In the Studio Today... Holiday Art; "Kirigami"

Happy Holidays, Everyone! I am taking a break from painting to be with my family for a couple weeks, and wanted to share some snowflake Kirigami we made at a tree toast this month, and some "how to" information, so you too can have fun making some snowflakes this winter! Here is a page from a booklet I have from a kirigami kit (great holiday gift for all ages, btw... the kit is called, "Unfold the Secrets of Kirigami, by AITOH). Order kit online at Dick Blick Art Store...And... for some even more advanced patterns, here are a few additional links for inspiration:
•  Kirigami on Flickr  (by lizabubba)
•  Amazingly Ornate Scenes in Kirigami by Vermont Artist, Cynthia Emerlye

Have fun! Back with more painting in the new year.  Keep creating!

In the Studio Today... Album Cover Session #5

Thursday, December 6, 2007
Still working on this commission... I decided to paint the sides "black", although, no black was used in the painting of this painting. I still mix my own "blacks" from phalo blue, alizarin crimson, burnt umber and other combinations... Still not perfectly happy with the band member faces, but I hope they are close enough to be acceptable. Scroll down to see the work in progress... Once again, it's the back side of the cd/album insert for the Black Crows, "A Southern Harmony & Musical Companion" done in oil on a 24" x 24" canvas.

In the Studio Today... Album Cover Session #4

Wednesday Evening, December 5, 2007
Okay, I am frustrated on this painting...I am having a horrible time doing the faces/portrait part of this. I have reworked many of the faces way to many times, and I feel that they will never quite look like the actual people. I realize now why I love landscapes so much... they are more forgiving to paint- if an angle is a bit off, no one really knows.

In the Studio Today... Album Cover Session #3

Wednesday Morning, December 5, 2007
Commission from album cover: The Black Crows, "Southern Harmony & Musical Companion". 24" x 24". I added more details in faces and on clothing, in the background as well. I do not draw on my canvas first, nor do I project, so I paint like a sculptor, and just keep carving out changes until I think it looks close enough to the original with out looking too much like a photo. I like to leave brushstrokes loose in the background, so it looks like a painting. See previous 2 sessions below.

In the Studio Today... Album Cover Day #2

Tuesday, December 4, 2007
I added more details today, including starting in on the faces of the band members. This is a commissioned painting, 24" x 24", of a cd/album booklet photo from the Black Crow's, "A Southern Harmony & Musical Companion".

In the Studio Today... Album Cover Commission

Sunday, December 2, 2007This is the start of a commissioned painting of the back side of a cd/album; a photo of the band members of the Black Crows. The album is called "The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion". I am reproducing it on a thick canvas, 24" x 24". Yes, I do commissions of all types! Stay tuned to see how this turns out over the next couple weeks.