Dancing in the Garden

The Basics of Color Mixing Magic

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Peonys Fuchsia 20″x 20″ Translucent Watercolor

When learning color mixing, there are three (3) sets of opposite colors to remember:

Color Set #1-CHRISTMAS colors: Red & Green

Color Set #2-EASTER colors: Yellow & Purple

Color Set #3-SUNSET colors: Orange & Blue

In discussing the definition of a color, let’s work with the Color set #1, the Christmas Colors, red and green.  “Red” is defined as any color that has ANY KIND of red in the paint mixture…rust, rose, pink, coral, burgundy, orange-red, red-orange, wine, grape, purple, etc. The definition of a color such as “Green”, Red’s opposite on the color wheel, is the same.  So, this set of opposite colors gives us MANY forms of reds and greens to work with. Think of color set #2 and #3 in this same way and you will have hundreds of colors to paint with.  However, it is very difficult to ever mix the exact same color again because if you combine white, black, and yellow you will be able to mix 739 readable colors. The lesson here is to mix enough color in the FIRST mixture that you will need to use for your painting.  I always like to mix extra, more than I think I will need.

Many times in painting we need subdued colors and these are made by toning down a color with its opposite on the color wheel, i.e., tone down “any” red with “any” green using the above definition. Technically it is called neutralizing a color or being able to tone down a color to soften it or take the intensity out of it…when taken to the extreme half and half of the red mix and the green mix we create a taupe or gray which equals a “neutral”. A taupe color of the half and half mix will have more of the warm color creating it and the gray color of the half and half mix will have a bit more of the cool color in it.

It you wish to breathe live into your painting, try putting opposite colors next to each other on your paper or canvas. Always try to paint with full spectrum color and your painting will become magical!

What Does ‘a Study’ in Artwork Mean

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Each time an artist makes a painting they are actually doing something that do not know how to do. At the very least, a portion of the painting needs much thought, and then there other times when more challenge is there than they recognized going into working on it.

Periodically you will see a footnote from an artist on a painting  reading…”A study of Bluebirds basking in the sun” or “A personal study of rainbows…from a photo taken by…”. So what does this mean?

My interest is in the use of the word “study” on the footnote.  Only on artwork have I ever seen this word used in a title…its meaning is to portray that this painting took much study, thinking, deliberating, time, and trying out techniques to see if or how something can be portrayed so the viewer can experience a specific image or feeling that the mind will translate properly, the way the artist would like it to be portrayed or presented.  Painting a picture does indeed involve Much deliberation and study to get the Right portrayal.  It is not just slapping paint on canvas or paper in 3-6 hours and calling it finished as it would actually be a color sketch or trial.  This would be a picture done in paint but it would not be called a painting.  In a painting many decisions must be made. Every stroke of the brush directs you down a specific pathway toward completion or screw-up. Every paint brush stroke is a decision for a good or a bad result.  Once in a while a poor decision can be corrected for benefit.  Learning techniques to correct ones’ mistakes is a must and many mistakes can be repaired in most any medium. In essence, a painting may be 5000-8000 decisions before it is completed depending upon its size. As a painter one must be a Student throughout the entire painting. We as artists actually learn much from each painting.

It takes much time, desire, heart, and energy to “study” and figure out how to get a painting to be the best it can be before an artist is willing to share it with the world.  The above painting is one for you to see that involved much study and much time before completion.

Blooming Yellow Hybrid Jungle Cactus, Epicactus Epiphyllum “Fruhlingsgold”

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This one just bloomed today! This is a day-booming Epicactus Epiphyllum “Fruhlingsgold” native to Central America. This is an extraordinary tropical succulent cactus or flowering Jungle Cacti, common name “Orchid Cactus”. It is part of a collection of fifteen epicactus of mine and I always tend these semi ugly plants just for the very spectacular, huge, fragrant blooms.  Epiphyllums bloom in the spring on  2-3 year old potted plants and off and on during the year. This one has been blooming all summer and this bloom opened November 5th. However, the major blooming season for day blooming plants starts in late April, peaks in May and ends in June. During the other months of the year we are rewarded by the occasions “off season” bloom, especially from the 4″ top 2″ varieties.The blooms range from 2″ to 8″in size and the one you see here is 6″ in diameter. Related plants are rattail cacti, rhipsalis, hoyas, Thanksiving-Christmas Cactus,  Easter Cactus, and Night Blooming Cereus. They are easy to grow in hanging pots. They need night time temperatures of 45-50 degrees during the winter, where they do not receive artificial light after sundown. This is necessary for bud formation to take place. Their favorite temperatures are 45-70 degrees. In my area they are put outside in part shade and temps in the high 80’s in the summer and in the downstairs up against sliding glass doors with temp  50-70 degrees and seem to do just fine. Repot each spring.

Three nests – Bird Lore

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Mary’s recent painting of a ‘Carolina Wren on Mahonia Berries’

This is some bird lore… We all try to see the spring bird nests but they are elusive.  We had the house hardy-boarded last month and when the workers took the gutters off of the house for the hardy-boarding to begin they found this nest in the gutter off the front living room window.  I have no idea which bird made this nest but the interesting thing about it is that it is a very tight weave all around the top opening.  The wren’s nest that is posted  next is a very loose weave at the top rim.  Maybe I will find out which little bird made this nest.  The gutter was covered so it had to be a very little bird to be able to get into the gutter.

 

This is a wren’s nest from earlier this year that I saved.  I may do a watercolor painting of it. I love the three little speckled eggs.  I did wonder why she left them. This nest is really a pretty one.  Each year there seems to be a game-on with the wrens to see who can get the nesting spots on the breezeway from the kitchen to the garage. It is an area where we do all the potting and  repotting so there are shelves with many vases, jars, chemicals, pots, orchid supplies, hangers over a 12′ area.  We usually house three to four families several times a year. I have a metal chicken on the banister of the breezeway backed up to a post and there is a nest in the backside/bottom area under the tail feathers the artist left open….now there is a wren’s nest in there.

 

This nest is an old one I have saved for 3 years and there is one tiny egg that was left in it. It is also a Carolina Wren’s nest. In this nest she tucked in quite a bit of moss for the soft spot.  You can see some on the outside hanging out at upper right.  There are many stairs that lead down the property to the lake that display mosses of various complicated names that she can choose from to make her nest appealing and “just right”.

There are so many wrens in my yard that I named my In-Home Gallery,  Working Studio, Teaching Facility & Office,  “Wren Hill Gallery”. It is the whole downstairs that looks out at the water. We live on a 33 acre lake down a steep hill nestled in by the trees at lakeside….you are invited…..come visit.