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Caleigh Bird Art

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Yasmine.jpg

Yasmine Portrait Drawing

April 18, 2018 in Pencil Portraits, YouTube Videos, Studio

HI friends! It's so lovely to be able to make art simply for the sake of capturing beauty, and sometimes I get so caught up in other things that I forget to make time to just enjoy the process for myself. 

I don't think I've done a portrait drawing in months just for fun so here's a super casual lil vid featuring my drawing of Yasmine set to some really fun French-style remix music by a lady who is generous enough to let YouTubers use her tunes for our vids, Dyalla Swain. 

Hope you enjoy watching as much as I enjoyed relaxing and drawing!

Is there anything you'd like me to discuss in an upcoming vid? Feel free to drop me a comment here or on the YouTube comments:)

::

originally published April 18, 2018

Tags: portrait drawings, pencil drawing, timelapse, speed demo, how to draw, youtube video
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painting dahlias in oil

Painting a Dahlia in Oil

April 11, 2018 in Oil Paintings, Studio, YouTube Tutorials

Aloha friends! I'm so glad to be back in the studio sharing another painting vid with you! I feel like it's been so long since I've made one of these since I just finished that whole fun series all about 'Putting on an Art Show on a Budget.'

I've been loving the addition of all these flowers to my latest paintings. So much fun to play with all that color!

Painting this dahlia in oil was a really fun and unusual challenge for me. It's important when depicting something as geometric as these petals to start out with a strong and accurate drawing. Once you have that down, enjoy the next steps in my video!

::

originally published April 11, 2018

Tags: painting flowers, oil painting technique, oil painting, youtube video, tutorial
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oil painting of a dahlia

Good Enough?

April 10, 2018 in Oil Paintings, Studio, Artist Diary

From the responses I get to my blog and videos I can tell that most of my supporters are ambitious, hard-working, and creative in their own right so I feel like many of you will be able to relate to a recent gnawing feeling I had when creating a painting that was not my best work. I struggled a little bit with an internal dialog when deciding whether or not to take the time to go back and correct my shortcomings.

Sometimes good enough is good enough, but often times it’s not.

When working on a repetitive or tedious part of a painting it can be tempting to just go through the motions until the paint is on the canvas (or linen in my case) and be done with that area as soon as you can. However, in the grand scheme of things I have learned that there really is no point to making art unless you are sincerely doing your very best and genuinely trying to use all of your skills to make the most remarkable work you possibly can.  

As much as I hate to admit it, art is not a necessity, at least not in the way food, water and shelter are, so if you have something creative yet extraneous to minimal survival that you wish to share with the world, I have learned that it is wise to push yourself to your limits and go all out in creating something truly incredible and unusual. A good rule of thumb is that audiences don’t remember ‘average’, they remember ‘mind-blowing.’  

Today I am happy to share with you friends a little demonstration of how I decided to take my own advice, even though it meant redoing something I had already spent a few hours on.

bad painting of a dahlia

Last week I painted this dahlia, the first one like it I have ever done, and I kind of knew that I didn’t start off with a strong enough drawing, which is honestly why it eventually turned into a weak painting. At first I thought I could just muddle through and maybe go back in with a few corrections, but after feeling dissatisfied every time I glanced this painting on my easel I just knew that this was not remarkable enough to be proud to show an audience. Good enough was not good enough for me. 

I decided to completely go over what I had done before and give myself a better ground surface and a much better drawing. I also took extra time and care while painting and I'm pretty thrilled how it turned out! It did take me a few hours to paint just one and I still have two more to go, but in the end all the time is worth creating something I can truly be proud of:)

good oil painting of a dahlia

::

originally published April 8, 2018

Tags: oil painting technique, painting flowers, art talk, art advice
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carbothello pencil review

Dick Blick Art Supply Haul + Big News!!

April 04, 2018 in Art Vlog, Inspiration, Product Reviews, Studio, YouTube Videos

Art supply haul from Dick Blick - hooray!! Is there anything more exciting than getting brand new art supplies?! Especially when they are a new medium or color that you've never worked with before?! I'll do a little show n tell, and even a demo of my new Carbothello pencils which I am psyched to use as an alternative to black in my live figure drawings. 

PLUS I just got accepted to be a Dick Blick affiliate, which means that I can now take you right to the supplies I use in my videos, and if you decide to purchase anything using my links then you are automatically supporting my channel - win win!!

Here's a nice close up of my fabulous alternatives-to-black Carbothello pencils:

 
carbothello pencil review colors
 

And if you're interested in purchasing any of these art supplies, here are all my fancy new links for each product:

Carbothello Pencils:

Bister
https://bit.ly/2pXPKeJ
Burnt Umber
https://bit.ly/2Iio6AD
Warm Grey #4
https://bit.ly/2H3PH98
Payne's Grey
https://bit.ly/2uDWdRx
Prussian Blue
https://bit.ly/2Gtoekf
Raw Umber
https://bit.ly/2pYbffp
Violet Deep
https://bit.ly/2uDqe49

Cerulean Blue Gouache
https://bit.ly/2IioFdJ

Mona Lisa Gold Leaf
https://bit.ly/2Jbqomp

Brushes:
Size 3/0
https://bit.ly/2uH4OTH
Size 0
https://bit.ly/2Jd1fI0
Size 2
https://bit.ly/2InF7tb

Canson Ingres Steel Grey 27lb. Paper
https://bit.ly/2pXy4A0

Yay! Happy Arting!

::

originally published April 4, 2018

Tags: dick blick, affiliate, carbothello, color pastel, charcoal, art supplies, art haul, figure drawing
2 Comments
pickin pic.jpg

Choosing a Great Reference Photo

April 01, 2018 in Acquire Art, Pencil Portraits, Tutorials

Howdy friends! Remember last week I shared the whole portrait commissioning/ drawing process video that I'd been working on for my custom portrait website? Well today I am sharing another piece of that easy commissioning process - 'Choosing a Great Reference Photo' - Yay!

The most important thing about having a custom piece of artwork created for a client is that the process should be super simple and really exciting for them so anything I can do to reach those goals is key!

So here's a little teaser of my fancy shmancy new step-by-step guide to choosing an excellent reference photo. Click the pic (or right here) to see all the details.

Keep reading....

I would love any feedback on my site improvements! Does this speak to you in a clear, understandable, and friendly way? Any spots where you need to call the grammar police? ;)

::

originally published April 1, 2018

 

Tags: custom portrait drawings, portrait drawings, pencil drawing, acquire art, buy art
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Custom Portrait Drawing Process

March 29, 2018 in Acquire Art, Pencil Portraits

Hi friends! I have been working super hard behind the scenes lately to polish up my custom portrait drawing website in order to make choosing a reference photo as well as commissioning a portrait as easy and uncomplicated as possible. 

It's important for me to learn how to be very clear so my clients get most of their questions answered right off the bat, instead of having to email back and forth to get the ball rolling. Don't get me wrong, I am always thrilled any time someone contacts me in reference to a portrait plus I actually prefer to help my clients choose the very best photo to use, but folks like to know exactly what to expect right off the bat. And who can blame them? I'm the same way so I don't like to make potential clients wait for an email response to have all the information they need when deciding to commission a piece from me. 

So enjoy this 2 minute video showing how fun and easy it is to get your very own custom portrait drawing - a gift that your recipient will love and admire for many years to come:)

::

originally published March 28, 2018

Tags: custom portrait drawings, portrait drawings, pencil drawing, acquire art, couple portraits
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Jake Bowen photographer

Mad Love to My Artist Cousin Jake

March 25, 2018 in Artist Features, Artist Diary, Inspiration

Ok friends, today I have to shout out to one of my closest family members who also happens to be a young artist overflowing with creativity, determination and potential. My Canadian cousin Jake Bowen is at his last year at the University of Guelph-Humber and he is KILLIN' IT already!!! 

I think I've shared with you friends that I was actually born in Toronto to a Canadian dad and an American mom (I know... so exotic;) ) who then relocated back to Charleston SC where they initially met, when I was three. Jake is my dad's sister's son, and he and my aunt Missy are the relatives I'm closest with on my dad's side. Side note: my dad passed away a few years ago so they make me feel very connected with him....

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Anyhoo, Jake was recently featured in a short film about his love and experimentation with photography, both digital and analog, as well as taking up painting. It is so exciting to watch a fresh artist just begin to take on the world - and he's already had some real successes! Not only was he hired by his university to be a sports photographer, but he has already had a very successful solo art show and is gaining recognition for his talent and abilities. 

View fullsize Screenshot (90).png
View fullsize Screenshot (93).png
View fullsize Screenshot (94).png
View fullsize Screenshot (95).png

Jake is going to do great things with his life!! You saw him here first folks:

And here are just a few of the multi media paintings Jake's been experimenting with too. I seriously cannot imagine what he will play with next! (click to enlarge)

Personalities (16 x 20 in) acrylic & pencil on art-board

mess (16 x 20 in) acrylic, ink & oil on canvas

When I trust you we can do it with the lights on (16 x 20 in) acrylic on canvas

tHA[n]K U GOLF! (16 x 20 in) acrylic, pencil, pen, pastel, and sharpie on canvas

::

originally published March 18, 2018

Tags: artist feature, artist life, inspirational artist, inspo, artist diary, art photography
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people enjoying an art show

Opening Night! :: Putting on an Art Show on a Budget

March 21, 2018 in Art Vlog, Artist Diary, My Art Shows, YouTube Videos, Museums + Galleries

Hoorayyyy!! The Big Night is here! Time for everything to come together and for the artist to kick back and enjoy folks enjoying all their hard work. Time to celebrate!!

I am so thrilled to share with you the conclusion of my four part video series 'Putting on an Art Show on an Budget' with my fabulous opening night vid!!! My opening was a huge success - lots of familiar faces and even more new faces - which is exactly what you want! If you'd like to see more pics from the night, check out this post from a few weeks ago. 

The opening was a fantastic whirlwind..... hooray!

....And if you'd really like to show this artist some love, please think about sharing my blog or YouTube channel with any other artists you may know. I have put on a number of art events through the years and I'd love to spread this knowledge around, plus it really motivates me to keep producing the very best videos I can when I know folks are learning and enjoying :)

::

originally published March 21, 2018

Tags: putting on an art show, art advice, art exhibit, art gallery, youtube video
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putting on an art show

Preparing for Your Art Opening :: Putting on an Art Show on a Budget

March 14, 2018 in My Art Shows, Tutorials, YouTube Tutorials, YouTube Videos, Museums + Galleries

Alrighty as the big day gets closer and closer there are a number of things that need to be done to prepare the gallery for opening night. Each space and exhibition is a new experience so you may do things a bit differently than I do in this vid, but I cover the major steps that should be done to prep pretty much any space. And don't forget, there are always some last minute hiccups to attend to, so make sure to give yourself some extra time. 

I'll walk you through fixing up the gallery, hanging your artwork, and all the necessary signage you'll need to create for your show. Yay!! Bursting with excitement for the big opening!!

Make sure to catch the other three vids in this series to slay that art show!

How to Create an Art Show Flyer

How to Frame Paintings Inexpensively

How to Host a Great Opening Night

3.14.2018

Tags: putting on an art show, art gallery, art exhibit, curating art show, youtube video
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how to frame paintings on a budget

How to Frame Your Paintings Inexpensively :: Putting on an Art Show on a Budget

March 08, 2018 in My Art Shows, Oil Paintings, Studio, Tutorials, YouTube Tutorials, YouTube Videos, Museums + Galleries

Aloha and Welcome to Part Two of my video series on 'Putting on an Art Show on a Budget'! Today I am showing you how easy and inexpensive it is to frame your paintings using slat boards found in the lumber department of your local home improvement store. 

Now for this video you will see me using my super kickass miter saw and electric sander. You don't have to use either of these to make frames; a steady hand with a hacksaw will work along with a lil extra elbow grease for sanding. However if you are interested in playing with power tools ('cause who isn't?!), I'm sure you can score some for less than you think. I bought my miter saw, blade included, on Craigslist for $75 and the sander from Ebay for $40, which to me are small investments considering you could easily spend $150 getting just one painting professionally framed.

As far as the other materials go, the slat boards are between $1.50 - $3 depending on length and the spackle, black paint, 2" paint brush, wood glue, tack nails, painters tape and fine grit sandpaper can be purchased for around $50. All in all (not including the power tools which I already owned) I spent about $110 to frame 12 paintings which is like HELL YEAH!!!! 

So tune in to see it all come together in the most delightful way (as Mary Poppins would say)!!

Materials:

Part One + Three:

  • Pliers

  • Hammer

  • Tack nails

  • Saw (hand or miter)

  • Sander (hand or electric) 80-120 grit

  • 220 grit sandpaper

  • 1/4" x 2" slat Boards

  • (spray) paint for
    inner Wall

  • Wood Glue

  • Paper Towels

  • Pencil

 

Part Two:

  • Scissors

  • Painter's Tape

  • Parchment Paper

Part Four:

  • Size 8-10 flat artist paintbrush

  • Damp sponge or towel

  • Sander/ Sandpaper 120 + 220 grit

  • Spackle

  • Spreader card

  • Paint

  • 2 inch paintbrush

A little sneak peek of my artwork hung up for the big night. More pics here

A little sneak peek of my artwork hung up for the big night. More pics here

Let me know how your framing went! I chose to use black paint for mine, but I recently saw another artist use this method without the spackle and using a wood stain instead. The possibilities are endless:) Tune in next week for my video about setting up and proper signage for your art show. Yaay!

::

originally published March 7, 2018

Tags: putting on an art show, acquire art, art gallery, art exhibit, curating art show, hanging artwork
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