Innholdsfortegnelse for October-November 2024/No. 159 i International Artist

Welcome to International Artist magazine’s October/November issue! This issue brings you a special art book directory of several highlights from our 75-book library, part of our new and enlarged IAP bookstore online. Alyssa Tidwell’s letter from the editor on the next page takes a careful look at the importance of art and artists’ books for inspiration and information. You can se the QR code on this page to see our complete library or turn to page 51 for our directory highlights. You are assured new experiences on your road to higher art education. Spoiler alert—you probably won’t be able to buy just one book! As a subscriber we are giving you $5 toward your book purchase. Please use code IA159 to save $5 on any book in our bookstore at…

FULL COLOR DIGITAL PRINT-OUTS Use the Official Entry Form over the page ONLINE Visit our website to upload digital files of the images you want to enter and pay for them using our secure server. www.internationalartist.com To upload your entries you need to prepare your image files to be at least 400 pixels at the shortest edge. Once you are in the Official Online Entry page simply select which challenge you wish to enter then follow the prompts and finally pay the entry fee via our secure server. There you can also see other entries received along with past winners of our competitions. HINTS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR ARTWORK • Set your camera to the highest quality available. • Shoot your paintings dead square on and fill the frame as much…

If you attended the Portrait Society’s The Art of the Portrait conference this past April, then you had the opportunity to see the Draper Grand Prize-winning painting King Hall in person. This portrait, by artist Jeffrey T. Larson, is truly magnificent, and I hope you will read more about his artwork and career in the feature article on him in this issue. Larson, like many artists today, studied art at an atelier rather than a university. Perhaps you’ve heard the term “atelier” thrown around by artists but never really understood what it is or how it differs from a college or any other art school. Traditionally, ateliers consisted of a master artist who would work with a small number of students to train them in the fine arts. They were the…

STAGE 1: Starting a new painting for me always starts with a photoshoot and editing photos in Photoshop to create the composition that I want. In this piece, the art nouveau background was inspired by the spiral-shaped metal face jewelry on the model. I work on aluminum composite panels from Artefex, unprimed, and then I prime them with gray gesso. Working on a cool midtone is a great way for me to establish values and tones within the skin. I like to do a drawing of the portrait on paper using General Pencils, and then I’ll scan and trace down the drawing on the panel. I put black PanPastel on the back of the paper to create tracing paper and draw down as much detail as I can from my…

SCOTTSDALE ARTISTS’ SCHOOL: How did the opportunity arise to teach at the Scottsdale Artists’ School? ANNA ROSE BAIN: A friend of mine recommended me to the executive director, who called me shortly afterward to invite me to teach at the school. I was honored by the invitation, as I’ve taken workshops at the school, which have been instrumental in my development as an artist. SAS: What do you look forward to most when teaching your workshop? AB: I love watching a transformation take place in my students from the first day to the last day of the workshop. It starts out with this nervous energy, which turns to terror, which eventually becomes a breakthrough, which then leads to confidence in the students’ developing skills. Students walk out of my workshops…

Reference Photo Illuminating the oranges from behind caused the semi-transparent pulp to glow. I used pieces of toothpicks to hold the orange segments in the desired positions. STAGE 1 TONING THE SURFACE I toned my 6-by-6" panel with a mixture of cadmium red and ultramarine blue, thinned with mineral spirits. Subduing the stark white makes it easier to achieve correct values of lights and darks. STAGE 2 DRAWING AND PLACEMENT I drew lines with a fine-edged brush, taking care with proportions and placement. Areas that will contain the most saturated colors I wiped clean, so the underpainting won’t muddy those colors when I add them. STAGE 3 ESTABLISHING THE EXTREME VALUES Early on, I establish my very darkest value and my very lightest value. This establishes a gauge to help…

Lexposure as an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. My painting professor, Li Hu, took me to the studio of master painter Daniel Gerhartz for an open studio painting session. It was a truly transformative moment. This experience would be the first time that I saw so many contemporary paintings that were primarily painted in a wet-into-wet technique. I remember the fire and excitement building in me after seeing the beauty that could be achieved by working with transitions and edges in this manner. Henceforth, I knew mastering the wet-into-wet technique would enable me to take my paintings to the next level. My journey started here as an undergraduate and proceeded for many years until now, where I am still experimenting with different ways to perfect it. The following…

In the nearly 20 years that I have Ibeen teaching watercolor, the biggest struggle for students has been working effectively with color. As artists, we look for ways to simulate light. The subject will be influenced by sunlight, clouds, reflected light or whatever is nearby. Too often students neglect the influence of the object’s environment, and that can lead to a painting that is devoid of emotion. The job of an artist is to tell a story or express an emotion. Using color to help tell that story will engage the viewer and create connections. If there is sunlight present, there will be areas of pure hue color that attract our attention and transform a painting from boring to exciting. We need to train our eyes to see this reflected…

Abeen drawn to the vibrant and diverse colors of nature. My preferred medium is colored and graphite pencils, which allow me to capture the intricate details and textures of my subjects. One of the challenges I set for myself is to create an image that feels alive, as if it could leap off the page. To achieve this, I focus on trying to capture the essence of the animal, rather than aiming for a photorealistic representation. Recently, I have been working more in graphite again, as I enjoy the challenge of only using one color to create depth and dimension in my artwork, trying to make my artwork appear three-dimensional and visually engaging. Graphite, with its wide tonal range, is an ideal medium to achieve this effect. By carefully employing…

As you observe on the top left, there’s my ego, totally bewildered, no idea where I’m traveling with my mind. Where to? This direction or that? And there you see the letters spelling “where,” tangled like my mind. But then we observe an adventurer’s boot, with a searching eye, all generously pouring from my inner mind. My adventure has direction and purpose. Finally with the last image, you see some sublimity entering my life. The story from beginning to end. Okay, certainly part of the beginning, but definitely not the end.…

The cornerstone of this magazine always has been—and always will be—education, instruction and the sharing of ideas. With every issue you hold in your hands, it’s my hope that you find something new, interesting and inspiring that you can then apply to your own art practice. After all, it’s through sharing our collective love of art that we all grow together. In this October/November issue, we’re presenting our inaugural Art Book Directory, detailing half a dozen fantastic art books by working artists. Turn to page 51 to get a closer look at these publications, including pricing, page counts, contact information and descriptions of what you’ll find inside. Speaking of sharing ideas, this issue includes a feature article by New York Citybased painter Ken Goshen, in which he discusses the concept…

ENTER OUR NEW ART COMPETITION CHALLENGE No. 145 Favorite Subjects See your work published in International Artist magazine and also receive a 4-page Editorial Feature in American Art Collector, the prestigious magazine read by collectors and galleries looking for new art work in the world’s biggest art market. Winners and Finalists in our competitions don’t just win awards to hang on their walls. The real value of entering and being one of the winners is that your work will not only be seen by hundreds of thousands of readers worldwide but also by leading galleries and collectors in America, the biggest art market of all. Our Grand Prize Winners receive a 2-page spread in International Artist magazine and a 4-page Editorial Feature in American Art Collector. Publicity at this level…

The winner of the Portrait Society’s 2024 Draper Grand Prize, Jeffrey T. Larson, was born in 1962 in Two Harbors, Minnesota, and grew up in the Twin Cities. He received his artistic training in the style of the Old Masters at the renowned Atelier Lack, a school rooted in the traditions and teaching methods dating back to impressionism and the French academies of the 19 th century. Following his formal four-year education, he furthered his studies through museum visits in the United States and abroad. In 2015, Larson founded the Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art, aiming to pass on his knowledge by offering a classical training program. This program is modeled after the traditional European Atelier system that thrived in the 19th-century Parisian art scene. I recently interviewed Larson…

An art book is a thing of beauty. Often as beautiful and meticulously crafted as the artwork contained within its pages, art books are masterpieces unto themselves. It’s precisely why you’ll frequently hear them referred to as “coffee table books”—the kinds of aesthetic items you intentionally leave out around the home to pick up and enjoy as you please. Yet, while these books are certainly judged by (the beauty of) their covers, it’s what’s on the inside that really counts. These publications are a unique chance to dive slowly and deeply into the minds and creativity of the artists. Some books detail the artist’s personal journey, highlighting the most important works over the course of their career. Take Jerry Jordan Together Always Our Spirit, written by International Artist Publishing’s own…

In Goethe’s color theory, he asserted that colors hold the power to shape our perception and emotional responses to life. Taking it a step further, one could argue that our emotions and moods influence the colors we choose to envelop ourselves in. My connection with colors has always been profound, but there’s an intriguing journey that brought me to my current fascination with red. For as long as I can recall, I had a disinterest in pink. It was a color I avoided in my clothing and surroundings, even in my childhood toys. However, a peculiar thing began happening in my paintings. Magenta started to emerge as a hidden dominant color. It became the versatile choice for me, seamlessly blending with other tones and enhancing the palette. Then, a change…

STAGE 1 APPLYING TINT AND SKETCHING THE FIGURE In the first stage I start by putting a tint on the 60-by-60-cm gessoed panel with a large brush. I do this by adding a mixture of ultramarine blue and transparent red oxide to the panel. It is thinned with Gamsol (note: the consistency is slightly thicker than water). After the application of the thinned paint, I lightly wipe off the panel with a paper towel, taking care not to wipe off too much of the tone. After about 30 minutes of drying I sketch the figure using a brush of the same mixture of the tone color but slightly thicker. STAGE 2 TWO-VALUE STATEMENT During the second stage I am creating a two-value statement. I use the background value for the…

Tbetween what we look at and what we see. If a dozen painters of equal skill are asked to paint the same subject, you would likely find an equal number of wildly different interpretations. Despite objective training and experience, we cannot help but interpret our visions of the world through the prism of our own unique memories, hopes, dreams, fears and aspirations. Human experience is our way into art and how we begin to find our own creative voice. I never wish to simply paint a faithful replica of a person, place or thing. Rather, I always try to interpret my personal experiences of those people, places and things—whether they exist in the real world, or as memories, or even constructs of imagination and pure invention. And in this way,…

Reference Photo STAGE 1 VALUE STUDY I start with a value study to understand shapes and associated values and to understand if there are any compositional problems. STAGE 2 CONTOUR DRAWING OF LARGE SHAPES Masking fluid is applied to save the lights of the small yellow trees and the sparkle on the water. An underpainting is applied wet into wet, letting edges merge. I then use light values to establish large color areas. STAGE 3 BLOCKING IN LARGE SHAPES I’m now blocking in the larger shapes to divide up the space, breaking up some of the primary shapes with smaller, darker shapes. STAGE 4 DARKS AT TREE BASES Here I am establishing dark connected shapes at the bases of the trees. The darks unite the trees into one shape. I’m…

STAGE 1 DRAWING I start by having a very loose outline of the image, as it is just a guide. I will often crop an image or reverse it, so it is not an exact copy of the reference photo. STAGE 2 THE EYES The first thing to be drawn is the eyes. These need to be fully completed before I will move onto outlining anything else. It sounds daft, but I always get a “that’s it” feeling when it’s time to stop working on them. STAGE 3 OUTLINING THE NOSE Next, I will very lightly outline the nose. As I work on cotton paper, it is hard to remove graphite clearly, so lightly does it. STAGE 4 STRENGTHENING THE TONES When I am happy, I will start to add…

Scan for larger reference image For artists, inspiration can strike anywhere at any time. In this section, we’ll present a different photo prompt in each issue for artists to use as inspiration for their next piece. Rather than a reference, this photo is meant to be interpretive. It’s a jumping off point—a means to spark creativity and get the imagination going. Capture the image exactly as you see it, or take elements of it to create something entirely new. Submissions can be fully completed artwork or rough sketches. Every approach is the right approach. In the following issue of International Artist, we’ll highlight several Editor’s favorites (including your Instagram username), along with the next photo prompt. Chosen submissions also receive a free six-month digital subscription to International Artist. Happy painting/drawing/sketching!…

Andrew McDermott Vancouver, Canada, Wet Day on Dunbar, acrylic, 8 x 17" (20 x 43 cm) Grand Prize is a four-page editorial feature in American Art Collector magazine Shiny Streets “I have spent many years painting, and I have always believed in following your gut and inner voice,” says acrylic and oil painter Andrew McDermott. The artist, who hails from Canada, captures scenes of everyday life in the city—as well as a range of nature and marine scenes—all in a distinct painterly style. “Artist influences are good, but don’t try to look too hard at one artist’s methods. Find your way… spend time experimenting and messing around, and don’t be afraid to take chances,” says McDermott. Inspiration for the artist comes from his observations walking through cities, exploring rural landscapes and…

INSPIRATION The inspiration for my painting, 800-pound Gorilla, stems from my personal experiences attending primary school in Haiti. During that time, the teachers enforced a strict ban on speaking our native language, Creole. They used symbolic punishments like making us wear objects such as a gorilla or a paper donkey cap around our necks to shame and discourage us from using Creole. This experience impacted me, highlighting how language suppression can be a tool of cultural suppression and identity inferiority. Through my artwork, I aim to raise awareness about the consequences of linguistic imperialism and the resilience of native languages amidst such challenges. PROCESS In creating this work, I began with a sketch and a photo session with my sitter wearing the uniform in front of a chalkboard. Initially, I…

I have a passion for painting the glow I of backlit fruit. I love painting all subjects, but once I discovered the beautiful effects of backlighting on semitransparent subjects like citrus fruits, I knew I had found a lasting source of inspiration. Backlighting provides great drama and can be a unique departure from traditional frontal lighting. The vivid colors of glowing citrus flesh are a true joy to paint! I find inspiration for my paintings when I remember to keep my eyes open to the beauty that is all around us. Sometimes beauty can be easy to overlook, but it can be found even in something as mundane as a piece of fruit. After I choose my subject, my next consideration is the lighting. I try setting the subject at…

Whave always deeply inspired me, which is why they are the main focus of my work and hold a special place in my heart. My passion for capturing intricate details in nature (especially the unnoticed intricacies of fur and feathers) aligns perfectly with my love for wildlife. I spent many years as a colored pencil artist before transitioning to acrylic painting. While pencil was perfect for capturing detail, painting has opened up a new world for me, allowing me to capture the mood and ambience I envision, as well as embrace the vivid and bold colors that acrylic paint is well known for. My goal is always to capture the true spirit of an animal and evoke emotions that foster a deep connection with the subject. The gaze of an…

The contrast between fine rigger lines, crisp pen lines and loose rough brush marks add variation to a painting and make it interesting. A big part of my work is unity and interest generated by threading a variety of pen lines through the work. I have tried out just about every type of pen. Some are great and some, for various reasons, live in a drawer, never to be touched again. In this article we will examine the various types of pens and look at the pros and cons of each. Dip Pens The plain old dip pen has been around since the demise of the quill pen. It is extremely simple and easy to maintain. Provided the nib is kept clean and not dropped or bumped, it will last…

How can you create vibrancy and movement in a painting? This dramatic New Zealand landscape lends itself to an energetic, vibrantly colored approach. This demo is conducted in acrylics, but it’s fine for oils too. I’ll take you step by step through this whole process, and in just a couple of hours, you’ll have a beautiful beach painting. Use the QR code at the end of this article to access the full video lesson. STUDENT CRITIQUES 1 Elena Sokolova Seascape with rocks, acrylic with oil glazing on canvas, 15¾ x 19½" (40 x 50 cm) Strong work, Elena—you’ve expressed the big shapes well with bold strokes and a strong spotlight effect. Good to see you got a few sharp chinks of interest in the hill’s edge where it meets the…