Owner: Arts & Stuff URL:http://susanborgas.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Sun, 07 Jan 2007 18:12:16 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: As an artist I do enjoy many aspects of the profession. I don't only create artworks with pastel, oils, watercolour etc, I also enjoy photography. My blog will cover different subject matter that I would like to share with my readers and do hope they beco Site statistics:Click here
Reference photo and watercolour painting 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I have great respect for artist that chooses to create artworks how they want rather than what the purest think how it should be done. Maybe even the old masters would have been more forward with how they approached their creative work if it wasn't for this disapproving sector of the art world.Well I for one do paint from reference photos and want to share some of my personal ideas with you.When developing a painting from a reference photo, aim for it to be a piece of artwork that comes from you rather than just a copy of an image. In other words be creative with what you do. In saying this though you may need to consider what a client wants, then decide if you want to go ahead with the painting if they expect a "copy" of the photo.My observations of painting from a reference image may help those that prefer to work this way. If you have any ideas that can be of help please add them to the comments section of this topic.Gain experience from Plein-air painting and learn to draw. It wi Read more:watercolour
Pencil Sculptures 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Thought I would shock my visitors by posting for the second time day.I just came across this website that makes sculptures from coloured pencils. This link will take you to the website. Jennifer Maestre PencilSculptures
I would hate to be the one to break one of the points off. technorati tags: pencils, sculptures
Two more Squidoo Lenses 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I have listed two more Squidoo
Lenses in the side bar of this blog. I had put together Selling Art Online some time ago. The Optimizing Website and Blog visibility Lens is very new. As usual I will update the links on my Lenses as I find the website that I think are worthy to do so.If you know of a website that you think is suitable, send it via my email address for me to consider, which you will also find in the side bar. technorati tags: Squidoo, Squidoo lens, blog, blogger, selling, optimizing websites, blog visibility
Favicon 1970-01-01 00:59:59 A Favicon are something that I have always enjoyed seeing listed in my bookmarks directory as they make it so easy to find a link address that I am looking for. There is plenty of information on the internet telling us how to make Favicons for our website. I only found out recently from Beta Blogger For Dummies how to add a Favicon to Blogger. If you want to do the same go and visit Beta Blogger For Dummies and I would suggest grabbing their blogspot RSS feed or bookmark it for future reference as this blog has a wealth of hints for anyone that works with Blogger.I have made and loaded up two animated Favicons, one for this blog as well as Little Paintings. I really think Favicons are a good idea to use as they are like a trademark for your sites making you more visible for your visitors, especially return visitors who want to bookmark your site or blog. I did find I had to re-save my links in my bookmarks for the Favicon to show up and you may need to do the same.I used Fireworks to
Painting from Photos vs Plein-air 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I have always read with great interest the argument of painting from photos vs Plein
-air. I always say what works for one does not necessary work for another.The bulk of my work is from photos that I have taken myself of the Flinders Ranges region. I will consider a commission from a photo taken by a client but do prefer my own. I would never paint a landscape that I am not familiar with, especially an area that I have never visited. Photos to me are a tool to remind me of what I saw.Most of my work comes from my photos simply because I cannot afford the time away from the farm or the money spent on accommodation to work throughout the Flinders Ranges. This is not an excuse; it is just the way it is.I do love to sketch and paint Plein-air. My early days of painting consisted of quite a bit of painting outdoors in my local area. Personally I think that it is a must to have these skills to get the best from your photographs.Often in the past I used to feel guilty about using photos. I th Read more:Painting
Skilled Truckie 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Our farm isn't really set up to have B Double semi trailers come in to collect our sheep for market. It takes a skilled Truckie to maneuver his large rig in a small area.I didn't think of it until the sheep had been loaded to grab some photos. To load the sheep the semi was backed right up to the opening of our shearing shed.Normally a semi picks up our sheep but this is the second time a B Double has come in on the farm so plans are now in place to make a new track behind our barn. This will mean the driver will come onto the property through one gate and exit through another without having to make any tight turns.I hope I don't choke up your internet connections with the photos in this post. I do feel they tell the story of the skills of this driver.Moving forward away from the shearing shed where the sheep were loaded.Backing up......and backing up some more..... my son is quick to tell the the driver when to stop before hitting the shearing shed.Forward once more.New track wil Read more:Skilled
Emu and his eight chicks 1970-01-01 00:59:59 This is a common sight to see dad wondering around the Wilpena Resort lawns feeding his chicks. Any tourist staying in these units in the background would have hardly believed there eyes with a treat like this right at their back door.Like the Kangaroos the Emu has to be respected. If threatened, the Emu will kick out swiftly with their powerful legs. Thankfully the Emus that visit the resort and camping area are comfortable around humans and cause no problems, but just in case keeping ones distance is a good idea.Link for Emu:Wikipedia for Emu technorati tags: Emu, wilpena pound
Where has the moisture gone 1970-01-01 00:59:59 It is hard to believe that by the old Aussie measurement we had a little over sixty points of rain yesterday, with the moisture
disappearing quickly because it is soaked up greedily by the parched earth. Yes the drought that is happening in Australia is affecting our family farm as well. What there is of harvest is nearly finished; what was a good start to the season the rain is just too late now.Farming families learn to roll with the punches if they want to survive in their business as we have for two generations. The third generation is now home to work the farm. It is an exciting time with a very positive attitude towards the future. The rain will come again as it has yesterday. Hopefully a bit more often than it has over the last few months and a must to fall at the right time. It would be lovely to have a tap at the bottom of the sky to switch on and off as needed but then again the rubber washers to stop the tap leak would just be to expensive to buy…wink.This photo was taken
Australian Artist, Sir Hans Heysen 1970-01-01 00:59:59 A few days ago I had the opportunity to travel on a bus to Hahndorf in South Australia to visit one of Australia's greatest artists, Sir Hans Heysen.I have always been a huge admirer of his landscape paintings and wasn't really aware of his other works until I made this trip. His oil Still Life paintings just blew me away. He stopped painting these when his daughter Nora took up Still Life painting, presumably for their work not to be compared. Hans's graphite and charcoal drawings are something that I can only ever hope to aspire too. They are rendered by a true master.The Heysen's family home was purchased in 1912 where he remained until his death in 1968 at the age of 90. Hans and his wife Sallie had eight children. "The Cedars" as his home was named, had extensions added to it as his family increased.While the tour was being conducted we were told that photos were not allowed to be taken inside the house. The house is like walking back into time. One lady that traveled Read more:Artist
, Australian
Lightening Strike 1970-01-01 00:59:59 What could have been a nasty situation with fire was a strike out instead when lightening hit a tree on the family farm. I have since heard via the two way radio that the storm had left spot fires from strikes as the storm moved further East. There was also a strike between a house and shed in Booleroo Centre, my closes town to where I live.As I type this the storm is building up again.My husband actually saw the lightening hit the tree and can't understand why it never started a fire as the tree lit up like a Christmas tree with a fireball exploding up and out. Periodically Malcolm and our son Shaun check the tree and surrounding area to make sure no spot fires start up.The photo above shows the distance where I was still finding timber that had exploded away from the tree.The bare branch that can be seen in this photo shows how it is stripped of bark and limbs. We can only find a fraction of the missing timber that has been ripped apart from that trunk on the tree and of cause that Read more:Lightening
Three Column Template 1970-01-01 00:59:59 With the column on this blog so long I wish for Beta Blogger to provide a three column template. Researching on the internet when times allows me hasn't been all that successful. There are three column templates to be found but found when testing them on beta blogger that I will need to tweak the html code for my blogs; taking time I don't have to spare.Why do I want one a three column template? It will make my blog more user friendly with less scrolling for my visitors to check out what this site is all about.If you have a blog or considering signing up for one and would like to use a three column template, make a wish at Features and Suggestions. It is very easy and you don't have to sign up to make your wish. The image below will show you other choices you can make as well. The three column template wish will have to be typed into the box at the bottom. I do encourage you to make a wish for the blogger community because my research has shown me that they are crying out for a t Read more:Column
, Three
Exploring Color 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Exploring Color
"Revised Edition" written by Nita Leland is a new book in my private library purchased only recently on eBay. If you are looking for a book on how to use and control colour in your work, Exploring Color could be for you irrespective of what medium you use. More information about the Exploring Color book can be found at Nita Lands websiteThe Exploring Color book has quite an impressive amount of images with clear precise text that is informative for the budding artist through to the professional. Nita also has a blog at Exploring Color & Creativity where she has also reviewed books that may interest you among many other subjects.Artists have a thirst for resource material that doesn't come only in books. With 100,000 new blogs per day the resource is there though not always easy to find. Technorati does a good job at making it easier with many tags listed on their site. If you continue watching this space another blog is nearly ready to be launched in the next Read more:Exploring
Here is looking at you! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Oops did you notice the date at the bottom of my sketch on yesterdays post? It should have had the same date as the post. It isn't unusual for me to get my year mixed up during January and can be frustrating when it happens. Oh well I can't say live and learn as I never do become practiced at remembering.My daughter returned to her place of living today after spending Christmas and New Year on the farm with her dad and I. With our son and partner now settled into the second house on the farm for some weeks now and also our eldest child and her husband coming and going during the festive season, life is now back to what I call "normal" even if it means that my daughters are many kilometers away. It is also a signal for me to find my routine to produce work on a more regular basis for my blog as well as self satisfaction as a working artist.Today's post of an eye which I enjoyed playing around with though could be improved on does have the right date and is my fair dinkum eff
Coffee Please! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Taking care not to contaminate my studio air with fumes from Turps more than necessary, the cheap tissue and paper that are used for cleaning up after oil painting are placed in an empty coffee jar and is always left on the trolley table near my easel. While taking a break I noticed how the light above was shining down the label and thought why not sketch it and post it on my blog as I do miss posting my current work, which I am pleased to say my last commission is now finished and only needs to dry.Considering not much time was spent on this sketch I am rather pleased that a reasonable drawing was achieved. Mmmmm…. Reckon more effort should be made on my part during 2007 and fill up some sketch books. Nope I am not going to make it a New Years resolution and end up not doing it! Sketch of coffee jar using mechanical pencil technorati tags: coffee, sketch, drawing, blog
Read more:Coffee
, Please
Sketch of an ear 1970-01-01 00:59:59 My post will be short today because I am bushed after an extremely hot and humid day.The sketch of the eye was posted yesterday and now here is the ear. As you will see I pushed the darks more in today's sketch and rather pleased how it turned out.Catch you all tomorrow with another post on my blog, as here in Aussie land my bed is calling me much earlier.Click for a larger viewQuick links:Free Subscription to Arts & Stuff by EmailTake a look at my SnapShots BlogArts and Stuff with Susan Borgas website technorati tags: Sketch, ear
Are you in Shock? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Hope you like the lighter background on this blog without going into shock as the black was bothering me that it may cause problems for visitors to read so much text on such a dark coloured design, especially when some of my posts are for the most part now around 250 words, sometimes more. If you are considering changing the colours of your website or blog this website Mandarin Design has examples of web safe colours. The one I am using is snow # FFFAFA.Before I made my changes I did post a question about it on WetCanvas with the title Black or White blog background? . As you can see it is neither black nor white. A girl can change her mind can't she! I do thank the WetCanvas members for helping me to come to a decision. The New Blogger also makes it easy to change the colours of my blog so be prepared, you might see an over the top coloured version down the track.A change of subject now. This watercolour painting is one that was promised some time ago that would be posted here Read more:Shock
CRT vs. LCD Monitors 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Is your monitor off?"monitor might just need to be calibrated correctly"Not surprising when having a conversation about web and blog background colours someone will mention what they can or can't see on their own monitors. For example seeing washed out hi-lights can happen because of the graphics card or type/age of monitor that the person has or the monitor might just need to be calibrated correctly. There is sure to be other reasons as well.I love looking at a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), especially with video but do not own one. My CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) graphics monitor sits proudly on my desk in the office taking up quite a bit of the space and I love it for editing my images. I would imagine with technology moving forward at an incredible rate the LCD monitor will soon match my CRT screen if not better but until that time happens there will always be a CRT monitor on my desk because it is a tool for my trade.I did write a post sometime ago how to go about calibrating a monitor Read more:Monitors
Emoticons 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Painting over the holiday period has been put on the back burner with so much going on around me. Meanwhile I have been catching up with other items on the "to do list" that I have had on the back burner for some time now.Quite awhile back I came across a way to add emoticons to blog posts without using links back to an image storage space on the internet. For example Photobucket and ImageShack. Today I was reminded of this when I came across the same blog and now put into practice emoticons on this blog of mine. If you want the same for your blogger you can learn by visiting Tricks and Thinks blog or go directly to Emoticons
for Blogger. Hopefully these little faces will help my readers to understand that I am an easy going Aussie…..for the most part! On that note it is New Years Day in Australia and I am off to organise a few prawns for my evening meal.... cheers! technorati tags: emoticons, photobucket, imageshack, blogger, happy new year
How many posts showing on your blog? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Do you have a very fast internet connection? It must be wonderful for those that are able to have that service provided to them although it does create a problem for the person who does not have access to higher speeds.I am one of the unlucky ones that use dial-up and often frustrated by extremely slow pages loading on blogs and end up giving up as I just don't have the time to waste when I am so busy. Hopefully within a couple of years it will change with faster internet connections for me to use. For those that do have fast internet connections you need to be aware of how many images are displayed on your blog and how it affects those that do not have a fast internet connection.Did you know that you can change the amount of posts
to be displayed when a visitor happens to click on your blog address? If not I am posting an image here of how I have mine set up for seven posts in blogger. This for me is an ideal amount of posts to show to a dial-up visitor, especially as I do often hav
Check out my new blog called SnapShots 1970-01-01 00:59:59 For those that have been waiting for the launch of my new blog you can find it by clicking on SnapShots. Have a look and see what you think. Show word verification for comments has been left off all my blogs now to make it easier for those that have difficulty using it. Expect to find comment moderated enabled across my blogs because it is easier to be rid of spam before it reaches my comment page.Searching for codes and putting everything in place SnapShots was and still is an interesting exercise passing the time in the evenings. The Beta Blogger enables the use of Widgets. If you are able to use Widgets the SnapShots button is very easy to install into your blog. You can see the SnapShots button in the column of this blog, which was installed from SnapShots "LINK TO ME" Button.SnapShots will not always consist of conversations from me but there will be something for you to view on a regular basis. I do hope you enjoy this new journey with me. technorati tags: SnapShots, widgets, Read more:Check
Merry Christmas! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 To all my visitors to this blog I sincerely do wish you a MerryChristmas
and a prosperous New Year. Do stay safe over the Festive Season and take care if you are out and about in the traffic.As I am busy preparing for my family Christmas there won't be another post until Tuesday.Until then take care, Cheers! technorati tags: Merry Christmas
, Christmas
Arts & Stuff 1970-01-01 00:59:59 When naming this blog Arts & Stuff with Susan Borgas, it became confused with my website because the same name was used. From today my blog will have a new title called Arts & Stuff. Who knows it might end up with another name as the blog grows and evolves with time though will always revolve around my artwork.If you have visited SnapShots you will know that my daughter also has the Nikon D80 camera. She gave me permission to show you this photo that she took of her dog using the Nikon D80. The movement in this photo it what makes it special. I am sure Ash knows when his photo is being taken because many photos of him are where he is a real poser and a handsome one at that. technorati tags: SnapShots, photo, sheltie, dog, Nikon D80, camera,
Family and celebrations 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Tuesday has passed and Wednesday is well on the way with no post done as promised. There will be two celebrations of Christmas for my family, one has passed with another fast approaching on Saturday with my husband's large family. The grown up children take in turns at hosting the affair with four generations celebrating the festivities together. For my own family along with other siblings there will be a number of hours to travel as my sister in-law is host this year.It was by way of disappointment with myself that my last commission wasn't completed prior to the festivities because it would have been so much easier not to have it to worry about. As much as time is scarce for painting, the work that I am doing at the moment is one of my best and realizing this there possibly will be more oil paintings by my own hand in the future. Two more days should have the commission completed then let it sit for awhile to harden before adding a glaze over the surface.Not sure if I am just get Read more:Family
Jug Sketch and holiday 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Don't you just love getting visitors where you can pull out your good crockery and is often hidden in a cupboard that rarely has the door opened? Neither my husband nor I take milk in our coffee so unless my visitors do, this little jug rarely sees the light of day. I love stoneware like this unpretentious jug as much as fine china and do have a mix of both in my dresser cupboard. I really should do more scratching around amongst the assortments of items that are stored to see what else is suitable to sketch.My husband has finely found time today to make the frame up for the last commissioned painting. Tomorrow my job for me will be to mount the painting in the frame, take a photo and then send the snapshot off to the client.holiday"I can write my posts on my trusty laptop while lounging around near the beach"Over the next few days it is vital that I get a lot of my jobs tidied up because my husband and I are heading off for our annual holiday by the beach as we do every year. I made
Welcome to the January 8 2007 edition of Arts and Stuff Carnival. 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Welcome to the January
8, 2007 edition of Arts and Stuff Carnival
!Admittedly when signing up to the Blog Carnival early December it had me scratching my head as to how it all worked. My first edition was back on the 4th of December 2006 and as it was a tentative test, I posted my own story without advertising it here. This edition today is what I consider is a new journey of being a serious Carnival blogger that will be posted once per month. As more stories are submitted I may consider posting editions more often.Very interesting!"What caught me unaware was how many submitted to my carnival before even posting my next addition date"What caught me unaware was how many submitted to my carnival before even posting my next addition date. Even though the stories were excellent they didn't all fall into the category of what my carnival is about. In saying this I did come up with an idea of picking the best post for unrelated story for "fine art" to add at the end of my edition. Please be Read more:Welcome
Lipstick Sketch 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Some days subjects come very easy for my blog and then another day there is a struggle between my brain and other things that are going on in my day. Today was one of those days until a couple of things happened.As many of you know I do have a number of Squidoo Lenses that are listed on my Lens Masters page. I was invited to join the Everything Photography Lenses today, which I did and thank Janet for asking me, as it should be a lot of fun at the same time a learning experience with how it all works. Have a look here and Meet the Group master's page to see more on this Group.The second thing that happened today was coming across this sketch when hunting down my sketching books in readiness for my holiday later next week. Yup it is my lipstick that was retrieved one evening from a pocket on my handbag while working as artist in residence at Wilpena Pound. The sketch isn't what I consider finished though have no intentions of doing anymore work with it.I just remembered! Who has t Read more:Lipstick
Rose Sketch "WIP" 1970-01-01 00:59:59 It was never my intention to post a work in progress graphite drawing because I am not a confident drawer in the first place. Sketching roses are right down the bottom of the list with what I consider I am reasonable at executing. For some reason it is difficult to judge one line direction and length against another and because of this avoid them. My intentions is to change that over the next coming months so expect to see quite a few rose sketches posted on my blog.Getting back to why a WIP; simply it is a life size sketch that I started today and I ran out of time to complete it amongst many other jobs that were on the agenda.Quick links:Free Subscription to Arts & Stuff by Email technorati tags: Drawing, sketch, rose, wip, workinprogressArts & Stuff with Susan Borgas
SnapShots
Rose Sketch "Completed" 1970-01-01 00:59:59 It is a shame when resizing the scanned image that some of the pencil marks are lost. There may be a better way of scanning drawings and would be interested to hear from anyone that can help me out. I did use acetate between the bed of the scanner and sketch as I found that gives a better result from the actual scan.As the titles say, this rose sketch is completed and already thinking about my next mini project........ maybe another rose Quick links:Free Subscription to Arts & Stuff by Email technorati tags: draw, drawing, rose, flower, sketch, sketching, acetate, scan drawing, scan sketchArts & Stuff with Susan Borgas
SnapShots
W3C Link Checker 1970-01-01 00:59:59 An interesting post from Blogger Tips and Tricks dropped into my Google feed reader on how to check links in your posts. Click on W3C Link Checker
to see if your blog links are all in order. I found two broken links in my Arts and Stuff blog sidebar due to domain changes. If you have been clicking on the following two links without success with them loading up the website, they are now working.For your interest I didn't tick any of the boxes on the W3C Link Checker page before starting the search. Also I searched my whole blog rather than individual posts.The Art Gallery of South AustraliaThe Pastel Society of Australia technorati tags: Blogger tips and tricks, google reader, link checkerArts & Stuff with Susan Borgas
SnapShots
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