Pastel Drawing - Ice Hockey

Here is a video of me creating the ice hockey drawings with soft pastels.

How to protect your artwork from being damage?

Which are the most common ways artworks gets destroyed? 
Answer: Water damage, direct sunlight, and physical damage. 
Here are some few tips on how to protect your artwork from being damage.

In that case of oil paintings and acrylics: 

1. Vanish your artwork to protect it from dust, dirt, and moisture. 
2. Keep your original artwork out of direct sunlight to prevent discoloration. 
3. Protect it against humidity by keeping your artwork in a cool dry place to avoid water damage and mold. Avoid places where temperatures and humidity levels fluctuate a great deal since extreme temperatures and moisture can damage the artwork. Temperature fluctuations can also affect canvas stretcher bars by expanding them and contracting them, which will result in the canvas either sagging and/or cracking the paint. 
4. Framing artwork always adds an extra protection to the edges of the paintings. However, paintings don’t need to be framed under glass. 
5. For extra protection, attach small cork pieces to the back of the frame to prevent mold from forming, by allowing air to circulate behind your framed art.
6. Never spray commercial cleaners on your painting. Never use commercial products to clean your bare artwork. Use a feather duster to dislodge dust particles from the surface. Cloth material may leave lint.
7. When moving the artwork, warp your artwork properly by using cardboard corners and bubble wrap or sheets to cover them. Secure them well before moving your art.  Avoid leaving the artwork too long in the packaging as moisture may form and damage your painting.

Drawing, Oil Pastel, Color Pencil, Charcoal and Watercolors

1. Frame art behind glass, preferably under UV-protected glass. Frame your artwork under a glass or clear plastic frame to protect it from dust tears, sunlight, dirty fingers, insects, and accidental damages
2. Also in the case of watercolors, colors may fade if watercolors are exposed to strong lighting conditions. In the case of pastels, full sun can fade the colors but they can survive strong light or indirect sunlight. 
3. Never touch the surface of the art or place anything on its surface to avoid smearing.
4. In the case of drawings, many artists use fixatives to prevent smears and smudges. While glass offers some UV protection, some artist go an extra step and use several coats of UV protective fixative to provide an extra layer of protection to the artwork and even to displayed without glass. Unprotected colored pencil drawings are likely to be affected by wax bloom, which is a white haze that appears over time as the wax medium rises to the surface. Using several coats of fixative will prevent wax bloom and preserve the look of your original art.
5. A high-quality UV protective artist fixative is your best choice for a final fixative, and you should always test the product to be sure it performs to your expectations. 

Artwork not displayed

1. Stored artwork in a clean, dry, dark and well-ventilated area.
2. Store unframed artwork flat with acid-free paper between each item, and store individual items in archival-quality envelopes. Avoid storing art between cardboard, as it is highly acidic.

Vanessa's Art Studio
http://www.vanessamontenegro.com/vm/index.html
https://www.facebook.com/vanessa.montenegro.artist

Copyright © 2015  Vanessa Montenegro

Making Your Own Environmentally Friendly Paint!

Continuing with the theme of my previous blog What Can We Do as Artists to Reduce Our Footprint on Our Planet?, this blog will present you with options for alternative paint. If you are adventurous, have the time and want to have more control of the ingredients you use in your art-making, then this blog is for you.

Vegetable and Plants:

Cactus paint mix with water
creates a fun textures

Vegetables and plants offer a great green alternative choice for creating paint. While vegetables and plants might not hold their original color when exposed to sunlight for long periods of time, they are great options for experimenting and working on the protected pages on your art sketchbook!

Here are some ideas for vegetable and plant colors:

For Red:

• Henna 
• Madder 
• Rose Hips 
• Beets 
• Hibiscus 
• Cherries 
• Strawberries 
• Cactus flower 

For Yellow and Orange:

Abstract Painting with Cactus and Tumbo

• Turmeric Root 
• Dandelion Flower 
• Saffron 
• Tumbo 
• Girasol 
• Ramata 

For Browns:

• Onion Skin 
• Walnut Shells 
• Black Tea 
• Coffee 
• Paprika 
• Marigold Flower 
• Fig Leaves 
• Pine Cones 

For Green:

• Grass 
• Spinach 
• Leaves 

For Blue:

• Blueberries 
• Blackberries 
• Red Onion Skins 
• Indigo Leaves 
• Woad 

Preparation:
If you are going to use vegetable and plants for painting purposes, you might need to do some preparation. First, collect the plant or vegetable you want to use. Second, clean it well. Wash it and dry it. Third, boil it in a pot of water for about an hour. How much water? 1 part plant or vegetable material to 8 part water. After the hour, turn it off an let it cool down. Then start testing it. With a paintbrush, test the color on a pieces of paper. Don't be afraid to experiment and create a recipe journal that documents the preparation times of each sample. You might discover, less water or more water might work best. Or you might discover than less time boiling create better colors.

Pigments:

Pigments are the matter that adds color to paint. Pigments derive from clay, minerals and plant life. Pigments offer vibrant colors that synthetic alternatives don't. Not all natural pigments are necessarily nontoxic that is why when purchasing pigments, read the suppliers detail information of their pigments toxicity and rise risk associated with them. Use precaution by wearing a mask and gloves to prevent you from inhaling the powers and limiting the unnecessary contact with materials when mixing them. Some pigments are more lightfast than others. The only way to find out is using test sheet. Paint on the test sheet. Then torn the page in two. Put one sheet outdoors expose to the sun. The other keep it on you sketchbook. Monitor both swatches for a couple of weeks and compare them after a couple of weeks.

Here are some options for natural pigments you can use. They sell them in powered form and they are considered safe for your health and the environment (use face mask and gloves for precaution.)

Red Ocher, Red Iron Oxide, Yellow Ochers, Green Earth, Nicosia Green Earth, Cold Green Earth, Lapis Lazuli, Blue Ochre, Caput Mortum Violet, Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Burt Umber, Raw Umber, Carbon Black, Bone black Black Oxide, Titanium White, Calcium Carbonete (egg shells), Mica Powder (sparkly shine).

How to mix?
To mix your own paints, all you need is pigment, some of of glue to act as a binder and mixing bowl.

On my next blog I will be talking about different types of binders, which can be made from plants, animals or synthetic sources. Binders are what hold the paint together.

Until then, have fun creating your own paint.

Best,

Vanessa Montenegro
Vanessa's Art Studio
http://www.vanessamontenegro.com/vm/index.html
https://www.facebook.com/vanessa.montenegro.artist

Copyright © 2015 Vanessa Montenegro

What Can We Do as Artists to Reduce Our Footprint on Our Planet?

Happy Earth Day!

As artists, we depict our planet in many ways and forms using different mediums and surfaces.  We draw and paint landscapes, the sky, the ocean, the animals and the beauty of the light. We use watercolors, mediums, oils, acrylics, chalks and so on. But have we ever stop for moment and ask ourselves if our actions as artists might be affecting the planet we so much admire and which inspire us? I have. I am conscious that my actions as an artist might be affecting that which I most admire: Nature. 

As a result, I wanted to share a list of ideas to on how to reduce our footprint on our planet while still creating art. 

What can we do to reduce our footprint?

-Taking proper care of materials, such as brushes, palettes, etc. can help reduce consumption. Clean your brushes very well after you finish working with them. Don’t waist paint. Recycle canvases and papers for other project. Take care of your frames and reuse them.

- Turning items that no longer serve their purpose into new tools and art making materials rather than putting them in the trash will keep them out of the landfills. Use old credit cards to apply heavy paint and work it as palette knives. Use cartoons to make perfect paint palettes. Use old scratching Plexiglas from picture frame as a cutting board or paint palette.

This oil painting was created
with MGraham oils

- Try to buy materials that pose no hazard issues to your health and the environment. Look for eco friendly materials and pay attention to the warning labels. If you can, create your own art supplies. But if that is not for you, buy from manufactures or small companies that are creating eco friendly materials.  For non-toxic environmental friendly paint, try milk paint or make you own milk paint as a substitute to acrylics. They are nontoxic, permanent, eco friendly, free VOC and hazardous air pollutants, lead and mercury free. They are also noncombustible. 

- Support manufactures that provide alternative eco friendly products. Instead of regular toxic oils, use non-toxic oils or create your own. At the Vanessa's Art Studio, we only use Mr Graham oils. It Is the only brand I recommend to my students when they ask to work with oils or watercolors. Mr Graham products are solvent-free. 100% of their power is purchased through the renewable power option and they  optimized their power use with efficiency lighting, detectors and timers. They seek out and purchase equipment that would otherwise be decommissioned. Their production waste is 1% (compared with an industry average of 3%).  The factory wash water waste used for cleaning equipment is recycled and reused for 2 weeks before it is collected, filtered and reclaimed for reuse.  Their shop uses no more energy than the average Oregon home. Their Cadmium pigment is a by-product of zinc manufacturing where it begins as a highly toxic metal and is converted into a beautiful "biologically unavailable" pigment that meets all current EPA requirements for disposal as non hazardous solid waste. Their paperboard box packaging is made with post consumer recycled paper waste. Their walnut oil is from black walnut trees that are considered short rotation energy crops.  The shells are used for other manufacturing applications and the remaining nut meat is used in animal feed. An other brand that also is manufacturing eco friendly products is  Lowell-Cornell. The company uses recycled aluminum for the paint tubes and recycles paper for the packing. Their paint brushes are made up from reclaimed wood handles recycle metal ferrules and animal free brush hair. Their acrylic paints are VOC and solvent free made of organic products.

- Make your own paper, from nontoxic, natural materials such as hemp, flax, and cotton. Hemp paper is naturally acid free and requires less processing than wood paper. Also it doesn’t require the heavy use of pesticides.

- For canvas options, you can create your own made out of organic cotton, hemp and linen. Stretched yourself using sustainable wood. You not only save money, reduce waste and reduce consumption but you have better control over the materials used.

- Use natural pigments and plant and vegetable dye.

- Create your own gesso, glue and paste or buy eco friendly brands.

- Dispose properly your art materials. This is important. Read manufactures interactions on how to dispose paint and art materials since some are very toxic for the environment. 

- Buy local brands if possible.

Small choices make a big difference.  You make the choice.

In my next blog, I will be showing you ways to create your own materials and finish projects from start to finish.

Best, 

Vanessa Montenegro

Vanessa's Art Studio

http://www.vanessamontenegro.com/vm/index.html

https://www.facebook.com/vanessa.montenegro.artist

Copyright © 2015  Vanessa Montenegro

Commonly Asked Questions Taking Art Lessons and Our 1st Student Art Show

All of the students share a common 1^st step in taking classes.  They began by asking me questions about my classes.  With any upcoming show, I thought this would be a great time to share the most commonly asked questions I get about taking art classes, my instruction and the studio.

- What makes your instruction different?

I teach students realistic drawing and painting and illustration. The art classes are varied to include teaching still-life, the figure, landscape, portraiture, cartooning, animation, clay sculpture and more.  All art lessons are designed around the student’s interests.  Students learn at their own pace.

It is a high quality fine art program offering art instruction that goes far beyond cut and paste, and arts & crafts. It offers art students basic understanding of how to draw and paint and teaches them how to see in a new way.

You will learn skills and techniques and can also learn to break the rules about drawing and painting to create your own style.

- What different art mediums and styles do you teach?

I teach the mediums of acrylic, non-toxic oil, watercolor, color pencil, ink, charcoal, pastels, clay sculpture, mixed media and more.  I teach many styles such as abstract, portraits, realism, still-life, landscapes, and illustration.

- How are classes structured?

 I offer private lessons and small group classes (no more than 5 people).  All art lessons are designed around the student’s interests.  Students learn at their own pace, or if desired, I have step by step classes.

How old is your youngest student, how old is your oldest student?

I teach students of all ages (7 and up kids and adults).  I have young children to retirees.
Children classes are separate from the adult classes. 
I teach all levels of experience and all abilities.

- What days and times do you offer classes?

There are many classes offered nearly every day of the week.  There are morning and evening classes to accommodate most schedules.  It is best to contact me to see what times best fit your schedule and artistic needs.  http://www.vanessamontenegro.com/vm/art_classes.html

- How many classes will I need? 

It depends on your level of art, how much you practice, and what your artistic goals are.  I have some students who take painting classes as leisure.  I have other students that are aspiring career artists or are high school students building their portfolio for art school.   Everyone’s learns at their own pace with a program tailored to their needs.

- What is your studio address and by what landmarks are you near?

Vanessa’s Art Studio is in the North Tampa neighborhood of Westchase, near the intersection of Racetrack Road and Country Way Blvd:

12617 Bassbrook Lane
Tampa, FL 33626

- What is your art educational background?

I have an AA from MDCC and from the New World School of the Arts. I have a Fine Arts Bachelor from Florida International University. I am a multi-discipline artist versed in acrylic, oil, watercolor, color pencil, charcoal, pastels, clay sculpture, mixed media and more!   
You can read my extended bio here: http://vanessamontenegro.com/vm/bio.html

If the land and sea between us is vast, follow me on Facebook for a virtual hello: 

https://www.facebook.com/vanessa.montenegro.artist

Visit my Website:

http://www.vanessamontenegro.com

Vanessa Montenegro
Copyright © 2014 Vanessa Montenegro

How Do I Frame My Own Artwork?

One of the questions I am frequently asked by my students is how do I frame my own artwork? With so many options these days, you can frame your own artwork for a fraction of what it would cost if you took it to a frame shop. So let's get you started.

You now have so many options to frame your own artwork. You can order your frame online by shopping sites like Amazon or DickBlick. You can go to design and art focused stores like Ikea, Jo-Anns, Michaels, and Ross and buy pre made frames. Or you can be creative and create a simple frame with some materials from Home Depot or Lowes.

Before you go shopping, ask yourself…

What are you framing? Is it a painting or a drawing?

Gallery Wrapped Canvas

If your painting is on canvas, it may not need a frame. It depends on how the borders on the canvas are finished. If you have a gallery wrapped canvas, then you do not need to frame it. Gallery wrapped means there are no staples on the side border of the canvas. If you have painted the sides of the canvas, make sure that the sides are clean and have a finished look. Then, you will not need a frame.

What if it is not a gallery wrapped canvas but a regular canvas, with staples on the side? 
Then frame it.


Do I use glass when framing canvas paintings? 
No. But you might want to varnish your artwork before you frame it.  Varnish protects the painting from dirt and dust. It also helps even out painting final appearance. I like to vanish with matt vanish. I don't like glossy because it shines too much. There are varnishes for oils and for acrylics. 

What if the artwork is on paper? 
Then frame it with glass. Anything that is paper should be frame so it is protected from airborne pollutants as well as from people touching them. 

Do I need to use a mat? 
Not all artwork requires a mat, but they do add some elegance to the artwork and the frame. With mediums such as soft pastel and oil pastel, a mat is necessary to separate the art from the glass so the art does not smudge and the glass does not get dirty. 

What mat color should I get?
The one that matches best your artwork and frame. If you want to keep it simple and elegant white is your best choice. 

Double mat or one mat?
I like better double mat. It adds to the drawing. 

How do I keep my art work from moving inside the frame or on the mat?
Either glue it to the back board or use Scotch® Removable Mounting Squares. 

What kind of glue do I use?
I prefer the acid free version to insure that nothing turns yellow over time.

What kind of frame should I buy? 
If you are not sure, just keep it simple and clean. A simple black or white frame will go do the job and look good.

What kind of frames should I avoid? 
Plastic frames or fake wood wrap frames. 

Why? 
First, your artwork might look cheap. Second, once they get scratched you cannot repair them. Third, they brake and warp easily.

What is the preferred material for frames? 
You can always touch up wood. So in my experience, wood is the best choice.

What about glass? 
Plexiglass or glass. For small artwork glass is okay, but for larger artwork use plexiglass. 

What kind of glass?
There are four categories of glass:

• UV-Blocking/Preservation Glass helps protect artwork from harmful ultraviolet rays.
• Non-Glare Glass reduce the reflections caused by clear glass and gives artwork a softer look, for work such as watercolors and landscapes.
• Clear Glass is an affordable framing option protect the artwork from dust but highly reflective and does not protect artwork from UV ray. 
• Anti-Reflective Glass 
looks "invisible" and enhances the color and clarity of the artwork. Anti-reflective, glass looks especially dramatic over bright colors.

Which glass should I use? 
Which one can you afford? It is more a personal decision and how much you want spend.

All work must have a wire on the back to hang the work. 

Where do I get the picture hanging set?
Walmart, JoAnns, Michels, Lowes, etc. You need the one with the nails and wire. 

How high should the wire be?
Please leave a space between the top of your frame and the middle of the hanging wire.

Space between the wire and frame

Here is the video on how to frame your own picture using a ready made frame. I created this video for my art students.

Okay, for the more adventurous, here is an idea from Lowes on how to frame your artwork. I really like it! It eve gives you the list of materials you will need and also shows you a video on how to do it. 
http://www.lowes.com/creative-ideas/decorate-and-entertain/floating-photo-frame/project

Follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vanessa.montenegro.artist
For more info about the art classes http://www.vanessamontenegro.com

How to take pictures of your artwork for non photographers

One of the questions students always ask me is "Miss Vanessa, how do I take good pictures of my own artwork?" I thought it would be a great topic to cover before the show and before they frame their artwork. 

Before you start clicking away with your iPhone or Polaroid, there are some questions you should ask yourself...

• What is my final output (e.g., print, web, Facebook)?

• Is it for the web? For print? 

• If it is for the web and you sharing it with friends on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, etc., then you don’t need a high resolution picture. The resolution doesn't need to be more than 72 dpi. You can just use your iPhone or Android to take the picture.  

• If you want a better quality picture with more definition, which you can use later for printing, then I will recommend you to take your pictures digital camera or SLR camera that can give you a 300 dpi output.


What is dpi?

DPI stands for dot per inch and it is a measure of printing resolution. For web, you only need 72 dpi since the files have to be light to upload them to the web. For printing purposes you need 300 dpi or higher so the print does not look blurry or pixelated. The higher the resolution of your photograph, the better the quality of print.

How do I figure out the resolution on my camera?

Look at the camera specs. Each camera is different. If you are like me, you probably have no idea where the paperwork that came with the camera is.  No problem, it is most likely online. Just google your camera model and brand.

What camera do you use for your images? 

If my output is for printing, I use my Canon Rebel, which is a SLR. If the outcome is just going to be digital, I use a point and shoot canon or my iPhone. They both give good results.

What setting do you use for taking the pictures? 

The settings will depend on your camera. So if you are not familiar with your manual settings ( M, Av, TV, P), keep it simple and use the auto settings. Usually there are a couple of options on the auto settings. Play around with them under natural light and see which gives you the best outcome.

Okay so I covered the camera information, now let's talk about what are you taking pictures of. 

When I take pictures of my paintings or drawings, I try to make sure that they are centered and flat before taking the picture. I try to use natural light and avoid busy backgrounds or bright sunshine. When I do 3D artwork like sculptures or clay, then I may use my Photo Studio Table Top Box, or I create a white or black setting background for the artwork. This allows me to take photographs from different angles with clean background which will not interfere with the 3D artwork.

What about the light? 
Miss Vanessa, when I take a picture the colors and light looks terrible. 

What light should I use? 
If you are not a photographer and have no idea of how to use fancy light equipment, stay away from indoor lights. My recommendation is to use natural light for taking your pictures. Also, if you are not familiar with the light settings on your camera, just use the auto setting. 

What is a good natural light? 
Overcast works best.  Bright sunshine does not.  If it too bright, look for a place where the light is not direct.  Direct light on the bright colors might over saturate your artwork.

Best time to take pictures? 
The best light is before 10 am or after 4pm. It is a soft light. 

Do I want you use the flash on my camera? 
It depends. If your painting or artwork is shiny, the answer is no. You will get reflections. I usually avoid auto flashes. But sometimes when I am not doing a close up I might use it. 

Should I take pictures of my artwork before I frame it? 
YES. You don't want to wait until you frame it to take a picture of your artwork, specially if your artwork requires glass. Glass creates reflections,  so it will be impossible to take a good picture of your artwork with it.

Do you use software to edit your pictures? 

Yes I do. On the iPhone, I use the one that comes with it. You can crop, create contrast, etc. I don't go overboard. On my computer, I use iPhoto, Photoshop and and at times Lightroom. Usually I crop, align, sharpen and contrast pictures.

One final note before posting your artwork or printing it or sending it to an art contest, make sure that you only show the artwork itself. Specially if you are sending it to a contest.  Avoid showing the frames or backgrounds. Take the picture and edit it so it only shows the artwork. That said, sometimes you might want to use your background to set up your picture.  I’ll talk about this in another blog post.

The good thing about today's technology is that you can take as many pictures as you want until you get a couple that work.  Go and try different settings on your camera until you find the one that best works for you. Use the tips I gave you above and take a couple of pictures. See how they look, edit them and then you are done.

I hope you find this post useful. Next post will be about affordable framing. Ideas on how to frame your artwork without having to break your piggy bank.

For more information, visit http://www.vanessamontenegro.com
You can follow us https://www.facebook.com/vanessa.montenegro.artist