Kauai Fine Art by Marionette Taboniar

Friday, July 18, 2008

Painting Paradise - One Year Anniversary Celebration "Free Craft Day"

It's been one year since the Painting Paradise Art Studio has opened! To celebrate, I am hosting a "Free Craft Day" on Saturday, August 9, from 1-4pm. Join us for an afternoon full of free craft making, cake, and fun! Crafts are suitable for all ages! For more info please visit www.kauai-artist.net

Monday, June 30, 2008

My First ACEO

In my last article I said I would create my first ACEO. Well, I created two and the first one sold the second day I listed it on Etsy.com!!!! Since then I have added four more as well:

Pacific Wave: SOLD

Palama's Beach:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12900028

Coconut Palms:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13003212

Maha'ulepu Beach: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13002705

Tropical Cottage:http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13003052

Kauai's South Shore: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13003356

All of these ACEOs are original paintings by Marionette and can be purchased through Etsy.com for $15.00 USD (includes shipping via USPS First Class Worldwide).

What is an ACEO?

From my July Newsletter:
Ever since I started to sell my art on eBay and now Etsy, I keep seeing other artists selling ACEOs and wondered what they were all about. After a little internet research, I found that this is a new art craze with roots that go back a few hundred years.

ACEO stands for art cards, editions and originals. They are like sports trading cards for artists! They are similar to ATCs, artist trading cards, that are traded and not sold. In the 1700s ATCs were often used for advertising and for portrait miniatures.

Today, ACEOs are a very popular item being sold and collected over the internet. The only requirement for creating one is that it should measure 2.5" x 3.5" (the standard size of a sports trading card). The medium used to create one is limitless - watercolor, acrylic, pencil, photography, oils, just to name a few. The support can also be on almost anything as long as its not too flimsy. Some examples are thick paper, wood, metal, plastic, etc...

ACEOs can be sold as originals, prints, limited editions, or even photography. If it is a limited edition, it should be numbered and signed on the back.

Collecting and making ACEOs sounds like a lot of fun. They are usually priced very reasonably ($5-$50), which makes collecting art very affordable. I'm going to produce some of my own ACEOs in the future, and I challenge you to do the same!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Art Tips from Marionette - Collecting Reference Material

From my May Newsletter:
There is no time like the present to increase your library of reference material
for your painting. Plan a day to take your camera to the beach, botanical garden,
or even in your own backyard to collect some new and interesting shots! What better
way to inspire yourself to create a new work of art.

Here on Kauai, I like to take some shots at Maha'ulepu Beach near Poipu or visit
the McBryde and Allerton Gardens in Lawai. Make sure you have plenty of natural
sunlight on your subject. Sun and shadows add depth and interest to your reference
photos. They will make your paintings come alive! Too many times I've seen other
artists working from photos that are flat and have a small range of values. This
will almost always lead to a boring painting. Also, look for those subjects that
have a lot of color.

What is Scratchboard Art?

From my June Newsletter:
"Scratchboard is a technique where drawings are created using sharp knives and tools
for etching into a thin layer of white China clay that is coated with black India
ink." - from Wikipedia.

Sounds complicated, but it is actually pretty easy to do once you have the right
materials. In my classes I use an artist grade, black 5"x7" panel that comes ready
to scratch. I also supply a few different scratch tools for various effects. Next,
we choose a design, transfer it to the scratchboard, and start etching. We scratch
away the black ink to reveal the white clay underneath. I then demonstrate how
to apply a thin layer of watercolor paint to add a bit of color to the design.
Easy and fun!!

Art Tips from Marionette - Improve Your Sketching Skills!

From my June Newsletter:
Good drawing and sketching skills are a must for all levels of artists. The saying,
"Practice makes perfect" is very applicable. The more you sketch, the quicker and
more accurate you'll become.

I recommend purchasing a sketchbook or make a quick one by stapling some sheets
of computer paper together. Next, set aside some time every day to sketch (like
right after breakfast or dinner). Try sketching ordinary objects around the house
like scissors, a hammer, a brush, etc... This is a good exercise and will loosen
you up.

Next, practice making thumbnail sketches (usually 1.5" to 2.5" in any direction).
Set up a still life or sketch your backyard. With thumbnail sketching the focus
is on eliminating a lot of the details and only sketching what is important (shadows/highlights) so that you still recognize the subject. This exercise will teach you to simplify.

Finally, practice sketching your family. Get someone to do short poses, or catch
a family member napping on the couch! In any case have fun and loosen up!