

2012-02-02T13:09:00.001-08:00

Sharing the gifts...

On Monday night I attended a Girl Scout meeting. I had not been to one of those since I was Stacey's girl scout leader many years ago.

It was my honor to work with these incredible young scouts with a project and a sharing of my work and history. With me came paints, canvas, brushes and a story about a box.

We talked about doing things backwards.
We talked about closing ourselves into a box and how we could not see anything altho we could still hear things.
We talked about gifts from God.
We talked about donuts and donut holes. (Positive and negative space)

Main idea was to paint the canvas with lots of color...and while it was drying I told them about myself and my art. Then we came back to the semi dry canvas with color. We blocked out the table background and then blocked out the vase and area for flowers. It was successful because they all had fun. Pretty sure at least 75% of them 'got it'.

Enjoy the side show... and don't forget to share your gifts.

Words of my heart, Laurie

Realize you have to climb out of your box... you cannot possibly know what God has for you if you are stuck living in your box.

"But it is as scripture says: What no eye has seen and no ear has heard, what the mind of man cannot visualize; all that God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

Print Making for the young and old! Art Lessons from A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

2011-10-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

Printmaking

Once your student completes this lesson they will learn some basic things about print making from the experience. They will develop a good clear print and they will learn that you can print with many different objects. Two different types of printing will be completed.

You need:

Thick String
Glue
Wood block
Small paint brush
Tempra Paint
Small pieces of thick cardboard
A Brayer
InkPaper to Print on

Make sure your string is thick string. Thin string could be used later once the student understands the process.

You cut off a length of string that allows you to wrap around the block several times creating some type of design. My students use a paper plate with glue on it (not a lot of glue, just a little bit) and literally drop the string into the glue and using their fingers begin to wrap the string into designs around their block of wood.

This image I found on a blog While the Sun Shines The writer had found a similar lesson on another site and gave it a try. I cannot tell that glue was used as I see tape, but I advise using glue. After the glue dries you use a small brush and paint tempera paint on the thick string and you can press it onto the paper to create a pattern.

After you try this print, then use a piece of cardboard and glue the string down in a rhythmic line design.

This time have the student roll an inked brayer over the string and then press the cardboard down onto the paper.

Doing both procedures gives them the ability to see different ways to do simple printing.

For Younger Students I always resort to veggies and fruits

You can cut potatoes in half and apples and other interesting shaped foods. This is Apple Season... so lets get busy with the little guys. Maybe Terry and I will do this with Lady L next weekend.

I found this lesson very well done on Make and Takes She has all the pictures and process there for the younger ones.

Chalk and Buttermilk Art Lesson Paul Klee by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

2011-09-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

CHALK and BUTTERMILK and Paul Klee by A Texas Artist Laurie Pace

As you can tell the inspiration for this lesson would be Paul Klee's work...and I have only named two but there are many.

This first image is "The Red Balloon" painted by Swiss Artist Paul Klee. His works on paper have a light hearted whimsical look and are radiant in color. His balloon even seems to defy gravite.

While his works seem whimsical, it is rooted in deep thought. When he portrayed a wide-eyed cat sitting back observing a bird in a powerful way, Hitler was in power beginning to ponder out his own prey.

Take time to research some of Paul Klee's work before beginning this lesson.

While contemplating Paul Klee's work, point out to your students how he covers the entire paper he is working on. He uses the full surface.

Vocabulary: Chalk, Buttermilk, filling space, color choices, shapes

Subjects to consider: Circus, Masks, Balloons, Self Portraits, Parades

Supplies:

Buttermilk Chalk in all Colors (discards if you have them)

Manilla Paper or heavy paper that stands up to 'wet' at least 12 x 18 in sizes Newspaper

Clean up Buckets filled with water Sponges, Paper Towels

Optional Paint brushes for those not wanting to get their fingers gooey or wet.

Before beginning have each student discuss what they will create on their composition... a cat, a mask etc. Then have them think about the colors they want to use. Have them choose most of their chalk (colors) and put them in their work area. Have newspaper spread across the area for each student.

Place paper on the students newspaper. Pour a puddle of buttermilk about two inches in diameter in the center of the paper. Have the student spread the buttermilk out with their hands quickly. It dries fast. You can add more buttermilk if needed.

First the student will use chalk to draw out the main focus of their work...for example a cat, or a balloon or a mask. Have them begin filling in color mixing and rubbing the chalk into the wet buttermilk surface on the paper. If the chalk colors do not mix with the buttermilk, that area that dries with out color are dark and dirty.

Make sure the student fills every area of the paper with colors using their chalk. (The chalk should be washed and rinsed in water once this lesson is complete...or thrown away.)

Be prepared for a mess to clean up, but the finished works are incredible. Send me pictures of what you do....A Texas Artist

Laurie Pace

Sketch Books are a Must!

2011-09-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

Sketches in every Moment for the old and the Young!

Sketching is essential to capturing events and things around you all through the day. I like to write on my sketches the date and thoughts I had to make me want to sketch away.

My first suggestion to you is to always have a small sketch book in hand.

I remember when we traveled to New York for the first gallery show of the Five Graces, Conni Togel had her sketch book in hand at all times and in most places. It was valuable for me to realize that as an artist, it is a tool I need all the time.

You can find them small or mid-sized. The smaller ones will fit in your purse or backpack and not take up much room.

This is one of my favorites and it is available on Amazon. It is only 3 x 5 inches in size.

Click here to see this on Amazon.

Moleskine Small Sketch Notebook

Technical Details

For drawings. 80 pages of fine quality white paper. Imported from Italy. 3" x 5"
Purchase in quantity today to best build your Moleskine bookshelf. The future is unwritten. Take up your pen and shape it.
Each Moleskine has a rigid, oilcloth bound 'moleskine' cover, and the acid free paper pages are thread bound.
They also have an elastic closure and an expandable inner note holder made of cardboard and oilcloth and a removable card with the moleskine history.
A great way to get things done! Pocket-sized - junk your PDA!

2011-09-18T15:53:00.003-07:00

Pruning

There are times in the cycle of my roses that I have to prune them back. While I hate disrupting the growth and the blooms, it is the right thing to do.

At those times in life when we cannot see beyond our nose we lose sight of what can be.

Turning it over to the Lord and following the lead of Jesus encourages you to do your own 'pruning'.

We have to let go and walk away from things that we are comfortable with; things that appear to us to be perfect for our life. But truly are they?

We soon realize the jewels that fill our 'crowns in our life" are only of this earth and not of heaven or of God. Taking off the "crown" we realize we are not the important person we thought we were.

Perhaps we are nothing more than those empty colorful bubbles reflecting the lights and enticements of this world, floating aimlessly until they encounter something solid or tough. Then they burst. Nothing remains.

I am beginning to leave behind many things that use to be 'necessary' to me in life. The slow yet sudden dawning of what is truly important brings a new focus to actions each day.

Laurie

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4 NIV

2011-09-18T15:53:00.001-07:00

COMFORT in HIM

Life moves forward around us every single second. Those seconds make minutes and those add up to days, months and years. Moments can be filled with joy or sorrow, peace or chaos, but through it all despite discontentment or circumstance I must trust that God's hand is in everything. I have to turn to Him.

Truly making a day would be impossible with out His presence in our lives. Some days are harder than others when the situations involve those I love and I feel so helpless to meeting their needs. I have to remind myself, only God can meet those needs not me. In the depths of 'hell' the only source for good and light is the Father.

You will find if you can get to that place of relying on Him you will have balance in the moment and regain your ground. This works through times of discord and despair.

God brings harmony if you are listening and waiting on Him and through this you will find peace.

Laurie

" I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow." Jeremiah 31:13

Splashing in the Rain Horse Painting Texas Artist Laurie Pace

2011-09-06T15:41:00.001-07:00

SPLASHING IN THE RAIN

Wishful thinking in the horse painting entitled Splashing in the Rain by Texas Artist Laurie Pace.

SOLD

18 x 24 Inches Oil on Canvas

©Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 1998-2011
Contact me for your own commissioned painting: Laurie

COMFORT in HIM

You will find if you can get to that place of relying on Him you will have balance in the moment and regain your ground. This works through times of discord and despair.

God brings harmony if you are listening and waiting on Him and through this you will find peace.

Laurie

" I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow." Jeremiah 31:13

My Blog My Website Giclees on Canvas, Prints and Cards The Five Graces The Artists of Texas Daily Painters Contemporary Fine Art International Artists of Texas Blog Daily Painters of Texas Blog

GALLERY LINKS

Mirada Fine Art Denver CO,

The Rare Gallery Jackson Hole WY

The Dutch Art Gallery Dallas TX

Our House Gallery El Dorado Hills CA

SR Gallery Hong Kong Gillian Jones Gallery Ohio

Red Poppy Palette Knife Painting by Texas Artist Laurie Pace

2011-09-05T16:11:00.001-07:00

Red Poppies

Small Flower Painting of Red Poppies

by Texas Artist Laurie Pace

Blending thick oils with her Palette knife, Pace adds several layers of paint to this vivid poppy painting. The contrast of greens in the background with deep red poppies are finished off with the mauve bowls holding the blooms.

9 x 12 inches Oil on Canvas

©Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 1998-2011
Contact me for your own commissioned painting
or to purchase this piece: Laurie

DRESS UP

We arrived at Tara and Justin's house last week and Tara brought out this special box. It was medium large in size and we were all inquisitive. As she pulled the box open out erupted beautiful fabrics in every imaginable color. It was memorizing just to witness the box opening. These rich fabrics were her collection of dance costumes over the years of dancing. After every performance her mother had carefully packed away the costume, collecting many years together in this one special box.

Lady L was in awe of the colors and the fabrics and she reached out, eyes sparkling with a growing smile across her face. Tara carefully pulled each one out and spread them across the floor as Lady L ran between them giggling try hard to make a choice of a favorite one to put on.

In this life we are often faced with decisions about things. That is where my dad would say, "Laurie, have you made your list of priorities?" Artist friend from Colorado, Armella Benton, reminded me of that this summer when I was struggling with health issues and the heat. Sometimes we have very limited choices and other times we are overcome with too many choices.

Finally Lady L choose a beautiful pink netted dress with white dots and black ribbon. ( I wish I could show you the whole picture... it is awesome.) She even managed to hold her dress up as she waltzed around the room dancing in this floaty puffy netting.

Choices we make in life usually affect deeper things. Sometimes our choices affect other people. Our negative choices often weigh heavily on those that love us, forcing them to make choices of their own creating a domino affect in a family. With every choice is a consequence and we must always consider what will follow with the decisions we make.

Brings back vivid memories of Sesame Street when they would run that story about 'IF I DO THIS...then this will happen, which will make this happen and then that will happen.' Maybe we need to think about things in a simple way like this... Make your list first and then a second list of the things that could happen from your initial decision.

Seems like in today's world the pressure is so intense we make hasty decisions often regretting them later in the day or even later in life. Too bad life is not as easy as Lady L sees it. It should be...God wants it to be. He wants us to live our life and be happy, NOT stressed.

I had to throw in a picture of my outdoor boots for a laugh.... quite a contrast from Lady L's precious pink... but it brings me back to what I wanted to blog about this morning. Dress Up or dress down with boots? Is it important to dress up to impress people with who we think we are? That is where I was going originally with this blog. What does your 'dress up' have to do with who you are?

James 2:2-4

New International Version (NIV)

"Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts"

Know a man/woman by their actions and their travels through life. We all leave a trail on this planet with our choices and our actions. How we 'Dress Up' our lives and our appearance means very little if we are dark of heart. Do not judge by appearance but judge by heart and actions. Those decisions you make today create changes in the future, basically echoing on forever.

Laurie

2 Kings 1:1 "And when King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth and entered the house of the LORD."

GALLERY LINKS

Mirada Fine Art Denver CO,

The Rare Gallery Jackson Hole WY

The Dutch Art Gallery Dallas TX

Our House Gallery El Dorado Hills CA

SR Gallery Hong Kong Gillian Jones Gallery Ohio

Abstract Horse Painting Red Horse by Texas Equine Artist Laurie Pace

2011-07-31T14:16:00.001-07:00

Red Horse

SOLD

24 x 30 inches Oil on Canvas

Sharing the Love

We are home after being gone almost a week. We saw my mom and dad and our daughter, son-in-law and our precious grand-daughter Lady L. We drove home early afternoon yesterday and were busy remembering so many precious moments with Lady L.

Every morning when she wakes she is so excited about the day... she is two and a half years old. She wakes with out worries or fears...just happy to be awake and cannot wait to see another face smiling at her. She throws herself into her day looking for joy in everything. She loves sharing her toys with us and playing. She and her 'Bampa' did a lot of that today.

I watched her carefree movements and marbled at the beauty of being so child like in innocence... which is where we need to be as adults with God. TRUSTING so easily and not worry about anything in the future. We are to be enjoying the NOW.

Mother Teresa once said, "It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters." I feel this applies to our life daily... how we rise from sleep to our day... it should not be the magnitude of what lies ahead in our actions either... but simple love and trust as we make our day. What are our intentions? Show love with all things. Demonstrate your faith. Share the light with others.

This will attract or reflect back to you in life unlimited good and you will feel more fulfilled each day.

Laurie

"My purpose shall stand and I will fulfill my intentions." Isaiah 48:10

GALLERY LINKS

Mirada Fine Art Denver CO,

The Rare Gallery Jackson Hole WY

The Dutch Art Gallery Dallas TX

Our House Gallery El Dorado Hills CA

SR Gallery Hong Kong Gillian Jones Gallery Ohio

First Lesson

2008-05-09T03:56:00.001-07:00

TAKE A BITE OUT.... Try it you might like it!

MAKING ART

Lesson One The Chocolate Chip Cookie

Recipes are wonderful for the cook in the kitchen. Recipes are wonderful for artists as well.
Beginning artists must first learn though that the ingredients in are are quite a bit different than the ingredients in a regular recipe.

If you buy a cookbook it is filled with recipes from everywhere. Usually with every recipe there is an ingredient list for shopping. When you go to the supermarket you walk in and face literally millions of ingredients that can be used in recipes.

Art is similar but strangely much simpler. There are only seven main ingredients in art.
I usually teach this lesson with Children and we make chocolate chip cookies.

I ask them what goes into making the cookies. They tell me eggs, flour, sugar, salt, butter.... the normal things that are in cookies. I have everything out on the counter, premeasured and ready. We also talk about other recipes, like what might go into Meatloaf, or a cake, or into pancakes. We talk about how different foods have different ingredients and how they all taste different, but use some of the same things in making them; and how they all look different too despite having the same ingredients.

They take turns adding different ingredients and we stir them together watching how they change as they blend.

Then we take turns scooping out the cookie dough onto the pans. Of course every one has one extra spoon to take a bite of the creamy cookie dough.

I slide the cookie sheets into the oven and we begin to talk about art now as they bake.

The finish is milk and cookies for the rest of the lesson.

In art there are only seven ingredients. Unlike the grocery store with all those items stacked ceiling high, art only requires seven main elements. They are line, shape, space, color, texture, form and values. Only seven. Now there are other things that will play into the development of these seven but for the first intro to art, lets just talk about these seven things. In future lessons you will be asked to use these elements. As we progress into other art projects and lessons you will need to be able to identify what elements are in that particular piece of art.

Line

Line is the path of a moving point. Lines define the edges of shapes and forms.

Shape

Shape is an area encolsed by line. It is 2 dimensional and can be geometric or organic.

Form

Forms are three dimensional. They occupy space or give the illusion that they occupy the space.

Color

Color is the most expressive element of art and is seen by the way light reflects off a surface.

Value

Value is the lightness or darkness of a surface. It is often referred to when shading but value is also important in the study of color.

Texture

Texture is the actual surface feel of an area of the simulated appearance of roughness, smoothness or many others.

Space

Space is the illusion of objects having depth on the 2-dimensional surface. Linear and aerial perspective are used.

I will leave you to ponder these seven elements! Look through magazines now and see if you can find examples of Line for our next lesson. Clip out the picture and paste it in your sketch book. We will have our next lesson on "LINE". Have your sketch book ready, markers, pencils, what ever you like to make lines with...charcoal, anything. Just a simple lesson to introduce you to line.

from my heART to you.
Laurie

Supplies: Next lesson have your sketchbook ready with your example of LINE glued into it. Have something to make lines with too.