30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 27- Draw a Chair

30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 27- Draw a Chair

©Rebecca Zdybel

Today's subject is just sitting around waiting for us to draw. Get it?  I hope I hear you smiling.  ;-)

What makes a chair challenging is that it may require you to really look carefully, because they don't look like you might think they look.  Why?  Because they are adhering to laws of PERSPECTIVE.  We all know those legs are all the same length, but they NEVER look that way.  Would you ever think a chair could stand on 2 legs?  Would you ever draw it that way? Would you ever even imagine it that way?  But look at the photo on the left...

You see...it's all a matter of perspective! Think of the chair as as a 3D Cube of sorts.  As such, the bottom of parallel chair legs will generally recede to a disappearing point on the horizon (or at the same height as the viewer's eyeline).  Similarly, the edges of square seats, and chair arms may also recede according to lines of perspective. In fact, drawing a cube around the seat of a chair as a guide of sorts can be a good idea.

Food for thought-  If an object is below the horizon line, all horizontal lines of perspective will recede UP to the horizon.  If the chair is viewed from below (with a low horizon), all horizontal lines of perspective would appear as if they are receding DOWN to the horizon.  It may sound confusing if you haven't practiced drawing your cubes, but for those of you who have, I hope this will be a helpful bit of information.  For more complete instructions on this concept follow this link: 30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 18- How to Draw a Cube

The chairs above have 3 ½ legs and 3 legs...hmmm.  Who'da thunk?

Ahhh, finally a chair with 4 legs, but look!  None of them are the same length!

Another Hint:  Sometimes drawing a chair by drawing the negative spaces can make everything fit together a bit easier.  This is a tried and true technique from Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards.  You may want to try it with these chair photos, or you may draw your own if you prefer.  If you wish to draw the negative spaces, taking a photograph is the easiest way to frame your shot and flatten the image.  Send it to your printer and you're ready to draw!  For more instructions on this way to draw follow this link:   30 Day Drawing Challenge day 6- Complex Negative Image and 30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 5- Think positively about drawing Negatively

Good luck drawing your chairs!  Only 3 more days till you cross the finish line and can pat yourself on the back and say you completed 30 Days of Drawing! I'll be back tomorrow with yet another free lesson, and I hope you'll meet me here.

Special Notice: 
My website will be changing to become more mobile friendly and add some new features.  If you are a subscriber, you will need to update your subscription when it changes.  A new notification will soon arrive in your inbox and ask for you to confirm your subscription.  It will be from my website.  Just click that confirmation and you will continue to receive updates to this blog directly to your email inbox.  There is a button on my home page that allows you to subscribe, but if you'd like to subscribe and have not been able to do so, please email me and I will send you that link.   My email address is rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com.  I have lots of new ideas and lessons I plan to share over the next few months.  I also will be traveling extensively during September and October and will be blogging about my adventures and artwork along the way.  If you subscribe today you'll be kept up to date and share the all the fun!  I hope you do... <3

Rebecca Zdybel

Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor

Art Lessons: Drawing, Watercolor, Acrylic, Collage, Mixed Media

Myrtle Beach, SC

rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share any of this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

Join me on Google+ Rebecca Zdybel Google+ 

30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 16- Drawing Your Drink

30 Day Drawing Challenge Day 16- Draw Your Drink

Can it be that we are on the second half of our 30 Days of drawing?  Here we go...we're on a roll now!

Drawing food or drink is an easy way to find a ready subject to draw.  Try drawing while waiting for a friend who's late for a lunch date.  When traveling, create an art journal and record the restaurants or meals you eat. I'm sure at this point in the challenge you've found that drawing is just plain fun!   So let's continue with today's challenge will be to Draw Your Drink.  I have a lot of instructions, so let's get right to it. 

Highlights are created by painting around them  Treat highlights as shapes.  Look closely...they are there and will glint brightly with big jumps of value if you're drawing glass.  For this sketch, I used the Elegant Writer Black marker and watercolor for the yellow tones. 

Materials to use for this Challenge:
Elegant writer marker
water container
brush (small/medium round is fine)
Watercolor or watercolor pencil, acrylic ink, or watersoluble crayon for color

• Step 1: Get out something to drink...it's getting hotter and you've got to stay hydrated ;-)
• Step 2: Note where your drink is located and mark it's location on the table (in case you move it or you get thirsty and take a sip)
• Step 3:  If you have a camera, iPad, or a cell phone, take a photo before you get started.  This is important:  Take the photo from your viewpoint in the chair you plan to sit in.  This is because your perspective matters and will change the entire drawing if it changes.  This photo will be your back-up in case the drink moves or in case you move.  It will also be a way to "check your drawing".  (I use this technique all the time when drawing on location.)
• Step 4: Now draw your drink. Note any highlights on the glass or shiny surface.  Draw that highlight as a shape...oval, square, rectangle, cone.
• Step 5: Note the top of the drink container is usually round.  However, if you view something round from an angle it becomes an oval or an elipse. The top of the drink will generally be the same as the bottom, so you may be able to make two of the same ovals once your get the correct shape.  If the container isn't transparent or the shape of the container is different from top to bottom, then the top and the bottom will be different.  Remember this hint:  The bottom of glasses are not flat so don't draw a straight line!  There are no straight lines on a curved surface. 
• Step 6: Once you draw your drink, note any shadows your drink is casting...either on the surface of the table or within if the glass is transparent.
• Step 7: Once you finish the drawing, you can add color to it with whatever you choose.
• Step 8:  Take a photo of your drawing and send it to me...text or email is fine.

If journaling and traveling are something you enjoy doing, or would like to do, you should join me October 3-10, 2015 for my Eat Paint Cook Tour of Tuscany!  There is still room if you hurry...

Click this link Now! Rebecca's Eat Paint Cook Tour of Tuscany

Here are a few drawings from Fellow 30 Day Challengers...

I think this is drawing a rounded form from Day 11- but nice formatting!

Day 14- Elegant writer makes these simple studies so easy!

Day 14

Nicely done again everyone!  I can't wait to see your drawings and share your favorite tools and see what you're drinking  ;-)

Rebecca Zdybel

Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor

Art Lessons in all media

Myrtle Beach, SC

rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share any of this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

Join me on Google+ Rebecca Zdybel Google+ 

Learn Watercolor Basics Making Holiday Cards

Coastal Carolina University's OLLI Program-  Tuesday Dec 2 and 9 12:30-2:30 and 3-5 PM
79th Ave N Campus, Myrtle Beach, SC- Sign up online here 
http://www.coastal.edu/media/administration/olli/Fall%202014%20OLLI%20Registration.pdf

You can come to make holiday cards during my 
Regular Art classes on Wed's 1-4 and Saturdays 1-4 (check the calendar here online for my schedule) 
Contact me to reserve your seat- email contact through this website or text/call me at 843-450-2307

Materials for Watercolor Holiday Card Making Class: with Rebecca Zdybel

• Watercolors and mixing palette (your colors)

• table protector: plastic table cloth or crafting surface (plastic sheeting will work too)
• watercolor brushes, round, rigger, 1⁄2 flat
• palette knife or ( old credit cards and hotel keys work really well for scraping
  purposes too)
• Paper: blank watercolor cards or watercolor paper which you can tear and turn into
  stock card sizes or affix to a card front.
• glitter
• paper plate
• glue
• paper towels
• water container
• fine grained salt ( small container or baggie with a few tablespoons will be plenty)
• red and white acrylic paint (other colors if you’d like to bring them)
• Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (other brands ok)
• Black Elegant writer calligraphy marker (available at craft stores) or here http://www.amazon.com/Speedball-Elegant-Writer-Calligraphy-Marker/dp/B000BYT29K/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1417454175&sr=8-4&keywords=elegant+writer+pen
• Fine point Permanent black marker note: (Micron pens or staedtler pens ok...avoid sharpies)
• • Crayons/ oil pastels
  • Razor blade or box cutter
  • Red/ White acrylic paint in a squeeze applicator bottle (i will have some bottles for
  sale for $2)
  
  Other items which might be helpful to use:
  
  • Stencils with patterns (I like snowflakes and small abstract patterns for this purpose) http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=6+x+6+stencils&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3A6+x+6+stencils
  • Cheap Joe’s Really Good Gesso-white ( I will have some available for $2), order
    here http://www.cheapjoes.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=really+good+gesso
  • transparency sheets (or any stiff plastic which can be used to create your own
    stencils- I will have some available for .75/sheet) 
    
    
    

 

 

Art Classes and Art Groups in Myrtle Beach

Where can you take ART CLASSES in the Myrtle Beach area?

Read on for a list of local Art Organizations and links to their websites...

Some might say that Myrtle Beach is not a town where you find a lot of art going on. I believe that is changing.  Places to study art and dabble in all kinds of artistic realms are cropping up more and more around the Grand Strand... in Myrtle Beach, Little River, Conway, Litchfield, and Georgetown. For a few years I was affiliated with a local gallery which offered classes, but I am currently teaching in my own studio.

My teaching studio is a great place to come and play in the paint.  I currently offer All Media Monday Sessions and Watercolor Wednesdays.  Classes are small and there is lots of individual attention.

My teaching studio

 I also teach for OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) here in Myrtle Beach.  This is an extended learning program administrated by Coastal Carolina University (CCU).  Their contact info is in the list below. My schedule includes occasional workshops or presentations for local art groups at their sites Waterway Arts Association (WAA), Seacoast Artist Guild (SAG), and Waccamaw Arts and Crafts Guild (WACG) .  If you're interested in forming your own class, or scheduling a workshop with me, click the email link here on my website.  

Travel and art are my favorite things to do!  This year I had the privilege to lead a group on a Tour of Tuscany, Italy.  There we stayed at a fabulously restored Italian Monastery. Touring daily, we would come home to our beautiful home where our personal chef cooked for us and gave us cooking lessons.  I offered art lessons to the group as another of our optional activities.  In the evenings we played guitar and made music. It was the best of times and we plan a repeat in October of 2015...  You should join us!
Here is a link to the brochure and details:  
Link to EAT, PAINT, COOK TOUR OF TUSCANY 2015

Classes Currently Being offered:  

Watercolor Wednesdays: 1-4 PM

This class is about wild and wonderful WATERCOLOR!  I believe watercolor has an unmerited bad reputation among would-be artists.  Watercolor is about technique, and exploring those techniques is a passion of mine.  I love the random and marvelous colors which can be obtained by letting water be the vehicle for applying your paint.  If you're interested in learning some tips and tricks to success, then this may be the perfect class for you.  

All Media Mondays- 1-4PM reservations necessary

This class is open to all media...drawing, painting, glass mosaic.  If you're into it, I probably have the materials and the space to do it.  In this environment, we gather and create in many various ways, but we all bond in the process.  Art principles cross the boundaries of mediums and I offer both suggestions, demonstrations, and critique to each student on an individual basis. 

New 2015-   Saturday Sessions  1-4 PM reservations necessary

This November I will be teaching only on Saturdays.  All media will be welcome and class will be similar to All Media Mondays.  Instruction will be available in Watercolor, Acrylic, Oil, Drawing, Abstract, Collage, or Glass Mosaic. 

Contact me if you'd like to study with me in any of these ways. My schedule is always changing and the calendar here on my website can let you know what's current.  

Here are some of my past classes.  I would be willing to teach these topics again or cover these materials in any of my "All Media" style classes:

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain - YES YOU CAN LEARN TO DRAW!  This is a drawing class which explores ways of improving  drawing skills as outlined by the 2012 new and definitive REVISED book of the same name. It's a great drawing foundation, which has been time tested and it works!  Teaching some of the drawing fundamentals which are not intuitive. It's a wonderful way for adult artists to "back up" and learn some of the fundamentals they may have skipped over on their way to painting pretty pictures.

Re!ease Your Inner Artist (a class which is bound to take you places you haven't been before exploring techniques of Drawing, Watercolor, Mixed Media, and Acrylic).  This class is student driven and we try to incorporate areas of interest which appeal to regular class members.  We range in subject matter from drawing, to painting, to image transfers, to color theory, and the list goes on...

Student Margaret Burleigh created this masterpiece in class and Sold it!

Exp!ore Water Media:  This class varies and is designed to allow the students to explore Watercolor and Acrylic in a variety of ways.  Learning about new materials and experimenting with crossing boundaries is what we do.  Class ideas and techniques will be taught, instruction will be given, but students may always bring in their own work for assistance to any of my classes.

Martha Sledge created this cool piece in Exp!ore Watermedia Class

Exp!ore Design and Paint an Abstract:  This class is based on a method taught by John Salminen AWS.  We cover design fundamentals and make very interesting and beautiful abstract paintings in Watercolor, Acrylic and collage.  At least 1 award winning painting has emerged from this class and most students are rewarded with paintings they love.

Arty Party Painting Parties:  Paint on Wine Glasses, Mugs or Canvas 
Schedule an Arty Party and choose from a selection of paintings or paint an image of your choosing during a fun 2 hr painting party with me as your teacher.  We provide the supplies, you provide your own refreshments BYOB.  It's a great way to have fun painting and create a memorable event with your group or family.

Exp!ore Glass on Glass Mosaic:  This 4 week class exp!ores a new technique using stained glass in a modern way.  It's much simpler than stained glass, and very light and luminous in it's results.  You can see an example of this technique below.  The class is fun and very playful...and the results are incredible!

If you are interested in connecting with other artists or learning about art organizations in the area, then follow these local links to the many art organizations along the Grand Strand.

SC Watermedia Society
Georgetown Country Watercolor Society
Roundtable Art Group
Waterway Art Association
Waccamaw Arts and Crafts Guild
Seacoast Artist Guild
Create Conway
Artfields Art Competition in Lake City, SC
Colored Pencil Society of SC
OLLI- Osher Lifelong Learning Institute CCU

Rebecca Zdybel
Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor
Art Lessons in all media
Myrtle Beach, SC
rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

"Like" my facebook page: Rebecca Zdybel- Artist
Join me on Google+ Rebecca Zdybel Google+ Profile

Burano and Murano- A Colorful Surprise

Yes, places like this really exist!  Visit beautiful Burano!

A Colorful Surprise- Murano and Burano

After wandering around Venice for a few days, we decided to take a day trip out to the adjacent islands of Murano and Burano. 

A canal in Murano

Murano is known for it’s glass manufacturing and famous for its craftsmanship.  It's everywhere on the island.  It was even embedded into the toilet seat at our restaurant- ;-)  

Murano glass vase

A few of the factory galleries and some of the hotels have an arrangement which allows you to get free transportation out to the island.  The deal includes free water-taxi ride and a short demonstration of some glass sculpting once you arrive.  The water taxi ride is nice and gives you cruising time in the smaller canals of Venice on the way out of the city. The only other way to see the smaller canals is to ride in a gondola. 

Murano has wide open canals which can help with photographs

The price you pay for the free ride is the supervised tour of their showroom.  It’s a little bit like the time-share luncheons in our area.  You put up with a bit of hard sell, for the perk of a free ride.  It’s kind of amusing really…they even corral you in the gallery with a velvet rope, so that you essentially have to ask to leave.  

If you’re interested in browsing the gallery, the free ride out is not such a bad deal.  The salesmen are very knowledgeable about the merchandise, but you can pretty much be assured that you will be paying top dollar if you decide to buy something. 

Murano 

Once you leave the glass showroom, wandering around Murano is actually easy and charming.  We had a very inexpensive luncheon at a sandwich shop and took photos.  The island is quaint.  The canals are wide and the buildings are not too tall, so that makes it easier to photograph.    

Don't you just love an old door? This beautifully decrepit door is in Murano.

Burano was the island we were really excited to see.  It was highly recommended by Lester Lefkowitz, another program leader with his own Il Chiostro program in Venice. He encouraged us not to miss the colors to be found on Burano. Getting there involved hopping on board another Vaporetto boat after our an initial stop in Murano.  

Burano is an explosion of technicolor!

Finding our way to the correct Vaporetto stop sounded easy.  It was not.  There are very few signs to follow on Murano (as usual), which probably helps the merchants on the island keep you there and spending money a bit longer.  Once you find the Vaporetto stop, the diagrams at the stations are not easy to read. Discerning which line to follow is also maddeningly difficult.  I was missing my GPS again, and found that almost every other tourist felt as confused as we did...even the ones using guide books.  We got used to simply asking the ticket officer at the Vaporetto station for directions.  They were the only ones who seemed to know where to go.  We also learned to double check with the boat hands as we got onboard any vessel (just to be sure we were going where we thought we were going). 

Despite our difficulties, we eventually boarded the correct boat for Burano (it leaves about every ½ hr. from Murano).  This little gem was definitely worth the effort!  We heard that going early in the day is best since there are fewer crowds. We didn't make it there early, and we did deal with lots of people.  However, late in the day we were blessed with better lighting and everything came across in technicolor!

Reflections of Burano, Italy

Love these complementary colors next to one another!

Wow!  It’s as if you hit the “Boost” button on your photo-editing program and turned the color up to full volume!  

surreal color is everywhere

These photos are edited, but the buildings are actually this bright.   After our day trip there, I would definitely recommend taking the time to go for your own visit…but unless you want to make a day of it, you may want to study the route first. 

Burano is full of colorful canals like this one

I can't wait to work some of these photos into paintings!  If you're interested in taking art classes with me and learning how to paint what you photograph, think about indulging yourself with art classes.  Watercolor, acrylic, sketching, or mixed media...any and all can be a fun way to record your life and your travels.  

Really?!  Did they just set this up for me?

Whether journaling or doing more serious paintings, the artwork you can create is personal and forever records your connection to places and moments in your life.  In future blogs I will share some of our more art related experiences on the trip. 

Breakfast on the Terrace overlooking the lily pond at San Fedele

If you're interested in traveling to some of these beautiful places in Italy, think about joining me next year for another Cooking and Art Tour of Tuscany.  Whether or not you're an artist, you can enjoy spending time in these visually exciting destinations.  If you're new and want to try painting with us, I'll make it easy for you. 

Just another beautiful morning at Borgo San Fedele...sigh

Whether or not you are a cook, you can enjoy eating and even observing what our personable chef has going on in his kitchen. There's always the option of taking a hike, reading a book, or getting a massage while others are doing the organized activities.  Space will be limited to keep the group friendly, so sign up early and bring your friends along!

San Gimignano- one of my favorite places to visit in Tuscany

Rebecca Zdybel
Artist, Instructor, Art-Travel Instructor
Art Lessons in all media
Myrtle Beach, SC
rebecca@artmyrtlebeach.com

Spread Light, Share Love, DO Art!

Feel free to share any of this blog post on your own blog or website, but I ask that you you include:

Rebecca Zdybel is an artist and instructor in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Follow her and see her work at http://www.artmyrtlebeach.com/

"Like" my facebook page: Rebecca Zdybel- Artist

Join me on Google+ Rebecca Zdybel Google+ Profile