Currently Browsing: Minnesota State Fair
Why I Paint Birds (Or How I Feel about Portraiture)
People have all sorts of involved, ecological, and philosophical reasons for drawing and painting birds. Years ago, participating in a group show of nature art I was faced with writing an artist’s statement about why I paint birds. I thought long and hard. I was an outlier at the show because all my […]
In Context: Not the Time To Explain a Vignette
As an artist, you know whether it’s the right time to introduce the concept of “vignettes” or not. Pick your battles.
Testing Papers for the 2018 Minnesota State Fair
Before I go to the Fair each year I test a bunch of papers to see which bound book (containing that paper) I want to take and work with, or which loose sheets I want to carry and work upon. On this sheet I also worked with a Niji Waterbrush. I knew that for some […]
Don’t Forget The 10th Great Minnesota Sketch Together
Don’t forget that the 10th Great Minnesota Sketch Together is being held on Saturday, August 25 and Monday, August 27. Come and sketch all day. Come to the meeting to share your work and stories. Come a meeting and get a button! All skill levels, all ages. It’s fun for everyone. You pay your entrance […]
10th Anniversary—The Great Minnesota State Fair Sketch Together
The dates have been posted, make your travel plans. Sketch Together organizer Marty Harris has the buttons ordered and we’ll be getting together on: Saturday, August 25 and Monday, August 27, 2018 The 10th Great Minnesota State Fair Sketch Together More details on meeting places and times closer to the event.
Making a Simple Brush Holder for Your Travel Brushes
This year at the Fair I wanted to use real brushes with water, not water brushes, when painting. Since I stand when I sketch it meant I had to have a way to put all my supplies and journal on one work surface. Dick and I made up a prototype “travel table” using plastic corrugated […]
The Great Minnesota State Fair Sketch Together Is Almost Here!
The name has changed slightly but don’t be confused, the best sketch out of the year still offers the same great fun—two sketch out days to choose from (attend them both if you can); four fun meetings to attend and meet other sketchers, and a whole world of live subjects to sketch and interesting buildings […]
How I’d Like To Paint All the Time
Left: 9 x 12 inch mixed media sketch of a rooster on 9 x 12 inch watercolor board (Canson). Sketch made with extra bold Uni Posca Pen (orange), then Sakura Pigma Fine Brush Pen (solid felt tip). Next painted with gouache, Montana Acrylic marker (background which was then painted over with darker blue gouache), white gouache, […]
Looking Back at Prepping for the Minnesota State Fair
Above: Warm up contour sketches of live finches in an aviary setting. I used a Tombow Calligraphy pen (hard tip) for the sketching and an extra bold (chisel tipped) Uni Posca paint pen for the purple background. I outlined the bird on the recto page with a Pentel Pocket Brush Pen after the purple was […]
Tests within Tests: And a Bunch of Fair Sketches Up on the Minnesota Public Radio Site
Above: 9 x 12 inch Canson Watercolor Board cut in half to 6 x 9 inches. Pentel Pocket Brush Pen and Daniel Smith Watercolors, with Montana Acrylic Marker for background. Sketched from video. The 2016 Minnesota State Fair is over and I've come away with a lot of sketches—yes mostly birds, but even that has […]