Dark Skin Tones

This week I was the Hearth Tender for Works in Progress (WIP) over in our Red Thread Cafe Classroom group on Facebook. It's such an honor, and always interesting! One of the inquiries was from a SiStar whose lady was dark skinned, and she felt the white she'd used for highlights made the skin look muddy. 

When I was participated in an online class in 2014, my lady wanted dark skin. Hmm, I was new enough to painting that skin in general  was a challenge! So I sought out online tutorials. I adapted my formulas from Eric T. Thomas. I remembered I had my notes on skin tones in my art journal for the class, and shared them with my friend.

I use Titan Buff, rather than the Titanium White Eric suggested, and tend to mix my colors on the canvas, rather than blending them on the palette. I used the first palette of colors, with Jenkins Green for some of the dark, and added red to the lips.

Spirit Dancer

Mars Black
Titan Buff
Burnt Umber
Burnt Sienna
Naples Yellow
Indian Yellow Hue
Cerulean Blue hue
Jenkins Green
Quinacridone Violet
Glaze: Red Iron Oxide, add a bit of Burnt Umber or Van Duke Brown

Foundation/blocking: 3 Naples Yellow, 3 Indian Yellow hue, 1 Burnt Umber, 1 Quinacridone Violet
Dark: Jenkins Green or / Burnt Umber (or blue, can alternate darks)
Medium: 1 Burnt Sienna, 1 Naples Yellow
Light: 3 Naples Yellow, 3 Indian hue, 2 Titan Buff, (2 Burnt Umber) 

Formula 2
Foundation/blocking/ medium: 3 Naples Yellow, 1 Burnt Umber, 
Dark: 2 Burnt Umber, 2 Burnt Sienna
Medium: 3 Naples Yellow, 1 Burnt Umber, touch Sienna
Light: 3 Naples Yellow, 2 Titan Buff, 2 Burnt Umber, 1 Cerulean Blue

Hair:
Dark 1: Mars Black/ Burnt Umber or Paynes Grey and black
     2: 2 Burnt Umber, 1 Burnt Sienna
     3: 2 Naples Yellow, 1 Burnt Umber
Any mediums and lights for highlights

Lips: 
Dark: Burnt Siena/Naples Yellow
Medium: 1 Burnt Sienna, 1 Naples Yellow, 1 titan Buff

Light: 1 Burnt Sienna, 1 Naples Yellow, 2-5 titan Buff

My friend's inquiry was timely, as my Mary Magdalene has dark skin, and I was just getting

ready to do a round of lights and darks ...

Shiloh suggested using Quinacridone Nickel Azo gold glaze/tint over the face after the lights, to give a golden glow, and I suggested my friend glaze, then go on to another layer of darks and lights. 

The tree in the picture represents one outside the cave in Southern France where Mary is reputed to have dwelt after her years of teaching...

I hope this color guide is helpful!

Happy Paint Party Friday! 

Trees on display & a YES!

"Trees" - Currents Gallery

  Happy Year of the Sheep!

The year is off to a good start, with two of my pieces on display at Currents Gallery in their TREES show! The show runs through mid March, & both pieces are for sale.

Bhodi Tree Buddha - acrylic on canvas

Bhodi Tree Buddha was inspired by a photo of a buddha head carved into a bhodi tree ... wow! I love this little piece. 
12 x 12", Golden Acrylic on Canvas

The second piece, Quickbeam, is a vignette of a section of 'Gaia,' that I painted in Jassy Watson's e-course - LOVED working with Jassy, who lives in Australia! 

Lovers of the Lord of the Rings (especially the books) will remember the 'Hasty' Ent Quickbeam, who loved the Rowan trees which once graced his part of the forest. He befriended the hobbits Merry & Pippen as they came through the Forest of Fanghorn, after escaping capture ... I wished the second movie had featured more of their adventures, & less war, .... 

Quickbeam - acrylic on canvas 10 x 10"

I have a small show (5 paintings) up at a nearby shop, Inner Oasis, more Musings! The shop is about a block from the gallery, at 448 NE 3rd street.

Pieces include a couple from the previous show, Yarrow Rose & She stands between the Worlds, plus the butterfly queen Icaricia, & Spirit Dancer.

Pieces on my easel include my Legendary Self & the Queen of the Cosmos, from Shiloh Sophia's teachings. 

And ... drum roll, I decided to take the plunge, & said YES to Color of Woman 2015 Teacher Training!! YIKES!! .... exciting & overwhelming, all at once! Am I shaking in my boots? YES!! .... & excited to be on board! 

Quickbeam & friends

I was happy to see a couple of pieces by my friend Cherilyn SunRidge in the Currents show - one hung just above Quickbeam!! & isn't this felted tree lady wonderful? 

What's on your easel? 
Happy Paint Party Friday!!

Painting up a storm!

This is my 50th post!! I love this little Creation Station, & hope it inspires your own creativity ....
 
Since beginning painting again last February, when I took Elisabeth's Muse encounter workshop, I have been painting up a storm!! Fifteen finished, or nearly so!  

On Summer Solstice, after finishing the second of my Art of Allowing ladies, Sekhmet, I had a 'council' meeting with 11 of the 12 of paintings I'd done, & my "star lady" wall hanging in the background ... 
The smallest paintings were done onmatt board & on a practice canvas. With 'Green Girl' I was experimenting with sea weed for hair ....

Spirit Council

Gabriella, Mary, Daffy-Down-Dilly

Gabriella - my Muse of Creativity - I've refined her face, & added ribbons to her dress ... her hair has some interference paint 'sparkle'

Mary of Magdalla - painted with inspiration from Shiloh Sophia McCloud
 & little Daffy-Down-Dilly (March)

Dancers, Wind Horse

Then "Dancers" which I began in March, on International Women's day, & gifted to my ballet teacher Emma Seth to hang in the studio July 8th. I used Flora Aube's 'scrubby technique on the Snow Queen's hair, crown & shoulders, and interference paint on the free form dancer.

"Wind Horse" is a favorite! Began this one in March (the canvas seemed big to me!) during my first 'open studio' day, painting with my friend Elisabeth. It's another I completed during the Art of Allowing course. For the horse's features, I was inspired by my friend in the course Ree Altavilla.

"Presence" was done honoring my Mom (I blogged about her here & here) & there's a little 'blue woman' on card beside her.

Yarrow Rose, Healer

 I painted "Yarrow Rose" to grace my healing room, using Shiloh's Mary Magdalene videos for inspiration & guidance. The flowers in her mantle are all healing herbs, & gases at her signature Yarrow. I finished her at the end of June, adding the purple background & Tree of Life.
(she was in my treatment room during the 'council' meeting)

Several more have 'come through' the creative pathway since this council, I'll tell you more about them later, & about Sekhmet, my fiery Solstice lady!

Happy painting!

Art of Allowing Spirit Dancer

Spirit Dancer - detail

    Spirit Dancer

The Drumbeat calls me forth
  To dance the Spirit Song
From Age to Age revealed
  in glory, in beauty, in peace.
Stars and moon, they dance through me! 
  Sea and shore, I hear their call
Mountain and River sing me home
* I dance *
Eagle & dove
  wing through my prayers
Child and maiden
  Life giver, crone
I AM ageless and timeless
  Beyond all, within all
Salmon swims and deer grazes
  Owl calls names
And still I dance

Spirit Dancer

I dance the Unborn, the departed
  The disenfranchized, the whole
I dance the captain and the king
  the minstrel and the drummer
  the courtisan and the Lady
I dance within, without
  Beyond & forever
I Dance
   I Dance
      I Dance!!
        I Dance your Spirit Home!!