Tracey Costescu Fine Art

Materials & Still Life Set Up Just a quick thank you to all the artists who came out to my Still Life Demo at Opus Coquitlam!  It was great to see so many artists interested in learning about the different methods of painting with respect to style, method and using less toxic, more environmentally friendly practice. I especially want to thank the Opus Staff for making me feel so at home. They are always super friendly, helpful and supportive.  It is so great to see staff that are truly are as inspired (dare I say addicted...) to art as much as I am who are really helping to create a community atmosphere for artists in Coquitlam.

Graphite Portrait on Toned Paper - 6x9" Well I finally did it, I finally made it down to check out Basic Inquiry Life Drawing in Vancouver.  Why did it take me so long??!?!? I usually go to Suite E Life Drawing in Coquitlam but I have been so busy with teaching at nights that I only made it to a few sessions this season so I was desperate to get some life drawing in...and I was not disappointed :) The set up was really nice as they have a curtain that hangs from the ceiling with the lighting enclosed which can be directed on the model.  Then the outside of the curtain area hey have florescent lighting so that there is good lighting on the easels...which is kind of important ;) Room Set Up The model was lovely and was so enjoyable to draw.  The session is 3 hrs but with breaks works out to about 2.5 hrs and I draw sooo slooooww.  So I had hoped to get more darks in on the left side of her face and then add some lights with white chalk and if time permitt...

I was so fortunate to get to go to a 2 day workshop this past Mother's Day weekend in North Vancouver with the wonderful Deborah Tilby.  While I was unable to complete either painting, I got a TON of work done.  Alla prima painting is so much faster than indirect painting.  It definitely gets the adrenaline running as you know at the workshops, just like when plein air painting, you only have so much time to get things done! The landscape painting was done on the first day and really all I think it needed is to push the dark and light values further.  I always struggle with this and seem to have to keep pushing as I go to get the full value range.  I also think the barn could use a bit of fixing up, maybe a window or two? The seascape was done on the second day, I was SO sick :(  I spent the morning painting and actually considered packing up and going home after an hour.  I felt so ill...hot...cold....dizzy...nausea....Happy Mother's Day to me!...

It has been months since I have been able to get to a life drawing session (sigh) so it was so nice to get back to drawing from a live model last night!  Sadly I have not had much time for drawing anything lately as have been busy painting.  Drawing is like exercise, if you don't do it daily or at least regularly you get flabby....or in this case, not so accurate ;) So rather than crop the drawing as I usually do...I left some distracting objects all around the portrait.  Sneaky right?  Even with my lack of current practice though, I still see a huge improvement from last year in my drawing skills so just like with exercise, there is "muscle memory" so every little bit of effort adds up.

Oil on Canvas Board and Set Up I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to take another workshop with the amazing, talented, generous, patient...I could go on, Graydon Parrish . This is the third time I have had the opportunity to take one of his workshops (see Workshop 1 and Workshop 2 for more info) and every time I am amazed at how much I learn yet how relaxed and fun the process is.  When I learn on my own, it is more like a battle of wills and frustration and as I tend to learn by realizing what not to do....and then learning by the process. The workshop was two weeks long during which time Graydon walked us through setting up the still life which he set up as a work of art in itself.  He showed us how to determine the colors of the fabric and how the light affects the hue, value and chroma.  He had us paint half a sphere and cube with the local color to better understand what we were seeing.  We then mixed the color strings we needed by matching the...

Well, that was fun, well fun like a long workout is when you are done ;) It definitely helps to have good music when paint mixing as sometimes it can seem like it can take forever to get the exact mix you are looking for.  It is so worth it though as there is nothing better than having all of your paint premixed in clean little tubes so that you can squish out fresh paint every time you paint.   I have thought of mixing while sipping a glass wine or martini but I am sure I would end up with very sub par mixes ;) I don't premix all my colors but I find it so helpful to premix a flesh palette as I may not get the chance to paint every day, especially in the summer, and there is nothing worse than mixing up your paint and then having to through it all out because it did not keep between sessions.  Also, as some days I only have an hour to two to paint and if I have all of my colors premixed, I get to spend almost all of the time painting rather than g...

Blue Vase, Green Apples - 6x8" Oil on Paper Canvas This is a little alla prima painting I painted yesterday in my studio, SO much fun!  The blue vase I found last week at the thrift store and love it.  I have been hunting for simple ceramic bowls and vases to paint and got very lucky with this one as it was exactly what I was looking for. I usually paint using the indirect method but as I am short on time in the studio over the summer, I wanted to try alla prima so I could get in & get out all in one day as who knows when I can get back in the studio in this heat! I used a very limited palette, only the three primary colors and burnt umber and white which is the same palette I use for plein air painting.  Using a limited palette really simplifies the painting process and makes the painting feel more harmonious...plus I manage to keep my palette so much more organized and clean! I will have to take a photo of my palette next time.  This was painted from ...

End of Autumn - Graphite Pencil on Paper $350 - Matted & Framed After a long hiatus, I have started exhibiting again and I am happy to say that my piece, End of Autumn, was accepted in the juried show LIMITLESS the FCA's online exhibition and competition. You can view the exhibition online in full at: http://artists.ca/show/limitless/0  there are some amazing pieces in the exhibit and it is a very diverse show.

Graphite Pencil - Master Copy Study I completed...well I think it is done....this study of Plate II, 23 which is a copy of a study of A Roman Woman by Adolphe-William Bouguereau (1825-1905).  It is not nearly as accurate as it should be but I was having so much fun that I just decided to let her be herself.  I will have to do the study again in the future and be more diligent.   I started this just prior to my drawing classes that I am teaching as a way to get back in the swing of drawing. It had been awhile since I had the time to draw and draw just for pleasure and it was SO much fun.  I love painting but the more I paint and then go back to drawing the more I realize how much I really love drawing.  I plan to draw several more plates and master copies over the summer months.  I hope to have one on-going in the studio and just left on an easel so on days where I only have limited time, I can just pop in and get some art time in.  It is the best...

Hard at Work I am so proud of my student's hard work! She is taking my Drawing From Life class and is working on a portrait that she will be giving away as a gift.  It is such a busy time of year yet she will be working every night this week to complete her portrait on time...while trying very hard not to rush! Things really started to take shape tonight and I can't wait to see the final piece by the end of tomorrow night, nothing like working under a deadline to get you to maximum productivity level ;)

Portable Shadow Box I needed to come up with shadow boxes for my Drawing from Life class that are portable, have attached lighting, quick to set up & take down and reasonably cheap.  No small order!  So shopping I went.  I had a several ideas of what I could use, cardboard boxes, black fabric bins...but in the end I decided to go with black foam core.    The boxes are made from four pieces of foam core cut to the same size, in this case roughly 13x14".  I then taped three pieces together along the longest sides, alternating the side that I taped on.  This way the "boxes" fold flat like an accordion in seconds.  The third piece of foam core is the same size and sits on top.  I wanted to leave the top unattached to keep things portable but also, this way I can slide fabric over the back panel if I choose for different set ups.  The base is just black construction paper that I will cut to size.  The reason I chose pa...

Drawing Class Supplies Look at all the goodies I got from Colour's Artist Supplies !  I love shopping for art supplies, any art supplies and I especially love shopping at Colour's.  Everyone there is so helpful and really passionate about art so we always get chatting about or latest projects.  Laury makes my life as a teacher so much easier as she organized and rounds everythign up for me so I can just come in and pick everything up.  They even offered to cut up my full sheets of drawing paper for me and practically gift wrapped it :) These supplies are for my lucky students that signed up for my Drawing From Life class that starts June 1.  The black foam core sheets are not technically part of the supplies as I bought those for me..for what you ask?  You will have to wait to see, so excited to "build" with them. There are two days left (I never count the day I am on ;)) and two spots left so if you would like to join us, you can sign up using...

Drawing Classes Starting June 1 Scroll Down for More Info I get asked this at pretty much every class that I teach.  My answer is always, draw, draw, draw.  Yes, I know, I have heard that a zillion times, but the fact is, it really is true. If you can not draw it, imagine how much harder it is to paint it when you are dealing with drawing (proportionsa and form modeling) as well as color and paint handling. For years I did not do thumbnail sketches and pencil studies prior to starting a painting as I was so anxious to dive in and hey, I only have a few hours here and there to get stuff done.  I would use a grid to draw out a reasonably quick outline sketch of my subject and then it was on to the paint. Without fail though, I would struggle so much during the painting process, unsure as to what I was really seeing.  The painting, more often than not, turned out ok in the end, but it was always such a struggle and I did not feel like I was improving nearly a...

Portrait of Caitlin from Life Session So sad that there are only a few sessions left for the season, I am going to miss it!  Last night was a sustained session with Caitlin, one of my favourite models.  She is amazingly still and oozes grace, very inspirational. I would have loved even just another 15 minutes, of course there is never enough time and I barely got the darker values in her hair started and time was up.  It is funny because I used to draw much faster, but of course then I would get to the end of the night and notice an eye sliding off, slow is definitely better. Today I started another drawing from life from one of the images from my beloved Charles Bargue Drawing book which I am slowly working my way through.  This book will keep me busy for so many years to come.  I plan to do a drawing a day to get my drawing chops in shape for my upcoming class  Drawing From Life for the Beginner   at Port Moody Art Center starting June 1....

Life Drawing Portrait of Gina It seems like forever since I have been able to make it to Suite E Life Drawing at Port Moody Art Center, I was worried I would not remember how to draw! Although I did not get nearly enough done on this, I was so happy to get the chance to draw from a model again that I really didn't care.  It is darker in real life as my darn flash kept going off on my camera and I was too lazy to find my detachable flash which directs the light at the ceiling rather than at the subject. I have been busy painting in watercolor and acrylic lately and did not realize how much I have missed drawing.  I see a lot more sketching in my immediate future! Plus I have to get back in the drawing groove for my upcoming Drawing From Life for the Beginner classes at Port Moody Art Center starting June 1, you can register at http://register.asapconnected.com/courses.aspx?coursegroupid=9898 if you are interested.  Please register early as registration closes pr...

I often get asked about the materials that I use for my watercolor paintings so I thought I would post a version of my supply list online. I never use student quality materials and honestly feel like nobody should. Working on student grade paper can make even a seasoned watercolor painter feel talentless! Professional quality paint and paper allows even the absolute beginner to feel like they are working with their materials, not fighting against them. Student grade paints may be "cheaper" but they are filled will "fillers" so that it looks like you are getting more paint for your buck.  What you are really getting is a weaker pigment load so you use twice as much paint than you would if you had bought the professional quality.  The luminosity and handling also do not compare.  My advice, buy only three - four tubes to start and mix your own colors.  Your paintings will be more harmonious and you will learn so much about color mixing and how your colors w...

I often get asked what paints, brushes & supplies I use so I thought I would create a post with images for all us visual learners to make sharing the info easier. These are the supplies that I use when I teach my workshops and art classes.  My next class starts in March, please visit http://register.asapconnected.com/EventDetail.aspx?pk=343461 if you would like more information. Brushes   Silver Bristalon Synthetic Round s - Absolutely LOVE these brushes! They allow you to scrub to your hearts content yet the bristles stay together nicely and do not splay.  They may break down over time, but they always retain their shape and you don't get that annoying odd stray hair sticking out the side as you usually do with scrubbing brushes.   Silver Ruby Satin Synthetic - Again love this brush.  Excellent snap, soft yet able to achieve fine control.  Very resilient brush. Rosemary & Co Ivory Long Flat - Love, love these brushes for a...

Grisaille - Oil on Panel - 8x10"  This is the first oil pass of the grisaille for a piece I am working on.  The original drawing can be viewed at http://tcostescu.blogspot.ca/2014/07/shell-leaf-pitcher-study-graphite-on.html   For this painting I transferred the drawing onto the panel using an oil transfer (I will blog about how to do this in the near future). Once the transfer was dry, I did a light burnt umber layer to workout the main values, unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of this step. Next time ;) When the burnt umber layer was completely dry, I used my pre-mixed oil paints from a value of 2 to 9 (2 darkest value, 9 near white value)  At this stage I focused on trying to really correctly record the tilts and angles of my subjects from my still life set up.  Working from life is more challenging than working from a photo but so much more fulfilling as there is just so much more information about the form to work from. The paint is app...