September, 2009 Living The Artistic Life With Jamie Carter. Jamie Carter

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1 A Newsletter For Artists Who Want To Learn More Volume 1, Issue 1 September, 2009 Living The Artistic Life With Jamie Carter Welcome! And Hello Everybody! I am excited to bring you the first issue of Living the Artistic Life, a newsletter committed to interesting articles, fine art examples, and simple basic art lessons for your pleasure and enjoyment. Becoming an artist is a lifetime study, and an easy and convenient method is always the best way to learn anything new. You can pick up tips, enjoy learning in the comfort of your own home, and know that I will be guiding and directing you every step of the way. --Ask Jamie How much does it cost to buy art supplies? Decide which medium you want to work in, and buy a few good basic supplies in that area. For instance, if you are a beginner and you want to start with watercolor, spend your money on good quality paper. One or I have been a professional artist and teacher for over 35 years and have watched many students go on to become artists of every level and profession. But the greatest reward I receive is watching Art Students come ALIVE! I watch as they experience talent they did not know they had, see them gain confidence with techniques and artistic skills, and listen to their stories of amazement as they discover the beautiful world they never really saw until they became an ARTIST. I hope you will join us and commit to this incredible journey Try out the complimentary lessons, and jump on into a Creative Challenge. Come on and get on the road to discovering your talent And remember, You will never know until you try! Come and Live the Artistic Life with Me, Jamie Carter two large sheets of#140 lb. Arches Cold Press Paper is plenty at first. They can be torn into many small study sheets by folding and bending the paper until you can tear it to size. There are a lot of good synthetic brushes now and they are really affordable. Art Lessons For the Sunday Painter Your complimentary ART Lesson For The Sunday Painter is ready. See Page 3. Inside this issue: Welcome! 1 Ask Jamie 1 The Parsonage 2 Tools of the Trade 2 The Sunday Painter 3 Lessons From the Masters Where Can You Find Me? Stay away from camel hair brushes, and/or buying watercolor tube sets to many colors that you won t need for awhile. For a complete list and sources for your supplies, go to Tools of the Trade at What s Happening? 7 1

2 The Woodland Parsonage This little building is behind my house where it has been sitting for over 145 years. It was the first Methodist Parsonage in Red River County, Texas. I now use it for a studio, and have a deep emotional connection to it. I have painted it many times, and never get tired of it as a subject. Why do we paint what we paint? What dictates our desire to render some subject matter and by-pass other subjects? I asked an older and wiser artist that question many years ago and his answer framed the foundation for my artistic journey through a lifetime of painting. Jamie Carter Oil Painting What did he say to me that was that important? Was it some mysterious and philosophical quote? Nope! He simply said, with authority, "Always paint what you know. Don t try to paint anything that you haven t lived in or with You have to know your subject emotionally to express it artistically. Your artistic vision belongs to YOU. It can t be mandated by me or any other authority. My wise and older artist friend had just handed me the key to the door of my artistic journey. My vision was always clear to me from that moment on. I knew who I was and could move forward living an artistic life. Find your vision; learn the basics so you can explain it to others and paint what you love. I guarantee your viewers will understand and be in agreement because you will be communicating your VISION with them. I doubt they will walk away saying to themselves, What in the world was that? Tools Of The Trade The art supplies needed for the Drawing Lessons featured this Month are listed for you below. You can buy them at Sharpie Pens - Twin tip - Black - Ultrafine and Fine - Item # Strathmore Student Tracing Paper Pad - Item # x12 Aquabee Bee Paper Pen Sketchers Pad -8 1/2x11 Spiral bound -Item # When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. -Helen Keller 2

3 Volume 1, Issue 1 September, 2009 Page 3 Living The Artistic Life Newsletter has a special gift for you. Each newsletter will have a free art lesson just for you from my Art Lessons For The Sunday Painter series. This time the lesson is on the Element of Line Learning to SEE the Essential Element of LINE Line As The Starting Point A simple line explains forms, encloses subject matter, and indicates the overall size, spatial divisions, and contours within a picture plane. It is your first map of the painting. Using Lines to Describe Emotion Lines describe emotion by their very movement or size. A flowing thin line seems graceful and delicate, musical in attitude and presence think calligraphy. Or lines can be bold and dynamic! Line drawing is the first and most basic of all elements of design or painting and yet most beginners plan to skip this lesson. They are sure they have been drawing lines since they were children so they aren t needing a refresher lesson in line drawing maybe maybe not! But as a teacher I know that the best way to study or learn is to go back to the basic root of anything and simplify it. 3

4 Skillbuilder: Learning How to See the Essential Element of Line First You Simplify A Quick Draw Exercise When you get ready to learn to draw, you must first learn how to see line in order to duplicate what you want to draw. Simple lines make up the edges of your subject matter. Usually a simple line is all you need to draw before you get into detail and the other elements of design. [Think of a child s coloring book, how the subject matter on those pages are black outlines that you color. ] A Quick Draw Skillbuilder lesson is the easiest way to get you going. It has been very successful for students no matter what age or skill level. It will get you familiar with your subject matter by simplification, and you will learn how to eliminate details that are just not necessary. Get Ready To Draw Grab an old magazine a permanent black fine line marker some drawing paper and a couple of sheets of tracing paper. Find a few photos in the magazine that appeal to you. Then, using your marker, draw around the elements that seem important to you [in the picture.] This will be the lines that define the subject matter and/or one area of the picture from another [for instance, a sky area from a tree line]. You have now simplified complex areas into a simple outline drawing. Look at the example below. 4

Now draw the lines [without tracing] on to a new sheet of paper. When you are finished you have a drawing that is ready to act as the painting plan.

5 Simplify Simplify Simplify. Lay a piece of tracing paper on top of the magazine page and re-draw your lines again on it. When you move the tracing paper off you will see a clean simple line drawing. That is the best way to learn to SEE the line. Now draw the lines [without tracing] on to a new sheet of paper. When you are finished you have a drawing that is ready to act as the painting plan. Look at a watercolor study I painted from using the line drawing. It was easy to do since my drawing was all worked out in advance. Don t be afraid of drawing. The Quick Draw technique is a good start up method for anyone who really wants to LIVE THE ARTISTIC LIFE. 5

Drawing with Rembrandt From his birth in 1606 to his death 63 years later, Rembrandt was internationally known an as artist uniquely capable of understanding and conveying humanity in all artistic

No other painter of his time combined so many skills and techniques, and his artwork continues to inspire every generation of artists and art lovers since.

In Saskia he saw the eternal image of beauty, and he thought that she encompassed the splendor and magnificence of the ideal woman.

6 Drawing with Rembrandt From his birth in 1606 to his death 63 years later, Rembrandt was internationally known an as artist uniquely capable of understanding and conveying humanity in all artistic forms. At a time when most artists only specialized in one genre, Rembrandt fused his skill into a multitude of subjects and mediums. No other painter of his time combined so many skills and techniques, and his artwork continues to inspire every generation of artists and art lovers since. Let s peek in on his mastery of drawing and the way that he planned for success. One of Rembrandt s favorite subjects to draw was his wife SASKIA. In Saskia he saw the eternal image of beauty, and he thought that she encompassed the splendor and magnificence of the ideal woman. His drawings and paintings of her were infused with this emotional and expressive vision of her [as a model], and He transformed her as a subject in many different pictorial ways. From a servant girl in the background to a central figure of Madonna, she became a living part in many of his epic masterpieces. Let s explore one of his sketches he drew of her, and examine His bold and contrasting use of lines with textures to create an intense but simple emotional reality. In this drawing of Saskia [ 1637] by Rembrandt, We find a full-face study of Saskia, in which she appears above another quick contour sketch. He then explored another pose, this time in profile but could not resist connecting the 3 separate exploratory sketches by using connecting lines, one image to another, as a means to join the separate images and turn them into one unified piece. He used lines fluidly and with singular flowing contours but changed the dynamics by crosshatching diagonals to stop your eye, and give weight and darkness to the shadowed areas. The direction of the diagonals within the crosshatched lines lead you toward the faces or areas he wanted you to see. {Focal points} See if you can copy this drawing or one of your own, and use lines to create shadow by crosshatching diagonals Draw a simple image then fill in the darks with line-work to create value and form. 6

7 A Ne wsl e tter For Ar ti sts Who Want To Le ar n M or e Learn To Draw and Paint If you live in the Northeast Texas area, you have a special invitation to join Jamie s Weekly Art Classes. Thursday Mornings - Oil - A demonstration class-mid level experience required-a paint along format-10:30-12:30 Thursday Afternoons - watercolor and mixed mediabeginners to advanced explore and paint individual projects and subject matter-some demos p.m. Friday Late Afternoon - Advanced oil and watercolor 5:30-7:30 p.m. Class Fee for All Classes is $60 /Month Flat Rate. Jamie@ArtLessonWithJamie.com What s Happening? Who is Jamie Carter? For a complete introduction to Jamie and her professional artwork visit her Web site at: You can also see her artwork at - jamiecartermainpage.htm Jamie is one of the finest artists in North Texas. Her work is fresh and is heads above anyone else in the area. Being an artist myself, I have taken classes from Jamie and she is a fine instructor. She has expert knowledge with various mediums : which is very unusual today. Not only is she a fine artist, but you can not find a person with such a caring personality, and a trustworthy work ethic. I would recommend her as an expert, and as a creative person. Dean Todd Professional Western and Indian Artist For The Armchair Traveler Great Web Sites For the Art Enthusiast Search for Art and Cultural Events In Texas The Texas Commission on the Arts Web site tells you about the happenings in the Texas art world. Find out what s happening art wise in the cities of the seven Texas regions. Get a list of all the upcoming events put on by different organizations Discover all the events of one type of performance, class or exhibit Plan your trip to events and attractions throughout Texas Art + Culture How Things Go Together Join artists, art enthusiasts and organizations explore, discover, create and connect across six artistic disciplines Design Arts Film Literature Music Performing Arts Visual Arts. From the Hammock Hands down, one of the best books that I recommend to all my art students is How to Become a Famous Artist and Still Paint Pictures by W. Joe Innis. This book is a timeless classic that will make you laugh plus you will learn what it means to be an artist and all the pimples and bumps that come with it. Mr. Innis is a successful international artist who offers a no-holds-barred approach to making it in the arts and selling your work. "This profound, funny book, full of hard truths and smart advice, is must reading for artists." Eric Maisel, A Life in the Arts 7

Watch Ron s video explaining his class and the supplies you ll need.

SUPPLY LIST Introduction to Oil Painting Instructor: Ron Hauser Watch Ron s video explaining his class and the supplies you ll need. Beginning Oil Painting This class is for beginning and intermediate