Painting the Blue-Grey Tanager

When I started working on my pieces for the 12x12 Art Show & Silent Auction, I knew I wanted to paint a Nicaraguan bird.  Luckily, Nicaragua is home to 698 different bird species!  I decided on a Blue-Grey Tanager, which is found throughout Central America.  In a previous post that explains this charity art show I had promised a tutorial for this piece, here it is! You can read more about this charity art show on my Hope Comes in Color Post.

I used oil paint for this piece so that I was able to layer paint and create a "feathered" look.   I started by sketching a basic outline of the bird.

The next step is to go in with your dark paints and start to build the contours and crevices.  Now you might be saying "wait, I thought this was a blue bird?". That is the beauty of painting with oils! By starting with these dark colors we are going to build layers that add depth and shadows.

If you are using a reference photo, make note of the darkest areas.  Think of your painting as a "color by number".  Don't be afraid if your painting looks too dark, we will lighten it later. You will have to let this layer dry before going in with your blue paints. Oil paint takes much longer to dry than acrylic, it might take a few days before you are ready to paint again.

Once your base layer is dry it's time to add your primary color layers.  Because oil paint is transparent, you will find that your dark areas stay dark! Again, think of the color by numbers, use darker blue for the areas of contour, and lighter colors for highlights.

 For the branch, I alternated long and short brush strokes and different browns, black, and white paint.

 Our little bird is starting to look like a Tanager!

I knew I wanted a basic background.  I chose a green wash.  By mixing green and white on your palette and adding some turpentine, your paint will "wash" onto the canvas.

I continued to go back and add highlights in white.  One of the most drastic highlights you can add is a simple dot of white in the eye. You will be amazed how much life it brings to your piece!

 Close up of the face

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial! I would love any feedback!

M.  

Charming DIY Bedside Table

I was in desperate need of a new bedside table after we rearranged our bedroom.  After looking briefly in a few different shops, I decided to look one more place...my parents basement.  I managed to find this beauty buried under some old boxes.

I'm pretty sure this table has been painted every color you can fit on a palette.  The height was prefect for next to the bed, and I loved the little drawer.  The next step was to head to Home Depot and grab some supplies!

 I grabbed a quart of Behr "Vintage Chic" paint in "Ozone" in a matte finish.  Then found this awesome crackle paint by Martha Stewart.  The color of the crackle paint is called "Oat".
  First I gave the table a light sanding to get rid of some of the old paint layers.  Then I painted the body of the table the Ozone blue.

  The crackle paint tells you to use a Putty knife to apply the paint to your surface.  This was much harder than I expected and found that I couldn't apply evenly with the putty knife.  I found it easier to use the putty knife to apply a thick layer of paint and then use a brush to smooth it on the surface.  The instructions say the thicker the coat, the larger the cracks. I thought I caked it on pretty thick, but my cracks were still pretty small.  I used the crackle paint on the drawer face and the table top.

The crackle paint gave this table the perfect amount of vintage chic.  Made complete with design magazines, a creepy wooden cat, and an Ikea lamp, this table is perfect!

M.  

Hope Comes in Color: Making Art for Charity!

For the past few months my husband and I have been planning the 12x12 Art Show and Silent Auction that will benefit the Newton Sister City Project.  We have been working with an AMAZING team of artists, friends, and professors to make this charity art show a reality!

The Newton Sister City Project is near and dear to me because they helped me travel to Nicaragua to do service work when I was attending Lasell College.  From the NSCP website, their mission is "to work alongside our Nicaraguan friends to improve education and healthcare, and to employ appropriate technology at the village level." The project helps fund educational advancement, clean water and cooking technologies, and helps students travel to this amazing country to learn, bond, and grow.

The 12x12 Art Show and Silent Auction will feature an amazing group of artists of all mediums.  ALL pieces in the show are up for auction and ALL proceeds will go to the Newton Sister City Project.  You can visit the art show site here: http://www.digitalfisch.com/12by12/12by12.html and the Newton Sister City Project site here: http://sanjuandelsursistercityproject.wordpress.com/about/

Here is a sneak peek of two of the pieces I will be putting in the show!

This first piece is "Hope Comes in Color" 12x12 Acrylic on wrapped canvas.

You can buy prints and accessories of "Hope Comes in Color" on my Society6 account! Follow this link http://society6.com/SeeMollyCreate/Hope-Comes-in-Color_Framed-Print#12=60&13=55

 Canvas Tote Bags
$18

 iPhone Cases
$35

There are also several options for prints, framed prints, stationary cards, even Sweatshirts!

All proceeds from sales from the "Hope Comes in Color" Series will be donated to the Sister City Foundation!

This next piece is a 12x12 Oil on Canvas. The bird is a Blue-Grey Tanager that is found in Nicaragua. 

This painting is still in progress and I am very excited about how it is coming along. *Look for an upcoming tutorial of this piece here on the blog!

Thank you for taking the time to read about this awesome Foundation and our upcoming Art Show!

M.