Friday, April 17, 2015

Creating a composition from photos

 "Tulip Tranquility" in progress
22x30 watercolor by Liana Yarckin






Inspiration photos for "Tulip Tranquility"

This spring I have been seeing so many gorgeous blooms all around town.  Often I pull over and take several photos from a variety of angles.  In this case, I needed to see the shadows on the inside of white tulips.  

To create the above composition, I placed my "star" tulip first in one of the focal point locations using the "rule of thirds".  The rules of thirds is basically dividing your page up into thirds both horizontally and vertically.  This creates four intersections.  It is believed by many that the locations of these intersections is the best location for your subject.  The idea expands on the Golden section theory and 2:1 ratio.  After placing my "star", I then placed my second favorite flower near it and then continued to draw in blooms to fill the area.  I did refer to other photos of tulips that were not fully opened, yet. I am still working on this painting.  It is important that I paint the "star" with star attention and detail so that it will stand out in comparison to the other blooms. 

Come see me and this painting completed at this Friday, April 24 
Booth #9
Artscape - Dallas Arboretum


#Dallas Arboretum, #Artscape, #tulips, #watercolor

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Detail from
"Duck Pond - Everyone is a Winner"
by Liana Yarckin

I am in love with this painting.  Not for Sale!!!  Sorry, no arrogance intended, it just speaks to my heart right now.  I am often asked if I use a projector for my drawings.  No, and this is the perfect example of why I don't.  I took several photos of the duck pond game at the Texas State Fair while my kindergartner played the game.  I loved the way the sunlight was hitting the ducks.  When I finally decided to paint it, I cannot tell you how excited I was that it was much faster to draw referring to my photos than pulling out the projector, setting that all up, tracing and then combining and scaling photos to work together.  When I am ready to paint, I just don't have patience for that.  This is just a detail of the entire painting.  I used my photos to place the large ducks were they needed to be following design rules.  I added more ducks AND had to take out some round happy face floats that were in the photos.  In the original photos, there were not so many baby ducks covering the water, but in my mind when I was taking the photos, this is how I remembered it, lots and lots of ducks.  I have a few people interested in this painting, but, I will do a few more studies before I decide on what to sell.  Yellow is one of the hardest colors to work with for values and shadows, but, thanks to an oil portrait artist friend and neighbor, she made a comment that made the light bulb go off which resulted in that one beautiful, perfect shadow on the main duck.  Now, I just have to learn to repeat that!!!!  Intentionally.

100 Sunflower Fields
16x22 watercolor by Liana Yarckin

  Inspired by the sunflower fields in Provence, once again, it was faster for me to create a composition using several photos rather than using a projector.  When you are standing in the sunflower fields, it feels like the flowers are this close together, but, the photos (maybe I am a poor photographer) show a lot more space between the flowers and the flowers are not in the perfect "pose" for the painting.  Again, I truly get so impatient to hurry up and paint that I can draw what I want from the photos faster than using a projector.  I did go to college for architecture, which required a lot of free drawing classes, plus once out of school, for fun, I did a lot of figure drawing classes, which are the best for learning how to draw.

Detail from Commissioned Wedding Bouquet

Did you know the new trend at weddings is to have an artist do a "live painting" at your wedding?!  I was blessed to be hired by a neighbor who loved my work to paint the bride's bouquet.  I also painted the first dance and the wedding cake because I had time.  When at a wedding with your easel and a crowd watching you - you can not set up a projector!  One most know how to draw, quickly, I might add, while wedding guests are standing around watching you.  It was so much fun and wonderful for me since I love anything beautiful and girlie.  I have 3 boys so I do not get my share of buying dresses or tying ribbons in hair, so painting scenes from a wedding was absolutely blissful for me!!!  I have 3 more weddings lined up!!!  I will post the other wedding pics next time or go to my facebook page to see.

Come see me at the Dallas Arboretum Artscape Art Show
April 24-26 
Booth 9


TIP on drawing: use your arm and body.  It sounds crazy, but, really think of using your arm and body to mask out the overall large shapes.  We get into trouble when we use are wrists and these little wispy, sketchy lines.  The drawing becomes too contrived and stifled.  You are just trying to capture the essence.

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#weddings #bouquet #livepainting #texasstatefair #rubberducks #provence #sunflowers

Monday, April 6, 2015

BIG Art Show - Artscape Dallas Arboretum



Friends, I am so excited about my upcoming art show at Artscape at the Dallas Arboretum.  I cannot tell you how fun this event is, especially, the preview night on April 24.  I have special tickets for you if you are not a member.  Please let me know if you would like a ticket.

Liana Yarckin Watercolors
Booth #9
April 24-27
Dallas Arboretum

I am honored to be selected as one of the artists in this show.  The show features artists from all over the country who specialize in a variety of mediums.  There is something for everyone.  Last year, many of my visitors found interesting art pieces in a booth across from me for their little peeps.  I have been working very hard and will have new works on display that I have not posted anywhere online!  The only way to see them is at the show!!!  Last year I sold 5 pieces on opening night.  Two were by facebook followers and they knew exactly what they wanted.

So come and see me, bring the family, make it an outing - it is only once a year.


#dallasarboretum, #lianayarckin #artshow