Marilynn
Sunday, May 22, 2011
NEW BLOG!
At the advice of my website guru, I am moving my blogging to a new format, linked directly to my website. So from now on, GO HERE: http://www.brandenburgerstudios.com/blog/
Friday, February 25, 2011
DRAWING & PAINTING WORKSHOPS 2011
APRIL 4 - 7: WATERCOLOR TRAVEL JOURNALING
The Alabama Folk School at Camp McDowell, Nauvoo, AL, 1-205-387-1806 /
For the traveler, landscape painter, gardener -- anyone who wants to record what they see and experience in a personal watercolor journal. You’ll learn 6 skills: simplify your subjects, render them quickly in pencil, enhance your drawings with ink, add color with watercolor washes, design your sketchbook pages, and incorporate words into each page’s design. We will work from real life and your photographs. Activities will include demonstrations, in-class exercises and outdoor excursion, circumstances permitting. Some drawing experience helpful; all levels welcome.
Click here for SUPPLY LIST
- MAY 6-8: ADVANCED WATERCOLOR JOURNALING
Spruill Center for the Arts, Atlanta, GA 1-770-394-3447 / www.spruillarts.org
This is an advanced class for the traveler, landscape painter, gardener -- anyone
who wants to record what they see and experience in a personal watercolor
journal. Learn to sketch three popular subjects: buildings/city scenes, trees/
landscape, and people. Topics will include perspective and color mixing as well as advanced sketching and watercolor techniques. We will work from real life and your photographs. Activities will include demonstrations, in-class exercises
and outdoor excursions, circumstances permitting. Students must have prior
experience in drawing and watercolor or have taken a class in watercolor
journaling/sketching.
Click here for SUPPLY LIST
- JUNE 1-3: ADVANCED WATERCOLOR TRAVEL JOURNALING: LANDSCAPE
The Bascom Art Center, Highlands, NC 1-828-526-4949 / www.thebascom.org
This is an advanced class for travelers and painters who like to record what they
see and experience in a personal watercolor journal. We will focus on landscape, with an emphasis on sketching and painting skies, water and land forms such as fields, woods and gardens. Topics will include color mixing, color harmony and composition. We will work from real life and your photographs. Activites will include demonstrations, in-class exercises and outdoor excursions, circumstances permitting. Students must have prior experience in drawing and watercolor or have taken a class in watercolor journaling/sketching.
Click here for SUPPLY LIST
JUNE 4: SAMPLER: WATERCOLOR FOR BEGINNERS
The Bascom Art Center, Highlands, NC 1-828-526-4949 / www.thebascom.org
Get acquainted with watercolor. Learn about brushes, paints and papers in an introductory class. Learn basic fun techniques to create small paintings of everyday objects in lively colors! Marilyn, whose specialty is watercolor journaling, will also show students possible uses of watercolor beyond the basics learned in this sampler class.
Click here for SUPPLY LIST
- JULY 3 - 8: THE ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL IN INK & WATERCOLOR
For the traveler, landscape painter, gardener -- anyone who wants to record what
they see and experience in a personal watercolor journal. Youʼll learn 6 skills:
simplify your subjects, render them quickly in pencil, enhance your drawings with
ink, add color with watercolor washes, design your sketchbook pages, and
incorporate words into each pageʼs design. We will work from real life and your
photographs. Activities will include demonstrations, in-class exercises and
outdoor excursion, circumstances permitting. Some drawing experience helpful;
all levels welcome.
Click here for SUPPLY LIST
- JULY 16 - 17: SKETCHING NATURE IN WATERCOLOR - AT GRATIOT LAKE
For the nature lover, landscape painter, gardener -- anyone who wants to record what they see and experience outdoors in a watercolor sketchbook. You’ll learn how to simplify subjects, render them quickly in pencil, enhance your drawings with ink and watercolor, and add words to your pages. We will work from real life and photographs. Activities will include demonstrations, drawing and watercolor lessons, and outdoor sketching (weather permitting, of course). Some drawing experience helpful; all levels welcome. Bring a sack lunch each day.
Click here for SUPPLY LIST
OCTOBER 2 - 8: TREES: IDENTIFYING AND SKETCHING THEM IN AN ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL
John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown, NC, 1-800-365-5724 /www.folkschool.org
Haven't you always wanted to know the names of trees? Join a Master Gardener and an artist as we take you around campus to identify, sketch and make notes on some of the more than 50 species of trees in their autumn glory. You'll learn how to recognize trees; how to sketch leaves, seeds, bark, nuts and the trees themselves; how to enhance your sketches with ink and watercolor; and how to make field notes and start your tree "life list," all in a personal journal. Course will include indoor lessons, demonstrations and outdoor excursions involving easy walking on Folk School trails. All levels welcome.
Click here for SUPPLY LIST
Click here for SUPPLY LIST
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
SUPPLY LISTS FOR CLASSES
- THE ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL IN INK & WATERCOLOR
- MORE JOURNALING IN INK & WATERCOLOR
Estimated cost of supplies: $50
NOTE TO STUDENTS: You may purchase the following journal supplies at the workshop OR bring the same or comparable supplies with you.
·
A spiral-bound, 7” x 10” hardcover watercolor sketchbook. Recommended: Canson Montval Field Watercolor Book (other sizes OK)
A Koi (other brands OK) pocket watercolor sketchbox, containing 12 pans of watercolor and a
Niji water brush. If you get a brand of sketchbox other than Koi, you will need to get a large Niji waterbrush or buy one at the workshop.
A mechanical pencil
A Uni-ball Vision pen, micro size, or other waterproof black ink pen
A painter’s composition finder
A kneaded eraser
A safety razor blade
A pocket package of kleenex
A 2 - 4 oz. plastic spray bottle
A 2 - 4 oz. plastic water refill bottle
4 pieces of approx. 5” x 7” watercolor paper
In addition, you should bring
8 - 10 photos you have taken of landscape and/or other subjects you may wish to have in a personal journal
A lightweight folding chair for sitting on-site, indoors or out
Some sort of small pack to carry your supplies around
Anything you need to work comfortably outdoors, e.g. hat, sunglasses, insect repellent, sunscreen, drinking water
A 12" t-square or a 6"- 8" drafter's triangle
Reference books:
· A Life in Hand: Creating the Illuminated Journal and A Trail Through Leaves: The Journal as a Path to Place, both by Hannah Hinchman
· Work Small, Learn Big: Sketching with Pen & Watercolor, by International Artist (out of print, but available at libraries)
· The Decorated Journal: Creating Beautifully Expressive Journal Pages, by Gwen Diehn
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SKETCHING NATURE IN WATERCOLOR AT GRATIOT LAKE
The KIT below includes everything students will need. Students may:
- purchase the complete kit at the workshop for $50
- bring the same or comparable supplies with them
- rent the supplies from the instructor for $10
- buy any individual items in the kit at the workshop
There will be a $2.00 charge to cover the cost of the workshop handout packet.
THE WATERCOLOR SKETCHING KIT:
- A 7” x 10” Montval Field Watercolor Book
- A Koi (other brands OK) pocket watercolor sketch box, which contains 12 pans of watercolor and a Niji water brush. ( If you get a brand of sketch box other than a Koi, you will also need to get a large Niji waterbrush or buy one from the instructor.)
- A mechanical pencil (Recommended: Papermate Sharpwriter #2)
- Uniball Vision pen, micro size, or other brand, with waterproof black ink
- A painter’s composition finder
- Design brand kneaded eraser
- A safety razor blade
- A pocket package of kleenex
- A 2 - 4 oz. plastic spray bottle
- A 2 - 4 oz. plastic water refill bottle
- 4 pieces of approx. 5” x 7” watercolor “scratch” paper
- A 12" plastic t- square or small drafter's triangle
In addition, students should bring
- An old toothbrush
- 8-10 photos of landscape or nature you have taken, preferably of the Keweenaw or Gratiot Lake environs
- A lightweight folding chair for sitting on-site, indoors or out
- Some sort of small pack to carry supplies around
- Anything needed to work comfortably outdoors, e.g. hat, sunglasses, insect repellent, sunscreen, drinking water
Suggested reading:
- How to Sketch with Watercolor, by David Becker
- Nature Journaling, by Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E. Roth
- TREES: IDENTIFYING & SKETCHING THEM IN AN ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL
Estimated cost of supplies: $50
NOTE TO STUDENTS: You may purchase the following journal supplies at the workshop OR bring the same or comparable supplies with you.
·
A spiral-bound, 7” x 10” hardcover watercolor sketchbook. Recommended: Canson Montval Field Watercolor Book (other sizes OK)
A Koi (other brands OK) pocket watercolor sketchbox, containing 12 pans of watercolor and a
Niji water brush. If you get a brand of sketchbox other than Koi, you will need to get a large Niji waterbrush or buy one at the workshop.
A mechanical pencil
A Uni-ball Vision pen, micro size, or other waterproof black ink pen
A painter’s composition finder
A kneaded eraser
A safety razor blade
A pocket package of kleenex
A 2 - 4 oz. plastic spray bottle
A 2 - 4 oz. plastic water refill bottle
4 pieces of approx. 5” x 7” watercolor paper
In addition, you should bring
A roll of artist’s tape or masking tape
A lightweight folding chair for sitting on-site, indoors or out
Some sort of small pack to carry your supplies around
Anything you need to work comfortably outdoors, e.g. hat, sunglasses, insect repellent, sunscreen, drinking water
A 12" t-square or a 6"- 8" drafter's triangle
- A small field book for tree ID notes
- Several large Zip-loc bags for collecting samples
We will be outdoors part of every day, so bring weather-appropriate clothing: rain jacket, an extra pair of walking shoes, and anything else you need to work comfortably outdoors, e.g. hat, sunglasses, insect repellent, sunscreen, drinking water
Helpful, but not essential:
A 5-10X hand lens
Camera
Recommended book: Trees of the Smokies by Steve Kemp
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, June 26, 2010
The Fields Project concludes...
Yesterday dawned cloudless and beautiful, perfect for an airplane ride over the countryside to see the designs the "field artists" had mowed into a meadow set aside for the Fields Project. I enjoyed seeing the designs (you can see part of the Origami Cow in the upper left), but I found myself more fascinated with the patterns of green, dotted with tiny white farm buildings -- so many different greens!
Our schedule took us to a dairy farm this time, where pale yellow buildings stood out boldly against the sky.
Our farm hostess hung quilts for us artists, and five of us took positions around the grounds to incorpoarte the quilt patterns into the scene. It's been quite enjoyable working with the other artists, who, like me, have come from other parts of the country.
Tonight all the artists and the farm families with whom we've been staying will gather for a picnic, and tomorrow the Fields Project will conclude with a show of our work. I'm looking forward to seeing my family here in a few hours. My husband flew into Chicago last night, and he, my son (who lives in Chicago) and my son's girlfriend will drive out here to see the sights and get a "farm fix."
Thursday, June 24, 2010
The Fields Project, Continued....
Sometimes it takes a while to get your bearings when you're painting in an unfamiliar place. That has certainly been the case for me this week. I just hadn't been satisfied with anything I'd done because I didn't really know what it was I wanted to paint....until today. When I started seeing farm buildings as BIG GEOMETRIC SHAPES against a field of blue, I knew that was it, that was my subject!
These wonderful iconic red barns overlook a sea of golden wheat. So we were surrounded by primary colors: red, blue, yellow. The barns' owner, a gracious hostess who plied us artists with coffee and homemade fudge, told us her family has owned and worked this farm since 1830 -- about as far back as Illinois' original settlement goes.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
More about the Fields Project
Tremendous thunderstorms pounded northwestern Illinois all day today, so I hung out at my hosts' house and worked from the images I had downloaded to my laptop from previous days' photo jaunts.
Above, the Rock River, which flows through the town of Oregon, IL. This is the site of the Black Hawk Indian War, the last Indian war fought east of the Mississippi and another shameful episode in American history. Deprived of their traditional hunting grounds when they were pushed into Iowa territory in 1830, the people of the Sauk and Fox tribes, led by Chief Black Hawk, crossed back over the river to hunt, fish and thereby save themselves from starvation. They were met by U.S. Army troops who slaughtered them. Today Lorado Taft's sculpture, the "Eternal Indian" marks the site of this sad event.
This is a scene along one of the county roads I've been roaming each day. Because of all the rain this area has had, everything is lushly green, green, green. I find myself mixing every combination of blues and yellows imaginable to try to replicate the intense emeralds I see.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The Fields Project continued.......
When thunderheads showed up on the horizon, I headed back to my car where I could paint from the hatch of my Subaru Outback -- a pleasant makeshift studio as long as the wind didn't blow rain or mosquitoes in.
Here's a view of the eastern boundary of the Nachusa Grasslands under a glowering sky, in ink and watercolor.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
