Quick Introduction of the Artist
Hi everyone, so this is my first blog for the website. Let me go ahead and introduce myself. My name is Kaitlynn Elette (E-let in pronunciation). I am an artist and author from Southeast Texas and the founder and executive director of Artists of Southeast Texas which is a 501 (c)3 non-profit that is focused on community revitalization of Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana through community involvement, charity work and art education.
It is my belief that anyone can be an artist. It does not matter how "skilled" or "educated" in the arts, as long as you are passionate about what you are doing. Many people believe that art has to be realism but it does not have to be like Michelangelo's artwork. Look at Pablo Picasso for example. Picasso definitely walked to the beat of his own drum. The power of Picasso’s creative mind, and the effects of his stylistic experimentation in Cubism shaped the artistic movements that followed him. Picasso is a pillar in the modern art world with a fascinating life full of inspiration including inspiring thousands who would come after him. All by just being himself.
All of this being said, on my Facebook page I was asked to talk about the process of my own personal art, so I figured I would use my pictures from "Belle Femme" to discuss the process.
The Process of "Belle Femme"
"Belle Femme" was a commission piece that I completed for a client in Houston, TX. It is an 11"x14" oil on canvas that came framed. Whenever I do a commission piece, my pieces always come framed unless the client asks me not to. I also provide them with a certificate of authentication.
I honestly cannot stand when a piece of art is presented and is not professionally prepared and ready to hang. If you ever submit a piece to a gallery, a show, or to a client that purchased it, the art should be ready to hang. Presentation is always key and you have to remember that how you present your artwork also represents you as an artist.
Whenever I start an oil painting, I always personally draw it out with charcoal first. Granted not every artist will do this. Some painting without ever hitting the canvas with a pencil and that is ok. For me personally, I prefer to draw it out, so that I can get everything in place and make sure that I like how it looks before I hit the paint to the canvas and end up with the subject not placed correctly. It is also recommended that you use a well coated canvas so that it is smoother.
After the sketch is finished, I use transparent oxide that has been thinned down with linseed oil, liquin, or other oil paint medium. By doing this, it thins the oil paint to get a nice glaze consistency while also helping with the drying process. WIthout adding one of these mediums, drying of the oil paints can take up to 5 days depending on the paints being used, (Even though the paints are usually dry by the end of the second day).
The transparent oxide process is used to keep your lines, and shadows that you have sketched in. After it dries, you take a papertowel and wipe off the charcoal or graphite(if that is what you used). You have to remove the charcoal or else it will bleed through your oil paints and make it look dirty.
After the transparent oxide process has been finished, the next step is starting the actual painting. I could tell you that I use certain brushes for certain things, and I do to a certain extent, however, I mostly go off of the shape, does it fit where I need it to go, and what does the bristles feel like. When I use oil paints, I want a good firm bristle, but soft at the same time. I want smooth strokes, not one that is rough from bristles.
The next step is deciding if you want to paint the background first or the subject. I have done both before. Many will tell you to always do the background first.... If you are doing a landscape with trees and lots of details then yes by all means do that first. However, I think that it is just a personal preference to an artist. Just remember that once you cover up lines with oil paints, you lose those lines and you will have to try to remember where they are again. So alot of times what I will do is I will "block" my painting. Blocking a piece of artwork is when you paint the base colors to the paintings. So for this painting, go ahead and put white for the sheets, the Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna for the head board. Add some simple highlights. All of this also helps you with your contrast for the skin.
I personally struggle sometimes with going to light when I do not have a background. Because I am comparing the contrast to the white background when the background will not stay white. I have also seen some artists that will do an all over Burnt Sienna wash to the background and paint over that. The wash helps with covering the white but also allows you to still see the lines that were drawn.
One of the other steps to this process is the skin tones. There are a lot of people that struggle with getting good skin tones. I have seen some color theories that say all skin tones start with Tap Green. However, I have never used that theory. Our skin is honestly like a calico cat. We have different patches of color all over us. When I attended the Kerrville Western Art Academy, I learned that the main colors you need for skin is Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Crimson, (they said Titanium White but I have used all kinds of whites), and most importantly yellow ochre. Now it was later on in my art experience that I learned about the color theory in shading. I will not go too much into this. However, there is no such thing as true Black in nature. There will always be some kind of undertone to it, whether a warmer Black or a cooler Black. When I am trying to get my shadows on skin, I will use Sap Green(Sometimes), Permanent Purple, Prussian Blue, or Pthalo Blue mixed with Burnt Umber. Please do not take me at this with out doing your own research and studies. This is just personally what has worked for me. However, every day I learn and there are so many artists with way more experience than me, that have guided me. I highly encourage everyone to do what works best for them and do their own research. Practice makes perfect.
The next step is to have a cup of coffee. Painting should be relaxing. Sometimes though you may get aggravated when the strokes do not go just the way that you want them to. So sit back, take a sip. You may have to get up and walk away. Work on something else, it is ok. Also, remember paintings do not happen quickly. Especially ones with lots of details. My art takes anywhere from 8 hours to 56 hours. It all depends on size and details. You will have layers that will need to dry or else the paints will become "muddy" from overblending. Take your time and come back to it if you need to. If you get angry with the painting, Put it up and walk away from it. If you continue to try to work with it when you are in a bad mood, you will have poor quality art.
Ok you finally made it! Yay! So now at this point, we get to start the process of adding detail. I try to focus at the poing on shadows and highlights. Also we talked about shadows earlier. At some point you may also use Payne's Gray. I used Payne's Gray for the shadow behind the lamp.
Whenever I do a painting I try to focus the majority of the detail on the main subject or subjects. In this painting the subject is the woman, so I started on the shading of her to draw attention to her and make her look like she is laying there. However, again, like we discussed earlier if you over work the paints, they will become muddy. So I will jump around on detail while I let one area dry. Notice detail has started on the bed, but also the lamp and the woman.
After you have started you are detail, now is the time to start nit-picking the painting. Really look at you picture and find all of the shadows, all of the wrinkles... anything that stands out to you. At this point, I had found the lines in the sheets to start making stand out. Otherwise it would just be solid white sheets, which they were not. Look for the little details that need to be corrected. In this picture, her hair still looks horrid, her feet ar not finished, and so much shading is still needed.
Once you have added all the details that you want to add, you are still not quite done. Don't forget, to sign your name where it is visible and frame that baby! Your art is finished when you are ready to be finished.
Leonardo Da Vinci stated, "Art is never finished, only abandoned." And there were never any truer words. You could paint on a piece forever and always find something else that needs to be changed.
Life is too serious as it is. So when you do your art do what you want to do. Do not worry about what everyone else thinks, or what they like. Focus on what you are passionate about, what you want to create, and what feeds your soul.
Galatians 6:9 KJV: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
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