Changing from the real color to something better

It's really blue, the LBJ Junction School.

After painting it blue, I read the Bill James Masterclass article in an issue of International Artist. The magazine joined me for coffee on the deck, while the author explained and encouraged the use of complementary colors to add excitement and unity to paintings. Guess which painting immediately presented itself for a redo?

The blue is sort of blah, right?  The grassy hill felt ok to me, so I chose its complement, orangey red, to liven up the building. That was like a stand-back, wow reaction. Continuing Bill's advice, I worked lighter values of the greens and orange into the trees and sky. Which is better?

I took my reference photo 5 or 6 years ago, but often thought about the great profile of the school at the top of the hill. Lyndon B. Johnson first attended the one room Junction School when he was 4. As president, he returned to sign one of his major education bills at Junction School, his first teacher by his side. 
My art, blog and newsletter hang out at http://carolynhancock.com.

From I can't to I can

Yoga, relaxing? 18 sessions and it still makes sore muscles. But the positions I could not contort my body into, are now doable.
The cross-legged Sukhasana position starts the yoga session with relaxation and deep breathing. At the beginning I tried to achieve it, straightened my legs, folded one leg in, tried crossing, nothing but sheer agony. Now I'm ok for a few minutes in Sukhasana, not perfect like the instructor, but ok.
Painting the background in a figurative piece has the same history. My beginning pieces had no color, no shape in the background; then color gradations, nothing obvious, just a hint of color. Then shapes of color, something to lead the eye. Little by little, I have inched my way into painting backgrounds that become part of the story.
Just like Sukhasana, so uncomfortable in the beginning, painting the background now brings some joy. I don't love it, but a little stretch of ability and a little mental perseverance transformed I can't into I can.
This painting combined figurative with fitting grafitti  from a LA reference photo.

Little Accomplishments

The year ends and you wonder where the time went, if you accomplished enough. Accomplishment itself just means completing something successfully, an achievement, or a special skill or ability gained by practice or training. And it is not defined by size or quantity, so all the little things count as an accomplishment.

As I navigated my thoughts through the days of 2013, I found lots of check marks and job well done's. It's a great feeling. Slide your way down this small list; add to it with your own little things. Your year will likely have more accomplishments than you thought.

• Maybe it was one commission or sale, and not one a month. That one counts.
• Maybe it was a venture outside your comfort zone, talking about your art to a group or giving a workshop. Sure, it was only two hours, but what an inspiration you were to at least one person. That one counts.
• You probably easily handled updating your website or blog with a new color scheme or template. Most likely you could have designed an entire website for a friend, but that one update counts.
• You applied to that special art group that gives you a little extra prestige and pride, and got accepted. That definitely counts.
• Press releases conquered and actually published? An adding-to-your-credibility count.
• Wrote an article or just a little blog entry, then opened an email asking permission to publish it? Getting your name out there, that's a big count.
• You tackled that scary thing called making a video, then found the nerve and knowledge to put it on YouTube. High Five count.
• Learning another language with online Duolingo? A culture handshake count, that one.
• You sat there wondering how many more words can I come up with for my newsletter - and did it? A big marketing count.
• You were asked to be an officer in your art group, and said yes, knowing how much time it would involve? That's a personal best count.
• Then on almost the last day of the year, you are Artist of the Day on Visual Language Magazine? Well, that's a great early birthday count.

Along the way, with all those accomplishments, you managed to paint, to create that thing you most love - a piece of art. Looking forward to a new year!

You don't have to send it

Real live conversation - remember it? Not a text, not an email, not a post. 
A quote attributed to Randi Zuckerberg, sister of the famous guy: "If you're going to put something in writing, make sure you would be comfortable if it was reprinted in a newspaper." 

Texting, emailing and posting have a double edged weakness:

• They remove personal interaction. Vocabulary, gestures, responses, emotions, you get those things in a face to face. By default, words decrease with tiny keys, abbreviations, and aware of it or not, that decrease carries over in live conversation. Eyes tell the brain so much about another person; the keyboard simply cannot compete with that kind of input.
• They are essentially permanent. That written message becomes a forever traceable record. Where a spoken conversation between two people may be misstated or misinterpreted, the actual words are just a whisper of a memory. They can be forgotten, even denied. But put it in writing, and they are forever, around for anyone to see. Write something wrong or hurtful? A reply to all broadcasts those words. Or that text message may be forwarded to 300 people. And post or social-media-it, the results can be heartbreaking.

I love email, prefer it to phone calls. I'm not a quick thinker, so writing time to get the words right. It lets me communicate at a time of my choice. Sometimes it even lets me vent, knowing that I can backspace all those angry words away: the send button is an option, not a have-to. Better than email, though, is a give and take conversation, two people talking, responding, working through a problem or just enjoying a fresh idea. Caring and interested in the other person.

LinkedIn expert, Melanie Dodaro takes Zuckerberg's caution one more step up the ladder:  "I would even go as far to extend this to cover pictures, videos or any other form of media that can be attached to you in any way. Not only is it important that potential clients aren't seeing anything negative, you really have no idea who is looking at that stuff. It could be a new girlfriend/boyfriend 10 years from now, a competitor, potential business partner…anything is susceptible to go up in smoke once you hit that "Post" button, so be absolutely sure you want it out there."

The Whistling Ducks and Artists

Sofia, Pastel, 12x16, by Carolyn Hancock

The whistling ducks live and socialize alongside the pond created between two fairways behind my kitchen. Lots of whistlers. A couple of months ago, a neighbor started putting feed out every afternoon. Can you guess?  the number of whistlers multiplied.

After yesterday's heavy rain, they separated into groups. One group in the middle of the fairway, one group of the same size at the edge of the pond. And then the aloof group of loners, maybe half a dozen, spread out, distance between each of them. Watching the three separate groups, I related their actions to the diversity in artists.

There's the group in the middle, joiners, waiting close to the feeding station, thinking something will just come to them, someone will give them a meal.

There's the group of doers, foraging, pecking in the ground for their own meal, knowing survival is up to them but not knowing if they will find that special delicacy to fill a hunger.

Then that ultimate group, the loners, going it on their own, doing things a little different, fending for themselves, willing to take a chance.

2004 marks 20 years since I began my art journey, and I've been in and out of all three groups. Am I a successful artist? No, in the sense of monetary achievement. I was lucky in the beginning to live out of the country with a group of people who felt a kinship with the my artwork; it struck a memory of travels they themselves had taken. And they had the money to purchase artwork. Back in the States, exotic locale paintings and realism held no sway, people wanted abstract or artwork they didn't have to emote with. So I changed groups.

I painted flowers and landscapes, subjects that provided an easy connection. I worked hard at it, and I think ultimately that the "worked hard" showed through the painting - the emotion was not there.

And that brings me back to the question: am I a successful artist? Yes, in the sense that I have rotated through the groups and circled back to being myself, part of that group of loners. Successful in that I know that my heart and passion lie in painting people. Successful in knowing that I am willing, maybe even eager, to look into different methods of applying my pastel, in seeing the subject. Successful in finally understanding that those threads of feeling I had in painting a character are the very same ones that cause a person to cross the room to look at my work - and those only exist in my figurative work. 

The Big Reveal | Carolyn Hancock Blog

The Big Reveal | Carolyn Hancock Blog

Every painting has a story. Sometimes the story is obvious from the composition or the subject matter. But sometimes behind the scenes is not obvious, and the artist seldom gets to do the big reveal. 

I lived out of the country when I started painting. My preference even then was to paint people, and every one of the paintings originated from a trip to another country, a different culture. And behind every painting was a terrific story that would likely not be communicated.

A couple of weeks ago I was digging through links, tracking things I liked, when a restaurant photo stopped my fingers. What were those little circles, one on each item of food? I let the mouse float over the icon and, Wow! Fun idea. It was like a commercial, "I want one of those."

Old Halo is my first attempt with this new way of telling the story behind the painting. Give it a look and let me know if you like it. Click this link, give it a moment to load, then hover over or touch the icon. 

The Survivor, for at least 1200 years

The Survivor (at Shangri La, Orange, TX), Pastel, 9x12

Bob Rohm - what a great instructor he is. Very generous with his time, he unlocks little mysteries that surround landscape painting. While taking a workshop from him, I purchased his painting, Evening Color. It was an award winner, a landscape with a grouping of trees. The main tree, in the foreground, is rendered so believably that I truly feel I could reach around the tree. Bob used value and color with a mastery that is my gold standard for tree painting.

Landscape painting is a struggle, a constant string of what-if's. I try to make it about shapes, masses, light and shadow. As with any other subject, it takes lots of doing to get it right. So my summer is dedicated to the "lots of" painting landscapes. I love painting the sky: clouds with big color, soft clouds, dramatic ones and subtle ones, receding and directly above ones. I think I paint skies ok - but can I paint a tree I can reach around?

Shangri La in a little Texas town? Yes, it's a beautiful mix of botanical gardens and nature center, with a terrific history, in Orange, Texas. The boat tour down Adams Bayou drifts past a tree aged to perfection during its 1200 years. This tree of unbelievable beauty is the one I dared to paint, hoping to reach the bottom rung of the Rohm gold standard. Track the progress with these photos. In the first photo, small guide marks quarter the paper; this helps with initial drawing. The sun was behind the tree, so most of the beautiful yellow greens were obscured by the foliage.

Does the final painting make me feel the volume of this giant? And the main challenge - can I see AROUND the tree? 

Three money saving tools for pastel artists

I love saving money, especially when it gives me a new convenient tool! Try these inexpensive ideas.

1.  Prop your arm. I'm working close up on a portrait, on the eyes, with a pastel that almost has a point, trying to place one dab of color in just the right spot, and my arm slips. That beautiful lady now has inch thick mascara. Oops. 

With just a slight request, my husband created a perfect arm prop. His creative solution hooks over the back edge of the support - no touching of the pastel surface. The best part? It's cheap (free, if you have one on hand already) and quick to make. Just make a 180 degree curving bend in a flat curtain rod, like in the photo. The rod's surface is smooth against the arm and strong enough not to flex.

Hooked over the back of my support, the center of the easel keeps it from sliding. If I need to reposition it to the left side, I clip the support and nestle the prop against it - no sliding. When not in use, it hooks on the side of the easel frame, out of the way.

2.  Make a point. My new and improved homemade tool for sharpening pastel sticks or pencils, described on my Facebook post

3.  Scratch it out. That dab of soft pastel blobbed on too thickly? Gently touch it with a pushpin to remove excess. Layers of color look too thick to read as grass texture? Scratch lines through it with a pushpin. 

Plein Air First Timer

Painting en plein air. It conjures dread and anticipation at the same time - at least for those of us who are neither experienced nor well equipped. 

Planning for my first ever outing, I read lots of articles on plein air. How to dress (don't forget sunscreen and hat). What to take (keep it lightweight). What size painting (light moves fast so stay small). How to approach the actual painting (simplify and mass the big shapes). Don't forget the bug spray, umbrella and water.

My husband loaded my french easel (no, I don't have the modern, light tripod setup) and a cooler of water and lunch on our old-style metal luggage puller. An old backpack sufficed for holding paper, support, camera, cell phone and other can't-do-withouts. Pastels were snug inside the french easel drawer, and I was ready to go!

One could not ask for everything to be more perfect for a first-timer. The day was beautifully sunny, the wind just breezy enough. Elm Lake at Brazos Bend State Park held beauty in every direction, whether looking toward the water or back to the moss draped trees. I settled on the view overlooking the lake from the observation deck, next to Linda Dellandre (probably hoping some of her talent would flow my way!).

I was surprised how quickly the morning passed and how absorbed I actually was in the painting. And not tired! I don't know if this one trip will make a plein air painter out of this studio-only pastelist. But, surrounded by nature and the wonderful artist friends of Pastel Society of Southeast Texas, I can safely say it won't be the last.

The plein air painting ended with bold color and strong darks, creating an excellent underpainting for the completed studio painting of Elm Lake at Brazos. 

And my old fashioned setup and gear? Worked just fine!  

Before you go - sign up for my monthly newsletter, Scrumble: art, golf and travel, delightfully woven together.

A Year in 60 Seconds

Alter Ego: Grandma Red

Just 2 grandmas per family? Not anymore. I eventually became Grandma Red, named for our special, one-of-a-kind, couldn't ask for better, dog. He's small, handsome, everybody loves him.

So my page, Grandma Red Paints Small, is for small, pretty, everybody-will-love-them, paintings and thoughts. Enjoy.

For our Veterans

Remembrance, Pastel, 24x18

Honoring our veterans and all who serve in the military. Remembrance is a reflection of my personal feeling and those shared by all who visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.

Except for that

The golf ball flew into the air, really into the air, then landed in the sand. "That was a good shot, except for that."

Did I actually say those words? Does sounds dumb, huh? Yes and no. My fairway shots always just skim the ground, never make that beautiful air lob. This one, the direction was off, but the ball was up. Major accomplishment.

How does this relate to art? "It's a good painting, except for that corner," (or that color or the background or . . . whatever your reoccurring problem is). So, just as I will hit another thousand practice balls to perfect that airborne shot, I will work through my painting problem. I'll question what's wrong? how do I fix it. I'll face my nemesis, eventually having more high flyers--in both art and golf. I WANT to get rid of the "except for that." 

My paintings of golf course

Zoom and fix. Voila!

Pepsi Man, Pastel, 18x24

Pepsi Man was finished and photographed. But something in the face bothered me. I didn't know what, so didn't how to fix it.

As I prepared a CD of Pepsi Man for a competition, my mind wandered: How are jurors looking at the images, now that they are digital. (Remember how all entries used to be slides?) Staring at the image on my monitor, I realized that areas of the image could be enlarged to get a better peek at how the medium and color were handled. Does the juror do that? I don't know, but it became an instant learning tool for me. 

When I zoomed in on the eyes, I got a big shout out as to what was wrong! Fixing it was easy with a few simple swipes of pastel. The eyes now looked away, and in the same direction. As I stepped back, away from the painting, Pepsi Man actually seemed to have changed personality. What little effort it took!  

I hope you can benefit from this "Voila" moment. And that you will be more careful than I, and make sure you photograph that last minute change. I forgot to do it!

I was lazy . . . and that's good.

I love painting with pastels, but pastel dust IS messy. It sifts down; it magically transfers from the hand to a clean stick. So I always try to clean my pastels and work area when a painting is finished. Like starting fresh.

Reflections on the Williams was finished, and I was tired. I dropped the pastels into my Cherry Pastel Cleaner. It would have taken at most five minutes to run the machine, sift the pastels out, and sort them back into the clean ones. But they sat there, dirty, on top of the grits.

Delhi Gaze, Pastel, 10x8

Next day I revisited Evening Song, deciding to paint the focus petals larger. Delhi Gaze came out of hiding and needed a new layer of pastel. Then Pondicherry Beach Nuts chanted, "start me, finish me." All the while, the Reflections pastels sat in the cleaner, dirty, on top of the grits.

Being lazy turned out to be good. Finally giving the Cherry Cleaner a whirl, I realized that not having cleaned the first batch of pastels kept me from using them. And that insured that the next painting would not use the same set of colors. My favorites were captive in the cleaner; I was forced to choose only the colors that were on my clean palette. 

What's with the grits? That good ole southern food is the perfect, mildly abrasive product for the Cherry Pastel Cleaner. The Cleaner tumbles and vibrates the pastels, removing all the dirty residue. Cherry is hosting their First Annual Pastel Classic online, terrific images, terrific product. 

Coincidence, or the right choices?

How do we decide what to paint, and what happens in our art journey? Is it just an accidental choice, or is it kismet? 

I believe that, rather than coincidence, it is a melding of decisions and choices that influence each other. Those "accidental happenings" set us upon a path, maybe a new direction.  

During our time in the Middle East, my husband and I traveled twice to India; first to Delhi and Agra, then Madras and the South Coastline. I love the inlaid marble, the beautiful silk rugs, pashmina shawls and ikat that came home with us. And I love the memory of color and activity. Lately my painting muse seems enchanted again with India: the pastel sticks have found their way to the faces of India, with the Pepsi man and the boy mechanic.

Now, a great movie: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful. Just a glimpse of a commercial had led to, "I want to see the Marigold one," not knowing exactly what that was. Was it another coincidence that this movie was set in India? Nope, I think it was part of the twisting, winding road that leads a certain destination. At this point I do not know what that destination is, but don't I love an adventure! So I think I'll continue to concentrate on painting India, its many sights and people.

And who knows, maybe I'll finally be confident enought to paint the beautiful Taj. 

P.S. the movie was delightful, heartwarming, with a feel good ending. It's not a special effects or exaggerated movie; all the people and scenes depict what we saw for real in our travels in India. Loved it all. 

Remembrance, Pastel, 24x18. Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, DC. 


The Mall in DC is filled with magnificent memorials and structures, but none filled me with a sense of awe and reverence like The Wall. It is stunning in its simplicity and beauty, and reflections. 


I decided to paint this as a solitary figure gently touching a remembered name. Although the reflections are spectators, they seem to embody the soldiers who are honored with their names carved into the marble.

Faces of Kenya

Faces of Kenya, 1996. A long time ago, but the memories and photos of the Maasai and Samburu linger and rewind into an ongoing series of paintings. Enjoy them in my video, pulsing with music and sights, then give me a google +1. Thanks!

Right Brain Left Brain

Lots of people will say they are not creative. But painting does not flow just from the creative side of the brain. True, that's the enjoyable part of painting: stroking the splash of color, not believing you are actually going to use THAT color. Seeing a real emotion materialize on paper as a face comes alive is almost like being outside your body, watching something being created. Sometimes you wonder how the painting came to that point.

But painting also REQUIRES the analytical side of the brain: the whole process from white, blank paper to masterpiece is problem solving and decision making. The nose looks too long; how can I use color or shape to change it? I need the background to sit down; how can I make the flat ground not look like a wall staring at me? The composition is one sided; do I crop the finished work or add content on that side?

Even, as in this painting, my husband took a 30 second look and said, "his face is too young, skin too smooth." So, how could I age him? Or , again this painting, I love this part of the background, but this side isn't working; what to do? And, the right side needs a better negative space, but gosh I really don't want to draw another bottle. Add, or leave it? The thinking, deciding, doing is a constant that, hopefully, brings the painting to a beautiful finish. 

I know I will continue working on this painting. Some parts still bother me, especially the background. But parts of it are good, the result of all those decisions!

View the 30 second video from white paper to all those Pepsi bottles.

Frilly Lily

Frilly Lily, what better name could there be? She's just in time for Easter and painted in her natural colors. Stroll through My Garden and Pick A Flower. $150 easy PayPal purchase on my website.

The pastel painting of this flower did not require any made-up colors; I just wanted to paint the fragile, delicate petals as nature made them. Planted and blooming in the D.C. Museum Mall area, this lily had many friends. Lavishly planted beds of color kept my camera clicking, as I walked from one museum tour to another. It's a wonderful, beautiful part of our nation.