The World of Watercolor Painting with Birgit O’Connor

Sometimes it’s difficult to get started and paint again, it can be because of some life circumstance, the holidays, or we're just not inspired. Not everyone enjoys the isolation of the studio or is a self-motivated artist, some enjoy painting with other artists, especially watercolor. With the pandemic, many people haven’t felt creative and have been absolutely paralyzed, so what are some of the things you can do, let’s talk about it. If you’re interested in taking an online course, or joining “Watercolor in Motion” take a look at my upcoming schedule on my website or go directly to my school

Values help to invite the viewer into the painting, so in today's episode we are having a discussion about why they are important, to help create a push pull effect and prevent paintings from looking flat.

In this episode will be having a conversation about where your inspiration come from? Have you ever thought of where you painting from in your body? Is it your head, your heart, your fingertips, wrist, arm, full body and what kind of experience is it for you? What about commissions, do you enjoy doing them or is it a chore, and how can you move away from realism into something more painterly. These are just some of the things that will be talking about in today's episode we're going to be talking

When I first started painting years ago, the art store where I did my first demonstration gifted me with the largest brush that I had ever seen, a #30. I had no idea what to do with it, or how to use it, it wasn't terribly comfortable in my hand, I thought the brush they gave me was nice, so I just put it to the side, because most of my brushes that I worked with at that time, were the smaller #3, #8, #10 and maybe the largest brush being a #12. Then one day, I was a little tired of being fiddly with my strokes and I wanted to simplify my painting style and expand the size of my paintings. I found it challenging to get the results that I wanted with most of my brushes and I learned quite a bit just by testing different brands and types of brushes. Most were either be too soft and wimpy or stiff, so, I gave the brush from the demonstration a try, and it worked beautifully, I was not only able to expand the size of my paintings but grew as an artist. View on YouTube https://youtu.be/6BP7z-o_ocs If you have seen any of my earlier videos or demonstrations then you would have noticed my white handled brush, and over the years the ferrule loosened, and I wanted to share this great brush with my students, so I searched and it was nowhere to be found. I found an alternative that worked almost as well but I still loved my original white handle brush, and since I was not able to direct my students to this brush I put it to the side and focused on other ones. The funny thing is after 20 years or so, one day I found myself struggling with a piece of paper for a demonstration where the sizing just wasn't working for me, I grabbed that old brush, and it felt like an old friend, the comfort and ease of how well it worked, I thought just take another look around, and I found it, I was stunned. In the video you will be able to see the brush as I tested it again for the first time and it may be something that you might like to explore for yourself. You will now be able to find them in my store. am now carrying the brushes in my store on my website www.birgitconnor.com Visit my store Cats Tongue Wash Brush Blog Online courses

Today we discuss how to get focused after being distracted with summer, and should you use black in a painting? If you use a black, should you use it from the tube or mix your own? will it look harmonious, like a black hole and what happens to the surrounding colors. When it comes to figures should you outline them or work with values, and what do you do when you see someone on the street that you want to paint? Try a Free online course at www.birgitoconnor.com

Interview with Andy Rycroft of Creative Productivity and his upcoming event later this month. Purpose, productivity and creative value. With the support of the creative community and strategic daily activities, you will identify your creative value, the potential it has for others, and make powerful steps towards living your creative life on your own terms. The Creative Canvas course offers you the opportunity to get clear about your purpose, get engaged with your audience, and build an actionable plan to get your ideas done.

Let's talk about how you can remove some of the invisible obstacles that happen, when life gets in the way. How can you find the time to paint? Does every painting need to be a a masterpiece or can you think about it as an experiment? Have you recognized where your fear comes from, is it the cost of the materials, or fear of failure? Either way there's some simple things that we can do to overcome the obstacles that hold us back.

A fantastic idea of making a downloadable low commitment print on Etsy to create a passive income, how to find a image to paint and entering a show

Join me as I interview one of my previous students Eva Nicholas about her journey, who has gone on to enter shows, travel and teach and show her work in galleries YouTube Channel: Eva Nichols Art Website: https://www.beautyonlocation.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/eva.s.nicholsInstagram: http://instagram.com/evanicholskunstTwitter: http://twitter.com/@EvaNichols Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/estramer/ Blog: http://evasnichols.wordpress.com Contact information Eva Stramer Nichols 16127 Wellington Way Truckee, CA 96161 530-414-1289

Before entering into a show, check the show prospectus Do you own the copyrights? Did you create the painting on your own without guidance or instruction? Entry fees range and are not refundable Digital images usually need to be at 300dpi (Check the show prospectus) 1200 - 2100 pixels at the largest side Free online tool to resize an image https://www.pixlr.com/editor/ Does your painting have Does it command attention and stand out with a strong composition? Different values, and a good use of color, and light, Are you painting with confidence? Is it unique, with impact? Will it grab the attention of the judge? Your strongest paintings will be with a something that you’re excited about. Rejection: Try not to take it personally, it happens to all of us. Remember there are only so many paintings that can be accepted into a show. if a painting is rejected in one show it may be accepted or even win in another. Standard size frames 5" x 7" 8" x 10" 11" x 14" 16" x 20" 20" x 24" 20" x 30" 24" x 36" 22" x 32" 30" x 40" Call for entries Cafe https://www.callforentry.org/login/ Here are some societies that you can look into to enter shows: Alabama Watercolor Society of Alabama – http://wsalabama.org Alaska Alaska Watercolor Society – http://www.akws.org Fairbanks Watercolor Society – http://www.fairbankswatercolor.org Arizona Arizona Watercolor Association – http://www.azwatercolor.com Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild – http://www.watercolor-sawg.org Northern Arizona Watercolor Society – http://www.naws-az.org California California Watercolor Society : http://www.californiawatercolor.org National Watercolor Society – http://www.nationalwatercolorsociety.org San Diego Watercolor Society – http://www.sdws.org Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society – http://www.scvws.org Watercolor Artists of Sonoma County – http://www.wascoart.org Colorado Colorado Watercolor Society http://www.coloradowatercolor.org/aboutcws/aboutcws.htm Pikes Peak Watercolor Society – http://home.pcisys.net/~ppwsart Western Colorado Watercolor Society – http://www.wcwatercolorsociety.com Connecticut Connecticut Watercolor Society – http://www.connecticutwatercolorsociety.org Delaware: Delaware Watercolor Society – http://www.delawarewatercolorsociety.org Florida Brevard Watercolor Society – http://www.brevardwatercolors.org Central Florida Watercolor Society – http://www.centralfloridawatercolor.com Florida Watercolor Society – http://www.floridawatercolor.org Georgia Georgia Watercolor Society – http://www.georgiawatercolorsociety.com Hawaii Hawaii Watercolor Society – http://www.hawaiiwatercolorsociety.org Idaho Idaho Watercolor Society – http://www.id-ws.org Illinois Illinois Watercolor Society – http://www.illinoiswatercolorsociety.org/ Transparent Watercolor Society of America – http://www.watercolors.org/ Indiana Watercolor Society of Indiana – http://www.watercolorsocietyofindiana.org/ Iowa Iowa Watercolor Society – http://www.iowawatercolorsociety.org Kansas Kansas Watercolor Society – http://www.kansaswatercolor.com/ Louisiana Louisiana Watercolor Society – http://www.lwsart.org/ Maryland Baltimore Watercolor Society – http://www.baltimorewatercolorsociety.org Western Maryland Watercolor Society http://www.westernmarylandwatercolorsociety.org/ Massachusetts New England Watercolor Society http://www.newenglandwatercolorsociety.org/index.html Michigan Michigan Watercolor Society – http://www.mwcsart.com/ Minnesota Minnesota Watercolor Society – http://www.minnesotawatercolors.com/ Mississippi Mississippi Watercolor Society – http://www.mississippiwatercolor.org/ Missouri Missouri Watercolor Society – http://www.mowsart.com/mainNN.htm Montana Montana Watercolor Society – http://www.montanawatercolorsociety.org/ Nevada Nevada Watercolor Society – http://www.watercolorsociety.com/ – Sierra Watercolor Society https://www.sierrawatercolorsociety.com/ New Jersey The New Jersey Watercolor Society – http://w

Do you need a website? What are your specific needs? Functionality, How you want to show yourself to the world, e-commerce Is Support important Is it mobile friendly Website builders to look at https://www.wix.com https://www.Godaddy.com Weebly.com https://www.faso.com https://www.squarespace.com ost varies Basic site SEO SSL security Domain Ecommerce connects to square paypal stripe Build Your Brand First Establishing your brand is an important first step in selling your art online. It’s a chance to show off some of your style and establish who you are as an artist. It also it helps customers connect with you. At a glance, your brand should give customers an idea of what makes you unique. ost varies Basic site SEO SSL security Domain Ecommerce connects to square paypal stripe Build Your Brand First Establishing your brand is an important first step in selling your art online. It’s a chance to show off some of your style and establish who you are as an artist. It also it helps customers connect with you. At a glance, your brand should give customers an idea of what makes you unique. Picking a domain name Big decision, choose something that will be easy to find and not too long to type out. Usually, your name (dot com) or, if that’s not for sale, your name studio (dot com) or your name art (dot com). Make it catchy and easy to find. If your name’s not in the domain, make sure it’s at least featured in the page title so people can still find you on Google!

Let's talk about our fear and obstacles, is it real, or imaginary, do you limit yourself by someones else's idea or projection. Let's take a look. http://birgitoconnorwatercolors.teachable.com