Children's Art Competition.

I worked the last months to improve a professional skills in my art studio. I believe that one way to achieve that is implementing new rules that allow my students faced public criticism and artistic competition with others art studios as well as art students from middle schools. This competition should not be cause for stress of the children because they need to demonstrate that what their learned in art class and capture and express their feelings on a canvas. Art competition, improve quality and self-esteem for little artists and motivate to do their best for themselves, each child is unique and deserves public recognition. I encourage my students to participate in art competitions and be able to defeat from the fear of criticism and stress of facing the public. I want to acknowledge your inner talent and that each class expressed through your hands to create fine art and help me become a better art teacher.

Art level test

I have often wondered why I do an art test, the answer is simple, because I must prove to myself that I am able to start and finish a work of art using techniques I learned in class, I have to face the public that admire or criticize my art because it should be able to find my own artistic way, I must transmit my feelings in my artwork. Many answers I find to deal with an examination of art, it really relaxes me know that my students attend art class because they want to explore their artistic qualities and put them on a canvas. I feel proud to work in their art education and maturing fear tackled in public. 
I'm going to focus only on three of the main reasons to review of art test. First, when I start with my sketch for a painting and examine the range of shades, shadows and lights that must be integrated into my scenario, I'm putting into practice the theory of color.

When I consider using the liner brush or fan brush instead of a brush tip and make a blending in circles, lines or dots, I'm putting into practice the theory that I learned in class, Second, when I use detail, retouching  and others belong to the theory we learn in class and carry out in practice. 
Third, when we are confronted by an audience who admire or criticize our work, my self-esteem will
increase and we'll be able to transform our feelings into artwork and let our artistic movements leave traces in our lives, but the criticism is also important because it allows us to strengthen our theory with new eyes and see our mistakes and try to improve.
Being a professional artist or just an artist for hobby is fascinating because it allows us to express and translate our feelings in a painting that will last forever, face to a public and review of art strengthened my self-esteem and allows us to be able to face critical issues and in addition to understand that there are no limits in art and we can play with colours, match colours or use different means to form a work of art. I think these are good reasons to deal with art testing and remember that once studied art as a hobby.

 

How to paint.

Sometimes my students ask me who can paint as many occasions do not know where to start, I always recommend take a camera with them when they go for a walk or vacation as the places they visit and the things that see like are the best photos for a new painting.
On the other hand, it is important to look at magazines, flyers, visit art museums or check the internet where you could find many ideas that always serve as reference for beginning a painting. As yet we do not know that painting is a great idea to take along a journal that serve us every day to write whatever we like, such as a colourful sky, a cloudy day, a tree, a kids playing on the beach, a puppy eating ice cream or a cat cleaning her babies.
If you write in a journal your ideas is very easy to remember that when you want to start a new painting. I recommend that in addition to looking at all print media is important to do a collage in your journal that is going to be your reference for your new painting.
The most important thing is enjoy what you paint and if you feel tired from your painting you must change for another painting for keep your enthusiasm in your art.  
When I teach in my classes I use art therapy with my students and allow them to change their techniques from drawing to use mono-printer or stamping,  so they do not get bored with the routine of their painting. However, enjoy your journal and use your camera all time.

Changes are good.

Say that all changes are good, I think so ... but sometimes we are a little scared and do not wish to take that big step to change and become better, for exemplar changing school, friends, work, country or even painting technique, we often hesitate and try to keep painting the same way without a changing our technique, colours or media. This happened to me when I was doing my certification in fine art at Emily Carr University, I studied advance acrylic and my teacher besides being an artist showed that the acrylic can be painted as oil and blending and also combining with ground leaves, sawdust, petroleum jelly, gesso, transparent gel or just sand. I thought she was one of those artists who sought to explain her abstract technique with lines and spots painted by hand but my surprise was greater when I combined the new techniques with my own style that I have always painted during years. Through the combination of acrylic and oil  I express some of my imagination that had been left behind because I was thinking it was only fantasy. Every day I learned something new and with the changes I made a new style in my art, I've grown and learned that I must change to survive in a world that moves so quickly and when I studied it taught me to grow as an artist and transmit such knowledge.

Reality or imagination?

What is the difference between reality and imagination?

Artists do not know the difference between these two words as long as we paint our reality through the imagination and abstract. I remember when I was kid, I liked the story of Alice in the wonderland where that crazy and mysterious cat appeared and disappeared, I remember always drawing it but I never imagine how it could really be until I grew up and saw the second movie with real people, let me tell you that I'm fascinated with the cat and the mad hatter... the colors and extravagance of the movie made my imagination grow. After seeing the movie I started to design a masterpiece that had a touch fantasy and reality, where I could paint my cartoons as a child and enjoy thinking about how pink the cat could be in real life. This is the result of my mind that travels between the fantasy of my imagination and the reality that distinguishes me as an artist. Enjoy.

Drawing

I teach drawings faces to my students and I was thinking about some recommendation my art teacher at Emily Carr University told me and I would like to share with you... You must carry your sketchbook with you all time and draw daily; it is not an excuse to say "I don't have time", use your sketchbook like a diary for remembering ideas, people and places you have been with sketches, cutting and pasting and writing. Write comments in your sketchbook and if you have chance review books, shows, notes an magazines from art. Don't copy master drawings but try to sketch it, use your sketchbook to explore media and techniques and practice sketching real and imaginary spaces. Drawings need not be “finished.” You need quality of observations in your sketchbook and enjoy your drawings. 

Using colour.

Using your imagination is important when you are an artist and you love paint. I start a new painting with a scenario that motivates me to paint and after photographs so I will not forget any detail of shadows and lights which change with the passing of the hours. When I am at front of my canvas, I can imagine the details that get to my mind at the time adding to each of my paintings a personal touch that makes it different and makes it my own style.  
I can paint scenes from children playing, seniors holding hands walking together, a puppy running, a blue bird eating food or just a scene of trees with many shades of green and yellow.
The most important thing for me is the use of colours in my paintings, many of the scenes I painted are full of yellow, ochre and brown. I like to use bright colour and scenes with many details, full of lights and shadows.
The use of colour is important because it allows it to reflect our mood, happiness, sadness, concern, passion, nobility and we can even reflect our personality through the colours we choose. My paintings are always intense, reflecting the passion and I paint all of them with a lot of motivation. I can express through the bright colours of the intensity where I live, the joy of being able to convey my passion for art and other generations seal with a unique style.

Poppies

I imagine...

One year ends and another one begins... the decorations, the Christmas tree and cards are stored in a box  and they will remain in our memories, now it is time to return to studying, learning and teaching. Our new purposes are fresh as lettuce, we are full of energy and the desire to learn and to do new things, our spirit is renewed with joy and we are encouraged to succeed, we are one anonymous hero, we are drawing our history and we are architects of building our future.
Just now, I'm at front of my canvas imagining a new master piece of art and I look through the window as if I'm trying to find the answer to a question ... then I look my art studio and my eyes return to my canvas, I begin by drawing with some lines in different directions, my strokes are soft and transparent, I imagine the sky... the sunset is red, orange, yellow, blue and grey then some trees that contrast with its shadow and the blooming green of the evergreens in the winter, I know this will be a great work of art; something stops me and reminds me of that big, fat, black crow that I saw a few days ago and I think it should be in my painting, imagine it would be a good idea in one of the branches in the distance and without noticing I decide to include him to complete the drawings. Now, I imagine a ray of light between tree branches... so I decided to include it. It seems that the imagination of an artist is always wandering, creates new ideas and returns, this is art!

This is the view front the peak of Grouse Mountain, picture taken by me.