Sunday, November 12, 2006

The Best Was Last!

tulips with Karlyn Holman

Lorraine and I left early yesterday morning in the pouring rain and cooler temperatures. She spent the entire day with Bob Rankin (www.bobrankin.com), while I had two classes to attend.

I spent the morning again with Karen Vernon. This time we worked smaller -- still on clayboard and with brushes that held more water than I have EVER used -- on pears and a melon. Her workshop was on color theory -- so much of the time was spent on instructions for mixing colors, color theory and how to not make mud. Her teaching style and information were incredibly excellent! With questions asked and answered and creating colors strips, we didn't have much time to paint ... so again, I have my pallet of Holbein paints and will try to get to at least work on ONE fruit this week!

We raced through lunch -- still raining, little open -- and returned for our last classes. Lorraine continued with Bob Rankin and I joined Karlyn Holman (www.karlynholman.com) and I had the BEST class of the four days!! I met Karlyn last year AFTER the classes were done. I walked into her room and drooled over her paintings; got her book and promised myself that I would take a class from her. THIS year was the year I DID IT!

She's informal, fun, relaxed, superbly instructive, supportive, encouraging and great ideas and a sense of play. Her workshop "Lines and Watercolor" was more what I had wanted to persue, and I loved it! We used 10" square 140 lb. hotpress paper ... wet both sides, and drew in watercolor pencil. Then, keeping the paper moist with a fine spritzer, added color, keeping everything loose and fun! We let that dry, then came back in with a refining watercolor (or line), added some fun with sanded pieces of watercolor pencil which make wonderful splatterlike dots .. and just had FUN!. She was exceedingly generous with supplies -- pencils, paper, her prints, ideas ....what a wonderful way to end the four-day immersion into art.

The tulips I painted were not as loose as others' had achieved -- but this was only my second time working on hotpress paper ... so I think I'll be able to do a loose sketch with materials I'm used to -- coldpress 140#. Anyway .. here's my 'looser' tulips with a touch of line ... and for me, my homework for the week -- do this again!

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, these tulips look super! It's just amazing to see you progress at light speed!

Anonymous said...

Oh, and that should read 'continuing' to progress!! :)

Teri said...

WOWEE stunning tulips Lin!! Georgeous and beautiful! WOW

Jana Bouc said...

This is stunning! I see below this post there is more about your workshops...can't wait to read the rest. Thanks for sharing your experience--I want to hear more. I wish we had an event like that around here! Maybe I'll have to come to NC next year!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful work Lin, the colors are rich and the design excellent. I'm also jealous of you being able to attend this wonderful event, and I thank you for sharing your experience.

Anonymous said...

Ditto to all the comments! What FUN!! Love the looseness and the faint sketch lines on this - the tulips give the impression of bending with a little breeze - lots of life!!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great workshop. Having fun makes better art! These tulips are gorgeous. I look forward to seeing more of your practices!

Penny said...

Lin I have missed your blog while I was away, loved your description of what you got out of your art classes and think the tulips are yummy. Now I expect lots of loose lovely watercolours!

Anonymous said...

The tulips are wonderful. I sure wish there were classes hear like this. Sure sounds like to m uch fun for one person to have:)))
Just wonderful!!!!
Linda

Terri said...

Wow you've been productive of late. Those tulips are gorgeous and the class sounds like so much fun. Glad you enjoyed it after the 'Betsy' watching class. :o) You are making such incredible progress Lin. You should be very very proud of yourself.

Anonymous said...

Love this tulips. Wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Amazing how much headway you've made, Lin. I couldn't do what you've done here -- bravo!

Tami said...

Linnie, this is wonderfully loose! I know, for me, it is very hard to just let go and not "try to control" the paint. These are beautiful!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh wow -- that looks like too much fun for one day! It's going to be exciting to see what you do now that you've had all this creative inspiration. Great work, Lin!

Lorraine said...

Yup; definitely your best work of the week.
Just a gorgeous painting which is even better "in real life." Scanning doesn't do it justice.

And I can attest that Karyln is fantastic. I got to look at look at her originals,
prints, and books on display. I am definitely going to order one of her DVDs (the one that includes abstracts). This lady does everything well. A great way to end the conference.

And I had a fantastic day with Bob Rankin's class -- making abstracts from realistic paintings/photos. He taught art for 30 years and is a terrific painter. The best class I took and I'm glad it was an all day one.
Hugs,
Lorraine