Dragonfly Series

by Dena Tollefson
http://www.denatollefson.com/

I am doing a series of pointillism (Daubism) paintings on dragonflies- the subject below is Libellula pulchella, commonly known as the Twelve Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly. It is found all throughout the continental United States as well as southern Canada. As a chiId, I had a specimen of this dragonfly in my insect collection- I was always facinated by its strikingly bold wing markings. If you look closely, you will find 4 Libellula pulchellas in this painting.

"Dragonfly Symphony" Oil on Canvas 30"x 40" copyright 2010 Dena Tollefson

The 12 Spotted Skimmer has fragile wings and a strong body. It is found in ponds and other wet areas, eating small flying insects - such as those nasty mosquitoes! Click here to learn more about this dragonfly.

What's in the Paint?

by Dena Tollefson

Question- Why is the oil paint on your canvas so thick - almost like peanut butter? How long will one of your paintings last?

Cymbidium Orchid III 30"x24" Oil on Canvas 2004 Copyright Dena Tollefson

Private Collection

Answer- The paint is thick because I use artist's grade artist's paint. By using the best materials available, my paintings will last for generations.

Paints come in different types- here are some examples

• Artist's Grade (also known as Professional Grade) Artist's Paint
• Student's Grade Artist's Paint
• House Paint

Artist's oil paint is much different than house paint.  

Artist's Grade (also known as Professional Grade) paint consists of a vehicle/binder (usually linseed oil) + pigment (very concentrated ground up color). This concentration of linseed oil plus pigment is very thick and viscous. Since the mixture is only oil + pigment only with no fillers, etc, the mixture comes out of the tube like tootpaste or peanut butter. It is very long lasting and enables the artist to create work which will last centuries. This same mixture of oil + pigment has been used by artists through the centuries and has stood the test of time.

Student grade paint is similar in composition to Artist's grade(vehicle/binder + pigment), but it has a lower concentration of pigment, therefore may not provide the color intensity and tinting strength that artist's grade paint does. I use only Artist's Grade paint as it helps me get the color strength I need.

Interior house paint consists of a vehicle/binder +filler + pigment + water. Adding the filler and water dilutes the tinting strength of the paint and affects its long term permanence. When you paint a wall in your house, you will expect the color to fade over the years. Paintings made with Artist's Paint do not experience this type of fading

House paint is an option for some painters- in fact the late painter Jackson Pollock used standard enamel house paint and sometimes car paint for his famous "Drip" paintings. The concern with using this paint is that it is not intended to last for hundreds (or even thousands of years) as artist's paint is. Conservation is being done to protect many Jackson Pollock paintings so they do not deteriorate before their time.

Waiting For Paint to Dry

by Dena Tollefson
http://www.denatollefson.com/

Wow! How long does that painting take to dry?

I get that a lot.

"Pond XII" 40"x30" Original Oil on Canvas copyright Dena Tollefson 2009

Private Collection

Oil paintings can take years, even decades to dry completely!

According to the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute, the chemical and physical changes which occur during an oil painting drying process continue years past the point when the painting is dry to the touch. Click on their link above to learn more.

Oil paintings take a long time to dry, especially those with a very thick application of paint, such as my Daubism (Pointillism) work shown above. The largest marks are made with a silver vegetable serving spoon (spoon reserved for this purpose). Oil paint is buttered on the back of the spoon for one stoke of paint, then the spoon is wiped to receive another buttering.  This is done to keep the colors from smearing into each other and to keep each stroke of paint smooth and crisp. All other marks are made with palette knives: sizes ranging from very large to very small.

Here are 4 types of drying times I consider for my paintings- each artist has their own timetables based on what type of paint they use, any additives such as stand oil or additional linseed oil, poppy oil. etc:

1. Drying time between adjacent strokes of paint so daubs don't smear: 4 days-8 days 
2. Drying time where surface of painting is dry to touch: 2 weeks- 5 weeks
3. Drying time between painting completion and framing: 4-16 weeks
4. Drying time point where painting is solidly dry down to core- 1-10 years or more!

So the saying, "It's like waiting for paint to dry" is really true.

Dean Aldrich: Showcasing Pointillism

by Dena Tollefson

The unique version of Pointillism I developed called Daubism is written up here by Dean Aldrich, whose blog named Tackad showcases abstract paintings with writing or dots. Calligraphy, postmodern pointillism, marks, gestures & scribbles, text and language based works. Check it out!

Adjacent Complementary Colors: Making Paintings Sparkle

by Dena Tollefson

Question: Why do some paintings appear to sparkle?

Choice A: Artist has snuck glitter into the paint hoping you won't notice
Choice B: Artist has applied the theory of adjacent complementary colors
Choice C: Artist has modified your eyes as you sleep in a bizarre attempt to change your vision

Answer: If you chose "B", congratulations, you are right!

You've probably seen this phenomenon in action in a science or psychology textbook- stare at a yellow object and you will see a purple afterimage. Stare at a blue object and you will see an orange afterimage. Stare at a red object, a green afterimage appears.  Click here to try it and learn about  rods, cones, photoreceptors, and the psychology of how our eyes handle adjacent complementary colors

It's science!

Artists understand this optical principle and will employ the scientific principles of how the human eye works to their advantage to create a sense of excitement in their artwork. When 2 color complements are placed adjacently, they create an optical pop or sparkle. Paintings which incorporate adjacent complementary color theory will excite the human eye.

"Sunflower VI" 36"x48" Oil on Cotton Canvas copyright 2009 Dena Tollefson

I oftentimes use this technique of strategically placing adjacent color complements in my work. For example, in the painting "Sunflower VI" above, I lay strokes of orange & blue and strokes of yellow & purple directly next to one another throughout the whole painting to
1. Add sparkle to the painting and
2. To draw the viewer's eye across the top of the painting and to the curving focal point where the dark seedhead meets the swirling petals.

Next time you view a painting which seems to sparkle at you, check to see if the artist has employed the technique of strategically placing adjacent complementary colors!

Nikki Janda Named that Painting

By Dena Tollefson

We have a winner! Nikki Janda's title "Soleil du Soir" (French for "Evening Sun") is the winning title idea to name the painting below. There were 19 title entries from 13 people between the blog, FB, and emails. Thank you to everyone for the great ideas and inputs!!! Very creative and well thought out ideas. Have a fantastic evening

Name That Painting

by Dena Tollefson

Help me name this new painting!

This painting needs a name- maybe your idea will be used!

Add your suggestion in the comment space below, write your idea on my wall at my Dena Tollefson Art Facebook page,  or send me a private message. Here's your chance to name a piece of original art. This painting is a 16"x20" original oil painting by Dena Tollefson
I look forward to your ideas!

Art Collector: Patric McCoy “The Power of Original Art”

Art Collector: Patric McCoy “The Power of Original Art”

Your Favorite Color Combos: Facebook Poll Results & Color’s Impact on Mood

“Pears XVIII” Original Oil on Panel 6”x8” by Dena Tollefson

“Daisy II” Original Oil on Panel 4”x6” by Dena Tollefson

by Dena Tollefson
http://www.denatollefson.com/


So here are the results from my informal poll “Tell me your favorite color combos” from Facebook: Thanks to all of you who contacted me with your inputs.

Your favorite Color Combos Poll results
1. Blue and White
2. Green and Blue
3. Pink and Green
4. Blue and Gold (tie)
5. Green and Gold (tie)


Ever wonder why we react to certain colors? Why we pick certain colors?


My Approach
I try to keep a balance of colors – warm and cool, deep and light in each painting I do. I pick a dominant set of 2-3 colors at the start of the painting which determine the overall look- for example, in “Daisy II” shown above, I wanted to make a pink and green painting. I decided to use the 3 colors pink (white + alizarin crimson), green and white. This is the dominant palette. Now I added purple and yellow to balance out the warm of the green and the cool of the pink. Then I go back in and mix the dominant colors together to create a gray or “mud” color to use alone or mix into all the other colors in the painting so that only a few marks will have pure pigment from the paint tube and there will be color harmony.


In the painting “Pears XVIII” above, I wanted to do a painting with where the dominant colors are blue, green, and gold. So I added secondary colors of red and orange help balance the cool blue. I mixed the the colors in with each other to make the “mud” color which helps pull it all together.

Here is an excerpt from the article How Color Affects Mood, by Abby Hoicowitz, Annie McNerney, Lamour Hudson, and Rhett McCoy :

“The authors of Impact of Three Interior Color Schemes on Worker Mood and Performance Relative to Individual Environmental Sensitivity also say that color affects mood. They explain that red, blue, and green create the most obvious results. They say that white does not usually test well because it is a neutral and common color. They also said that red causes alertness and high excitement, while blue causes relaxation and low excitement. Finally, the authors also say that blue and green cause feelings of security and tenderness.Our group also found a lot of information from internet sources. For instance, Starr Walker says that "colors are neither good or bad but, they do influence the human psyche."
She goes on to say that this is because of the different vibration levels of colors. Red has a much higher vibration level than black, while clear bright colors are more positive and emit a higher vibration. Dark or muddy colors give off a lower vibration. Walker says that the colors that a person chooses to wear can affect their mental state. The following are her interpretations of colors:

White = purity and clarity;
Red = power and strength;
Pink = sensitivity and love;
Orange = stimulation;
Yellow/Gold = energy;
Green = harmony in mind, body, and soul;
Blue = healing and calmness;
Violet = spirituality;
Brown = earth like; and
Black = depression and seduction.”

click here to see their full article
http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/nsfall99/labpacketArticles/Final1.HowColorAffectsMoo.html

Cedar Rapids Museum of Art’s Workshop Lecture “10 Ways to Collect on a Budget” Part II

by Dena Tollefson
http://www.denatollefson.com



Last time I wrote about a neat workshop/lecture I attended at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art entitled “10 Ways to Collect on a Budget”, focusing on the Vogel gift to the museum. (see last post).
http://www.crma.org/Exhibition/Detail/Current/Less-is-More-The-Vogel-Gift-of-Minimal-and-Conceptual-Art.aspx

Part II of this post discusses the second part of the lecture: ways everyone can collect art on a budget, ideas below presented by CRMA museum Director Terry Pitts and Curator Sean Ulmer:


Idea #1: Collect Locally
You don’t have to jet set or go to a large city to collect art. Go local and collect from artists in your area or region of the country. Saves big on transportation!

Idea #2 Go Online to Learn about Artists You are Interested in
You can learn about artists in your area by speaking with gallery owners and checking them out on the web. Google or Yahoo the name of an artist you are interested in and learn more about them- how they create, their history, where they are going artistically.

Idea #3: Go to Art Gallery “Gallery Walks”
Many art galleries hold open house “gallery walks”, or “self guided gallery tours” several times a year where the public is invited to come in for a gallery open house to meet the artists they represent and see their latest work. This is a way to enjoy food and beverages, meet the gallery artists, and see a variety of work in a wide range of price points.

Idea #4: See as Much Art as Possible
The more art you see, the more you will get a feel for what you like and what you don’t. This will help you hone your art eye and help you focus your collecting.

Idea #5: There is Art for Every Budget
You don’t have to be loaded to own art. You can start your collection at your local thrift shop! You never know what you may find. Start small, figure out what you like, and move forward from there. As you build your collection, you may cull your collection and eliminate certain pieces to keep the best or narrow your focus.

Idea #6: Even if You can’t Afford the Big Painting, You may be Able to Afford Something Else from That Same Artist
Terry Pitts and Sean Ulmer showed examples of artist’s ephemera . So if the big painting isn’t affordable, maybe a smaller piece, a signed book, a signed gallery catalog, an artist’s invitation, etc may fit the budget.

Idea #7 Check out Auction Houses and Art Fairs
You can find art at auction and in art fairs such as the Art Chicago http://www.artchicago.com/
Auction houses such as Jackson’s (Cedar Falls, Iowa) http://www.jacksonsauction.com/

Leslie Hindman (Downtown Chicago, Illinois) http://www.lesliehindman.com/
and
Sotheby’s http://www.sothebys.com/app/live/event/EventSearchResults.jsp?event_landing=true

Remember: You can collect art for investment, collect art for pure pleasure, collect art for obsession. The point is to collect art you like.