Learn to Paint Chairs with Me...

If you would like to copy this drawing and learn how to paint these chairs in full color, you can go to http://creativeimaginations.typepad.com/luminarte_paints/#tp and in a few days they will post my step by step directions. In the meantime you could check out the other cool projects on this blog that show you what you can do with Luminarte paints. There are 4 other step by step paintings by me already posted on this sight. Feel free to copy any of those drawings and create paintings for yourself. Let me know if you have any questions or need help at

rabjsl@pacbell.net

The Ponte Vecchio Gets Finished in San Marcos, CA

I started this painting in my small sketchbook while standing in front of this famous bridge in Florence. Today, I put the finishing touches on it in California in my studio. I didn't want to mess with the painting too much, since I wanted to keep the freshness of the quickie sketch lines I did while leaning on a post looking at the bridge under the noon time Italian sun. I think this bridge makes very compelling subject matter. Before I left for Florence I read the Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone, which is the biography of Michaelangelo. Michaelangelo talked about bathing in the water under this bridge and crossing over it to get to work. If you look very closely at my picture maybe you can see him somewhere......

I Am Trying To Improve My Values....

I just finished this large (15"x20") black and white painting. I used a reference photo of a hat shop in San Francisco that caught my eye on a trip there a few years ago. The reason I chose to paint in black and white and grey is that I was trying to improve my values. You need a range of values from light to dark in a painting to give it interest and depth. When I do some value sketches (usually the size of postage stamps), then do a full color painting of the same subject, my paintings are more successful. Sometimes I even prefer my black and white paintings. Right now, I am not even sure I want to go ahead and do a full color painting of this subject, I may just take a nap......................

Rock Star Treatment for Library Teachers

Artists rarely get treated like rock stars. Today I went to teach a teen art class at our local library in Encinitas. The wonderful "Friends of the Library" group provides all kinds of wonderful classes that anyone in the community can attend for free.

I was fortunate to be asked to teach a class on how to draw self portraits.

This sign was put out to hold the parking spot for me in the library parking lot. It was a very good day.

All Over the Map

Now that I am almost finished with my painting and cooking tomato period it is time to look to changing my website. When I began the website about 6 years ago I was just emerging from a 20 something period of illustrating children's books. I knew I loved to travel and to teach and so I thought why not combine the two?

Now a days my sketching and painting starts in my sketchbook which I carry everywhere with me. Sometimes I use my sketchbook paintings as inspiration for bigger paintings and sometimes they just remain as documents of my experiences. Sometimes I feel guilty that I am not doing tight, careful artwork anymore, but mostly I enjoy the freedom my sketchbook gives me and this is why: the sketchbook pages are small so it doesn't take a lot of time and paint to complete a painting and I can carry my sketchbook anywhere and paint anytime.

Anyone carrying around a sketchbook? What are your thoughts?

the website hasn't been changed yet so if you want to see the before, visit:

www.barbararothart.com

Important Experiments with Luminarte Paint

Sometimes us watercolor artists can get stuck in a rut, using our favorite paints and colors in every painting. Has this ever happened to you? One way to shake things up a bit in your painting, is to try out some new paints. The Luminarte Paint Company very generously gave me some paints to test out and I have discovered these paints are just what I have been looking for. They add a touch of shimmer and some vibrant color to my pen and ink sketches and paintings. I have been using 14 colors of Luminarte's brand of Shimmering H20 paint. If you would like to see my step by step demo paintings, which you can print out and try for yourself, visit http://creativeimaginations.typepad.com/luminarte_paints/2011/08/#tp

Feel free to ask me any questions you have about learning to incorporate these paints with your traditional watercolor paints. They will fill your hours with happy summertime time painting.

Does Art Follow Life or Tomatoes?

Yesterday, I found myself in a sea of tomatoes. It all started when I misunderstood the concept of square foot gardening. I thought I could plant every tomato plant in one foot spots in our garden box. So, I planted 15 tomato plants creating a tomato jungle in our backyard. Many people said our tomatoes would never grow in these conditions. However, currently we are harvesting around 10 lbs. of tomatoes daily. Warning: If you come to visit me you will be served tomatoes at every meal and I am getting amazingly good at making bruschetta. However, I have to make some time to paint, so yesterday I painted a small watercolor of my favorite tomatoes.



Here is the tomato jungle.

The beach near my house is proving to be another diversion from my painting time, but sometimes I do paint and sketch there.