By the way, I am also a photographer

 

By the way, I am also a photographer

I think that when you are creative you are just that,...Creative. We just tend to find a medium that we are more comfortable with and stick to that, but in my case, I tend to try it all. I have a photography Instagram, one for illustrations, and one for Fine Art. (The one for cartooning I discontinued as it was getting a little too heated and I don't want to deal with trolls). My first show was a photography one and it sold well, but for some reason, I want to tackle that which is harder for me, namely oils. I know, weird. Anyway, please take a moment to check out my IG photo account and follow me: https://www.instagram.com/carlos_taylor_photography/

 

Nicolas Uribe, a modern Master

 

Nicolas Uribe, a modern Master

If you want to learn how to paint you can learn from a modern master for FREE on YouTube.

tinyurl.com/54jf8p9w

Nicolas is generous and thoughtful, full of really great information, and insight for artists of every level. He is very smart. He moved to Colombia where the cost of living is much lower than in the US and thus able to make the money stretch. That being said, he works more than any artist I know. He makes a painting a day and Dani, his partner, makes the videos you see on YouTube. He sells his work at very affordable prices, but in doing so, he almost guarantees that he will sell them all. He is all about the process and the pure joy of painting and that is why I love him. 

Pro tip: If you want to own one of his stunning pieces you must go to http://www.ourpaintedlives.com/

at exactly 7:30AM to place your bid. They normally sell out within seconds. It took me several times.

 

 

Painting with Sargent

 

Painting with Sargent

6/19/2021 9:54:07 AM

My latest video recreating a watercolor by John Singer Sargent is on You Tube

https://youtu.be/B3foBP7jUMI

The Master copy is available for $800

 

Alhons Mucha Illustration/Portrait

 

Alphons Mucha

6/18/2021 7:50:38 AM

I decided to do a series of portraits of artists that I admire and who have had an influence on me. This is the second image of "Artist who inspire me" series. I wanted to explore a technique I saw C.F.Payne use https://www.etsy.com/shop/CFPayneIllustration , although, for some reason, I ended up adding more pigments than he does. I find it helpful when the artist shares their tricks of the trade. The big takeaway from his talk is to use the ULTRA Matte Medium, not just the regular one as it has more "tooth" on the paper and can take the pencils better. It is had to find in stores so go directly online. Here is one link: https://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-5616-Professional-Ultra-Medium/dp/B001UNYH32

Alphons Mucha has always had a great impression on me. I had the privilege to visit Prague in 2018 and see his frescos and large Slavic Epic canvases. Here is a good link to most of his work: https://www.alfonsmucha.org/

Original painting available $500

Watercolor tips

 

Watercolor tips for begginners

I came across this nice article that I think might help someone that is starting out on this journey with watercolors. Enjoy!

#Johnsingersargent

https://drawpaintacademy.com/10-watercolor-painting-tips-beginners/

Also here is another great review on Sargent's watercolors:

https://citizensketcher.com/top-posts/jss-watercolor/

In the shade

 

In the shade

 

Hello fellow paint enthusiasts,

I wanted to share with you a thought that became apparent to me, even though I had read it from John Singer Sargent, and that is " You must paint,...with paint"  I normally "starve" my palette, in other words, I don't put enough paint on it because of the expense of oils. However, this is indeed a detriment to learning how to paint. The more paint I use the better the work becomes. So, my advice to you is to put twice as much paint as you think you are going to need,...and use it! you will be surprised how fast it goes after you start mixing. This painting is still just barely grasping that idea. I started using lots of paint on the background, but I was still a bit stingy with the face. Small steps. 

I have included a close up of the sky by her elbow so you can see some of the thickness.

 

Oil Painting of a Paniyiri

  Paniyiri

Paniyiri Greek Festival

I tried something new,...again.

This time I drew with charcoal on wood and sealed it with a stain/varnish. I picked a picture I took while in Greece that I felt would be challenging and at the same time fun. The image is of a typical Greek festival where everyone is concentrating on the dancers and I concentrated on the source of all the joy and happiness, the musicians.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the challenges was getting the values right. It was a night scene but illuminated with warm artificial light. I tried combinations of yellow lake, bismuth yellow, etc,...but the one that worked best was the Gamblin "India yellow". I pushed the background color to the color side to give us that contrast and the feeling of nighttime. It's always a little tricky to decide what to include and what to omit. There were tons of details like cables that just looked better if I did not include them, but I needed some to make it look authentic. I am particularly pleased with some of the values in the clothes.

 

 

Fairy in the woods

 

Fairy of the woods

 

I often find myself pulled in multiple directions creatively. For instance, in this case, I decided to depart from my usual watercolor medium and explore the realm of inks. Additionally, I'm aware of my tendency to switch both subject matter and mediums frequently—a habit that some may view with skepticism, advocating instead for specialization. While I understand their perspective, I personally thrive on the diversity of artistic exploration, finding it more enriching than sticking to a single approach.

Regarding this particular artwork featuring a "faery" or "fairy," I draw inspiration from the mystical aura of the forest. Humans have a tendency to attribute human characteristics to the natural world, and I enjoy channeling that into creating whimsical, miniature versions of ourselves. Furthermore, my interest in innocence as a theme likely stems from my experiences raising my daughters. Through this piece, I aim to capture the delicate purity and enchantment associated with innocence, as seen through the lens of faerie mythology.

Ramon Casas marter copy

 

Ramon Casas in your Casa

I wanted to do a copy of a master so I picked Ramon Casas, a Spanish painter. Living through a turbulent time in the history of his native Barcelona, he was known as a portraitist, sketching and painting the intellectual, economic, and political elite of Barcelona, Paris, Madrid, and beyond; he was also known for his paintings of crowd scenes ranging from the audience at a bullfight to the assembly for an execution to rioters in the Barcelona streets. Also a graphic designer, his posters and postcards helped to define the Catalan art movement known as modernisme

The (8"x 7") painting is available $500

It is a very small study, 8"x 7"

Girls from Bhutan

Here are a set of pictures showing you the process and camera setting for the latest watercolor.I am using a mic stand with a phone clamp to shoot the video.

#watercolor, #process,

 

Creation begins with an act of destruction

I created this video as a source of inspiration for fellow artists, encouraging them to venture beyond their artistic comfort zones. The act of painting over an existing piece may appear counterproductive to some, especially considering the time and effort invested in the original artwork, which may have seemed satisfactory. However, personal satisfaction was paramount to me. I couldn't endorse something that fell short of my own standards. I believe that true bravery lies in not treating our work as precious gems, but rather as steps toward continuous improvement. Each time I've mustered the courage to move beyond mere "good," I've uncovered something even better.