ELEVATE YOUR ART MAGAZINE: Spring 2023

ELEVATE YOUR ART

Quarterly Magazine Featuring Photoshop Artists

KIMBERLY GUARDIPEE

Members of the review team are integral to the success of hundreds of Photoshop artists. Highly trained, they provide over 15,000 video reviews a year for members of Beyond the Brushes.

Video feedback is the key to success for many who are new to Photoshop painting!

Tina wanted to try her hand at making her first-ever, intentional classical portrait. She got to work designing the set and wardrobe to resemble a traditional oil-painted portrait of a child. Enhancing it with embellishments, her goal was to make something that you might see in an historic home.

Tina Caron M.Photog., M. Artist., CPP tinaraon.com

WELCOME...

Welcome to spring in the northern hemisphere, the hardest season to paint! After a long, cold winte r , makin g th e choic e to stay inside and work is tough! I just want to be outside soaking up the warmth and sunshine — especially when it’s baby season on the farm. This is the time of year I love to explore painting in a series. It allows me to work on quick paintings to focus on technique to complement a single subject.

Working in series is the topic of this magazine. I hope you’ll give it a try!

COVER IMAGE BY

Margaret Goodwin

www.pixelsandpaint.ca

Margaret decided to paint this cat purely for her own enjoyment. The pose and the fur lured her into using this particular subject. It didn’t hurt that Margaret also enjoys working on high-key pieces and trying to capture an ethereal feeling.

Magazine © Michelle Parsley, M. Photog., M. Artist, Cr., CPP Student images © remain with each individual as noted.

Screen capturing artwork from the magazine for your own use - whether personal or commercial use - is a violation of the artists’ copyright which is punishable by Federal fines of up to $150,000 per image. Please be respectful of the copyright of the artists. Thank you.

MASTHEAD & CONTRIBUTORS

MICHELLE PARSLEY PUBLISHER

HANNAH PARSLEY COPYWRITER

CATH SMITH

EDITOR

ARTICLES:

KIMBERLY GUARDIPEE

IMAGES:

MARGARET GOODWIN

TINA CARON

ROBYN MCLAUCHLAN

ROWENA CHERRY

CHARI MAIER

LORI LINDSKOUG

DAVID HOLZEMER

WANDA ANN KINNAMAN

RANDI SEIGEL

VICKIE BOLDUC

KATHLEEN BARBER

KIMBERLY GUARDIPEE

KELLY O’KEEFE

RUSSELL KINERSON

LANA ROBISON

PORTIA SHAO

DIANNA RUCKER

KIM WEHNER

IRENE BOWERS

RHONDA HARLEY

ADRIENNE WALL

DEB RICE

BEKKIE HARPER

KRYSTAL HISE

ALICIA BARRY

Artist: Robyn McLauchlan

ROWENA CHERRY

Rowena captured a series of memories in these portraits.

When the neighbors called saying their granddaughter brought her horses and invited Rowena over, she immediately accepted and asked if she could bring her camera. Remy and Shelby were ready for their photoshoot and gave quite the show in exchange for the attention.

The second painting is Rowena’s friend’s grandchildren. They enjoy many fun outings together. Capturing them being extra together, she painted it for her friend, who shares in her love for creating and is a constant source of encouragement.

The pup’s name is Lulu, and Rowena babysat her while the owners were gone. Lulu communicated effectively just how many walks and outings she wanted to take. After losing both of her Welsh Springer Spaniels to old age, the companionship was welcomed and thoroughly enjoyed.

The last piece didn’t involve specific memories per se. An exercise piece for looser painting, Rowena saw the Victorian-like lady with her well-coiffed hair and fancy dress hidden in the paint. Her goal was to show her

Artist: Chari Maier

Chari was driving through the Palouse area of eastern Washington when she photographed these elk. At that time, she wasn’t painting, but she kept this photo in the back of her mind. Using the grass brushes and soft light background brushes, Chari finally felt like an artist creating a wheat field around them.

Lori loves her fur babies and, when she came across this dog, she fell in love with his expression. Before this, Lori was afraid of painting fur, but after taking this leap of faith, she now has the confidence to paint her own fur-babies.

Artist: Lori Lindskoug CPP

www.WetNoseCreative.com

David’s heart couldn’t say no when his grandson asked him to paint Maggie da’Moo. The Holzemer family rescued her when she was 10, and Maggie and David’s grandson formed an inseparable bond. Maggie crossed over the Rainbow Bridge a while ago, but her memory lives on in the hearts that loved her.

Artist: David Holzemer

WORKING IN SERIES

Spring is upon us, and with that I start pondering a series. Not a television series, but rather a series of paintings that are intended to be a single body of work.

Before we dive too deep, let’s clarify what a series is when it comes to painting. There can be many variations but at its core, the paintings in a series all need to have a common thread that connects them. Connections can be made by using a common technique, the same color palette, or even the same subject presented in d iffe r ent ways. The most obvious examples of series are in the lesser known paintings of the old masters using the same subject found in their masterworks.

When the series is complete, a viewer should be able to tell immediately that the same artist created them all. The cohesive thread running through the work is stated and restated in d iffe r ent yet inte r connecte d ways. This allows the viewer to look at the collection and understand more easily what the artist is trying to convey. One can hardly view a series and not appreciate the breadth and scope of an artist’s skills as well as the depth with which they can expound on a particular subject.

If you decide to take on a series, you’ll find it begins to take on a life of its own. With each

new painting, the original thought grows, expanding and changing into something more refined and bigger than a singular painting could ever be. Every new work allows your artistic voice to get louder and clearer, demonstrating that you are on a path, you know what you’re doing, where you’re going, and what you have to do to get there.

It’s quite empowering!

The art of creating a series of work that is cohesive is an excellent exercise to both perfect skills and explore a concept. I firmly believe this is why the old masters would paint and repaint a subject before beginning their final masterwork. They used the series to arrive at the most refined vision of their subject and used the process of creating a series to explore the techniques to get there.

Let’s take our cues from those that have gone before and build our skills with a series this spring!

https://www.wandaannkinnaman.com/

Wanda was inspired by the deep purple, vibrant green, and brilliant yellow of the Pokeberry plant and its fruit, along with the Great Lobelia and Golden Rode wildflowers. So, she took a beautiful floral arrangement and added in the elements that called to her.

Artist: Wanda Ann Kinnaman

BA - Studio Art - MA - Art

Artist: Randi Seigel LaughingLightStudios.com

Randi started this project with one goal — to paint love into each brush stroke. This painting is a memorial for dogs that were deeply loved by their owners. Both passed away when Randi received the commission, and she found it fitting they were resting in a field together.

Artist Vickie Bolduc https://bolducfineart.com

Vickie has been wanting to paint a ballerina for quite some time. When a mother told her about her daughter’s dance experience, Vickie leaped at the opportunity. She invited the young dancer for a photo session, and from it came this pose of strength and power yet grace and elegance.

Kathleen fell for the warm colors in the girl’s hair and skin and knew she was too beautiful to not be painted. Touches of silvery green grass brought the girl into her surroundings. The color palette of ocean blues, greens, and grays was selected to compliment her skin tone.

Artist: Kathleen Barber kbarberfineart.com

KIMBERLY GUARDIPEE

WHERE THE PAINT LEADS ME

KIMBERLY IS A PHOTOGRAPHER THROUGH AND THROUGH. JOINING BEYOND THE BRUSHES THE FIRST WEEK IT OPENED WAS A PLUNGE THAT HELPED ELEVATE HER PHOTOGRAPHY WITH A PAINTERLY TWIST.

Artist: Kimberly Guardipee

Artist: Kimbery Guardipee

Artist: Kimbery Guardipee

Before Beyond the Brushes, Kimberly’s painting experience was limited to her high school projects with acrylics. However, it was photography that captured her heart. You can still hear that love alive and well when talking to her about her original captures for this series. Natural light and studio strobes are her go-to choices to try and make the most organic portrait.

For this series, she utilized a mixture of setups. Ultimately, several were taken with cell phones and without much thought given to the lighting because the natural light did the trick. Others were taken with a single studio strobe. When shooting with a studio strobe outdoors, Kimberly typically uses a 2’x3’ softbox. The additional lighting with the studio strobe gives her the feeling of more depth to the subject. An added bonus is once it is pulled into Photoshop the picture also seems easier to paint.

So why did Kimberly choose to paint in Photoshop? She wanted to take what was in her brain and put it onto paper, and that really came through with this series. Kimberly set out to try something new. The goal of the first painting was to emphasize the face, keep the background simple, and just let the paint take her wherever it led. The rest just followed suit.

Working freehand in the lines and shapes really allowed her to let the paint move and

go where it felt right. A modified version of Brushy Goodness did the guiding, and Kimberly relished being able to let the paint take her where it wanted to go. She kept the facial features mostly painted and implied the rest of the clothing with her lines.

To accentuate the paint, Kimberly elected to leave the background as close to the color of the original canvas as possible. Then, when it came to the actual subjects, Kimberly found that the lesson on problem images came into play. Those skills have proved to be invaluable throughout all of her paintings even though they weren’t necessarily her favorite lesson.

Overall, the hardest part for Kimberly was second-guessing herself about being free with her brushwork. Her main concern was how the images would end up looking in print, but during her time in Beyond the Brushes, she has learned to just keep painting and pushing herself even if she feels stuck. This helped her finish the series strong and continue to follow the paint.

Kimberly ended with one last piece of advice. Keep an art journal! She said, “It’s really encouraging to look back and see where we started and realize that even when we feel stuck we are still learning and improving.”

KIMBERLY GOES WITH THE FLOW OF THE DAY AND THE MOOD. WHETHER IT’S PIANO AND CELLO MIX, WORSHIP, OLD COUNTRY, CURRENT POP, OR DANCE, YOU ARE SURE TO FIND HER GOING WHERE THE PAINT LEADS HER.

Artist: Kimbery Guardipee

Artist: Kimbery Guardipee

Artist: Kimbery Guardipee

KELLY O’KEEFE

Kelly set her heart on doing a pet series. She started searching through her old photographs to find just the right ones. After photographing several dogs over the years, she started there.

One of her brides inquired about Kelly painting a portrait of her sister’s show dog for a gift. Being given full license to select which photograph would be best, the spaniel acted as the springboard for her series. Next, a cat Kelly photographed 10 years ago for a local magazine featuring a Pet Resort caught her eye. The Christmas deer was a wild card. While attending a class in New Jersey, Kelly was searching for birds, but instead, this doe allowed her to come close and take as many photos as her heart desired. Finally, Taran the Terrier was a dog Kelly had photographed 5 years ago, and her eyes lured Kelly into making the final selection. All of these are lovely canvases hanging on display in Kelly’s studio now.

Russell loves marine landscapes, and he captured this beautiful sunrise one October morning off Otter Cliffs in Acadia National Park. However, the image seemed like it needed something more. So, he added the sailboat he photographed just a day prior, and Multi-Color Bristle, Translucent Shadows, and Brushy Goodness did the heavy lifting.

Artist: Russell Kinerson

Lana was contacted by a grandmother looking to have her fishing-loving grandson’s portrait painted. From a Facebook image with harsh light and deep shadows, Lana produced this final piece. The floppy hat and sunglasses made it personal, and Brushy Goodness did most of the brushwork. I think the grandma is hooked!

Artist: Lana Robison Http://lanarobison.com

Portia saw long-time PPA Imaging USA volunteer, Art Solomon, in a wheelchair this past year. Over the years, she has gotten to know him at the competitions and felt compelled to capture an image of him for him and his family to enjoy.

Artist:Portia Shao, CPP, Master of Photography www.positivevista.com

RUFUS IS A Liar

Why is it that the things that are best for our artistic development are constantly under attack by Rufus? The concept of painting a series is no stranger to him. The second you decide to really give it your all, the whispers come…

“If you paint this series, you’re going to get pigeonholed into this stye forever.”

Sticking with a single style for a while is actually a good thing. It gives clients confidence that when they hire you for a commissioned work, they have a reasonable expectation of the final painting. When your style, colors, and brushwork are consistent, this builds the trust factor — especially when it’s a client that doesn’t know you personally.

“If you don’t change what you’re doing, people will think your artwork is boring and repetitive.”

As I’ve already stated, consistency creates confidence… but there is an inkling of truth to this little dig from Rufus, However not in the way you might think. While consistency of style is a good thing, getting stuck in a style forever is actually a bad thing. You should always be evolving and refining your technique. An artist that isn’t striving for the next big thing is dead, creatively speaking. Let’s not get lax and find ourselves stuck in a creative rut of meaningless work.

“If you spend too much time on this subject, you won’t make any money.”

That’s the one Rufus knows will work on me (kids to feed and bills to pay, you know?.)

I’ll be the first to admit I’ve lost money on commissioned work because I spent too much time working to perfect a single subject. However, those pieces ended up being some of my very best work. Those pieces where I took the time to fully explore the subject and create something blow-your-hair-back amazing ended up being the ones that brought me even more work. Despite there being some truth to needing to be an efficient painter to be profitable, sometimes you’ve got to tell Rufus to hush and listen to the paint!

Despite the objections Rufus will throw at you, I suspect you’ll find creating a series freeing. A blank canvas is no longer scary because you’ll have already figured out any issues with the subject. This leaves you free to enjoy the process of letting a new painting emerge using the strong threads of previous paintings to spur you forward.

Rufus, it’s time for you to sit down and hush!

Friends, let the series flow!

Artist: Dianna Rucker ruckerphotography.com

Dianna snapped this shot during the Memorial Day Parade in her small town. Seeing the bagpiper in traditional garb with a kilt on caught her eye. Then, the coloring and mood of the photo enticed her to paint him.

Artist: Kim Wehner KimWehner.com

Kim came across a photograph shared in the Beyond the Brushes community. In addition to a well-rounded education opportunity, Beyond the Brushes has a forum where students can share free practice images. For Kim, this subject caught her eye, and she was inspired to create this painting.

Irene incorporated a challenging subject into a more moody atmosphere. She composited the fence and landscape into the background using the MP Textured Landscape Painter Brush and MP Scumbly Painter Brush. The Scumbly was particularly helpful in breaking up the grassy areas.

Artist:Irene Bowers, PPA Master Artist, PPA Master Photographer, PPC Master Photographer www.irenebowers.com

Artist: Rhonda Harley http://harleysfineart.com

Rhonda met Joesey through her photography. Joesey called herself Rhonda’s “biggest fan” when it came to her wildlife photography. So when Joesey passed away, Rhonda wanted to paint her. After 3 years of working on it, she’s looking forward to giving it to Joesey’s family and hopes Joesey is smiling from Heaven that it is published.

Adrienne decided to paint this sweet yet spunky little girl. The soft expression mixed with the pop of pink and purple reflects her personality and favorite colors. Having a rainbow of colors in the background really emphasized her vibrant, happy nature.

Artist: Adrienne Wall, CPP adriennewall.com

Deb has been working on her compositing and free-hand painting skills. Working through the techniques taught in Beyond the Brushes, she wanted to implement them into creating this beautiful portrait. Believe it or not, this young lady was created from four different reference photos!

Artist Deb Rice

BEKKIE HARPER

Bekkie admires the masters and their different styles. She often thought about how wonderful it would be to create something so beautiful, but before, it had always been a mystery to her. Never in her wildest dreams did Bekkie believe she would gain the skills to be capable of self-expression through art.

Each piece has pushed Bekkie a little further outside of self-placed boundaries. The charcoal in particular is her first freehand charcoal work. Starting to feel the rush of artistic freedom and the joy to explore a whole new world, Bekkie can only think of how humbling it is and how grateful she is. In all her works, she gives glory to the Creator and His creation for providing her the opportunity to capture some of His exquisite handiwork with her own hand.

www.krystalhise.com

Krystal was commissioned to paint a remarkable dog trainer, Tara’s, 15-year-old dog, Tic Tac. Tic Tac is full of sass and spunk, and Krystal wanted to honor her legacy with something beautiful, meaningful, and a bit humorous. After Tara saw it, she told Krystal the other dogs were wanting their own portraits!

Artist: Krystal Hise

https://alycia-barry-studios.mailchimpsites.com

Alycia snapped a shot of her granddaughter out at her stepson’s Texas ranch. After getting some skills in her toolbelt, she was itching to try it out. The background was less than desirable, but Alycia turned it around to showcase her granddaughter’s sweet face without losing the hint of the outdoors.

Artist Alycia Barry