APR IL 2021
E L E VA T E Y O U R A R T Bi-Monthly Magazine Featuring Photoshop Artists
featuring
S H E L LY E L L I S ST E PH A N I E DA L M A N
Reviewer
Mem bers of the review team are integral to the success of hundre ds of P hotoshop art i st s. H i g hly trained, they provide over 15,000 video reviews a year for me mbe rs of Beyond t he Brushe s. Vid eo feed back is the key to success for many who are new to P hotoshop pai nt i ng!
Feat ured
A r t i s t : C laud i a N i x c l a ud i an i xar t .com Claudia c h o s e a s ub j e c t n e ar to h er h ea r t w i t h t h e u pcomi n g a n n i ver s a r y of h er b rot h er ’s pas s i ng. S he is g if tin g h e r m oth e r th is f ram e d pa i nt i n g of h er mot h er a n d b rot h er s t rolli n g t h rou g h t h e par k. A l i te ra l wal k dow n m e m o r y lan e. T h e O rg a n i c BG C olor S c r u b b er ca me i n h a n d y on t h e t rees .
W EL COME... ....TO APRIL’S EDITION OF ELEVATE YOUR ART MAGAZINE! It never fails — by the end of February, I get the gloomy weather blahs and this year, they seemed to linger into March. Yuck! But the warmth and spring sunshine have arrived and brought along with them a change in my attitude. S pring always inspires me. New beginnings, new growth, new painting skills. Now is the time when I always seem to have a painting growth spurt. Just at that moment when I feel so frustrated and BLAH about everything I paint, it seems like the warmth and sunshine bring a renewed interest in my work and an explosion of growth. In this issue, you’ll hear a few stories about frustration and pushing through it. The fruits of the labor by these artists easily speak for themselves. I’m about to reveal the secret of being an amazing artist: Never quit and always #dothework!
Michelle
C OV E R I M AG E BY St e p h a n i e S a b o u r i n s t e p h a n i e s a b o u r i n p h o t o g r a p hy. c o m Steph a n i e completed t h i s pa i nt i n g i n t wo s ta g es . T h e f i r s t s ta g e occ u r red i n S u mmer 202 0, a n d t h ou g h s h e li k ed wh a t s h e h a d , s h e b eli eved i t n eed ed tex t u re. Af ter g et t i n g t h e Non - M i x i n g O rg a n i c Brea k i n g Br u s h , s h e rev i s i ted t h e i ma g e a n d h a s n ow ra n k ed t h e b r u s h a mon g h er fa vor i tes .
Ma g a z ine © M iche l l e Pa r s l ey, M. Ph oto g . , M. A r t i s t , C r. , C PP St u d e nt im a g e s © re m a i n w i t h e a c h i n d i v i d ua l a s n ote d . Screen captur ing a rt wo rk fro m t he m a g a z ine fo r yo ur ow n us e - w h et h e r p e r s o n a l o r co m m e rc i a l us e - i s a vi olat i on of th e a rt ist s’ co py rig ht which is p un i s h a b l e by Fe d e ra l f i n e s of up to $ 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 p e r i m a g e . P l e a se b e re sp e ct fu l of t h e co py r i g ht of t h e a r t i s t s . T h a n k yo u.
CONTENTS 01 02 p5 p7 p18 p21
Featured Reviewer: Claudia Nix Welcome from Michelle #DOTHEWORK Artist Feature: Shelly Ellis Rufus is a LIAR! The Power of Repetition
Le sley D avidson thepainter lypor t ra it . co m . a u / Lesley wa nted to p rac tice al la p r im a an d p aint a ra b b i t , s o w h a t b et ter wa y t h a n d o b ot h? Her i ntent i on wa s to cre a te this a s a d elibera te p rac tice p ie ce an d re ce ive ex per t feed b a c k f rom a Rev i ew S pec i a li s t . Ea c h rev i ew wor k s t wofold , i mproving her a rt an d g row in g h e r co nf ide n ce l i t t le by li t t le.
M ASTH E A D & CO NTR IBU TO RS MICHELLE PARSLEY PUBLISHER HANNAH PARSLEY COPYWRITER CATH SMITH EDITOR
ARTICLES: SHELLY ELLIS SETTING YOUR SPIRIT FREE STEPHANIE DALMAN, THE POWER OF REPETITION
IMAGES: BEKKIE HARPER, CHELLY HALL, CLAUDIA NIX, IRENE BOWERS, KELLY O’KEEFE, LESLEY DAVIDSON, MELINDA FARRINGTON, NANCY JONES, PATTI STRUCHYNSKI, PORTIA SHAO, SHELLY ELLIS, SHEILA TENNES, STEPHANIE DALMAN, TAMMY NOVAK
# D OT H E WO R K
the Brushes, slowed down, got feedback, and implemented what I was learning that I developed any skills.” I get emails all the time… “Can you just sell me your brushes?” People are shocked when my answer i s, “No.” Somehow, the perception is, if you can just get your hands on my brushes, you’ll be able to paint like me and many of my students. Please understand — the way I paint h as very little to do with the brushes and very much to do with fully understanding the medium I’m working in. (I understand the previous statement likely has you giving me the proverbial ‘side eye’.) In fact, it is 100% gospel truth. The ability to paint the way I and many of my students do in Photoshop is due to our understanding of the program and how to control it. I think Beyond the Brushes member, Debby M. said it best… “ I was a serial brush buyer with zero art training. I bought brushes, videos, books, whatever, because I wanted to learn to paint digitally. Everything I did was pretty terrible, and I was further convinced that I have zero talent. It wasn’t until I got in Beyond
So, if you’re anxiously awaiting some magical brush set to transform you into the artist you’ve always wanted to be — give it up. Such a set doesn’t exist. To be honest, you don’t need a lot of things to become a respected Photoshop Artist: •
Brushes
•
“Talent” << totally a myth!
•
Prior art training
•
The ability to draw
What do you need to be successful as a Photoshop Artist? A willingness to #dothework Becoming an artist isn’t something that happens in the snap of your fingers, even with a program like Beyond the Brushes. It’s a process of learning and building and expanding your knowledge over time. And it is so worth the effort!
Michelle CLICK HERE TO TRY A SAMPLE LESSON
S h e i la Te n n e s i n s t a g ra m . co m /s h e i late n n e s Sheila connecte d w ith th is im ag e at f ir s t s ig ht. S h e pa i nted i t i n t h e ea r li er s ta g es of t h e les s on s b u t wa s de d i ca te d to how she envis io n e d th e f in al p o r trait. Ke e p in g t h i s sweet g i r l i n mi n d , s h e pa i nted h er a g a i n a f ter lea r n i ng m ore sk ills.
ARTIST FE ATU R E
S H E L LY E L L I S S E T T I N G YO U R S P IRIT F REE
S H E L LY ’ S M OT I VAT I O N WAS T H E T H O U G H T O F G E T T I N G H E R A RT I S T I C V I S I O N S O N TO PA P E R . S I N C E J O I N I N G , B E YO N D T H E B R U S H ES H AS B E E N T H E B ES T R ES O U R C E , L E A R N I N G TO O L , A N D C O M M U N I T Y FO R AC H I E V I N G H E R G OA L S .
Ar ti s t: S hel ly El l is
Ar ti s t: S hel ly El l i s
Yet, rather than being discouraged, Shelly incurred a certain gravitation toward the ch allenge. She saw the opportunity for the live-action images to aid in pushing her artwork toward how she feels watching the skilled riders. By working freehand, she was able to enhance the portraits, adding visual movement and changing the rider position/ mount when necessary. Th roughout this series, Shelly noted Brayer to be the brush of choice. She was enthralled with the process of turning her original inspiration into an encapsulated commemoration of her feelings toward these events. However, as with any paintings, these did not come without struggle. Even though she did not enjoy the salvaging an image lesson at the time, Shelly admits the skills learned not only played a huge part in creating this series but also are used in he r everyday artistic endeavors. In addition to grappling with the live-action photos, she also struggled to tame the vibrant colors in the riders’ apparel. She found a greater appreciation for the color lessons while working on them. Su rprisingly, Sh elly says he r color palettes tend to not be too adventurous. In selecting one for this series, she relied on previous cri tiques about recognizing, balancing, and
blending splashes of color. Previous critiques also guided her efforts to tame the existing vibrant colors. Getting to know Shelly is like attending a charreria. If you go to her studio, the music might be country from Chris Stapleton, rock from Lynyrd Skynyrd, jazz and blues from Nina Simone, contemporary from Sade Adu, classical from Paul Schwartz, or violin from Vanessa-Mae. You never know what you’re going to get, and this zest for life transfers into her appreciation for a variety of artists and styles. When asked about a brush that embodies her, it was fitting that Shelly picked Brushy Goodness, multilayer and textured. She needed something that would match her versatility. And if that doesn’t help you understand her quirky personality, her second-largest book collection (after large cowboy hats, of course) is on encaustic, or hot wax painting. What advice has helped Shelly reach this point as an artist? That’d be, “What’s the worst that can happen?” Admittedly not a perfectionist, she recognizes that repetition is not a part of her free-spirited personality. However, remembering this question causes her to realize that in art, sometimes repetition can be a fun adventure.
Ar t i s t : S he lly El li s
Th is series was inspired by images Shelly has taken over the years of the charreria and vaquero horsemen and women. Revisiting them, she desired to go further artistically. All of the images were captured during the events, meaning they were live-action shots with no control over the background, lighting, or anything else necessary for a high-quality reference photo.
A r t i s t : S he l ly El l i s
A r t i s t : S h el ly El l i s
S H E L LY J O I N E D B E YO N D T H E B R U S H E S AT T H E S TA R T I N SEPTEMBER 2019. WITH NO EXPERIENCE, THIS TRAINED GRAPHIC D E S I G N E R D EC I D E D I T WAS T I M E TO T R A N S F E R H E R V I S I O N S F R O M M I N D TO PA P E R . S H E L LY ’ S WO R K CA N B E FO U N D O N L I N E AT S E L L I S P H OTO G R A P H Y.C O M
COMING UP IN
APR IL
H ISTORY OF ART
A Portrait of Humanity
ELEMEN TS OF ART
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P or t i a h a s a h ea r t of g old a n d wa nted to honor t hos e i n t h ei r g old en yea r s . T h i s i ma g e i s f rom h er Nu r s i ng Home S er i es , w h ere s h e a r ra n g ed a P h oto Da y w i t h 1 0-1 2 res i d ent s . S h e ca pt u red t h ei r por t ra i t a n d the n gi fte d t he i ma g e to t h e res i d ent a n d t h e res i d ent ’s fa m i ly.
Po r t i a S h a o C PP, M. Ph oto g . w w w. p o s i t i vev i s t a . co m
Ire ne, inspired by t he ex p re ssio n a nd st a nce of t h i s cowboy, wanted to cre ate a p a int ing t hat e m b ra ce s wh at he represents . This d e sire p laye d into t he d a r ke r wood tone co lo r cho ice s. She su p p l e m e nte d t h e wagon wheel to sy m b o l ize t he b a rn whe re he te n d s ho rse s a nd refle ct s o n l i fe .
I re ne B owe r s M. Photograp hy P PA, Ma ste r P hoto g ra p he r, PPC www. ire ne b owe r s . co m
Be kki e Har p e r Bekkie sa w how the p h oto of h e r f r ie n d’s g ran dkid s cou ld b e t u r n ed i nto a pa i nt i n g . S o, s h e b or rowed h er f r i e nd ’s photo a nd transformed it into a wo r k of ar t. Kids p layin g can b r i n g a s mi le to a nyon e’s fa ce, a n d i t d ef i n i tely b rou g ht on e to he r fr i e nd ’s .
NEW LE SSON:
Ta m my Novak t a m my n ova k p h oto g rap hy.com Ta mmy sna ppe d th is p h oto dur in g a fas h io n e d i tor i a l s h oot . T h ou g h t h e mod el, S oph i a , wa s s hy, Ta mmy wa tche d her blossom wi th co nf ide n ce in f ro nt of th e ca mera . Not on ly i s t h i s pa i nt i n g g la morou s , b u t t h e ph oto i mpre s s e d th e SALYS E ’ e dito r s e n o ugh t h a t i t wa s s elec ted a s t h e cover i n Ma y 2019.
r a i L
RUFUS IS A
One of the most important lessons in learning to paint is a willingness to #dothework. But all work and no play isn’t good!
dread what you should do because it’s not what you want to do. Don’t fall into this trap!
Rufus knows that he can sabotage you by occupying you with lessons and makin g you feel like they are the only thing you sh ould focus on. “ You must only paint your lessons.“
Instead, take a break from time to time. Paint what intrigues you. Explore a style t hat interests you. Experiment with color. Take time to explore the mystery without worrying about the mastery.
“Don’t deviate from the lessons.” “The lessons are the most important thing.“ Rufus loves to employ this tactic to crush your artistic aspirations. Believe me — I want you to #dothework. This is how you learn. But do not paint your lessons simply out of duty. The lessons are there to guide you in a logical path through the work, so you can become the best artist possible. However, if you only paint the lessons, it becomes like reading a dull but recommended book. Before you know it, you’re avoiding the lessons because you
The mystery will draw you in, lead you on, and keep you progressing with your Photoshop painting skills. Forcing yourself to continue only pai nting lessons out of duty for an extended time will numb you out and turn you off to the entire process. Rufus knows this. Rufus wants this. Don’t let Rufus convince you not to have balance in your painting endeavors. Both mystery and mastery are equally important!
B e k k i e Ha r p e r Bekkie d etected the w h is p e r in g s f ro m th e do g ’s fa c i a l ex pres s i on s to h er h ea r t . Af ter s eei n g t h e p h oto, she k new she wante d to c re ate a ke e p s ake for t h e own er, es pec i a lly s i n ce t h e sweet pu p is now senior in ye ar s . Th o s e e ar ly ye ar s w i ll ca pt u red forever i n t h i s c h er i s h ed pa i nt i n g .
Na ncy Jo ne s Na ncy’s gra nd s o n love s to co m e an d h e l p o n the fa rm, so s h e b ro ug ht w h at s h e love s together in h e r f ir s t-eve r co m p o s itio n . She fou nd a p h oto w ith h is h an d o ut an d a d d ed the “ He ar ts tr in g s” q uote . Us in g B ru shy G ood nes s w ith a h int of B raye r, s h e relished in c re atin g th e f in al p ie ce .
Meli n d a t u r n ed t h i s per s on a l projec t i nto a ma s ter pi ece. T h e referen ce ph oto wa s les s t ha n pr i nt-wor t hy, b u t s h e en joyed t h e proces s of u s i n g t h e s k i lls s h e’s lea r n ed a n d t h e b r us he s s h e’s collec ted . Ma k i n g t h e b es t of w h a t s he h a d to wor k wi t h , s h e c rea ted a f i n a l pi ece wor t hy of d i s pla y.
Me l i n d a Fa r r i n g to n
Ch e l ly capture d a p ic ture of th is ra ven ou t in th e w ild. He r p rofo un d fe e l in g s towa rd it attac h e d th e s e ntim e nt of s ur v i va l. S h e de dicate d th e p aintin g to p e r s evera n ce, end u r in g ag ain s t al l o dds to th e b es t of you r a bi l ity. Th e p ur p le b ac kg ro un d p o s i ted t h e mo o d, an d B r us hy Go o dn e s s p o li s h ed t h e p a i nt i n g of f.
Ch e l ly Ha l l www. a zd irt ro a d p hoto g rap hy. co m
T HE P OW ER OF R EPET I T ION BY STEPHANIE DALMAN A F T E R J O I N I N G B E YO N D T H E B R U S H ES , I F E L L I N LOV E W I T H T H E M E D I U M . I M A D E I T M Y F U L L-T I M E J O B , S OA K I N G U P T H E T U TO R I A L S A N D E X T RA V I D EO S , C O M P L E T I N G E V E RY L ES S O N A N D P RAC T I C E I M AG E , A N D B EC O M I N G AS I M M E R S E D AS P O S S I B L E . 8 H O U R S A DAY, 7 DAYS A W E E K ! C RA Z Y R I G H T ? ! However, as I moved through the lessons, I struggled to see “progress.” I am sure you are wondering, “How can she feel that way when clearly she is progressing through the lesson? How can you not see progress?!” I know, another crazy thing right?! Regardless, I didn’t feel like I was seeing progress or the formation of a style. I struggled to see how I was adding to each layer of knowledge. So, I chose to pick one image I wouldn’t mind repainting over and over again. My boxer, Bane, is the inspiration for my business. He is this handsome, brindle boxer with dark brindling and lovely gold undertones, which is why my business colors are black and gold! He is literally everywhere in my business and in my life! So, I figured this would be the perfect image to obsess
over. I mean, are you even a “real” artist if you don’t become crazy obsessed? Just me? The first iteration was before I finished the first no hair portrait and before I took the pet fur course. It’s funny because I remember sharing this with the community, thinking it was pretty good. You know, for the first attempt and still only having the Greasy Blender and no fur brushes. In the next iteration, I had taken the fur course, went through all of the in-between critiques, and incorporated the suggestions and corrections. The third iteration was at the end of Budding Artisan, and I loved it! I loved the colors and my brushwork and thought this was where I wanted my art to lead. I could see such progress between the first version and the last. But as I progressed in
Apprentice Artisan, gaining more tools and knowledge, my eye was slowly changing. Near the end of the stage, I once again pulled out the image of Bane and restarted from the base image. When I finished, it was like looking at a completely different painter! Technically, it
was! I was no longer the pure pixel musher. I could SEE my style, see my take on the image, and it was eye-opening! Visu alizing how my work changed and progressed on this one image was not only humbling but gave me the proof I needed that I was growing as an artist.
S T E P H A N I E ’ S WO R K CA N B E FO U N D O N L I N E AT W W W. B OX E R SA N D B E E R .C O M
Pat t i St r uchyn s ki Pa t ti pa ints fo r p e r s o n al p le as ure an d f i n d s h er i n s pi ra t i on s c rolli n g t h rou g h f ree s toc k i ma g es . Ra t he r t ha n choosing a n im ag e , th e im ag e us ual ly c h o os es h er. T h i s pa r t i c u la r on e s c rea med , “ P a i nt me! ” S h e a n swe re d t he ca ll wi t h a v i s i on i n mi n d of w h a t i t h a d t h e potent i a l to be com e .
Ke l ly O’Ke efe w w w. ke l lyo ke efe p h oto g rap hy.com Kelly k new w h e n s h e s tar te d p layin g w ith t h e f lower s t h a t t h e i ma g e wou ld ma k e a b ea u t i f u l pa i nt i n g . W hi le crea ting it , sh e p r im ar ily us e d B r us hy Go o dn es s b u t a d d ed d i men s i on wi t h t h e Hi s tor y Br u s h Tool. S h e pla ns on s h ow in g th e p r int to th e fa t h er a n d s u g g es t i n g i t a s a Mot h er ’s Da y g i f t .
E L E VAT E YO U R A R T. C O M
