Brush Work and Painting

You can obtain vitality in your work by using larger brushes and large brush strokes. Don’t over mix your paints. Use synthetic bristle brushes for most acrylic work as they will not absorb much water. When you begin your brush stroke, the brush’s tip provides a hard edge. As you move down the support, the brush stroke will soften. When you press down on the brush, the stroke widens and the paint becomes thinner.

This November 30th, Zazzle.com has free shipping for all orders to U.S. addresses. The promotion code is FREESHIP2DAY. Free shipping ends November 30, 2009 at 11:59 p.m., Pacific Time. Read Zazzle’s details. http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*

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Sun and Sky Light in Art; Zazzle Black Friday Sale

Separate sunlight from the blue reflection of the sky. The warm sunlight flows over the objects and forms in the painting. The sky reflects down, i.e. on the ground, and leaves some blue behind. Both sunlight and the reflection of the sky are affected by the time of day, season, weather, etc. There is also reflections from close objects into the shadows of other objects. Usually the tops of objects are affected by the cool blue of the sky. The bottoms of objects are affected by the warm ground.

See my previous post and my shop announcement for information about the large discounts at Zazzle's Black Friday Sale. http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*

Keep informed of any sales at my internet shops. Send me an email & include your email address.

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Black Friday Zazzle.com Sale

Zazzle.com sale until November 27, 2009 @ 11:59 p.m., Pacific Time. The sale includes 50% off posters, 40% off calendars, 55% off cards, 30% off mousepads, $4 off T-Shirts, $3 off mugs and more, i.e. 30% off major brands like Disney, Barbie, Star Wars. There is also free shipping within the U.S. when the net price of purchases is $35 or more. Enter the promotion code, ZAZZLEFRIDAY and click the redeem button. Discount is applied at checkout. http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*

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Acrylic Transfers in Art, Part II & My New Award

This is my acrylic transfer. Since I draw, I am unsure if I will use it often. I plan to try a transfer to a thicker gel medium and see what happens. I used Photoshop to add a layer of near transparent color over the entire piece. I added text and made this transfer into a holiday card for my personal use.

I am pleased to announce that I received Zazzle’s Today’s Best Award for a print/poster of my painting “Coastal Sail”. Sales continue at Zazzle. Always check my shop announcement for any sales and promotion code. http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*

See my Etsy shop to view my affordable paintings; free shipping. http://artbyarlenebabad.etsy.com

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Contrast, My Fine Art Painting - "Coastal Sail"

Coastal Sail
Original Fine Art Painting
Acrylic on canvas mounted on wood stretcher bars
20.4 by 25.5 cm, 8 by 10 inches

In this new painting, I was interested in the contrast between the small manmade boat and nature’s large mountains. I needed to achieve balance between the 2 vertical sides of the picture plane.


This painting is on sale at my Etsy internet shop. http://artbyarlenebabad.etsy.com/. Shipping worldwide is free for all my original paintings. Buy a PayPal gift certificate for my Etsy shop on this site.

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New Zazzle.com Sale-T-Shirts and More

ZAZZLE.com SALE: $5 off with purchase of 2 or more T-Shirts. 10% off buttons, mugs, mousepads and stickers. Sale code is SALEJUSTFORU; then hit redeem. Discount applied at checkout. On sale until November 26, 2009 @ 11:59 p.m., PT. Calendar 44.4% sale also continues. See my shop announcement.
http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*

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Acrylic Transfers for Art Works

This calendar has images of my art on each page. Buyers can customize my products. Zazzle.com's calendar sale continues. 44.4% discount. See my shop announcement. http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*

I am working on an acrylic transfer to use for my holiday card. Acrylic is such a versatile medium. I had put layers of matte medium on both sides of acid free mount board. When dry, I put a layer of gloss gel medium on the board. I immediately placed a photocopied image of a Santa Claus scene face down on the medium. It should dry in hopefully 24 hours and I will be able to lift the paper off the medium and see the transfer image. It is important to use a photocopy transfer image. Computer ink usually runs.

Click on title of this post to go to my Zazzle internet shop. Links to my other shops are at the top of this site.

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Glaze with Acrylic Heavy Body Paints

This calendar with images of my paintings is available at my Zazzle shop. Calendar sale of 44.4% discount continues. More sale information is available at my Zazzle shop announcement. I purchased this calendar while on sale. I would be interested in knowing if you prefer this calendar or my other calendar with the year, 2010, in gold lettering on the cover page. You can customize these and other products.

http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*




I use heavy body acrylics. When I want to glaze a colour over a dry layer, I put a bit of water to make the paint less viscous. I am then able to mix this paint with gloss gel or liquid mediums. This makes the paint easier to fully mix it with the medium and easier to glaze.




Click on title of this post to go to my Zazzle internet shop. Links to my other shops are at the top of this site.







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Zazzle.com Sale on Calendars

ZAZZLE.com SALE: Calendar sale starts for as low as $9.98. Discount 44.4% on all calendars. Sale code is CALENDARS998; discount applied at checkout. On sale until November 23, 2009 @ 11:59 p.m., PT.

http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*



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Drying Time with Acrylic Paints

An image of my painting After the Dance. The original painting was sold. Posters and prints with or without borders and in a variety of sizes are for sale at http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist* . The image is also available on clothes, mousepads, mugs and more.


I paint with acrylics. I use heavy body acrylics as I like their abilities to paint directly from tubes, mix with mediums and paint with thick strokes and glazes. Although I paint with fast drying acrylics, I become impatient while I wait for a layer to dry. The addition of mediums can make the drying time longer. Since I glaze with both gloss gel and liquid mediums, I wait for the layer to dry. It is helpful to place your hand under the canvas and test if the area is cool. If the area on and under the canvas is cool, the layer is not dry.


Click on title of this post to go to my Etsy internet shop and view my original paintings. Links to my other shops are at the top of this site.





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Painting Flower Stems in Water

Women's hooded shirt with an image of my painting, Evening Sail. Zazzle’s Veteran’s Day Sale continues. http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*


When items, i.e. stems of flowers, are in water, refraction occurs. The stem changes direction as it passes into water. You also see refraction when the stem enters the vase. Refraction happens when an object shifts from one vehicle to another of different density. Stems also appear lighter and more intense when seen through water.


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Canada's Remembrance Day

Today is Canada's Remembrance Day. I will remember.

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New Zazzle.com sale

ZAZZLE VETERANS DAY SALE: Zazzle.com 's sale is $5 off orders of $35 or more. The sale ends Nov. 15/09 @ 11:59 p.m., PT. The promotion may not be combined with any other promotion, i.e. poster, print sale. The promotion code is VETERANSDAY9. http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*

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Painting White in Art

Postcard based on a detail from my painting, Waterfalll in the Mist. I recently changed all my greeting cards and postcards on my Zazzle shop. I love the colours and textures in this postcard. Click on title of post to go to my Zazzle shop.

How do you paint, white? White picks up the colours around it. The cool blues of the sky are seen in a white blanket, outside and facing upward. When white is reflected on white, the colour is a yellow white.

Remember the Zazzle.com sale. 40% off posters & prints until Nov. 12/09, 11:59 p.m. PT. Code is HISTORYPOST4. http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*

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Further Analysis of My New Painting & Remember Zazzle Sale

Building in Landscape
Original Fine Art Painting
Acrylic on canvas mounted on wood stretcher bars
20.4 by 25.5 cm, 8 by 10 inches

I previously discussed my painting, Building in Landscape; I wrote about its focal point. I again show it in a black to white gray scale. This painting is in 2 point linear perspective. The right side of the building and path connect to a vanishing point on the horizon line. The left side of the building also points to a vanishing point on the same horizon line (eye level). I keep viewers from staying in the back of linear perspective with a semi circular background of trees. My arrows indicate that each major shape points to the building. This is not the compositional structure, radial burst, which contributes to a dynamic image. This is convergence; each shape meets at the focal point. The painting is calm. The cast shadow tells us that the sunlight is coming from the right of the building. The front of the building is the local color. It is not in light or shadow.

[Click on title of post to go to my Etsy internet shop; the original painting is available. My links to my other internet shops are at the top of this site.I have not yet put this painting on Zazzle or FAA.]

Remember the Zazzle.com sale. 40% off posters & prints until Nov. 12/09, 11:59 p.m. PT. Code is HISTORYPOST4. http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*

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Zazzle.com Sale on Posters and Prints

Zazzle.com is having a sale. 40% off posters and prints. The sale began Nov. 5/09 @ 12:01 a.m, PT and ends November 12/09 @ 11:59 p.m., PT.The promotion code is HISTORYPOST4. The sale will be applied at checkout.

Click on title of post to go to my Zazzle shop. http://www.zazzle.com/arlenebabadartist*

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Focal Point & My Painting; New Zazzle Award

Card with border based on my painting After the Dance. I received an award from Zazzle.

My painting, Building in Landscape; acrylic on canvas.

I wanted to discuss a painting not yet posted on my internet shops. The painting, Building in Landscape, is also shown in a black to white gray scale. In this post, I write about the focal point and techniques I have already discussed. The focal point is the building, particularly the side with the door. My focal point has the lightest light and the darkest dark. I painted the dark door with a warm blue and then a muted orange red. I was careful not to create a hole or space in the painting. This can happen with dark colours. All shapes lead to my focal point. The focal point is at different distances from the 4 edges of the painting. There are paths from each side of the painting to the focal point. There is more detail and hard edges in this area.

As a separate issue, yesterday I received Zazzle’s Today’s Best Award for my card with border, based on my painting After the Dance.

[Click on title of post to go to my Zazzle shop.]

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Painting Dark Colours in Art

Frosted glass mug with an image of my painting, Cherries, available at my Zazzle internet shop. Click on title of post to go to my Zazzle shop.

Dark colours are richer when they are transparent and warm. I started out painting with watercolours and I learned to mix vibrant dark colours, i.e. pthalo green and crimson. I did not use black paint. When I started painting with acrylic paints, I found I could achieve black local colours best using black paint. (Local colour is the object’s colour, i.e. red apple, black coat.) I use Ivory Black paint over a blue underpainting to achieve a rich black as a local colour. I then add strokes of colours over the black, i.e. red, green. I do not use black paint to make shadows, cast shadows, shades or darker colours.

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