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It’s been awhile! We are happy to say that we are back on track producing the ArtsyFartsy Newsletter! Thanks for your emails and your support. It’s been a fast, crazy workshop season and we’re happy to be ridin’ the wave. Since spring, I’ve taught workshops in Sacramento, Palm Desert, Chico CA, Norcross GA, Palm Springs, Hot Springs AR, Upland CA, Sedona AZ, Calgary Alberta Canada, LaConner WA and three Studio Mentor Workshops at my studio in Arroyo Grande!
After all the out of town traveling, my studio can quickly look like the above photo! We have had time to make some improvements - new bright fluorescent natural lights - even lighting - day light all day (and night) long! Also revarnished the studio deck, replaced my outdoor painting table top and made an outdoor painting area with an overhead awning for shade!
We made another necessary studio improvement - a Fire Safety Cabinet. Now that the dry summer season is here, fire is a critical concern around my studio. Flammables in the studio consists of the usual paint, thinners and varnishes. I'm a little slow on the uptake, but I finally realized what the devastation would be if my studio burned. So - I purchased a metal fire-safe cabinet from Uline. All flammables now are stored safely. If you have flammables in your studio, think about making your surroundings safer. Really glad we did this.
Twenty years ago I wrote as one of my goals - my paintings hanging in a real museum while I was still alive. (Hey, we can dream!) So... I am very happy to say that my dream has come true! The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art has invited me for a solo exhibit this August. The exhibition is a continuation of new current series, No Full Disclosure. You are invited to my opening! To preview this exhibit click HERE.
NEW! “Painting of the Month Club”
Bob paints many original warmup paintings everyday, so we thought why not make them available to our friends first? Here’s the deal: When you join the Burridge Painting of the Month Club, you will begin receiving an original Burridge 6x9 inch painting (matted, with a foam board back and sleeve) every month! Each painting is completely painted and hand-selected by Robert Burridge, signed and dated. Each month will be a different subject matter, including still lifes, abstract, landscapes, figures, etc. and represents what he is currently working on in his studio. Each month you can expect high quality paint on professional quality watercolor paper. 6x9 inch paintings matted on a 12x16 inch presentation.
These paintings currently sell for $150 each. But by joining this unique, one of a kind painting club for one year, you will receive an original painting every month for 12 months at only $75 for each month - with shipping and handling included!
Twelve Month Painting of the Month Club Workshops in the Spotlight August 23-27, 2010 For more of my workshops all over the county, to check out my workshop schedule click HERE. And... The Learning Product Expo: Art! Trade Show in Pasadena
Product Review - Two more Easels! Our last newsletter featured what I believe to be the latest and finest wooden easel ever - designed and manufactured by Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff - Joe Miller’s Signature Field Easel.
I should also tell you, I own two other easels that are indispensable in my studio. I’m a no-nonsense kind-of-guy in my studio, so I use two Basic Black Steel Studio Easels from Jerry’s Artarama www.jerrysartarama.com. They are cheap and functional. The tilting feature is essential - I even use this easel to help me photo the art.
The other no-fuss tiny travel easel is the Easy-L by Artwork Essentials. Highly recommended for plein air excursions - like the workshops below! Great Trips! We have some wonderful trips coming up. Please join us!
January 23-30, 2011 March 20-28, 2011 September 1-8, 2012 Ask Kate about Art Marketing
This month I am going to depart from the regular question-answer format and talk about a subject that many artists don’t realize is a terrific marketing tool - Social Networking! Yes Facebook, Twitter and other interactive sites are amazing for getting the word out about you, your art career and your artwork! The thing to remember is to make the social networking site your BUSINESS communication forum, rather than personal. Yes, I am very turned off by posts that say, “Ate spaghetti for dinner, going to bed.” What a waste! Instead - post your photos, create artwork albums, join artwork posting groups (Bob posts regularly on Acrylic Painters & Their Paintings and Abstract/Modern, Nonrepresentational Paintings or Drawings sites. Whatever you paint, in whatever style - you will find a posting group! Great postings for Facebook include: Exhibits that are upcoming, workshops you are teaching or attending, new materials you are trying out in your studio, and art-related books you may have discovered. Twitter is trickier because you only have a few words to get your message out - we use twitter for quick updates, book or film recommendations, event reminders. Your goal is to increase your audience of friends and contacts to increase your visibility! What I’m trying to say is - “Work it, baby!” Can’t get to an Art Marketing Workshop? The next best thing - our new Art Marketing DVD!
In “Making Money with Your Art,” Robert and Kate Burridge candidly answer the top ten burning questions that artists have about selling their artwork. Some of the topics covered by the Burridge’s in the almost hour and a half DVD include, What is Marketing?; Photographing Your Art; Artists’ Bios, Statements and Websites; Pricing Your Artwork; Copyright and Licensing; and Galleries. STUDIO SPECIAL
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!
Do you have one of the original “Burridge Goof-Proof Color Wheels” - the one with the clear triangular pointer?
Send us that tired, old Color Wheel... and we’ll replace it with a brand new version! All you need to do is pay $8.50 for shipping/handling. That’s right - A new Goof-Proof Color Wheel for the price of postage.
I’m on Facebook!
Sign in to be my friend. You can even be a Fan! Why, I even Twitter!    Recommended FB Fan Pages:
 For Email Marketing you can trust
Copyright ©2010 Robert Burridge. All rights reserved.
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The last one in my series of ten color combinations that work for me. Using my color wheel, each month I featured a specific color combination to build a painting. This is the last one from my color wheel. This month - Compose Rose is the dominant color. And if you’ve been following this series, I paint with Holbein Acryla Acrylic Paint. Here’s the point about my Goof-Proof Color Wheel Chart - You can substitute any rose that is close in hue. It will work. I am often asked what other brands of paint will match my Color Wheel. For my Color Comparison Chart of Golden, Lascaux or Nova Colors, click HERE. • Compose Rose is the Dominant color
Step One: Dominant color Compose Rose plus black and white over entire area. Start composition early.
Step Two: On the spinning pointer, the second color on the color wheel will be the Focal Point Color. Everything else in the painting will support this color. This is the focal point - the place you want the viewer to see first. Emphasize the focal point color - in this case Middle Green (or similar).
Step Three: Two final colors, the Spice Colors go anywhere near the focal point color and act to spice up the focal point color. This works whether you do realistic or abstract work. Try small warmups .
I hope this series of my ten color combinations worked out as a new inspirational start in your next series of paintings. Try them, copy them and then make them your own. You’ll be okay! For a detailed description of the Burridge Goof Proof Color Wheel, click HERE. Studio Tip - Inkense Demo In the February issue of our ArtsyFartsy newsletter, I reviewed Derwent’s Inktense Pencils. There were so many comments about these pencils - I decided to do a follow-up demo. Inktense pencils are water-soluble and they dry permanent. I paint and draw simultaneously while making a painting and this is the stick I use for drawing. They are brilliant and intense. Check my blog for a video clip of this demo.
Above are 6 small drawings I did with Inktense pencils. They act like water-soluble pencils but with very intense colors. I’ve tried them all - this Inktense pencil I love!
I draw with a dry pencil then...
Wet with a watercolor brush. It will look like Bombay India ink and have the feel of Sumi ink.
Or... wet the paper first. Then draw with the pencil. It bleeds! Cool! One More Studio Tip! - Gesso Spreader I gesso/prime every surface I paint on -my 300 lb. Fabriano watercolor paper as well as “store-bought” pregessoed canvases. Two reasons: #1 I have longer working time on the gessoed surface and... #2 When I apply a final varnish, the varnish stays on top and does not absorb or disappear into the paper. How do I gesso my surfaces? I spread Utrecht’s Professional gesso with a plastic spreader tool used by wall plasterers, found in the paint department of hardware stores. I have purchased several sizes and styles! They are cheap, quick to spread large amounts of gesso and last a long time.
I do not worry about smoothing out an even coat. In fact, I prefer a little texture. At times I go back over the still wet gesso with a lightly brushed coat of water. Let completely dry (I recommend a half day), then paint!
Alternative spreader: Cut up 2 inch strips of discarded quarter inch foam boards. They’re disposable and no clean up. We Want to Hear From You!
Keep those Studio Tips coming everyone! If we use yours in an ArtsyFartsy Newsletter, we will send you a Burridge Permission Mug.
From Patty, California: I just called up Minwax about their Polycrylic, because it wasn't labeled as having a UV protector. Thanks Patty! Thanks for doing the research for me! This will definitely go in my materials lists and in the next newsletter! For your Studio Tip, you get a Permission Mug! From Sandy, New York: I was wondering if you could tell me what brand of brush (and size) you use for varnishing over your acrylic paintings. I have not found the perfect one yet, and have four pieces ready to be varnished for an upcoming show. Thanks Sandy, I am often asked what my favorite brushes are - and they do change! I have been painting with Stratford & York brushes - Rutland style - for a few years new and they are very good brushes - my workhorses. Lately I have found some other brushes that I wanted to share with you!
For varnishing my work (waterbased polyurethane) I like both of these brushes: Cheap Joe’s American Journey Interlocked Synthetic Nylon Wash #2 and Windsor-Newton series 965 2” Wash Brush. Recommended Books
Here’s a goof-ball book and I like it! Inside the Painter’s Studio by Joe Fig was recommended to me by my dear painter friend Brenda Goerzen from San Diego. This book meticulously captures twenty-four remarkable, contemporary artists’ interviews and photos of their studios. Curious, huh? Then get it - it’s where art gets done. Oh, I forgot - did I tell you the author is also obsessive? Wait until you see the photos! They are miniature 3D reproductions of the artists’ studios! For crying out loud! Inside the Painter’s Studio And Speaking of Meticulous...
This is another one of those art inspiring publications from Dover Publications. Remember, artists can use the designs and illustrations for graphic and crafts application, free and without special permission (see doverpublications.com for more details). Anyway, it seems this biologist Haechel (1834-1919) loved to draw microscopic organisms found only in the deepest parts of the sea. wait until you see these oversized pages of impeccable drawing studies of one cell observations. And you thought YOU were wacked! It’s a great book for your studio and grandkids. Art Forms in Nature (Dover Pictorial Archives) Music of the Month More music! My taste in music is rather eclectic. In my studio and during workshops I play many different styles - classical, world, jazz, lounge… This month I wanted to hear jazzy beats and some 60s R&B! Those of you have have been in my workshops have probably heard some these. Enjoy!
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
The Very Best of the Spinners Frequently Asked Questions this Year Q - Why Tint the Background Orange First? And Not Blue?
A- In my Newsletter for May/June 2008, I explained about the orange tint underpainting. In short, I start off with a warm tone to help me visualize and establish my darks and lights, my composition and my concept. Whatever color I use later, I allow the earlier colors to pop through - it gives my paintings a glow.
From my classical art school training I learned to wipe the canvas with a warm tone, so I’ve always used a warm orange tone. (Some painters use red - Caroline Jasper, for instance) It give my paintings a warm overall look.
So, what happens if I start off with a cool undertone, such as blue?
LIFE ISN'T ABOUT FINDING YOURSELF.
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