Confessions of a Color Addict

Color Mixing

2009-04-16T15:50:00.002-04:00

I used to purely mix color based on what my eye saw. Maybe I should preface that comment with the additional fact that I tend to see saturated or high key color all the time. So I was mixing color all the time with a heightened key, based on it's root hue (like lemon yellow or cadmium yellow), focusing on the value of the color and it's relationship with the values of the colors laid down around it.

It hasn't been until recently that I've realized how much more powerful my paintings can be if I instead focus primarily on the color temperature and less so on matching what the base or root hue is. I'm enjoying this diversion and all it is teaching me.

Winter Lingers

2009-04-09T17:41:00.005-04:00

Above is a journal page from my sketchbook. Titled "Winter Lingers," the theme for this year's spring break, heralded by 7" of newly fallen snow on Monday.

First I painted the spread in a graduated wash of blue, meant to represent the 24 hour heavy snowfall we had. Then I used my own lino-cut for the lower grasses - a series of flower and leaf designs carved into a Staedtler eraser. The snowflakes came from a purchased stamp, and the sequin embellishments were from my daughter's stash.

I had a great time painting alongside my daughter, and talking about images of spring. I'm discovering journalling allows me the opportunity to work side-by-side with a variety of people in a relaxed environment.

I'll be leading several classes on Creative Journalling this summer. You can see the schedule on my website.

I am also enjoying creating my own little linoleum stamps, despite the serious chunk of thumb sacrificed during the carving of my first design. Pushing to expand my creative comfort zone is always a great way to keep the blood flowing - quite literally!!

Thanks for looking at my art,

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Thank you!!

2009-03-09T14:40:00.007-04:00

Painting a Dog a Day has been honored recently with several different awards, and I'd like to thank those who so kindly thought of me. It is always a treat to hear that my artwork and ramblings connect with others, and despite the length of time it takes me to respond to such awards, they are very much appreciated.

In keeping with the intent of the awards, I am to list things for which I am grateful, and in turn, forward the prizes onwards. Here goes.

My gratitude list:

1. The song of my children's laughter.

2. My husband's smile, which has the power to brighten the darkest of days.

3. The swell of a great crescendo - it can drown out everything, taking over my mind and directing my energy.

4. Sublime brushwork - it is humbling and oh-so perfect.

5. Walking the dog, as his delight in the world is highly contagious.

6. There is nothing like burying myself in a good read to escape the stress and demands of the real world.

7. Finally, a stolen afternoon with the company of a dear friend.

Arte Y Pico (rough translation: wow, the best art, over the top!!) Recipients:

WARNING - be prepared to be blown away!!

1. Art with a Bark, the blog of the Canine Art Guild, www.canine-art.blogspot.com

2. Elin Pendleton's blog and mini-art lessons, www.elinpendleton.blogspot.com

3. Karen Appleton's gift paintings, www.karenappleton.blogspot.com

4. Sheona Hamilton's Black on Grey on White, www.sheonas.blogspot.com

5. Kathi Peter's Cob Cottage Studio, www.cobcottage.blogspot.com

Love Your Art Recipients:

1. Vianna Szabo, www.viannaszabo.com

2. Sharon Will, www.sharonwill.com

3. Lauren Everett Finn, www.laureneverettfinn.com/paintings.html

4. Carol Marine, www.carolmarine.blogspot.com

5. Karin Jurick, www.karinjurick.blogspot.com

6. The Equine Art Guild, www.horse-art.blogspot.com

7. Aaron Lefferth, www.aaronlifferth.com

I know that the above recipients will, in due time, forward their awards on, and further expand our realm of inspiring artwork. Thank you again to those who honored my work,

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Going With the Flow (of Energy, that is!)

2009-02-20T11:50:00.002-05:00

The last couple weeks have been challenging ones for me. My mantra this year is "Focus," and I've been repeating that word over and over more so in the last few weeks than in all of January.

The biggest "focus" was with my oldest, who is scheduling his courses for his first year of high school. There was a LOT of information to process and big decisions for him to make. What career path was he choosing? Should he take honors courses? Which other required classes could he test out of because of passing middle school honors courses? Was he planning on playing college sports, because if so, graduation requirements are stricter, so we'de better take that into consideration as well. And schedule auditions for the cadet band and don't forget to pick up the sheet music for band boosters scholarship auditions, too, while you're at it.

All this happened within the blur of a couple days, amidst parent teacher conferences for the younger two, a neice's birthday party, delivering work for one show, shipping paintings off to another exhibition, attending an opening and several guild/committee meetings, and a few other family obligations.

And of course the kids were also out of school, which means a merry-go-round of friends and neighbors for 5 days straight.

But the one thing I have learned through my "focus"ing is that I have the most creative energy first thing in the morning. If I tap into that I end up being far more productive.

I'm putting that rule to test in the coming week, which should be a little calmer pace-wise. I'm planning on getting to the easel right after walking the dog each morning, THEN moving onto paper- and computer work.

I'd be interested in hearing how other's channel their energy into making days more enjoyable. Feel free to comment!!

Thanks, as always, for following along with my musings,

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Progression

2009-02-06T08:31:00.004-05:00

I have been thinking lately about the natural progression of an artists' style, and specifically how mine has evolved.

In my earlier years I copied other artists work (Richard Stone Reeves, Sam Savitt, Wesley Dennis, and horse racing photographers in Sports Illustrated, to name a few), striving for a photo-representational final piece. I worked in charcoal, pen and ink, watercolor, colored pencil, pastel, acrylic paint and oils, trying to master the hand-eye bit. Success was measured by how close my finished piece got to representing the real thing.

In college I was encouraged to step away from representation and explore the possibilities of color, form and line purely on their own. I lost myself in the joy of laying down shapes and building up texture free from any notions of perspective or actuality. Any surface fell victim to my tools - fingers, scraps of canvas, palette knives, spatulas, vermiculite, and even a garlic press - all called to duty in building my paintings. Success was measured by the balance of pattern and strength of composition, as well as a certain experimentation with the paint and other elements.

Post graduate work had me building installations. I began creating physical spaces asking the viewer to examine their thoughts on ideas like memory, home, and a woman's role. Of course, while I was making this art, I was considering my own life journey, getting married, creating a home of my own half way across the country, and having children. Success was now measured by my internal processing - what questions did I need to ask that would help lead me to my own happily ever after?

And then I stepped away from art-making for a bit.

Now, more than a decade later, I'm back painting. I've been painting subject matter that I love (animals) and doing it pretty much on my own (although I have been taking the occasional class, I'm not completely immersed in any sort of program). Most recently I realized that I've developed my own style, one that blends lessons I've taken in from the earlier phases of my life.

My work is rooted in representation, yet there is a passion for color and gesture that comes from my love for abstraction and art-for-arts-sake (or "just because" sorts of art). And my best pieces also are able to convey an emotion, hint at that relationship, between the viewer and the subject of the painting.

All this sort of smacked me when I got Duane Keiser's latest oddments paintings delivered to my inbox yesterday (www.athousandsmallpaintings.blogspot.com , #57 and #58). He painted some conversation hearts, which you may recall I tried my hand at last month. His hearts look just like what I envisioned mine should have been. Yet at the time I painted mine, I was pleased with my effort, even though I knew they had fallen short of what I wanted them to be.

You see, still lifes are all very new to me, and consequently I feel as though I'm back at the beginning, trying to paint things tightly and very representationally. Yet what I really strive to do is paint them with freedom that comes from total comfort with my subject, my tools, and my talents.

When I shared Duane Keiser's conversation hearts with a friend (Tami Oyler - you must take a peek at her work - www.lookofeagles.com), her response was "Art is when I draw Point A and Point B, and you dance in the spaces in-between."

I love that concept. It sums up where I want to be. And where I'm already en route to. Dancing.

Thanks, Tami!

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.turtledovedesigns.com

Random Thoughts

2009-01-28T16:11:00.002-05:00

I'm trying here, but it's not always easy to collect my thoughts coherently and get them over to the blog.

What have I been thinking of late?

That the sun last week in Mexico was wonderful, but pales to the glittery ice atop freshly fallen snow. Although the snow gets grimy and dull very fast.

That I need to do something about my Feedblitz feeds before Feedblitz goes "poof" at the end of next month.

That I'm thoroughly enjoying painting the candies. Valentine's Day was an easy excuse, but I really should expend some energy and figure out how to market these paintings.

That I need to clone myself. As I catch up on some tasks, I fall way behind on others. The idea of a virtual assistant is terribly tempting, but a little out of my financial league.

And speaking of finances, I really should start on the studio's 2008 tax preps. And pay 2008's sales tax. Hmmm...

I remain in love with the idea of an annual word. "Focus" has worked extraordinarily well for me. Especially when I get distracted from other things by housework - "focus, Kim, focus!!"

That I am so very grateful to be able to work from home, be here for my family, and follow my dream. What did I do to deserve this?

And finally, I'm thinking I should go start a big pot of soup for dinner. Pasta Fajoli anyone??

Thanks!!

I'll try to check in again next week,

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.turtledovedesigns.com

2009 - The Year of Focus

2009-01-01T10:33:00.003-05:00

There's been all sorts of talk among my friends about choosing a one word theme for 2009, as opposed to setting resolutions and specific goals. This was an idea that I believe should be credited to Christine Kane, but one that carries much merit.

For instance, it's way easier for me to remember a one-word mantra than to visualize a page of scribbled thoughts.

Hence my Year of Focus.

"Shut up and Paint," which has been written overtop the studio door for a couple years, will get masked out, and "FOCUS" will be written fancifully on the wall.

I could FOCUS and do that today, but instead will FOCUS on the boys and figure out how they can access email through their new handhelds while still preserving our parental controls/screening. Then I will FOCUS on balancing my checkbook, which I have neglected for a little too long. And then I will FOCUS on making a killer breakfast-for-dinner feast for the family, our New Year's Day tradition.

Next week I'll be able to FOCUS on studio work. But for now, the FOCUS is on family.

Happy New Year!!

Kim

PS If you have a minute, you might want to FOCUS your eyes on my new Etsy store, one that has over 80 paintings for sale!! http://ksantini.etsy.com will get you there. Keying in "DOGADAY" during checkout will get you 20% off any paintings on canvasboard.

2008-11-11T11:47:00.002-05:00

What on earth was I thinking? My father would answer "you weren't."

It is, after all, my busiest time of the year in the studio. Starting October 1st, I am double, even triple booked, with daily commissioned portraits through December 15th. I work late nights and weekends to meet the holiday rush, mostly because I cannot bear the thought of someone wanting to give a pet portrait and not being able to.

I was completely booked for this year's holiday season last January, yet I still slid in a handful of portraits for repeat clients. There were also a couple stories that tore at my heartstrings, so I made room for them too.

Just with the painting alone, I'd be terribly busy.

Then I go and publish a book on top of this schedule! Yeah, the timing makes sense because of the holidays, and the book will be a great gift. But the paperwork and coordinating necessary in order to calculate how many copies to include in the first run, how much shipping materials I will need for that first mass-shipment, not even mentioning the editing and proofreading and proofreading and proofreading.

Did I say there was some proofreading involved too?

I'm trying more so than in years past to get out of the studio and have some downtime. I've been reading quite a bit (and co-leading my 5th grade son's Battle of the Books team with a good friend), and also started a new knitting project (challenging for me, but ridiculously simple for the rest of the world). And I FINALLY chose a paint trim color for our bedroom after 6 years (it's got some dorky name, but essentially is the color of carmelized pumpkin pie).

Today is mostly paperwork and coordination related to the book. I am looking forward to painting for a few hours this afternoon, though. Painting still is the brightest point of my work days. The next brightest is delivering the works - I love the variety of client reactions.

Guess I'll be getting lots of both in the coming month!! :)
Thanks for following along,
Kim
ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com
www.turtledovedesigns.com

Good Reading Material

2008-10-28T19:03:00.002-04:00

I've been trying to catch up on the stack of magazines in the studio corner. I don't subscribe to that many - Art Calendar, the Artists' Magazine, and American Art Collector - but when time is at a minimum, reading is the first thing that goes. And I've got a small mountain of issues stretching back to the summer months.

I'm newly enamored of Jeremy Lipking and Casey Baugh - Google their names - you will see extraordinary paintings. While I don't necessarily connect with their subject matter, there is no denying their mastertise (is that a word?). Their understanding of light, their manipulation of it as though it is a vase or ghourd or something solid, is extraordinary. And their use of edges - soft, hard, and lost - blows me away.

Ultimately, the one lesson that I walk away with when studying the work of these two is sweat equity. Both artists committed to their vision and worked towards it, despite the odds. That could have meant working two dead-end jobs and painting after hours, or relying on a spouse to hold the family together, or moving 1/2 way across the country to study/paint alongside a mentor. Whatever it meant, they did it, while staying true to that inner voice.

I have a wealth of respect for that.

Thanks for following along,
Kim
ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

PS The other thing they both had in common: Richard Schmid. Both (and others) have said that his book "Alla Prima" contains everything they ever needed to learn about painting. It's worth a peek or two - my copy is dogeared. Not that this makes me a better painter, just a disciple. Go to www.righardschmid.com to get your own copy. I recommend his dvds too - they are brilliant!

2008-10-16T12:58:00.002-04:00

It's been many moons in the making, but the presses are rolling. I'm thrilled to announce that Painting a Dog a Day - The First Year is available in book form!!

The book includes 100 generously sized 8" x 10" pages of full-color images, including my favorite pieces and stories, along with an essay highlighting the first 15 months of paintings (October 2006-December 2007). I've interjected bits of hindsight and random thoughts about art-making alongside the images.

It's a beautiful publication, one that Dog-a-Day collectors and animal lovers alike will enjoy perusing.

The book is available in both softcover and hardbound editions, and will ship out December 1st via priority mail, in plenty of time for the holidays. It will make a great gift - so check your list twice, and then place an order.

The softcover edition is $39.95; Hardcover (with dust jacket) is $54.95. Shipping and handling will be an additional 4.95 - and I'll gladly combine shipping on multiple volumes. Just ask for a quote.

To order, send an email to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com with the subject line "BOOK". You may also simply send a paypal payment (ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com) for the total amount due, or mail a check directly to the studio (346 N Anderson, Lake Orion, MI 48362). Please include Michigan sales tax if shipping to a Michigan address.

If you pre-order your copy before November 1st, I'll have plenty of time to personalize an inscription and can guarantee holiday delivery.

Thanks, as always, for your time in looking at, and sharing, my paintings (and now my book!) with your friends and family.
Kim
ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com
www.paintingadogaday.com

Read This!!

2008-10-11T11:30:00.004-04:00

From January 2007, "Watch Eye," 6" x 8", acrylic on canvasboard, portrait of a gray horse, $279 exquisitely framed. I do not understand why this painting has not yet sold - it is one of my favorites, and has been widely exhibited this past year and a half. Guess he's waiting for the right home. Is it yours? Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com.

Sit down, because I've got some great news.

The Painting a Dog a Day book is ready!! It's finally ready!!

It's been many moons in the making, but the presses are rolling. I am so excited to get these into your hands!

The book includes 100 generously sized 8" x 10" pages of full-color images, including my favorite pieces and stories (like "Watch Eye," above), along with an essay highlighting the first 15 months of paintings. I've also interjected bits of hindsight and random thoughts about art-making. It's a beautiful publication, one that Dog-a-Day collectors and animal lovers alike will enjoy perusing.

The book is available in both softcover and hardbound editions, and will ship out December 1st via priority mail, in plenty of time for the holidays. It will make a great gift - so check your list twice, and then place an order.

The softcover edition is $39.95; Hardcover (with dust jacket) is $54.95. Shipping and handling will be an additional 4.95 - and I'll gladly combine shipping on multiple volumes. Just ask for a quote.

To order, send an email to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com with the subject line "BOOK". You may also simply send a paypal payment (ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com) for the total amount due, or mail a check directly to the studio (346 N Anderson, Lake Orion, MI 48362). Please include Michigan sales tax if shipping to a Michigan address.

If you pre-order your copy before November 1st, I'll have plenty of time to personalize an inscription. VERY IMPORTANT: A pre-order guarantees holiday delivery.

Questions may always come to me at ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Thanks, as always, for your time in looking at, and sharing, my paintings (and now my book!) with your friends and family.
Kim

Welcome to the Mac World!!

2008-09-21T11:06:00.004-04:00

After years of wishing for a Mac, I finally bit the bullet and bought one yesterday. Let me tell you, life is good right now.

Yes, there is always stress and confusion when one gets a new computer, transferring data over, re-building favorite links and various other settings, and that becomes even more complicated when shifting operating systems. But I simply don't care - I am so happy with this new machine, that I will jump through hoops backwards and upside down.

It's a Sunday morning, I've got a heap of paperwork on my desk to get through, but I have the rolls royce of computers to help me out.

Like I said, life is good. Very good.

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

www.turtledovedesigns.com

2008-09-09T23:08:00.002-04:00

Holy smokes, but am I behind here. I'll give you a glimpse of what today has been like, and it's just a sampling of the prior 6 weeks I've gone without posting here.

First thing this morning I dueled with the CD drive on my laptop, which suddenly decided it didn't want to burn the images I needed for my 10am meeting. Debated tossing the laptop through my front window, but decided that would create too much additional work. Brought the damned beast with me to the meeting, and transferred the images to a flash drive.

Discovered the basement had flooded during the prior evening's/early morning rains. Emptied the entire contents of the towel closet onto the basement floor, and left a voice mail message for my husband.

Spent the latter half of the morning with a great crew at the Sterling Heights (Michigan) City Hall, accepting their honor of Artist of the Month. (I should add that my early morning also included an atypical combing of the hair and painting of the face, in preparation for the camera.) Filmed a little chat about the story behind my art, and spent a nice chunk of time with two charming and enthusiastic reporters (thank you Cortney and Deanna).

Visited a brand new Salvation Army that was on my commute home. Scored several items that will star in still life paintings of their own, along with the bargain of the day, a vintage wool peacoat for $16!

Checked in with a local electronics store to research the feasibility of tossing the (Windows) laptop through my front window and purchasing a Mac. Highly feasible.

Raced home to prep for a painting demo and presentation this evening. Drafted an outline, chose my reference materials, packed up a mini-retrospective of works, and whipped through a quick demo in the studio.

Participated in a teleconference on marketing and promotions. Discovered I really had no clue about how to "sell" my work to the rest of the world, but walked away with some concrete ideas on how to bridge that gap.

Welcomed children coming home from school. Reviewed backpack materials, shoved snacks down their throats, rushed them through a wardrobe change, and shuttled them off to soccer practices.

Threw dinner together, set the oven timer, loaded the car, and headed off to the demo, trying not to pull over and vomit along the way (due to nerves, not the flu!).

(Quite unexpectedly) sailed through my presentation, created a lovely demo painting while sounding articulate, and literally basked in the positive after-comments. Made it home safely, despite walking on clouds (in the dark), to find everyone in bed (and -BONUS - smelling clean!).

Tossed the final load of wet towels into the washer (bless you, Rick, for mopping up the basement and starting the laundry and packing lunches), warmed up some dinner, poured a glass of wine in this silent house, pulled in emails, and checked my to-do list. It included a long overdue entry on updating my studio blog.

Which leads me to here. The dregs of a glass of wine, and a good book calling my name.

Goodnight!

The Barbie Series

2008-07-31T12:29:00.004-04:00

FROM TOP: "Bad Hair Day (Barbie)," 12" square, acrylic on gallery stretched linen; "I've Lost My Head (Barbie)," 8" x 10", acrylic on gallery stretched linen. Both available for purchase; inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .

Friends convinced me to enter some of my toy paintings in an exhibition at a local university. Originally I was going to paint finger puppets, but an afternoon spent sorting through my daughter's closet pushed me into an entirely new direction - Barbies.

These two new paintings are very much part of the "Tags, Toys and Treasures" group. But they have a presence that is oddly unlike the objects I've painted for "Tags, Toys and Treasures," and therefore will become their own entity/series.

Barbie is such a cultural icon that every viewer brings their own bag of memories and feelings to the paintings.

I'm laughing as I play with the dolls in my studio. It's a second childhood, working on these toy paintings, that's for certain! (Having 4 brothers, I didn't play much with Barbies. My oldest brother ripped their heads off to jam firecrackers down their necks. That sort of behavior wouldn't be tolerated these days, but it was pretty common place when I was a kid. We lived dangerously then, riding bikes without helmets and all. Ah, but I digress).

So anyways, here are the two pieces I'll be sending to the show. We'll see how they are received, and what sorts of other compositions I can build from Annie's stash of dolls.

Thanks for your time,

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/

Frustrations

2008-07-28T12:26:00.003-04:00

I set out yesterday with high aspirations. I was going to paint outdoors, all day, and complete at least one little jewel in oil paints.

The stars just weren't aligned, though.

I did paint outdoors for most of the day. The light was beautiful and the birds were serenading me. I set up near a building that had intricate cast shadows of foliage.

But it just didn't happen. I don't know if the light changed too quickly, or if I just wasn't in the groove. I couldn't see what it was I was supposed to be painting. My palette had all the right colors, but I couldn't get the shapes down, and the edges eluded me.

I wiped out three panels before packing up and heading home. It was far more enjoyable to join up with Rick and the kids lakeside for the remainder of the day.

I'll have another go at plein air work later this week. Hopefully I'll have better luck this time around!

Kim
ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com
www.turtledovedesigns.com

Cranbrook House, Plein Air & Oils Part II

2008-07-17T22:11:00.003-04:00

"Cranbrook House," 11" x 14", oil on panel. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .

I had every intention of returning to Cranbrook Gardens after my class ended, but so far it hasn't happened. I haven't given up on this idea, but rather, am starting to realize how difficult it is in the midst of summer vacation, when I WANT to have 6+ hours to work on site with an idea.

I wanted to try this composition again multiple times, in the morning, mid-afternoon, and evening. Study how the light's angle changes the color and substance. It'll happen, just not this week.

Anyway, this is my second oil painting from my June plein air class. Unlike the last post, which was done from thumbnail sketches and memory, this one was done in the flesh.

I was drawn to the mullioned panes, and the way they reflected the sky and trees. The tiled roof did the same thing - flashes of pink in the highlights, and dashes of softer violets in the shadows.

I ran out of time to get that level of detail into this painting. But I had a great time finessing my drawing, working those edges, and laying the paint down. I think oils and I will be getting along fine in no time at all.

Thanks, as always, foor looking.

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

Plein Air and Oil Paints

2008-07-09T13:51:00.004-04:00

"Twins," 8" x 10", oil painting on panel, inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .

It's been a while since I last posted to this blog. Guess I have been REALLY immersed in the daily paintings. But I did want to share some of the piecess from the plein air course I took last month.

It was a week long adventure into painting out of doors, working directly from the landscape, and using oil paints for the first time.

And of course, being Michigan, the weather did not coorperate.

Day one we wandered the grounds and did thumbnail sketches, planning compositions and breaking them down into planes, using about 5 values.

Day two was cold, windy, and threatening rain. We convened in the classroom to paint from memory, using our thumbnail sketches as guides.

That's where this piece, "Twin Shrubs" came from. The night prior I was drawn to the negative spaces between the low slung, woven branches, and the way the evening light glowed from behind.

This was a nice exercise for me, and allowed a lot of playing with the oil paint, working across the surface of the panel, lifting areas of paint, rubbing others in. I could have kept on working for hours, exploring the properties of the paint.

When we returned to the gardens the following night, I realized how "off" my painting really was. Just gives me another reason to try the same concept at another time.

Thanks, as always, for looking,

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

2008-02-12T09:09:00.001-05:00

This painting has been a long time in the making. Our home is always had at least one goldfish bowl, and I've been captivated by the beauty of fantails as they circle through their fantastical world of reflections.

I moved my two black moors from the kitchen into the studio a couple weeks back. I spent a few days playing with different background fabrics, various sized shells, and other oddments. I bounced light off different walls, the ceiling, colored boards. Finally I found a setup that captured my fascination with the goldfish, yet retained a fresh and whimsical quality matching my vintage toy still life paintings.

The image at the top of this blog is the work in process right now. Working title "Fish out of Water," the painting is 26" x 18" on gallery stretched canvas.

I am concentrating on capturing a limited number of values at this point, establishing the weight of the forms and placing them firmly within their space on the canvas.

I also want the light to feel tangible, and that has been a tricky, as this setup is a high contrast one by nature, and therefore the light itself becomes more transient, and those value shifts aren't really value shifts at all, but color temperature changes.

I'll continue working on this painting in preparation for a March exhibition. I'm also finessing a handful of smaller paintings that will be going to the art show held in conjunction with the Grand National Rodeo Championships near San Francisco California in April. And I continue to paint the dog-a-days, which are now booked into March 2009.

I already have my next still life setup - a couple of hand carved wooden vintage horses that were once children's toys, but have seen better days. They definately have that "Velveteen Rabbit" feel to them. I'm excited to start that piece, once I get these fish out of my system!!

A Very Serious Still Life

2007-11-15T14:56:00.000-05:00

I received a number of inquiries in the last few days about where I find my inspirations and how I keep going. Besides in all the faces and personalities I get to profile as part of the Painting a Dog a Day project and my daily (strong) dose of coffee, I find them everywhere around me.

The golden maple leaves dancing right outside my kitchen window.

My kids' first smile each day (which comes hopefully before their first tear).

The sound of a dear friend's voice on the phone.

The way Finnigan's nubbin of a tail glides underneath his skin.

The purr of my black cat, not just the sound, but the feel of it against my chest.

The smell of a wet painting.

I'm sure we all have triggers that keep us going - those are just a few. I make sure I am surrounded by handfuls of them, all the time. And for those days when it's tough to get into the studio, I've found a couple of no fail motivators:

The Nutcracker soundtrack, no matter the season.

And The Barber of Seville (kill the rabbit..... kill the rabbit....) The right music can almost always get the job done!

Browsing through Julian Merrow-Smith's website (http://www.shiftinglight.com/) and dreaming of being able to one day paint like him.

A visit to our local yarn shop, where I can simply sit amongst the rows of colored wools.
The smell of freshly baked brownies or cookies.

A brisk walk around the neighborhood, following Finn's nubbin and prance, breathing in the air, listening to the birds/crickets/frogs/silence (when snow is freshly falling)

Here's a bonus painting - one I couldn't help but do. My latest inspiration, you might say.

Yesterday I looked up from the easel and spied a row of puppets carefully lined up by one of my kids, perfectly centered in an unexpected shaft of sunlight. They were brilliantly colored and terribly humorous when visualized as still life objects. It was way more fun than painting pitchers and creamers and ghourds (sorry, Vianna, if you are reading this!!). This guy is the first of a number of lighthearted studies I'll do in the weeks to come - painting something saturated in humor and color was a great diversion!

So I give you "ARGH!! (Puppet #1)," 8" square (larger than life), acrylic on canvasboard, $180. Imagine this guy framed up and hung in a cubicle/office. Or in a child's room. Or even hung overtop a mirror. He will definately brighten up a special corner somewhere. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .

Thanks, as always, for looking.
And for sharing these paintings with your friends and family,
Be back tomorrow!
Kim

Kimberly Kelly Santini
http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

http://www.paintingadogaday.com/
come. sit. stay.
enjoy the art.

Another Human Portrait

2007-11-14T12:47:00.001-05:00

Here is last night's class efforts, "Liesel," a 10" x 20" canvasboard of a young woman.

While the painting itself is not a strict likeness of our model, I am very happy with the results for the following reasons:

I captured a beautiful idea of the light and shadow. I paid careful attention to the light, and it's temperature as it travelled across the shape of the face. The color actually cools as it hits boney planes of the face - I never noticed this before.

I also concentrated on my edge work, working hard to eliminate strong lines and gestural brushwork. If you compare this piece to Jerry's portrait from last week, you'll see that it's far softer and less linear in style.

And I really had fun with her hair. Not strictly black, it had areas of orange and blue to it. And that piece underneath her cheek that reflected her skin tone.

You can purchase this painting (which is only visible here on my studio blog, as it isn't animal or pet portrait related) for $349 plus any applicable Michigan sales tax and shipping costs (estimated to be about $15 for within the US).

All inquiries can come to me at ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com.

I'm getting the hang of this thing, though. And surprised at how much fun it has been, too! Think I might try to rope one of my kids into sitting for me over the upcoming long weekend......

Kim

2007-11-07T14:33:00.000-05:00

I've been working hard, behind the scenes here, taking another course with Vianna Szabo (http://www.viannaszabo.com/), refining my painters eye. This latest course, about 1/2 way completed, has involved some intensive still life paintings, graduating into portraiture from a live model.

Here are the paintings I've completed to date. I will not be offering them for sale through my website, simply because they are not animal related. But if you are interested in purchasing one of the class paintings, please drop me a line - ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .

"White Still Life," 8" square, acrylic on canvasboard, $180. This was the first assignment, a still life setup that was entirely white. The lesson was to paint all the shades of white. I had a difficult time - first off, because I couldn't buy into the inanimate objects, and then secondly, with the lack of contrast. I ended up sitting crosslegged on the floor, looking up at the table, sketching the still life with conte pencil, when I came upon this composition. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .

"White Pitcher," 16" x 20", acrylic on canvasboard, "$399. Our second assignment included a variety of white items set against darker grounds. I was still trying to find a means of connecting with the inanimate items, when my eye fell in love with the pattern when the setup was viewed from the far corner. I used artistic license, and really played with the colors, working on balancing my values so that the objects read properly, but using color saturations straight from my head.

"November Still Life," 11" x 14", acrylic on canvasboard, $279. This third assignment was a still life setup saturated with intense hues. The trick was to paint not just the light, but the color reflections from each object. I concentrated on the use of edges and modelling the objects with my brushwork.

"Jerry," 11" x 14", acrylic portrait on canvasboard, $279. I am especially pleased with Jerry's sitting. This painting is a sincere likeness, but it also carries other elements of maturity - the color temperatures model the form in many places (instead of value changes), the brushwork caresses the shapes, and I employed a number of different types of edgework and color saturation to help accent my focal point.

Next week we get to paint a woman, supposedly dramatically costumed in complimentary, bold colors. I am confidant I will come home even richer in knowledge, with a few more miles under my brushes.

Stay tuned!

Kim

2007-10-03T13:29:00.000-04:00

Yes, I've been remiss in posting here. But if you hop over to my Painting a Dog a Day blog, you'll see how very busy I have been.

The Dog-a-Day project was profiled in July's issue of Best Friends Magazine, to a phenomenal response. That exposure has been a big part of the projects successful effort in raising almost $1100 for animal welfare in the last 5 months.

I've also been continuing my own studies, most noteably taking an intensive course on painting color and light. With each class, I am able to "see" more, and I'm taking those lessons and using them the following day in my work.

I've gotten pieces into a variety of juried exhibitions, and won a number of exciting awards.

And most recently, opened up a group show with some amazing artists at Margot's Gallery.

Now I'm heading into the holiday season, which historically has been my busiest. Typically I make 1/2 my annual sales during the last quarter of the year. I'm a little scared, knowing how busy I have been - I can't imagine getting busier still. But I'm as ready as I can be!!

I am booked solid with holiday dog-a-day commissions, have a waiting list started for larger commissioned portrait work, and am currently accepting reservations for August 2008 dog-a-day portraits.

So, in a nutshell, guess that's why I haven't been posting so regularly!! Will try to work on that, but hopefully you will understand if you don't hear from me terribly often, at least on this blog!!

Thanks!
Kim

An Interesting Week

2007-03-23T16:00:00.000-04:00

What a week it's been!

Started out with preparations for a short film about my artwork. Margot van Horne from Margot's Gallery (www.margotsgalleryframe.com) arranged for a cameraman to work with us in creating a short documentary about my painting. I've been drafting various versions of the script and having one sided conversations with myself for the last couple weeks. It will be interesting to see how coherant (or not) I sound in the final edited version.

About mid-week I started receiving feedback from the media with respect to several projects I've been working on. One, the Canine Art Guild's inaugeral online exhibition (opening April 1st - not fools! - at www.canineartguild.com), the other being my Painting a Dog a Day (www.paintingadogaday.com).

And I ended up the week with continued work on several nicely scaled commissioned paintings. The larger than lifesize mastiff portrait is almost completed, and I am still in the early stages of my first chicken painting (4 rhode island reds).

I need to carve out more hours in my day. There's still a good sized pile of paperwork requiring action or a response, and I've got another et unfinished painting headed for an exhibition next week. Like laundry, it never ends.

But that's a good thing.

Thanks for reading!

Kim
www.turtledovedesigns.com
www.paintingadogaday.com

2007-01-02T22:10:00.000-05:00

What a whirlwind the holidays were!!

Not only did I have a handful of paintings to finish, then ship out in time for gift giving, but my whole dog a day project began to take on a life of it's own as well. And then of course, there is all the year end paperwork that needs to be done in preparation for Uncle Sam.

But I sit here in the studio tonite, getting all tingley just thinking about what tomorrow will bring.

Namely the schoolbus.

Mind you, it's not that I don't enjoy my kids. I love them to pieces.

But when they are around, I cannot totally shut out the world and get lost in my palette.

So that is what I plan to do tomorrow, all day long.

After walking the dog, of course.

Sweet dreams!

Kim

www.turtledovedesigns.com
www.paintingadogaday.com

Been busy

2006-11-12T21:57:00.000-05:00

I've been busy staying on top of everything. This is the time of year when I really focus on studio time, and try to maximize the heck out of every minute spent in here. Having a deadline helps me to complete more commission work.

That said, I'll keep this short!

But consider yourself invited on over to my website to read my Fall 2006 Newsletter.

As always, thanks for your time,

Kim

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

Keeping Things Moving Along

2006-10-27T11:48:00.000-04:00

Motivation can come in some odd forms.

I started a new practice last week, and formalized it into an actual challenge this week. That of completing a warm-up painting every day before starting on a larger work. (See www.paintingadogaday.blogspot.com )

One would think that the added work involved in completing a painting each day would be detrimental to one's overall production. But it's worked in just the opposite fashion.

The little completed studies actually get my juices going so well that I'm able to jump into a larger canvas and be more productive with a smaller amount of time.

Go figure.

Kim

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

The Canine Art Guild - Today's Endeavor

2006-10-19T17:28:00.000-04:00

For almost a year now I've been working on establishing a new artists' group just for us dog painters.

It all started as a discussion on the Equine Art Guild forum between a number of artists who regularly painted dogs. We were moaning and groaning about there not really being a place to share ideas or network about all things related to painting canines.

Enough of us stepped forward and started making notes. Those notes became To-Do lists. Those To-Do lists are getting completed. And now we have the CAG, or Canine Art Guild.

Check us out: Canine Art Guild

Our membership is growing. We have a great cross-section of artists and styles.

And if things continue as they have been, our community will continue to grow and amaze.

Today I worked on compiling a canine resources guide that will be published on the Canine Art Guild website (for members' only viewing). This listing will be all encompassing, from art supplies to framing to website development to the history of pet portraiture.

It was one of the last things on my list.

The next one will be recruiting new members (wanna join?) and identifying and establishing strong links to add to the site.

But tomorrow I get to paint.

Kim

Kimberly Kelly Santini
http://www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

Artist Books

2006-10-10T22:00:00.000-04:00

I have just returned from another meeting, this one that of the Romeo Guild of Art. Although still a relatively new member, I love these meetings. The business part is typically dealt with in a 1/2 hour, followed by a break for food and mingling (so far there has always been chocolate, which combined with art-speak is a huge win-win). But the real kicker is the tail end of the meeting, which is some sort of presentation about a technique or process.

Tonite's was on art book publishing.

Not those coffee table books with the zillion glossy photos of art.

No, these were original artist made books, one of a kind or small editions (small meaning around 100 copies), handmade, incredibly detailed and gorgeously intricate.

The presenters told their tale, wittingly, of travelling the traditional publishing house road. And then they segued into the remarkable world of handmade books.

Specialty papers, intricate typeface, drawings, various prints, collage, digital media, ephemera. All these things and more linked with some sort of common thread - an idea, an image, a letter.

It got my juices going right there.

What a great way to summarize all the legwork that goes into a portrait - thumbnail sketches, jotted notes, photographic details, color swatches. A perfect thank you gift for an extraordinary client.

What a great way to explore the thoughts behind a pursuit. Like taking the travel sketchbook or diary one step further. A wonderful add-on for clients already owning a piece belonging to a particular series.

What a great way to package the traditional artists' portfolio. It would really set my imagery apart from everyone else's, if not simply at the level of desire. And I am currently reworking my portfolio in preparation for a class I'm teaching on professional and portfolio development next month.

Hmmm...... think I need to get to work!!

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

Metamora's Celebration of the Horse

2006-10-06T14:10:00.000-04:00

Also known as inspiration.

That's what last weekend's event meant to me.

The village of Metamora invited several different breed representatives to their downtown, and set up small paddocks for the horses. The weather was uncooperative on Saturday, but Sunday dawned bright and crisp, so I grabbed my camera and headed out.

What a treat!! So much eye candy!!

A vanner mare and foal. Two donkeys. A halflinger. A miniature mare and her foal. A fresian. A belgium. A morgan.

These will all grace new paintings in the months to come.

Can't wait to get them started!

But I need to work on some commissioned pet portraits first. Right now I'm working on a triple dog portrait, a fun airedale terrier painting, and am putting the finishing touches on a long haired cat. You can see them on my works in process page.

Once I complete these paintings, I'll pick up and work some more on the "Horse as Landscape" series, and use some of the reference photos I shot last weekend at the Celebration of the Horse.

Stay tuned!

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

Packing and Shipping Artwork

2006-09-27T11:43:00.000-04:00

I spent a good chunk of yesterday packing up all my pieces for the "Driven" exhibition at Skyline Farms in Yarmouth, Maine. Seems like only yesterday I was collecting images and brainstorming for painting ideas for this show….

It took far more time preparing the works than I had anticipated. This is my first invitational exhibition, so I’ve got a little bit of a learning curve, too.

I labeled, inventoried and tagged each of the paintings. This is a normal procedure for me, but I also wired and prepped them for hanging (which is something I typically leave for the customer to take care of).

I went over their surfaces with a clean tack cloth (it wouldn't do for them to arrive with cat hair!), and wrapped them in brown paper. Then each package was labeled again with my contact information and the paintings’ title.

I grouped them by size, shipping 2 pieces to a crate, with their faces inwards/towards each other. I wrapped each parcel with strapping tape, to avoid any shifting or rubbing that might occur during shipment.

Then I nestled the parcels into airfloat crates. For those of you who don’t know about airfloats, they are boxes made specifically for shipping artwork. The paintings are literally nestled – a bottom layer of egg-foam, a central perforated layer of foam (you remove a portion to snug the painting into the center of it), and an upper layer of egg foam. The box itself is lined and puncture resistant. These crates make for worry-free shipping, honestly.

So, after I got the paintings into their respective boxes, I labeled the inside of each box (gotta make sure that my crates come back to me!) and also included an inventory. Two actually - a master list of all the paintings going to the show, and also a packing list of what was only in that box.

The packing list included photographs of each painting, along with insurance values. This way my paintings will be returned in the same packaging and configuration.

The show opens on Saturday, October 7th, at 5pm. There will be a reception with the artists (sadly, I will not be in attendance) through 8 pm. THe show will hang from Sunday, October 8th through Sunday, October 29th. Their hours are Sat-Sun 1-4pm, and Wed from 6-8pm.

Now I’ve got several other juried exhibitions I’m starting to think about and prep paintings for, but for the most part, will focus the next few months mostly on commission works. Nothing like a pet portrait for the holidays!!

I still have a few more openings for holiday gift giving. If you are thinking about commissioning a pet portrait as a gift, please drop me a line (ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com), and we can discuss your project in greater details.

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

Welcome Back!

2006-09-12T15:33:00.000-04:00

Well, it would appear as though I fell off the face of the earth. But appearances can be deceiving. Life got so hectic, that I did drop many details, one of which was blogging. Shame on me.

But I’m back now.

What are some of the things that have been happening?

I created a new body of work – some pieces of which I was blogging (note to self: return to those blogs and update with completed images) – for the invitational show at Skyline Carriage Farms Museum this fall. These pieces are a continuation of my studies in limited palette, but also incorporated some experimentation with edges and line. Some of the horse (and mule) paintings are on my website: V is for Vanner, Patience, Follow the Leader, Daybreak, and Listening.

I have embarked upon a new series of paintings. Called “The Horse as Landscape,” these pieces use cropping and unusual angles/points of view to create a - surprise! - landscape. I’ve completed probably 4 or 5 of these, and have a few others in process. There’s been overflow into my canine work too, with a piece starring a yellow lab as beachfront property. You can view this lab painting as she progresses.

I’ve been doing live painting demos at street fairs, art shows, and the state fair.

I’ve been actively exhibiting in southeastern lower Michigan (even got a piece, “Swish,” accepted into The Community House’s 2006 Our Town exhibition).

I’ve committed to teaching painting classes at the Orion Art Center for this fall, along teaching with a new course on artistic growth and portfolio development.

And the Canine Art Guild is in full swing, as well. We are actively recruiting members and compiling data to add to our website.

On top of that, I had a fabulous summer break with my family. We got to visit all sorts of wonderful places, visited with even more wonderful people, and thoroughly enjoyed the perks of having no set routine whatsoever.

It doesn’t get much better than that.

But it's back to school. While the dog spends his days pining for lost kids, I'm busily working on commissions and preparing work for new shows. After all, I need to paint the images of the summer sun while they are still fresh in my mind.

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

New Horizons

2006-07-11T23:30:00.000-04:00

Back last winter, I painted a flea bitten gray horse, butt to the viewer, cropped in tight, so that the curve of his hindquarters and back created a horizon against a clear sky. Prior to him, I did a lifesize study of the fall of a bay horse’s mane (Daybreak, 20x10, acrylic on gallery stretched canvas), again, creating a landscape. With these two pieces, I had inadvertantly stumbled across an idea I needed to further explore.

This is the next piece in that series, now titled “Horizon” (after the first piece, which carries that name). This painting, titled “Red Hills, Chestnut Horizon," depicts the crest of a thoroughbred’s neck, warmed by the sun, and rolling like the Kentucky hills where I took the reference photo (see the entry “Inspiration Xs 100”).

Painted only with cadmium red deep, cadmium yellow deep, and pthalo blue red, with some titanium white. I’m getting the hang of this restricted palette, warm in sun vs cool in shadow, sort of thing.

Hope you enjoy it.

Now I’m off to do another - the nite's still young!

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

Inspiration Xs 100

2006-06-22T21:44:00.000-04:00

I had the chance of a lifetime earlier this week to visit a stellar thoroughbred breeding farm in Lexington, Kentucky. The horses were beyond beautiful – they were quite literally muses, dancing in the sunlight. I came home with over 600 photographs, and even more fragments burned into my brain.

As I step through my new reference materials, I am falling in love all over again with all that the equine embodies – grace, spirit, heart, beauty. I will soon be painting these ideas and emotions, set into the framework of the bluegrass and rolling lines of fencerow.

Meanwhile, I’ve gotta figure out how to come down from my adrenaline rush, and get some sleep.

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

New Beginnings

2006-06-05T20:47:00.000-04:00

Well, I guess I couldn't get enough of my first blog (the one you are reading!), so I opted to start a second!

Actually, once I got to thinking (always a dangerous venture!), I realized that a blog dedicated to the progress of specific animal portraits would be beneficial. I already do something similar in the studio, with a paintings' log/sketch book. While I love the information that book has provided, I've outgrown it's usefulness in the last 6 months - I need more information on the paintings, both as they are developing, and after the fact.

So, I have started a secong blog: www.turtledovedesigns.blogspot.com.

As of today, current pet portraits and animal paintings, works in process, are still published on my website. As my website is also a work in process itself, that structure is subject to change. The wet paint page on my site will alwats contain current paintings on the easel (check today's date against that of the post). This new pet portraits and animal paintings blog will hold a small history of paintings and their evolution.

If you are interested in seeing a complete pet portraits or animal paintings portfolio (I fondly refer to them as 4-legged paintings), that is always available on my website.

Paintings for sale can also be viewed there, on the "Available for Purchase" page.

And, there is additional information on the whole commission process, too.

What I hope is that separating my blogs into two parts - lessons learned from the actual work - will help with my clarity. Also, structuring work in process on the new blog, with sequential entries in the form of my comments, will help restructure the actual process on any given work. (As I have 6 or more pieces in process at any given time, this will be especially useful to me!)

Please bear with me, as it may take a day or two to get some content built on that second blog page. I'm juggling this along with some other exhibition deadlines and three young children with major cases of spring fever.

As with all my websites (and my artwork), I invite your feedback. You have no idea how instrumental your thoughts are to steering my directions (or perhaps distractions) of tomorrow. Feel free to send emails (including any copyright-free photos you think I might find inspirational) to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com.

THANK YOU!!

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

Another Lesson

2006-06-02T13:45:00.000-04:00

I had another lesson with portrait artist Vianna Szabo, yesterday. She continues to open my eyes and mind, and does so with such ease, it’s scary. Here are a few of the things I am still mulling over.

IMPORTANT – I am painting light, not objects. Seems pretty basic, but it’s a tough one to keep in the forefront of one’s mind when faced with the complexity of a carriage horse’s harness.

LIGHT: There are 5 kinds (as identified by John Singer Sargent) - not to be confused with the temperature of the light
1. Light
2. Shadow
3. Mid-Tone
4. Accents
5. Reflected Light
I had only consciously been thinking about the bottom three. I think for me, paying better attention to the subtle variations within the realms of light and shadow will add to the luminosity of the painting, and better compliment the depth of field.

MIXING COLOR/COLOR CHOICES: First attack the value, then identify hue and temperature, and then finally the intensity. When analyzing the above, it is incredibly helpful to isolate the spot in question. Vianna gave me a blank white index card with a small hole cut in the middle of it. Amazing how something that appears violet in front of me became bluer when viewer through the card. This helped me with mixing the right shade on my palette.

PAINTING APPROACH: Vianna attacks her paintings in sections, concentrating on the relationship of the areas in one part of her composition, but at the same time, consciously thinking about the light and how it’s bouncing through and around the objects. Conversely, I seem to work in batches, mixing one puddle of paint, and applying it across the surface. Modifying my approach – keeping more paint on my palette at any given time – allows me to mix gradations for more subtler value and temperature shifts. I’m anxious to put this idea to work on a larger canvas.
NOTE: Paint drying too quickly on your palette? Having to mix colors so much so when adding mediums, that you lose the density and interest of a looser combination? A trick I recently learned from a student of mine (thank you Laura!), was to puddle glazing medium overtop a blob of acrylic paint on my palette. The medium keeps the pigment from drying out, and mixtures can retain their “ribboned” quality easily.

After class, she invited me to stay and watch a segment of a Richard Schmit video. I was convinced that Vianna made things look easy, but then I watched him, and my mind was blown away.

My theory is that their eyes are trained so well in isolating a particular item, and they are so familiar with their pigments and materials, that everything falls together seemingly without effort. Practice makes darn close to perfect.

So I’m off for some practice myself.

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

A Wedding Gift

2006-05-26T14:26:00.000-04:00

Years ago, my neice handed me a stack of photos upon her return from a long vacation through northern Canada, and joking said to use them as inspiration for her wedding painting. We had a good laugh - she wasn't even dating anyone seriously - but the photos were beautiful shots of sunrises over vast expanses, with lots of interesting architecture and sort of an old world feel. Not my typical subject matter choice, so I dutifully filed them away, and sort of forgot about it.

Then, two Christmases ago, she got engaged. After the bubbly was passed around, and the euphoria had settled in, I remembered those photos tucked into a drawer in my studio, and couldn’t wait to dig them out.

I chose a wonderful old Montreal building façade, with overflowing window boxes greeting a late morning sun. I did a few sketches, a value study or two, and then floundered when it came to choosing the painting size. The file sat buried on my desk, yet again forgotten.

A few months ago I stretched a nice sized canvas, 18x24, and blocked the painting in. Not confidant of my abilities to paint straight lines, it hung on my wall, ostensibly for me to study while deciding what the next step would be. Of course, it got a little dangerous, when I remembered at the last minute to stash the painting in a closet prior to a visit by the bride to be. And there the painting sat, again, seemingly never to be tackled with abandon.

That ended this morning. After all, the wedding’s only 8 days away, and there’s nothing like a deadline to get me going!

I modified my palette a little for this one. Cadmium red dark, cadmium yellow dark, and azurite hue. The azurite gave a lovely green tint to the grays, which played up the limestone façade beautifully.

I did find myself wanting to reach for a darker blue, as the azurite is essentially a stain, and didn't lead to terribly dark values. But I exercised some restraint, and left it as is. For now.

I also am considering cropping the sky and dormers out…… and still need to clean up the mullions and trim on the windows. I'll live with it for the weekend, and see what it tells me it needs come Monday morning.

But overall it’s not such a bad painting (coming from someone who does pet portraits exclusively!), and one more example of how important it’s been for me to step out of my comfort zone.

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

2006 Flower Fair

2006-05-25T10:49:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday I had the best time! I set up my easel on the streets of downtown Lake Orion, as part of their annual Flower Fair street festival. Not only did the sun actually shine (we hadn’t seen it’s face in a10 days), but because of a last minute cancellation on “artists’ way,” I garnered a booth-sized space.

Having planned only to work on one canvas, I hadn’t arranged for a tent or any sort of formal setup. Thanks to my husband (who returned to the house for a second load!), I was able to set up both easels and a small table with an array of works, both finished and in process. They are, from left to right:

Untitled (two black dogs), from the Larger than Life series, 24x24 (standing on my new Julian plein air easel, which I adore!!), exhibition painting (I highlighted this one in another blog post below, see "Symphony in Blue").
Sunbather (horizontal cat painting on top of table easel), from the Larger than Life series, 16x8, available for purchase.
Untitled (white cat painting on bottom of table easel), from the Larger than Life series, 18x14, exhibition painting.
Red (chestnut horse painting), from the Larger than Life series, 54x28, available for purchase.
Fergie (viszla head study), from the Larger than Life series, 36x36, commissioned pet portrait.

FYI: For those of you interested in the background of my space, that is the boarded-up front of the new Sagebrush Cantina. You may recall that this restaurant, along with 5 other businesses encompassing 1/2 a block, burned to the ground in March 2004. The buildings have been rebuilt, and the new Sagebrush is supposed to open in July. Hello margueritas!!

I met some amazing people, took photos of one unbelievably personable dog (Boomer, a labradoodle), actually accomplished quite a bit on the painting in question, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Overall, a highly successful day.

The piece I worked on, an as of yet untitled painting of two border collie mixes, came quite a ways during the course of the day. I am happy with the layers of blues and purples in the undercoats of the black dogs, and short of an adjustment I’ll make to correct the length of the smaller dog’s nose, I am relatively close to starting on the final layers.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by – and a very special thank you to Holly Hatfield of Red River Vizslas, who brought Thyme all the way from Kentucky to meet her painting, which is available for purchase.

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

Untitled (but Lucy)

2006-05-16T14:29:00.000-04:00

I have had the inspiration photo for this painting for about 6 weeks now. I knew I wanted to soften the image, but wasn’t quite certain how to go about that. So I tried several smaller studies, which have been staring me down from my desk – none of them quite captured the modified sense of light I was looking for.

So how did I solve this problem? I went bigger and I chose 4 completely different colors. Yeah, that doesn’t make any sense – to step away from all the studying I had been doing with the new palette these last few months, and try something entirely different on an even bigger scale.

But somehow it worked.

So here’s Lucy, almost finished. At 18x14 she’s larger than life, but serenely unpretentious. I used primarily Quinacridone Red, Cad Yellow Dark, Azurite Hue and Cobalt Blue. I reached for some Raw Umber, Cad Red Med, and Bone Black for minute details around the eyes and collar. The two blues combined to give some interesting green to blue to violet shadows, but one thing I did realize was that this combination of colors did not give me a dense enough neutral (hence the addition of bone black).

I want to make the ground richer and darker still, and might lay down another layer or two of a red glaze, but I’m going to live with the painting for a little bit first, and see if she tells me anything else.

And she needs a title, too - I'm open to suggestions. Usually they come to me while I’m working, but nothing rose to the surface today. Initial thoughts are “Bells” or maybe “Wren” or “Sparrow” – something alluding to her bird hunting skills. But then the old standby is just her name, “Lucy.”

Thanks to Erin Chop for allowing me to “borrow” Lucy for a bit – I would love to paint her again. Hint, hint, Erin - send more photos!! (grin)

Actually, for those of you reading this - I am always looking for inspiration. You are welcome to send me photos of your dog or cat for consideration for my next painting. You may send your materials via email to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com, with the subject line of "New Model." I am currently preparing work for a number of shows that call for canine, feline, and equine characters.

Meanwhile, I’m planning to enter this painting in the Birmingham Michigan’s Community House October 2006 juried exhibition, titled “Our Town.” I will keep you posted if she makes the cut.

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

Quiet Progress

2006-05-02T13:01:00.000-04:00

Yes, it’s been quiet at the easel. I’ve been working on two very large pieces, a 36” square dog portrait, and another 36”x48” large dog painting. Because of their sizes, the progress is slow. I am enjoying their growth, and continuing to learn so much from putting Vianna’s lessons to work.

It’s also the end of the month, when I complete the bulk of my volunteer work. I am so blessed to be able to work as an artist, that I feel compelled to give back in a variety of ways. Ironically, those “ways” all involve committee meetings and projects that occur within a 10 day timeframe.

I’ve been immersed in the creation of a new artists’ group. Called the Canine Art Guild, it’s a group providing support, education, and numerous other resources for all canine artists. I’ve been busy building a database and collecting information and content for the website.

I’m also taking an online course on search engine optimization and website marketing. This is part of a long term goal to revamp my website. While I love the simplicity of using a WYSIWIG design program, it simply does not provide enough flexibility with the coding, which seriously compromises my search engine results. The changes I’m implementing now are not huge visual ones, but rather infrastructure changes. But they will make a world of difference in the traffic I’m able to draw.

There’s far more that goes on in the studio than flinging color!!

So am off to varnish a couple of poodle portraits, stretch a new canvas for a sweet little yellow lab puppy portrait, and see if I can’t make some progress on the emails sitting in my inbox…….

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

Blindsided and Milestones

2006-04-21T23:33:00.000-04:00

I was blindsided this week, when during my dental visit, my eyes happened upon a snapshot sitting on the hygienist’s shelf. The photograph was of her cat, outlined by a shaft of cool winter light – and that particular image contained all the elements I had been struggling with – color temperature and reflected light within a very straightforward composition.

It was a smack upside the head!

Ever since then, that image has been hovering in my peripheral. I spent tonight working on some studies – I used green shadows, then blue – which also meant that my light source changed from evening to morning. I had never done that before, and enjoyed the challenge of balancing the light source with its corresponding shadow.

I then played with the local color of the cat – first she had a soft gray tint to her fur, then a peach fuzz color. I concentrated on using the proper combination of color to model her, and was surprised to see how basic it was to get that bounced light effect when I really concentrated.

Of course, with all this pushing paint around and focus on the actual colors, I didn’t do such a great job with the whole drawing bit (hence the reason why there is no supporting image tonight!!). That will be my task tomorrow.

To take these palette mixing lessons I’ve learned and apply them to a correctly rendered drawing.

I might just keep this kitty piece, even though her eyes are misaligned, she’s got quite the chicken neck, and her ears are uneven – she’s a milestone of sorts. I’m starting to get it.

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

The Learning Curve

2006-04-11T19:06:00.000-04:00

Today I had my first official class with Vianna Szabo, one of my painting heros. I had been stalking her on the internet, meaning that every week or so I’d hit her website (www.viannaszabo.com) and stare at her work. It was only a matter of time before our paths crossed, and I was fortuitous enough to have a friend in common with me when it happened. The rest, as they say, is history!!

After our class this morning, I came home and tried to commit to paper everything she said in the almost 3 hours we spent together. First thing learned – next time, take notes!! (or bring a recorder!!)

So many tips and treasures she shared seemed obvious, yet I hadn’t yet stumbled upon them. The most revolutionary thing being to set up my palette like a color wheel, placing all my paint down at once (today we used quinacridone crimson, hansa yellow medium, and ultramarine blue), with the white in the middle. Then, as I mixed, I was assured color harmony, and neutralizing colors became mindless – just reach directly across the circle for the compliment.

We worked on a still life made up entirely of white objects, dramatically lit with a warm bulb. It forced me to focus on the temperature of the warm light, and study how that light bounced off the objects and into the shadows. Despite the lack of strong local color in the setup, my finished painting is full of pinks, blues, and lavenders. I even squeezed some green and yellow (my two favs) into it.

I can see that I need to really study my subject more carefully though – I tend to want to race into lying the color down, and I don’t take the time to properly LOOK AT the objects I’m painting, to assure that the color I lay down is indeed correct. I was told squinting would help – not just to see the proper values, but also to determine the strength of the lines.

So more patience is called for, along with restraint and discipline. And some squinting.

But it’s not that bad. I am looking at things entirely differently now. Instead of before, when all I was seeing just the yellow of the sunlight on my daughter’s face, this afternoon I was drawn into the blues and purples of the shadows under her chin and across her cheekbones. I realized it was the subtlety of the color changes and the juxtaposition of the opposites (violet and yellow) that allowed that yellow sunlight to sing. I’m going to master those subtleties, no doubt about it.

It’ll take practice. And patience, restraint, and discipline. And squinting.

But I’ll get there.

Kimberly Kelly Santini
www.turtledovedesigns.com
distinctive pet portraits
& 4-legged paintings

Symphony in Blue

2006-04-03T23:08:00.000-04:00

This 24" x 24" portrait has begun as a study in blue. It’s two black dogs, but the sheen on their coats hovers between a light blue and lavender. Contrasted with the deep violets and indigos of the shadows, and highlighted by orange and golden eyes, this will be stunning when done. And it’s the perfect excuse to try out an idea I’ve been fascinated with and working on and off with mixed results – using tonality, yet achieving great depth.

What does this mean? I want a painting that is primarily one hue, yet sings with color. It also must have a believable depth of field. Can I do it? Like the little engine, I think I can.

So here’s my underpainting, after a couple of hours of work. I’ve used primarily light ultramarine blue, Prussian, and pthalo. I’ve also added smidges of quinacridone red and Indian yellow.

I can see right away that my background is too intense. I need to gray it out and take it down at least two values in order to push the dogs forward. And I can also see some places where I’d like to redraw certain elements.

Next step will be to increase my range of values – right now I’ve got about 3 or 4, and I need to expand that to at least 10. I’ll also put some warmer shades into their muzzles, and start on the eyes.

And I’ll need a title, too.

Just a few things to take care of tomorrow!

Ruff

2006-03-30T22:46:00.000-05:00

Sometimes all it takes is an unusual angle to release me entirely. That’s what this painting did.

The inspiration photo was supplied by Juliet Harrison, a wonderful photographer working out of Red Hook, New York www.lechevalthehorse.com. This is her dog, Cody, a rough collie mix.

I focused exclusively on the light and texture, lying down the initial composition using indian yellow, pthalo blue, quin crimson, and naples yellow (ahh, a restricted palette, again - it's getting easier, folks!). Once I was happy with the modeling, I then let loose with glazes of some of my favorite shades – prussian blue (to push the shadows back a bit further), cadmium red, light magenta, cadmium yellow, van dyke brown, green gold. For the most part, I concentrated those touches of color around the focal point, and tried to keep all brushmarks extraneous to that focal point soft and blurred.

Overall I am very happy with the result. “Ruff,” 12x14, acrylic on army green canvas (with bits of the canvas strategically showing through), will be entered in the same show as “Innocence,” the puppy painting from last week.

Now it’s on to bigger and better. Am doing some preliminary studies for a larger (30” plus) head study of a Vizla named Fergie.

Copying the Masters

2006-03-28T11:58:00.000-05:00

One of my first “homework” assignment as part of my new studies with Vianna Szabo included making smaller color studies of a few of my favorite paintings done by other artists. The reasoning behind this (I think) was to help me realize what elements contribute to a balanced composition and color scheme.

I’ve spent today doing a number of 8x10 and smaller paintings derived from a few of my favorite Wolf Kahn landscapes. What fun it has been to copy them – having the goal painting right next to me (well, ok, it’s a reproduction – as if I owned an actual Wolf Kahn! Hah!) while I work has allowed me to focus purely on color – the bulk of the other decisions have already been made.

I am amazed at he uses the same three or four hues consistently, just in varying combinations, within the same painting. How they get grayed or purpled out as they recede into the landscape. How he bounces bits of pure pigment around sparingly, to emphasize their intensity and pull your eye through the whole surface. Even though there are only a few main colors contributing to the piece, the color is saturated and balanced, and in my humble opinion, quite perfect.

It’s been a very fruitful day for me, despite the fact that the five paintings I created will never be for sale. BUT my creativity has been fed, I’m all the wiser for this experience, and I’m inspired to get going on the next portrait.

A POSTSCRIP: For hundreds of years, artists have learned by copying those who came before them. Copying is a fantastic way to LEARN. It is not a means, however, to earn a living. Should you choose to copy other artists’ work, protect yourself from copyright infringements by seeking their permission whenever possible and by taking the necessary steps to assure that the copied work does not hit the market and is never passed off as your own. We artists live by our skills and our reputation – one without the other is useless.

The Success of Restraint

2006-03-24T11:28:00.000-05:00

Well, my stretcher bar order didn’t come in time for me to start Rosie yesterday, so I picked up with a reference photo and a stretched canvas I had on hand, and got started on a sweet little Vizsla puppy face. (The photo came from Holly Hatfield at www.redrivervizslas.com - I've painted several of her dogs).

I’m enamored with this breed – their coloring, a rich warm gold, turns to red in the shadow, and softens to pink and yellow in the sun. When you factor in the innocence of a new puppy’s gaze, ears to grow into, and all those extra folds of skin, it’s completely irresistible.

So, here’s the new piece, titled "Innocence," 12” square. It’s done on a medium toned army green linen, again using a limited palette (Naples Yellow, Indian Yellow, Pthalo Blue, Light Ultra Blue, and Quinacridone Crimson, tinted with Zinc White, details tinted with Titanium White). I really concentrated not so much on color temperature with this one (like I’ve been obsessed with in the past), but more on modeling the planes of the face as I painted, making every brushstroke tell a story. After I had the shapes established, I washed cooler glazes into the shadows (it’s easier to cool a warm than to go the other way). And, I had the background planned from the start, which made it easier to “bounce” color around, thus resulting in a more harmonious painting.

I think I might be onto something here, with this whole “restraint” idea. More to come…..

By the way, this painting will be entered in The Carriage Factory Gallery’s (Newton, Kansas) “Man’s Best Friend” exhibit taking place during the month of May (www.carriagefactoryartgallery.com). At Ms. Hatfield’s request, proceeds from its sale will benefit Vizsla research and rescue.

Another Red River Vizsla painting, “Driver,” can be seen on my website (www.turtledovedesigns.com, on the Wet Paint page). Again, proceeds from this piece’s sale will benefit Vizsla research and rescue. For more information, please contact me directly: ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .

Color Journaling

2006-03-21T12:48:00.000-05:00

In the last couple of days I’ve been rethinking my color journal. I started the journal several months ago, with the intent that it would help clarify which color combinations were the most successful in my work. Because I have at least 5 canvases going on at any given time, occasionally I would not be able to recall the exact formula I had used on a particular painting – I wanted this journal to also help me to keep track of the various palettes used with each piece.

Each page is dedicated to one painting. Headed by a quick thumbnail sketch, the page is full of my notes about the process of the painting, little daubs of color along with their formulas, and what paint combinations worked particularly well. I also try to make my own personal observations about how the color operated in that particular painting.

What I’ve learned from my journal is that it isn’t so much knowing secret color formulas that will make a painting really sing. The first thing I learned was that what worked very well in one painting as a neutral gray, read entirely wrong in another. Each painting needed its own combination, dictated by the local color and the light and mood I wished to obtain. The journal is very useful in that I can return to see what worked in a sunlit piece, and use that knowledge to build my palette for something similarly structured.

What I was very surprised to learn is that those paintings where I held back to only 5 or 6 tubes of paint had the strongest harmony and the best passages of color. That was earth shattering to me – I love surrounding myself with pots and tubes of paint, and using a great diversity of them in each piece. (NOTE: I believe this is part of my struggle with obtaining a greater sense of depth in my artwork – the variety of colors is competing with the drawing/composition for the forefront.)

It also become apparent that I need to do more thorough planning prior to starting a piece. I put this knowledge immediately into effect with my newest painting, “Willie,” a Staffordshire bull terrier portrait.

With Willie (shown at the top of this post), I’ve chosen a complimentary color scheme of orange and blue. The background is a rich grassy green, but I have grayed it with cad red dark (the same red I used to mix the oranges) so that it will recede and allow the dog to stand front and center. I also mixed the green using the same pthalo blue and Indian yellow in the dog. And I bounced softer variations of the background green off his nose and ears, to firmly place him in the picture plane.

Willie was painted with only 6 colors: Cad Red Dark, Light Magenta, Indian Yellow, Naples Yellow, VanDyke Brown and Pthalo Blue (all Golden heavy body acrylics). I tinted with Zinc White, but dropped in the details using Titanium. I am very happy with the range of color in this piece, despite the lack of variety in my palette.

Now onto the next portrait – Rosie, a black lab puppy. With her portrait, and subsequent ones, I’m going to focus on restraint. Restraint in the sense that I will restrict my palette, but also try to better utilize neutrals and grayed values so as to amp up the areas of higher color saturation, without having to resort to using lots of colors. It worked with Willie. We’ll see how it works (or not!) with the others……

Introductions

2006-03-16T13:38:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm finally biting the bullet, and entering the world of blog. I've been meaning to do this for a while now, but there always seemed to be something else shoving it's way to the top of my priority list. Today, however, something happened that simply had to take precedence.

A mentor of sorts, another artist, invited me to join her when she visited the gallery where my newest work was on display. This being my first solo show, featuring over 35 works, I was eager to hear her comments. The characteristics I most admire in her work (light and color) are two areas I am actively studying and trying to improve on.

Half fearful, but ever hopeful, I abandoned the painting at my easel, threw my brushes into some clean water, ran a comb through my hair, grabbed some lipstick, and headed out the door.

This blog is a direct result of that serendipitous meeting. While we discussed the nuances of color harmony, value ranges, blurred edges, gestural brushwork, and dissected my palette, I wished I had thought to bring a recorder or notebook along. I did race home and jot notes down, among which are several "homework" assignments, but then I got to thinking (whoops, first mistake!).....

I needed some sort of journalling. It would help me to recall what my goals were on a specific piece, and also give me a record of how I approached particular situations. It would also give me a forum to think things out. And a place where interested bodies could see the sort of ideas that swim around in the background of an artist's mind.

So, here it is, or rather, here I am! Welcome aboard.

I hope you find my musings entertaining at the very least - periodically informative, as well. Learn from my mistakes and share in the successes.

Meanwhile, I'm off to update my website, continue work on a little staffordshire terrier portrait, and finish up with some practice mixing warm and cool grays.