Posts Tagged ‘messages’

One Year of Art Blogging – Giveaway Winner

Jun 1, 2010 Special Bulletins

blog giveaway draw

First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone who entered this draw. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the number of entries, as well as by all the kind comments and encouraging words. It’s so great to know that I’ve helped so many people!

When I started this blog, the whole idea was to share practical, down-to-earth tips and advice for both new and experienced artists. I feel like I’ve only scraped the surface of achieving this goal. At the beginning,  I had no idea if I would have enough to say to write regular articles. Well,  it appears I do!

Secondly, I want to thank all of you, my readers and supporters. This blog is sometimes a labour of love, and it’s all worthwhile when I know that an article has struck a chord with someone.

Lastly: Drum roll please……….

The winner of a custom tote bag and a selection of drawing supplies is…

blog giveaway winner

Kendra and I met on Twitter, and later at her studio. She is a spectacular watercolour artist who specializes in winter landscapes. I really admire the way she is able to capture the warmth of the sun on the snow. Take a few minute to look at her paintings.

Thanks again for taking part in this draw!

All the best!

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Want to Win Free Art Supplies?

May 19, 2010 Special Bulletins

art supply giveaway

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED… THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!

At the end of this month, Learn to… Art! is one year old!

I can’t believe it’s been so long already. When I first started blogging, I wondered if I’d even have enough to say to last this long. Apparently I do!

To celebrate the blog’s birthday, I’m hosting a giveaway of a tote bag loaded with drawing supplies! The tote bag is totally practical and great for taking to workshops or plein air painting and drawing. The art supplies area  variety of different media to encourage you to try new things! This prize package is great for beginners as well as those needing to re-stock!

What You  Get:

  • a custom Learn to… Art! canvas tote bag.
  • a sketch book
  • two pencils (different graphites)
  • two blending sticks (different sizes)
  • a graphite stick
  • a charcoal stick
  • a white conte stick
  • a kneaded eraser and a regular eraser
  • a pencil sharpener

Estimated value: $50

How to Enter

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post. I’d love it if you let me know your favorite part about Learn to… Art! or make a suggestion about what you’d like to see more of.

Extra entries for:

If you do any of these extras, or have already done, leave a comment and let me know!

Deadline: May 31st

This is my way of showing my gratitude and appreciation  for an ever-growing audience. This blog is all about helping people expand their artistic horizons, learn new techniques, becoming better artists and having the confidence to put yourself out there.

Good luck!

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Are You Getting Your Newsletter?

Apr 15, 2010 Special Bulletins

Did you sign up for the newsletter, but aren’t receiving it?

It’s come to my attention that there is a little mix-up with the newsletter. Basically, the newsletter service was sending out confirmation e-mails from a different address than where the newsletter was coming from. What that means is that the e-mails have probably gotten stuck in your junk mail folder!

I’ve fixed this little problem, but if you haven’t been getting the newsletter, make sure to check your junk mail or set info@learntoart.com to your safe list.

Sorry for the confusion!! This is all new to me and it’s definitely a learning curve!

And for those of you who haven’t signed up yet, below is the March issue. Take a look at all the juicy tid-bits you’ve been missing! I’ve also added links in the sidebar (to the right) to the latest newsletter, as well as the archive.

If you want the next issue in your inbox, please submit your address!
In this Issue:
A Message from Miranda, The Best Way to Approach Portrait Drawings, You Might Be an Artist If…, March from @Learntoart
 
A Message from Miranda
Hello and happy April!
I can’t believe another month has gone by. March was a busy one, and the rest of the spring looks to be the same.
The past month at Learn to… Art! was full of colour as we began introducing the topic of painting. If you missed any of these articles, be sure to check them out!
Do you have a burning colour question? Let me know, I’d love to help!
Sincerely,
Miranda Aschenbrenner
 
The Best Way to Approach Portrait Drawings
You’re sitting at your table with a clean, fresh piece of drawing paper in front of you. You draw your grid (or not) and then you outline the features of your portrait.
Now what?
All that white staring back at you can be intimidating!
There are probably as many ways to start a portrait drawing as there are people who draw them. I’ve narrowed them down to two basic approaches: the all-over approach and the wallpaper approach.
The question is, which approach is best?
The Wallpaper Approach
When papering a wall, you start on one side and work your way methodically across. When you draw this way, it’s much the same; you start on one side of the page and complete the drawing in sections as you move across. Brian Duey demonstrates this in his portrait drawing tutorial.
While this approach almost ensures that you won’t drag your hand through your work, it can be difficult to create smooth transitions between the areas you’re working on. You also have to be spot-on with your values as you work.
The All-Over Approach
This approach takes the entire page into consideration. Each layer of graphite is built up gradually across the whole portrait. My portrait tutorial is a good example of this.
Drawing this way lets you respond to the portrait as a whole piece, rather than just rendering each area as you see it, but you need to be careful where you rest your hand.
What’s the Verdict?
 
You Might Be an Artist If…
On a lighter note:
Have you ever wondered to yourself, “am I really an artist?” Well, if you can relate to any of these statements, the answer is probably yes!
  • you’ve cleaned your fingernails with a palette knife
  • you choose a wine with an eye toward using the bottle in your next still-life
  • you’ve rinsed your watercolour brush in your coffee
  • you’ve painted an abstract and decided it looked better upside down
 
March from @Learntoart
Don’t use Twitter? That’s okay, you don’t have to miss these great tweets from the past month!
Going Beyond Inspiration http://tinyurl.com/ycodxst “Keep showing up. Sometimes, inspiration will meet you there.”
8 Ways to Improve Your Paintings Instantly http://tinyurl.com/cr9kop
9 Very Common Figure Drawing Mistakes, And How to Avoid Them http://tinyurl.com/y9lzl94
 
Give Your Next Painting a Caffeine Boost – and Paint with Coffee! http://tinyurl.com/yzh39e5
Biggest Mistakes Artists make in their Careers http://tinyurl.com/yhq3on5
How to Make a “Rub-out” Drawing Using Watercolors and Pencil http://tinyurl.com/ycpxq9q

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Happy Easter! (and Don’t Forget the Newsletter)

Apr 4, 2010 Special Bulletins

I hope your day (and weekend) is full of friends and family and fun. And chocolate.

Oh wait, that’s me!

Happy Easter!

 

On another note:

 Have you signed up for the newsletter yet?

 If not, what are you waiting for? Sign up now! 

To get an idea of what the newsletter is all about, have a look at the April issue.

 

PS: Learn to… Art! has been providing you with art tips for nearly a whole year! I know, it doesn’t seem possible! Anyways, keep an eye out for an upcoming contest/giveaway to celebrate a year of blogging!

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Learn to… Art! Nominated for a Kreativ Blogger Award

Mar 19, 2010 Special Bulletins

kreativ_blogger_award_webPay It Forward With Blogging!

I am so pleased to be writing this! I was recently nominated for a Kreativ Blogger Award by Daniel over at Art Marketing Secrets.

Some info about the award:

Kreativ Blogger originated in May 2008 in a post by Huldas Verden. The Kreativ Blogger award comes with the following requirements:

The Rules

  1. You must thank the person who has given you the award.
  2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
  3. Link the person who has nominated you for the award.
  4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
  5. Nominate 7 other Kreativ Bloggers.
  6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
  7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs (or Twitter) to let them know they have been nominated.

 

My 7 Things…

  1. At one point in my life, my ambition was to be an astro-physicist. I didn’t even know what this was, I just thought it sounded cool! Then I got to high school and discovered that physics went right over my head.
  2. I sometimes wonder if I’m too honest for my own good.
  3. There’s not many TV shows that I watch faithfully, but I will get sucked into just about any reality show. The lamer, the better. Call it a guilty pleasure; I know it’s stupid, but once I’m there I can’t get away!
  4. I used to be a big coffee drinker, but since traveling to England this summer, I’m all about the tea!
  5. One of my favorite breakfast foods is Life cereal with cheese. When I was a kid, I had an aversion to anything soggy, so refused to eat this cereal with milk. My mom, wanting me to get my calcium, thought to add little chunks of cheese. Of course, I didn’t know anything about this, I just thought it was a fun way to eat my breakfast!
  6. I read a lot. I love a good story, regardless of its genre, but my all time favorite is fantasy. I have a collection of my favorite series and I re-read them every few years.
  7. For several years I was involved in a Medieval re-enactment group.

 

My Nominations

Nemo - no-nonsense tips from the artist called Nemo.

Fine Art Tips - great advice from Lori Mcnee.

Creative Influences and Musings - thoughts and musings about creativity by Kim Rodeffer Funk.

The OrbisPlanis - art advice and musings from Byrne Smith.

Dirty Footprints Studio - how to live a creative, juicy life with Connie Hozvicka.

Kirsty Hall - art advice from the artist and curator.

The Studio Source - art and marketing tips from Stacey Cornelius.

 

Thanks again, Daniel, for thinking of Learn… to Art!

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