Dance Painting getting better - part -1 (forgot to show you first sketch!)

OK, so - the painting is getting better. Please leave me comments - Good, Bad, or Ugly! I learn so much from all of you, and your opinions are very valuable to me. I actually have fun with it! :-) It feeds me and helps me finish the painting. I hope to be done tomorrow night after work. So, three days working after work is not too bad I guess. I realistically probably only dedicated 2 hrs of working time a night on it, if you take out all the interruptions. I did not get to start on the painting tonight until after playing mom taxi for most of the night - and then the President's speech. I probably could have done without the speech, but I felt like I needed to listen so if I need to say something negative or positive to someone about it, I would know what I was talking about! LOL! I hate it when people speak up, but don't know what they are talking about. Don't you? Drives me crazy! My favorite line is......."I voted this way or that way because this was how I was raised, or this is what my parents do.". Or even better - "I did not vote because it is a waste of time, but whoever elected this President was crazy." Aghh!!! So, I guess I keep up with politics so I feel like I can make an educated opinion rather than talking from my rear end.

I almost forgot - I did not show you my first sketch that was approved by the buyer to start this painting. So, you can see where the painting started from. Now, If I can concur my fears of some areas of this painting, add the rest of the dancers, and finish fine details - I will be done! Hopefully my customer will be very happy! If she is not, you will see it on Etsy later - ha ha!! :-)

Hugs to all! Happy Wednesday! Already half way through the work week! Yea! Can you believe it? This weekend I am going to go see two different plays my dear friends are in with my paranormal investigation team as a group outing, then one of my daughter's orchestra concerts, and finally paint, paint, paint for the rest of the weekend! Sounds fun huh? I love weekends!!!

Beth

Dance Painting (taking too long?) - part 1

Ok, so I have worked ALL day on this one painting I have been commissioned to do. It is only a $50 painting. The specs were given to me, so it is taped off at 14x20, and the color palette she would like me to use was given to me as well.

So, I am trying to stay in this same family of the color palette, but I am not doing so well - ha ha! I still have several dancers to add to this painting, lots of flowing material and gowns, and as you can see, I am not getting anywhere too fast! I figure by the time I am done with the painting, I might make $ .02 an hour! LOL! :-)Oh well - it is a challenge, and I love a challenge. I spent much of my time with the negative space, and texture. Even though, she has a specific color palette in mind, I still wanted her to be able to see the richness of color in the negative space behind her color choices. I am afraid if I stick to her colors, it will be very flat when I am finished. This is no big deal, I love building the paint. I don't think this painting will look anything close to what it looks like now.

The things I want to fix in this painting already.......... The one dancer's face in this painting. I hate faces! I don't do them well at all. I don't want the reader of this painting to be too distracted by the face of this dancer, and not looking at the movement and grace of the dancer instead. It is more important to show movement, soft flowing material, and to be able to hear the music by the time it is finished. I am thinking of swooping her face out, a little more abstract. What do you think? The other thing I need to finish.........I started off with some great transparencies, but I added too much opaque over my transparencies. I was scumbling over the texture, and I did too much. I lost some of that really nice rich color you could see through her gown. So I am trying to figure out how to get that back. Once you have used an opaque, it is hard to do much more. I figure I can add some transparencies back on top of the opaque, so I can add more color and tints to the fabric of the dress.

Well, this is part 1. I will post again with more pictures soon. Thanks for looking. I hope to finish after work tomorrow. We shall see after getting home, then transporting all my teens to where they need to go, and cooking dinner. I wish I could stay up later and work on it. I hate going to bed with that unfinished feeling.....

Everyone have a wonderful week! Stay warm, dry, and happy. Keep positive thoughts with you night and day. We will have so many good things to write about at the end of the week. I can't wait to hear them all!

Hugs!
Beth

Cool things to show off and be proud of!

Ok, first of all, I know I am really bad about keeping up with this blog. I am making it a goal to keep up. I wanted to share a couple of pictures of the wedding gift I made for one of my really good friends. It turned out really cute. Her wedding colors were black, silver, w/splash of red! Lots of sparkles too! So, I painted one of my really HUGE Martini glasses with a abstract look (this is her style). Painted little silver/black rocks all around the glass/bowl. They were very artsy with the directional strokes, making them look really round. Then I followed down the stem with some red/black/silver/sparkle polka dots on the stem. The bottom of the glass (on the underneath - so you can see from the top) was a cobble stone look with splashes of red. Then I sealed the bottom with a basic shiny black and wrote their names/wedding date - and of course, I signed Kiwi Arts in RED! LOL! Then I bought some little silver pebbles (perfect silver) and filled the glass, and put little white floating candles on the rocks. This way she can add water, and light the candles for a perfect center piece. Or as my friend pointed out..........she can fill the glass with vodka and olives! The two can share a HUGE martini! LOL! :-) Here are the pictures, and I threw one of me and one of daughters that went to the wedding with me. We are both friends of the bride. Well she dances for her as well.

Then I had to show you my new business cards!!! I am so excited! Thank you so much Uniquefavors! They are unbelievable two sided, glossy cards - designed by Uniquefavors! http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5417266

The best part is my really awesome "Kiwi" ring made by Diffraction! How cool is this ring? And it goes with Kiwi Arts! Who would have thunk it? I can't wait to wear it tomorrow! Now when people ask me why I am wearing a Kiwi ring........as if they did not know by looking at my Kiwi Arts decals on my car, and all of my art work that says Kiwi Art - I can had them a card! Yea!!! :-) Advertising at its best! :-) Here is the link to Diffraction. She is so talented! Take a look! http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5874408

Ok, night all! I will post again soon.

Please send your good organization, time crunching, vibes my way. I am still trying to figure out how to get all of this side stuff done while being a mom taxi, and working full time.... sheez! But I LOVE it!!! Did I mention I LOVE IT? I really do!

Hugs to all!:-)
Beth

Yea! It has been a successful day for Kiwi Arts and Peters Path! Christine and Rhonda w/Peters Path have a clothing line and are part of a huge show in Savannah GA this weekend. They carry my art work. I painted these special wine glasses just for Savannah from the famous cemetery statue. If you know Savannah, then you know this symbolic statue in the cemetery. My understanding is that Peters Path was on the local news this weekend in Savannah twice! Sales were great for both of us! A few of my painted glasses, including both of these special ones made just for this show sold. Apparently the show goers liked my St. Patrick's Day glasses and some of my painted bracelets sold as well. I will find out more when Peters Path returns on Sunday. Way to go girls! Thank you for taking my Kiwi Arts! :-) Now, all I need are some Etsy sales, and I think I will be on the road of feeling a little more successful.

So, my next project? Hand paint my new natural wood bangle bracelets I bought off of Etsy, and get used to the natural elements of wood. Paint two full size paintings that I have been commissioned to paint, paint a special wedding gift for a friend, and paint more inventory for some local stores and theaters here at home. Whew! I will start tomorrow! :-) Thanks for reading!

Hugs!! Beth, Kiwi-Arts

Painting all week. Learning to manage time.

Thank you for all the wonderful advice regarding my last post. I have learned alot from you, and I am going to put it in action. Also, I will be patient. :-)

I have spent some of the week painting and getting ready for a show my friend from Peters Path is doing in Savannah. She is taking some of my work with her. I am very honored and excited she is taking my art. Her clothing line is amazing!! They are branching out into other areas of art, and she picked me! :-)

I hope everyone is doing well and they are not frozen. At least if you are, keep creating in your boredom. There is no telling what you will come up with! LOL. We are supposed to get snow/ice on Tuesday. Maybe I will get a day off work so I can get more done in regards to painting.

I am posting a couple of new pictures. I made these glasses and bracelets for another show last week. The bangles are plastic, but I am going to move to natural wood. I don't care for the less eco friendly version of plastic. Take care, Beth


Ok, my computer is acting up................. I will post the pictures tomorrow