Well I`ll be a monkey`s uncle

I wonder what that expression means - I`ll be a monkey`s uncle.  Well picmonkey allows you to make a collage for free.  Here is Rembrandt - all my versions of him.

Do you think he is turning over in his grave or is he amazed that people are still admiring him after all these years.  It was a pleasure looking at his portrait for 16 times and I could stare at it for many more.  

What if I Copied Ray Turner

There are 2 painters, no make it 3, that I would pay just to sit in their studio and watch them paint. I would promise to sit quietly, not say a word and just watch them handle the paint.  The odds of that happening is about the same as me sitting quietly and not saying a word.
The Painters are

1. Francois Bard         http://www.francoisbard.net/#!selected/cfit
2. Sebastian Kruger    http://sebastian-kruger-news.blogspot.ca/
3. Ray Turner             http://rayturner.us/works/current-works/

Francois Bard is in France, Sebastian Kruger is in Germany and Ray Turner is in California.  I am about in the middle of all of them.  Oh well, but thanks to the internet, I can see their work.  This version of Rembrandt is me attempting to well not copy exactly but be influenced by Ray Turner.  I apologize in advance to him because he is that good.  I don`t have permission to post his pictures but check out his website. He uses wacko colours (that is a technical term) but because his values are perfect everything works.

What if I used Caran D'ache crayons

I looked through my  old art supplies buried behind canvases, old papers and broken pencils to find a really really old metal case of Caran D'ache Crayons. It was the first time I used them on canvas rather than paper and it worked just fine.

Have you ever met an old friend and even though you haven't spoken to them in a long time the conversation feels like you just saw them the other day? That's the way I felt about the crayons, I apologized the crayons for hiding them in a dark cupboard and promised to take them out more often.  Maybe I will even keep my promise

What if I drew with an App

I downloaded a couple of free drawing apps. I wanted something that had a fast learning curve and was fun to use.  Let me present to you Rembrandt on a Ipad.

I think he is beginning to look less and less like himself but yet  still looks like a person, Maybe a distant relative - very distant.

What if I Used a Zorn Palette

Anders Zorn was a wonderful Swedish painter.  I guess it just proves you don't have to live in N.Y or Paris to be great.  Here is his self portrait

He is also known for the Zorn palette consisting of 3 colours and white. The colours are black, yellow ochre and cadmium red (some use cadmium red light others cadmium dark) Of course the brand of paint you use is going to change the hue.  Definitely a big man, but that is a story for another type of blog.  You make the green from the black and the yellow.  Here is Rembrandt with the Zorn palette.

what if I painted up close

This is another Rembrandt portrait this time working enlarged.  His texture is wonderful.  I can't get the texture  in a quick painting in acrylics but I still enjoyed trying.  

This is the weekly hint from my other blog art by the books

David Kassan is an amazing artist who is now having a Kickstarter fundraiser for a palette

palette kickstarter

If I were an oil painter I think I would get it because I love new things for my art.  His palette is unusual in that it is vertical.  His point is, a vertical palette means the light falls in the same manner on the palette as on the painting.  I am not comparing myself to him and I really don't think that having his equipement is going to instantly make me as good as him but then you never know.  I have a little palette which I now keep vertically and it is easier physically so you don't twist to get at your paint.  I am now very aware of how repetitive motions come back to bite you.  

Watch the video - I think the palette is a  brilliant design. And since I know you are going to ask because I did -  the paint does not drip down but the glaze does so I just put that on the bottom.  

what if I paint like Warhol

I have a confession to make - I went to an art show "Van Gogh to Kandinsky" I liked some works but most of them I thought were pretty bad.  I think that if I wasn't told that they were done by famous people, I would have just walked by most of them.  Next door was a small exhibit of Andy Warhol's Posters.  Here is the confession part  - we enjoyed the Warhol show much more.  Part of it may be that the  big show was so crowded we could barely see the paintings and we were irritated by people listening to the audio guides, standing in front of the paintings and not moving. The Warhol show was fun.
So here is Rembrandt inspired by Warhol

What if I Painted in Pastel

Rembrandt and I are getting quite friendly - Here he is in pastel

Poor man is just a shadow of his former self

What if I paint with Liquitex Paint Markers

Still on my Rembrandt imitations.  I started with big patches and then I had used Liquitex paint markers to have fun.  I only had 2 colours blue and red and that wasn't enough so I took out a piece of white chalk.  It was very freeing.

What if I painted in 3 shades

I can't believe people recognized Rembrandt - it made me feel so good - just like when you are first beginning and you paint an apple and people know what it is.  Someone in my family, who shall not be named, thought it was George Washington.  Well at least she knew it was a person.


I painted the same subject with 3 values again but in different colours - the first is white, yellow ochre, and burnt sienna. (the little blue is from a previous painting and wasn't meant to be there).

The second is orange, yellow and cadmium red.

I wonder what I will do tomorrow.

Happy Halloween

Rembrandt is still on my easel - I wonder if we have moved on to first names. Whoops just googled him and Rembrandt was his first name. Rembrandt, Oprah, Madonna - who needs last names.  I'm going to have to change my name if I become famous.

At least now he looks his age.  

I miss taking my kids around for Halloween.  My son is 30 and lives 6 hours away - I don't think he would let me dress him up and take him out trick or treating but don't you wish you could turn the clock back for 5 minutes. I remember the anticipation they had before and of course I remember my husband and I looting their bags when they went to sleep.  He ate all the Coffee Crisps and I ate the rest. Good times.

The instruction for Suzy's class was a painting with a focal point.  

I think I did okay The door is the focal point and everything points to it - sort of.  Anyway it is creepy because of the tree shadows.  Perfect for Halloween.

The forecast for tomorrow is rain - I forgot about trick or treating in the rain and snow.  I'll just stay home and eat the candy I bought for the kids.  Good times.