Molly Hargarten Art » Blog

New Gallery

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:29:32 +0000

My art is now being represented at the Earthly Belongings Gallery in Boulder Junction, WI. I have original watercolors and oils as well as prints available.

Green Art

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:26:23 +0000

Green Art is in and it is fun to make. I have taken old watercolors that didn’t work out (there are quite a few), cut them into strips and then wove them into interesting shapes and designs. I’ve added reused earrings, braid, ribbon and sticks to give them texture. Then I glue them to reused pieces of matboard and packaged them and sold them at pARTiculars. What a great use of ‘old’ materials.

Steps to a Successful Painting

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:49:22 +0000

1. Decide on your composition
2. Do at least one value sketch
3. Chose a focal point or center of interest
4. Paint the focal point or center of interest first
5. Paint the rest of the piece keeping in mind unity and linking shapes
6. Add the finishing touches

Deciduous Trees

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:13:42 +0000

When painting landscapes, you seldom have one without trees. The symbol for a tree is straight and angular. As an artist, paint the symbol vs. too much detail…simplify. Trees are not symmetrical, use lots of variety when painting them. The directional pattern of branches are….twigs are short and straight up or at angles; branches are horizontal 2/3 of the way down; below this point, there are fewer branches and they slant toward the ground.

Artist’s Statement

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:05:40 +0000

I just spent a month struggling with writing a new artist’s statement. According to what I have read, the purpose of an artist’s statement is to interest people enough that they will look at your work. This was a useful exercise….I had to think hard and long about my art and find words to describe it. I recommend that others try this!

Shape Up!

admin — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 23:53:16 +0000

To get interesting shapes, vary their size, color and texture.

Bad shapes: anything that is or will fit into a square, circle or triangle with 2 equal sides. You can still use these in paintings but keep them in a minor role or change the perspective to change the shape.

Halo…Not Just for Angels

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:02:35 +0000

Haloing is a technique that an artist can use that will add interest to a painting. It is when the negative spaces are painted resulting in the positive space or subject popping out. Techniques such as this make a painting more appealing to the eye.

Basic Watercolor Paper 101

admin — Sun, 30 May 2010 18:04:31 +0000

Some of the big names in the watercolor paper business are Arches, Bienfang, Canson, Strathmore, Winsor and Newton, Whatman, Fabriano, and T.H. Saunders. Good paper is essential to watercolor painting – don’t try and skimp here. The better quality papers will be marked as being made from rag or 100% cotton and will be pH neutral or they may say Acid Free.

Sizing or Gelatin:
All watercolor paper is sized. That means that the fibers that make the paper are treated with a gelatin to make them less absorbent. If they were not, it would be like trying to paint on a cloth napkin. Gelatin for many years was made from animal products, more recently they are made from synthetic ingredients. Some papers have the sizing mixed right in to the mixture with the fiber, this is called gelatin permeated. This means every single fiber is treated evenly. Other art papers have the sizing painted on after the sheets are manufactured. This means that the surface is sized, but the fibers in the middle are not. So, be careful when you scrub on sheets that are made with this technique…the paper will not be able to take as much ‘abuse’.

3 Dimensions of Color

admin — Sun, 30 May 2010 17:55:38 +0000

These are the 3 dimensions of color and should be taken into consideration before starting your painting: Hue, Chroma and Value
1. Hue-color, i.e. red, blue; the characteristic by which we distinguish on color from another. All hues fit into 10 broad families. They are red, orange, yellow, green-yellow, green, blue-green, blue, purple-blue, purple and red-purple. All other colors are a variation of these families.
2. Chroma-the brightness or strength of a color. The maximum strength is when the color is at its brightest, usually right out of the tube. The chroma is weakest when it has been grayed. Examples of bright colors: Opera, Orange, Red.
3. Value-the lightness or darkness of the color. Value helps structure the painting, establish a center of interest and lead the viewer into and around the painting in an interesting and planned way. It helps to describe forms and tell us where the light is coming from and helps create an illusion of depth.

Plein Air in Spring!

admin — Sun, 09 May 2010 20:01:07 +0000

What a lovely time to be outdoors painting! The colors are fresh and the flowers and foliage new. Before you decide upon a place to paint, remember…..the best place to set up your easel is in the shade. The colors on your paper will be more true to life, there will be less of a reflection from the sun on the paper and you won’t get too dark of a painting (like you would if you were in the sun).