Working with a Zorn or Limited Palette

Lately, when I don't have the mindset to work on a full painting and I just want to relax on the couch, I've been plopping down some colors in my cigar box pochade box using the Zorn palette and doing some oil sketches on 5x7" panels.  I just put the cigar box on my lap and do quick sketches using photo references I've printed out or directly from my laptop screen.  It's comfortable and most importantly I'm painting!  Instead of watching mindless television (well, I still have it on) I'm mixing paints and painting.

I'm doing small oil sketches and mini portraits (5x7 panels) and using a limited palette of ivory black, cadmium red medium, yellow ochre and titanium white and I'm truly amazed at the vast amount of colors you can obtain with these four colors.  If you add in ultramarine blue you have a pretty extensive range of hues to work with.

If I'm just pushing colors around and experimenting, I will paint on recycled boxes that I coat with acrylic gesso and when I'm done I'll just toss them out.  Every once in awhile I create something that I love and so I trim the piece and save them although I have to admit that I do get mad at myself when I create something great and now it's on a piece of cardboard.  So learn from my mistakes and don't get caught up in your paintings if you use these temporary recycled cardboard canvases.

As for the cigar box pochade box, I bought a used cigar box from a cigar store at a local mall for $5 and it measures about 9" x 12".  There are larger ones but that was the largest one they had available that day.  The best thing to do is call a cigar store and ask them if they give away the old cigar boxes.  They may not give them away but just sell the old boxes.  If they do give them away or sell them, ask them to hold one for you or ask what days they get new shipments so you can stop in and pick one up.

Must Have Books for Serious Artists

 I know the business end of an art career is on the bottom of the list of enthusiast endeavors for most artists but it is a necessary evil if you want to continue to create art and also have a life.  I'm currently pursuing art in parallel to a full-time computer job so a lot of the pressure to earn a living with my art is not as heavy than if art was my sole source of income, but that being said, I believe also allows me to slack off a little more easier than I would like to.  In order to keep on track with my art I have to create a schedule of tasks for myself and I created a time line to achieve those goals by.  I took this idea and many others from the three books I mention below.

I don't believe in recommending or endorsing any product unless I've used them or in this case, that I've read them.  Therefore, I can say honestly that as an artist who's serious about their art work and the business of art, you have to read the following three books on the business of art.  Even if you purchase the book, use the information and resell it in Amazon.

Here are the 3 must-have books on the business of art:

1. "I'd Rather Be in the Studio!" by Alysson B. Stanfield
2. "How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist: Selling Yourself Without Selling Your Soul" by Carol Michels
3. "The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love" by Jackie Battenfield,

Since I've read these really informative books I've been taking steps to move my art goals forward.

I've created my own web site http://www.rickmercerdesigns.com/ along with this blog, participated in an art festival, and signing up for Rob's workshop is one of the more larger steps I'm taking to improving my artwork.  My goal is to take a least one workshop a year and possibly two per year if finances permit.  I plan on using a lot more of the ideas within the pages of these books and see where the future and my art take me.

Robert Liberace "Alla Prima Portrait" Workshop

In keeping with my art goals for the year, I've signed up for an art workshop with Robert Liberace this August in Marshfield, MA.  It will be a 3-day Alla Prima Portrait Workshop and I'm really excited because I've been a huge fan of Rob for awhile and of the group of students that have come out of the Studio Incamminati and have worked under the great Nelson Shanks.

Taking an Art Class

"Balance of Good and Evil" (16" x 20" oil) ~ Stuart Dunkel

I signed up for art classes with Stuart Dunkel at the Nautilus School of Realist Art in Watertown, MA which is a small, seven person studio setup.  He's a fabulous artist and a great teacher as well.  You can visit his web site at:  http://www.stuart-dunkel.com/.

I discovered Stuart while reading through Jeff Haye's art blog and I'm glad I did.  I've learned a great deal in the four classes I've taken so far.  I've already learned a great deal more about coloring mixing and making better choices for my paint choices.  There's only four and sometimes five students in the class so it's very intimate and questions are quickly answered. 

Requirements at work and the huge amount of snow storms Massachusetts has received has prevented me from attending any classes in January but we're back on track this week.

Sebastian Kruger and me at Newbury Fine Arts

Sebastian Kruger and I at "Face To Face" Opening Reception

Sebastian Kruger and I posing in front of his fabulous and humorous "Trust Me I'm a Doctor" painting (94" x 63").  Sebastian is truly a very nice guy and thoroughly enjoyed the opening reception.  He very gratiously posed for all photos and very forthcoming with questions.  This is what being an artist should be all about.  Gratious and willing to share ideas and thoughts and open to the public and fans of their work.

I hope to attend his next workshop whenever that may be.  His wife said they have a few big projects coming up and things will be busy with the Krugers for some time, but hopefully it will not be long before the next Kruger workshop.

Thanks again to Robin and Claire at Newbury Fine Arts.  Please pay them a visit if you are in Boston.  They are located at 29 Newbury Street in Boston.