BECKY JOY FINE ART

Sedona Red Rocks oil painting, EBay listing $0.99

Becky Joy — Fri, 11 May 2012 02:33:07 +0000

Sedona Red Rocks 9″x12″ oil landscape painting Ebay auction at $0.99. Click here to bid.

I painted this as a demo for a workshop in Arizona. The yellow and warm oranges contrast with the blues and violets in the shadows.

On my blog, Art Workshops Online, I have a new blog post about painting moonlight and nocturnes.

How to Paint the Effects of Moonlight

Becky Joy

http://artworkshopsonline.com

beckyjoyartist@gmail.com

EBay auction cactus painting and moonlight painting

Becky Joy — Thu, 10 May 2012 01:55:34 +0000

Saguaro Cactus plein air oil painting 10″x8″

EBay auction starting at $0.99 Click here to bid.

This is a block in today on an 11″x14″ canvas panel. I wanted the old house illuminated by strong moonlight. The colors are all cooled by the night sky. The white house and fence are painted in a green color. I’ll have to take some more photos tomorrow when it’s sunny. I took the photos at night so the lighting wasn’t very good. Hence, the colors do not show well.

This is the finished painting. I didn’t have the light on the pole lit, because I didn’t want another light source in the painting. I’ll post another photo tomorrow.

Becky

http://artworkshopsonline.com

beckyjoyartist@gmail.com

Sunset oil landscape painting on EBay and new video

Becky Joy — Wed, 09 May 2012 02:14:13 +0000

Sunset #4 oil landscape painting 8″x10″ EBay auction starting at $0.99. Click here to bid.

This was one of my paintings in which I was playing with color in the studio. I like all the grays in the painting making the sky appear even brighter.

I also recorded a new video today in which I am speaking about choosing national art shows to enter. To view the video click here.

I hope that I was able to answer some questions for some of you about choosing appropriate national shows to enter.

Becky Joy

http://artworkshopsonline.com

beckyjoyartist@gmail.com

Plein air painting in Taos, NM and the PAAC annual show

Becky Joy — Tue, 08 May 2012 03:39:29 +0000

Red Rocks, Taos, New Mexico 9×12 oil landscape painting $500.

I painted this in New Mexico in the Georgia O’Keefe country while attending the plein air show for the Plein Air Artists Colorado and their annual paint out. I spent the day painting with my Nebraska artist friend, Deb Groesser. Both of the rock paintings were painted the same day. I forgot my tripod when I transferred my painting gear to Deb’s vehicle, so I painted at a picnic table for the Red Rocks painting, and sitting on a box with my pochade box in my lap for the Echo Ampitheater painting. I remembered the easel the next day, but didn’t paint much. One painting was incomplete.

It was a great weekend painting in Taos, relaxing (not painting at times), attending the PAAC show and meeting new and old friends. We camped along the Rio Grande. The weather was perfect and saw the “super moon” rise and set, a spectular event!

Echo Ampitheater Rocks, New Mexico 8×10 plein air

oil painting $500. Click here to purchase.

Chumisa, Taos, NM 10×8 plein air oil painting

$500. Click here to purchase.

Painting From a Small Painting and Youtube Video

Becky Joy — Wed, 02 May 2012 02:13:58 +0000

Sunrise 18″ x 24″ oil landscape painting. Click here for more information.

I made a video today talking about my finished painting and the process of painting from a small plein air painting to a larger studio painting. Click the image below to view the video.

Youtube video

Check out my Youtube Channel

Tomorrow I will be taking off for Taos for the Plein Air Artists Colorado Annual Show and the paint out. What a great area to paint. Love it!

Cattle 11″x14″ oil EBay auction Click here to bid.

Check out more of my paintings on EBay.

Talk to you all later.

Becky

A new video and another painting on EBay

Becky Joy — Tue, 01 May 2012 04:07:08 +0000

Prescott House, 9″x12″ plein air oil painting $0.99 Ebay. Click here to bid.

I painted this in the old section of Prescott. Prescott was the Territorial Capitol of Arizona. There is a district with the quaint beautiful old houses. I was drawn to this house by the light under the porch. The morning sun illuminated the white house. I have been putting several paintings on EBay for bidding. Currently, there are four paintings up for bid. Click here to see all of my paintings on Ebay.

Today, I made a video talking about my process for you to commission an oil painting by me. To view the video click here.

How to Commission a Painting

Back to the easel tomorrow to finish a painting before heading out Wed to Taos for the PAAC Annual Show.

Plein Air Equipment

Becky Joy — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 22:24:04 +0000

Lately, I’ve been thinking about a new easel. On the one hand, I’m trying to hold back that urge to spend money on something that I seem to be getting along with just fine now. Or….on the other hand, just maybe life could be easier with a new one that maybe will be easier to work with. As with any purchase, it’s weighing the pros and cons of things. I doubt that I will find the perfect outdoor easel for every occasion.

There are certain things that I want in my pochade box. Light in weight is probably the most important right now. I want to be able to hike into a place carrying a minimum of supplies. I already keep most of my paint in my car and take in loaded palette’s of paint. So, storage for paint tubes isn’t important to me. I’ve noticed lately when I go out to paint, I seem to have my supplies scattered. I do have a backpack, but I don’t load it up. I throw everything in the trunk of my car and try to grab all I need in one trip, juggling the supplies as I walk down a path to paint. Maybe I’m just being lazy about putting my supplies into my backpack or maybe I could have a better setup. Or, I might just be trying to justify an art purchase. After all, art supplies are like Christmas gifts to me.

I started my plein air adventures about 20 years ago with a french easel. I found that it was cumbersome, heavy and took too long to set up and take down. I think the next one that I bought was a soltek. I liked it for a long time. It was quick and easy to set up, but it was heavy. I still find it great to use for larger paintings, but most of my work outdoors in small. I then purchased a Guerilla Box. I felt that it was reasonably priced for a small wooden pochade box to use with a tripod. The size and weight were good and I could carry a few supplies in it. But, I felt like I was painting inside a box. I just didn’t find it comfortable to use. I’ve left this box at my son’s to use whenever I visit him in Texas. So, it still has some use. Lately, I converted my french mistress into a painting easel with my tripod. It has been working well for me. And so far, I probably like it the best. But, I don’t carry my supplies with the box. Everything is separate. Each of my other easels had some or all of my supplies stored in the easel.

I’ve been looking at different easels which I’ve looked at before, Open Box M and Easy L. A couple of days ago I came across one that I had not seen, Allaprima Pochade. I really like the Bittterroot Lite. It’s lightweight, carries a couple of panels, has enough palette space and carries my brushes. I would make a couple of modifications to it to still use my paint trays like I do now and the paper towel holder. That would leave carrying my solvent and tripod. That sounds pretty good to me.

Hmmm…. Does it sound like I’m getting myself a Christmas present?

UPDATE!

I did get the pochade box from Alla Prima and I love it!

Related posts: New to Painting…Supplies

Red Rock Plein Air… Make a Checkoff List for Art Elements & Techniques

Becky Joy — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:35:36 +0000

Bonnie Springs, Red Rock, Nevada 9″x12″ oil painting

Years ago, before I started taking workshops from nationally known artists, I thought I was a pretty good artist. Yes, I had some talents, but there was a lot of techniques missing. I had a wakeup call at a big art show when I wasn’t selling well. I took a serious look at my oil paintings and realized that I needed to learn more about art.

I never thought at the time that it would be so involving and time consuming. I found that the more I learned, the less I really knew. But, in reality, isn’t that the way it is with any profession. A person graduates from college, but it’s just the beginning of their career.

Anyway, it seemed that the more lessons I took, the more confused I became. There were so many things to consider in painting. To help remember, reinforce and use some of the concepts that I was learning, I kept a checkoff list in my art studio. As I was painting and after (when I thought I was done) I would start going through the techniques to critique my work

Values
Bright, pure colors vs. grays , more
Edges, soft & hard
Brush stroke variety
Variety of shapes and sizes.
Composition

The list went on and on. It grows as you learn and understand more concepts and techniques. But also some things become automatic after a while, so they are removed . You might try this to help you get through all those building blocks and to use them in your art.

What are some of the tricks that you use to critique your work?

Painting Atmosphere Light and Weather

Becky Joy — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:22:22 +0000

Atmosphere and light is important in my paintings. Light, distance and atmosphere affect, texture, edges, value and color, making things in the distance appear grayer, softer, and less distinct. As things move closer to you, the colors become richer, and the edges seem sharp and crisp.

Direction of light and shapes of clouds can be important compositional elements or devises by giving you direction and patterns by the way the light falls on the lands and the shadows of the clouds. Usually a simple landscape with big shapes is most effective so that it doesn’t complete with the sky.

The light changes very quickly in these fleeting moments. For practicality purposes when I’m painting at these times, I will set up well before the times (sometimes in the dark). Some of my paints will be premixed. My drawing will be created at this time and I will try to determine how the light will fall on the landscape when the appointed time comes. I also figure out how I want to play with the light. How will I compose my composition. I quickly assess what will be changing the fastest as far as light and shadow. I paint that area first. Some shadows will stay the same, so they will be painted last. I almost always use a small canvas, but a larger one can be finished in the studio. Sometimes it is a matter of just recording color.

Creating a mood with low light, the fleeting moments of dusk and dawn, reveals serenity, peacefulness and joy.

My Friend Carla is Now a Painter

Becky Joy — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:24:40 +0000

I wanted to tell you about my friend, Carla. I have known her for years, probably 25 to 30 years. We worked together as hairdressers years ago. (It’s been about 20 years for me now that I worked as a hairdresser.) During all that time I had no idea that Carla could even draw and Carla didn’t either. I am amazed at what she has been painting in the last two years. She’s joined the league of artists and is now hooked! I just had to share Carla’s story in her words.

This is Carla’s story………..62 year old hairdresser/electrologist. I live in Milwaukie, Oregon and grew up in Molalla. my formal art training consisted of a drivers ed class in high school in 1965. There was only room for 3 students in the car with Mr. Berger at one time. When you weren’t on the road you were in a leather tooling class with Mr …..

Fast forward to 2010. I go to Nelson’s gym in Milwaukie. I have known Roy, a dear man of 96, who goes there regularly. In Feb of 2010 I looked at him and realized for all the years I’ve known him I’ve never seen his art. He was always asking me to sit for the class on Tuesdays. He was in charge of finding models. He paints at the Bush and Palette in Jennings Lodge. This group has been together for some 35 years +. I told him I would like to see his work. He suggested, yet again, that I model for them. I agreed as that would give me an opportunity to see his work.

On the appointed day, I arrived just as an older woman was climbing into the chair. Since I wouldnt be modeling I asked if I could talk to people and watch the process. I met the nicest new friends. It didnt take me long to find interest in Dorothy’s work. Her colors attracted me. She must have grown tired of me over her shoulder and suggested I draw an egg. Oh dear, my palms grew sweaty!!!! Before long, Helen Trayle was teaching me to draw the lines in the egg for the planes of the face. Just as I mastered the egg, Dorothy handed me a brush and three tubes of paint suggesting I “paint the model”…….So I did. I managed to capture her expression and the crepeing of her skin. Truly, I was hooked.

I thumbed through art magazines and found artists’ work that tripped my trigger. I printed their work on 8×10 paper, taped it to the wall next to the birdcage in my dining room and copied their work. Something must have landed in my brain. Or some electrical switch flipped, because if I didnt have to work, care for my small farm or clean house, its all I want to do. I messaged Becky whom I hadn’t seen for years, excited as a child to share with her my new adventure. She asked ‘what i was painting’ I said portraits. She said that’s the hardest to paint. I’m glad I was already on my way or I might have been thwarted.

I have taken a class with Becky, whom I adore. She patiently guided almost every color choice and brushstroke. Through the girls at the palette, I met Michael Linstrom, yet another precious soul. We painted still lifes and did some value studies. I just seem to wing it. A lot of the verbage just goes right over my head. We will be taking a portrait class with Michael this month. I love the work of expression.
This month will mark the anniversary of the universe shaping my life in a way I never imagined. My painting and the resposes I get for my efforts is a blessing beyond belief.

Carla’s New Blog