3D Oil Painting Timelapse :: The Sun, the Moon, and the Heartbeat In Between

February 15, 2019 in Oil Paintings, YouTube Videos, Studio

Today I'm bringing you a 3D oil painting timelapse demo of my latest painting, 'The Sun, the Moon, and the Heartbeat In Between.' This has been one of my largest resin layer paintings to date at 12x15 inches and I have really enjoyed incorporating the found Luna Moth and the doily held with her elevated left hand into the third dimension.

You can see the artwork up close and even grab a signed print of this piece here:

Here are the other tutorials I mention:

Skin Tone Painting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfVn2X2NpN8&t=368s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVQIncWs6eY&t=217s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe1-bPUg6Qo

Improve Your Drawing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N2fZphjt1I&t=16s

Painting Dreadlocks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKUVLeCLmFw

Pouring Resin Layers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxmP_I9gEvM&t=415s

2.14.2109

Nude Hiking Photoshoot with Fellow Goddesses - NSFW

February 11, 2019

Well I can happily cross at least one thing off my bucket list - hiking in the buff! I’ve never felt so free or so perfectly natural in all my life.

Ascending such great heights with nothing but the wind and sun on my skin was so cathartic yet ethereal at the same time, and I can’t wait to do it again!

I’m so fortunate for fantastic sister artists that are thrilled to create our own realities together and push societal norms in the name of nature, comfort, and internal growth.

All of these photos are by Stephanie Stein (my super close friend who has been visiting me from Charleston) and you should definitely check out even more photos here as well as her body positive and poignant other works here: www.stephaniestein.net

2.11.2019

3 Essential Erasers

February 07, 2019 in Pencil Portraits, Product Reviews, YouTube Videos

These 3 erasers have become my absolute favorites for pencil drawing. If you need to lighten or totally eliminate your pencil marks, as well as being able to refine detail, then I've got the erasers for you.

If you'd like to add any erasers from the video to your own collection here are the links where you can find them (and any purchase helps support this channel - yay!):

Kneaded Eraser:

https://bit.ly/2WOwYWA

Vinyl Eraser:

https://bit.ly/2DfSDOM

https://bit.ly/2Sxdd6H

Mono Zero:

https://bit.ly/2DfU93e

Eraser Refill:

https://bit.ly/2SC64C0

2.7.2019

I Destroyed a Painting with Resin!

February 06, 2019 in Artist Diary, Oil Paintings, Studio

Oh me, oh my! This is the painting I accidentally destroyed with resin….

Basically I got greedy and poured too thick a layer and the heat from the chemical process burned the oil paint (even through 3 coats of varnish!) and dried horribly unevenly and full of bubbles. Too sad!!

Luckily it's a small painting so it won't take me too ridiculously long to repaint - oh yeah, I'm gonna - and I am able to replace the bees that are hovering over the flower shadows, which was a weird process in itself.

Initially I found both of the bees outside my bungalow, but I haven't found any more and I didn't want my finishing of the remade piece to be contingent on who-knows-when I'll find more bees so, like everything else one could possibly think of, I found dead bees for sale online. They are from beekeepers who find thousands of the lil guys thankfully expired of old age and for some reason there is enough of a market for the bodies that I'm getting three big ones shipped to me for about 17 bucks (in case you're wondering what the going rate for dead bees is these days )

If you'd like to see more about what went wrong with this pour and how to pour correctly here’s the link to this latest tutorial. Trust me, it’s not difficult to pour resin - you just have to be precise!

2.7.2019

How to Resin Layer within Artwork

January 31, 2019 in YouTube Tutorials, YouTube Videos, Tutorials, Oil Paintings

Using acrylic resin layers within your art can be a bit scary and daunting, but it is actually a very simple process. Today I have a step by step tutorial detailing the way I create my 3D paintings, including tips on how to make sure your resin pour is a success.

I've also included a painting I accidentally destroyed using resin which was so sad! But at least I can use it as a teaching tool to show you what NOT to do when layering your own paintings.

There are a number of good brands of resin out there, just make sure you purchase one that is artist grade and will dry crystal clear without turning yellow eventually. This is where I got the kind featured in this video.

As long as you follow the instructions closely you should have no problem creating incredible 3D works of art. Happy Pouring!

You Will Need:

paper towels

plastic mixing cup
stir stick
dust cover

acrylic resin
glue (for adding in objects)
level
heat gun
tweezers

…And a bit of patience!

Before pouring resin on any painting I highly recommend varnishing it. I did three coats with a day to dry in between. Then you also need to give each resin layer 24 hours to cure completely too. It’s not a fast process, but it is very rewarding. I tend to work on 4-5 paintings at once to help make it more worthwhile.

originally published January 31, 2019

Missing Figure Drawing

January 29, 2019 in Artist Diary, Figure Drawings

Finally got back to the figure drawing studio this week. Between the holidays, my modeling for various figure studios, and then being out of town for a few weeks it has been well over a month since I have drawn from a live model. I missed it so much!!

I just love being able to zone out with my thoughts and use my pastel pencil to languidly trace the beautiful curves of the subject in front of me. Thought I would share just a few with you today….

Would you like to own an original Birdie figure?

I just updated my Shop with lots of new figure drawings for only $28-48! Have a favorite you don’t see listed? Drop me a line and I’ll check my sketchbooks for it:)

originally published January 29, 2019

Salvador Dali Museum Tour

January 24, 2019 in Art Vlog, Artist Diary, Adventure, YouTube Videos, Inspiration, Museums + Galleries

I just got back from the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL and the collection is as mind-blowing as one could wish! As the world's preeminent surrealist painter it's a real treat to study Dali's works in person. I spent over 4 hours melting into his paintings while learning a lot about his life and the reoccurring symbols in his artwork which I'm so happy to share with you today.

I highly recommend you put this museum on your bucket list and in the mean time you can see and read about the whole collection here.

One of the most important things we can do as artists is to experience other artwork in person and since we can’t all be everywhere at once I’ll be creating more art tour videos to share with you in the future. Enjoy!

And here are the works I feature in the video for you to get a closer look. Click thumbnails to enlarge!

And the photos of Dali and his wife/muse Gala:

originally published January 24, 2019

Portrait Drawing Timelapse :: Keliko + Kokua

January 17, 2019 in Pencil Portraits, YouTube Videos

Portrait drawing speed demo timelapse of a really sweet couple I know here on O'ahu. Thought I would keep today's video nice and mellow, but if you're curious about how the commissioning process works for getting a custom portrait drawn check this vid out:

https://youtu.be/onkQYDcE8J8

And here are the materials I use to draw these portraits:

https://youtu.be/qtUzPQKiXRk

originally published January 17, 2019

'Pinch Me' Oil Painting Demo + Tips

January 10, 2019 in Oil Paintings, YouTube Videos, Studio

Another 3D oil painting coming atcha! Creating 'Pinch Me' was so much fun! Watching each layer rise with the addition of the bulbs gave this hand painting such a dreamlike and multi- dimensional feel, not to mention the initial sunlight dappling on the form.

Painting unusual shadow shapes can definitely play with your eyes and mind a little bit, but trusting your initial drawing and your source image will help you stay on track when attempting such an odd task :)

Hope you learn a lot from the accompanying tips + techniques! Here are the other videos I mention:

Painting Caucasian Skin Tone:

https://youtu.be/XfVn2X2NpN8

Painting Melanin Rich Skin Tones:

https://youtu.be/rVQIncWs6eY

Making Painting Panels:

https://youtu.be/0XozulwC3fM

Making Shallow Shadowbox Frames (perfect for resin pouring!)

https://youtu.be/XJcIFE__tlU

originally published January 10, 2019

How to Create Greeting Cards from Your Artwork

January 03, 2019 in Tutorials, YouTube Tutorials, YouTube Videos, Inspiration

Creating a line of greeting cards to sell out of a series of drawings or paintings is a great way that many artists make passive income, which can be key to a thriving career as an artist.

Today I'm first going to discuss a little bit about I chose to make these Happy Hawai'i greeting cards (since they are quite different than the paintings I usually create!) in hopes of inspiring you to look around for opportunities to offer something reproducible within your own art business. Next I'll share my step-by-step approach to digitizing and formatting both the greeting cards as well as the logo'd insert and sourcing packaging. Then keep an eye on this channel (subscribe!) because I've got a video in the works about how to approach shops to carry your cards! Yay!

As artists we love to make things with our own hands. However if everything we make money on is original and made by hand then there is a limit to how many pieces we can sell. Conversely, if we find ways to sell art reproductions or products (or even better, find ways to have other people/businesses sell our products for us!) then the potential for income is as infinite as the popularity of the item.