Kathleen Hebert, Artist
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Kath's Chats

Steps to start an oil painting

4/14/2021

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1.  Cover your blank canvas with a mixture of gray acrylic - Titanium White and Mars Black.  
2.  Add your basic shapes and values in acrylic "underpainting" at this stage.  NO DETAILS!
3.  When the acrylic is dry, "Glaze" your canvas in a thin, transparent coat of oil color (anything on our palette except for Zinc White or Yellow Ochre - both are opaque).

4.  Add more layers of oil paint progressing from thin to thicker layers.

​*NOTE:  If you want to paint over an oil painting because you are not crazy about it anymore (I've done this many times) - NEVER paint acrylic over oil. The painting will peel.   You must cover your unwanted oil painting with oil paint.  If it is easier for you to obliterate it with a layer of gray - do it in oil.  I happen to love painting the new painting right over the one I don't love anymore with color - going right for the shapes and spaces in oil.  You can paint oil over acrylic - but never acrylic over oil.  
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NOT THIS

12/11/2020

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Hello Art students!  Congratulations to all the Zoom students who have survived art classes online.  It was a learning curve but I think we are getting quite proficient!!  We've all managed to carve out little niches in our homes, arranged the lighting, the camera and our microphones.  Thank-you for making this such a rewarding experience!
So - regardless if you are a Zoom student or a student returning after Covid (hopefully down the road to Spring/Summer) - we will all be photographing our own painting progress each week and then, finally, photographing the finished painting.  
Well, we need a little help here.  I've titled this Blog Not This because these following photos are what I don't want to see anymore.  Please don't take this personally!!!!!  It is not aimed at any one of you!  This has happened so many times since I've been having you take pictures of your own work - it needs to be addressed.  It is just another level of awareness in our art progress.

Picture
"Not This #1"
See the big white blast of light on the left side of this canvas - where the color is washed out - that means there is too much light coming from somewhere in the room.  Also, the left side of the canvas, due to the camera lens, is distorted even thigh the photo is being taken at eye level.
​NOT THIS!
Picture
"Not This #2"
See how the top of the canvas is smaller than the bottom?  That is because this photo was taken looking up at the painting.
It is distorted making the subjects seem longer and smaller at the top.
​NOT THIS!
Picture
"Not This #3"
See how the photograph was taken looking down and off to the right side?  Because the left side is now the farther side and the top is now bigger than the bottom - the painting and it's subjects are distorted.  And, this would be the same if the photo had been taken from the left (I had to say it because some of you would have asked if from the left was ok!) and or looking up.
NOT THIS - right or left! top or bottom!
Picture
"Not This #4"
See how this is at eye level?  Eye level is good but taken off to the right - or left - is not good!!
NOT THIS!
Picture
The original photo of the finished painting (below) had an even border of background around it which made it easy for me to edit before I put it on my site. The pre-edited painting is laying on the floor (my feet to the left) with only minimal distortion.  There are no white ghosts or looming shadows.  The painting is lit evenly with natural (available) light and taken with my iphone.  Androids work fine.  See how the photo is SQUARE to the canvas? ​
Picture
THIS
This took me 2 seconds to edit in my editing program.  It was easy to crop out the floor and do minimal straightening.
Voila!!!!!!

THIS!!!!!!!!!
​
For our weekly photos, which you send to me for corrections after each class, you can keep the painting on the easel.  BUT it needs to be square and not all manner of cock-eyed perspective.  It is really difficult for me to try and help with the paintings if they are out of whack.  And, one more thing, the photo you send me should be large enough for me to see it.

So.....until our next class - may the art force be with you.  AND - stay well!
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Zoom Set Up

9/25/2020

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Hello wonderful Zoom artists!!!
Here are some notes to consider when you are setting up a painting area at home:
  • MAKE SURE YOU READ THE DIRECTIONS THAT COME WITH YOUR EASEL!!!!
  • You should be able to sit up straight without hunching over.  All the easels you have have adjustable heights for standing or sitting.  Also make sure the angle of your easel is more upright than slanted.  My teacher used to tip here easel (a heavy one like mine in the cellar) forward so she would have less glare from the light.
  • You do not need 400 watts of light so you can be seen from space!!!!!  40 or 60 watt bulbs are enough.  One light to light your painting and your paint area is enough.
  • Lefties - light should come from directly overhead behind you or from the right - so that your painting hand doesn't cast a shadow on your painting.
  • Righties - light should come from directly overhead behind you or from the left - so that your painting hand doesn't cast a shadow on your painting
  • Cameras - Laptop cameras are "pretty much junk."  So says "Zoom for Dummies."  I bought a little video camera for about $40.  It attaches to a USB port on my laptop and clips to the top of my laptop or monitor.
  • Camera should be mid chest up.  In other words - no butt shots.  So find something high to rest your laptop or mobile device on.  Do not sit too close to the camera.  In order for me to see your paintings clearly (besides investing in a cheap video camera), the camera should be directly facing the painting.  I can't tell you how hard it is for me to see the distorted angles.  I do not need to see your painting while you are painting it.  I only need to see it when you need help or I stop by.  Also, some of your cameras are really far from your paintings.  Maybe play with your set up a little bit.
  • Check out my set up.  I have a moveable, adjustable cart for my easel and palette, a moveable cart with my supplies, a little bitty camera on top of my monitor facing my painting, skylight is on my left as I paint during the day.  At night I have a spotlight on a high, photographic tripod that I can move to my left.

Picture
The desk and cart I have were inexpensive but very versatile for what I need right now.
  • Make sure you UPDATE YOUR ZOOM APP!  Just don't do it right before a meeting.  Also a good idea to test your microphone and speaker before you enter Zoom.  Look in your settings button.  Get used to your devices.  Yes, it is a royal paint but I promise you we all need to be doing this these days.
  • See you in class!
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July 09th, 2020 - Easels

7/9/2020

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Thank-you to Jodi for asking for some easel info in my blog.

2 kinds:
  Wooden
I have a giant wooden easel that I was using in my cellar until Covid-19 forced me upstairs in my little 2nd floor loft!  I bought this easel when I took classes from Helen Van Wyk back in 1993!!  Still love it but there is no way I would ever get it up 2 flights of stairs.  If you are going to go wooden - the bigger ones work better, easier to get the canvas supports to go up and down.  Wood does expand and contract in various types of weather so sometimes the moving parts get stuck.  Also my big easel was in the $200 - $300 range way back when.  It has been a wonderful workhorse (easel means "donkey" in Dutch!).  I have things hanging from it, things screwed into it, an old cabinet I use as my tabouret plopped on the front supports for my palette and medium.  Tools hanging from everywhere!  Really - it's a love.
Lots of my students have bought lovely, sturdy wooden table easels which they now use in our Zoom classes.  Those I have seen look like they are of quality craftsmanship.  In other words - don't go cheap.
​
  Metal
These are great easels for setting up quick, moving about the house or carrying out on a hike if you want to paint pleine aire (outside).  My advice - don't get one with lots of knobs and latches on it unless you have an advanced degree in Physics!!!!  You can get a lovely, sturdy, fairly simple, adjustable easel at Jerry's Artarama.  It's called Creative Mark Napoli easel.  The easel runs from $43 to $60.  I think the difference in price is what dependent on what color you choose!  The legs are adjustable and it can hold a fair sized canvas.  My Zoom easel currently has a 24 x 30 canvas on it with no problem.  I have a low bookcase that I use for my tabouret to hold my palette and Gamsol (odorless medium).  On this I rest the 2 front legs at their shortest length.  The back leg is extended all the way to the floor in the corner of my long, narrow loft.  Good support and easy to move around.  I've had this since I lived in Framingham 26 years ago.  It was a gift from my Beginning Art class at Keefe Tech. The price is certainly better than the $200 - $300 range.  Hope this helps!
​Happy Painting!

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Canvas/Photo Measurements

7/7/2020

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Math completely and totally hurts my head.  I have made a chart of measurements to make the photo ratio  (the photo I am currently working from) equal to the canvas size.  These are random measurements - you can fill in the blanks.

The formula is:
   divide the canvas size until you get a measurement that equals or is close to your
​   photograph size.  If it is not equal to the canvas ratio - you must crop/adjust your 
   photo.

I have provided a few measurements from the standard size canvases I use.  If your photo does not meet these measurements, continue dividing until you are close.  Adjust the photo.  If the decimal is larger than .5 then round to the nearest #.  In other words 5.6" rounded off would be 6".
​24 x 30
24/2 = 12
30/2 = 15 
photo size
12 x 15

24/3 = 8
30/3 = 10
photo size
8 x 10

24/3.5 = 6.9
30/3.5 = 8.6
photo size
6.9 x 8.6

24/3.8 = 6.3
30/3.8 = 7.9
photo size
​6.3 x 7.9


18 x 24
18/2 = 9
24/2 = 12
photo size
9 x 12

18/3 = 6
24/3 = 8
photo size
6 x 8

18/3.5 = 5.1
24/3.5 = 6.9
photo size
5.1 x 6.9

18/3.8 = 4.7
24/3.8 = 6.3
photo size
​4.7 x 6.3

18/4 = 4.5
24/4 = 6
photo size
​4.5 x 6
​16 x 20
16/2 = 8
20/2 = 10
photo size
8 x 10

16/3 = 5.3
20/3 = 6.7
photo size
5.3 x 6.7

16/3.5 = 4.6
20/3.5 = 5.7
photo size
4.6 x 5.7

16/3.8 = 4.2
20/3.8 = 5.3
photo size
​4.2 x 5.3

16/4 = 4
20/4 = 5
photo size
​4 x 5
11 x 14
11/2 = 5.5
14/2 = 7
photo size
​5.5 x 7
8 x 10
8/2 = 4
10/2 = 5
photo size
​4 x 5
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White and Black

6/20/2020

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In the course of a week of art classes (now being done on Zoom) there is one rule that comes up over and over.  When I ask the question, "What are you using?" and the answer is Black or White, straight out of the tube, singly or together - I must repeat the mantra below:
Tubed White is not a color!!!  Tubed Black is not a color!!!!  Therefore, Tubed Black and Tubed White used together are NOT colors.  Zero plus Zero does not equal One.
Now, before someone decides to get offended by this - the white and black that companies manufacture, across the board, are flat and dead unless color is added to them.  Any of the darker colors added together make gorgeous, living blacks.  And yes, black can be added then to darken if necessary.  Likewise, just a tinge of color added to White makes a rainbow of lights and grays.
I can see this from across the room!  The black and/or white stand out as flat, empty and dead!  In nature, black is filled with color!!!  White is filled with color.  
Until I studied with Helen Van Wyk, I was taught never, ever use Tubed Black because the Black would overpower any color it was mixed with.  This is true of Mars Black and Lamp Black - they are opaque and muffle any color mixed with them - hence they are not on my legal list of colors.  Ivory Black, on the other hand, is transparent and makes a million galaxies of gray.  Beautiful gray, another dimension to our palette of colors.
I use Zinc white - mostly because Helen Van Wyk used it but I find it warmer than Titanium White.  And, because our whole earth is warmed by the sun, I go with the warmer white.  


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June 20th, 2020 - Paint Colors

6/20/2020

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​My last and most beloved teacher was Helen Van Wyk.  After years of taking classes in drawing and painting, Helen provided all the basic answers that would have been such a help when I started.  So - here is Helen's color list, my Bible when it comes to color:

Basic Palette
Zinc White 

Warm Colors
Yellows
Cadmium Yellow Light
Yellow Ochre
Burnt Umber

Oranges
Cadmium Orange
Raw Sienna
Burnt Sienna

Reds
Cadmium Red Light
Grumbacher Red
Venetian (also Lite or Terra Rosa) Red
Indian Red

Cool Colors
Alizarin Crimson
Thalo Green
Thalo Blue

Ivory Black

Extra Colors
Sap Green
Manganese Violet
Dioxazine Purple
Cadmium Yellow Medium
Cadmium Yellow Dark
Thalo Red Rose
Thalo Yellow Green

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A new Blog!!

6/11/2020

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Oh my!!!!  After quite a few years, Weebly has added a Blog page - and I have been thinking about writing a blog again!  Perfect.
Hmmm...what will go here?  That is the question.  Well, first and foremost art questions and comments from my students.  And then....there might be some Astrological thoughts, some philosophy thoughts, possible some vague thoughts about our present government atmosphere and maybe some thoughts about my favorite movies, a book or two, what I am currently working on (painting, house, yard...).
You will probably need a sense of humor to read my stuff.  And, a nice person - because I will joyfully eradicate any comments that are mean, cruel and downright nasty.  If you can't handle that - get over it and learn to treat people kindly.
​Well, anyway, it's a place for me to put down some thoughts.  There's usually too many of them running around in my head at the same time so this will be a new and exciting adventure.
​- Kathy
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    Kathleen Hebert

    I am a writer, an artist, adult art instructor, singer, dancer, creative person, arthritic and moderately crazy.

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​ by Kathleen Hebert, artist
  • Home
  • My Paintings
    • Abstract
    • Animals and Birds
    • Floral and Still Life
    • Landscape
    • People Portraits
    • Sold
  • My Book
  • Karen Fay, Guest Artist
    • Karen Fay, Abstracts
  • Art Classes for Adults
  • Blog