Painting Portrait Tips / Lots of information about how to paint a portrait
The San Antón fiestas Chelva is one of my favourite festivals.
With all people from the neighborhood we make big bon fires and eat and drink until late at night while music and processions come along. On Sundays we make a big paella and that is what I’m working on at the moment. Later this afternoon I will show you the video I’m making, so come back later. Continue reading “The San Antón fiestas Chelva”
Once back, safe and sound from my portrait painting workshops in France, I started the preparations for my show “portraits and landscapes” here in the village, in August. The titel will be: “Portraits of Chelva”. Landscapes and Plain-air paintings of the Chelva surroundings. Also a number of portraits of local people, from our weekly live-model sessions in my studio. I brought some 40 paintings to the frame maker. Continue reading “Portraits and landscapes show”
This post is about brushes for oil painting technique. As you may have noticed, recently I was able to dedicate more attention to landscape painting. It took a long time; I was too busy with my portrait commissions. The surroundings of the town of Chelva, where we live, are beautiful and very picturesque. There are countless places asking to be painted. And that is what I do. Continue reading “Oil painting technique.”
Not always portraits. Lately I have not been accepting every portrait commission. I want to have more time to try other things, which I never had the opportunity to do. It is a new chapter for me. Continue reading “Not always portraits”
Autumn has arrived inChelva, and it always means a rush and buzz.
A large part of the population in our village has plots of land where everything is grown. Many crops for own needs. The larger parcels are mainly being used for almond and olive cultivation.
This week I received a question on artificial light for a painter´s studio.
The answer is to be found in the menu Tips & tricks. However I repeat that topic here.
My Studio in Chelva does not have sufficient daylight. So I decided to use a fluorescent lighting. I mounted four standard light boxes with eight fluorescent tubes of 150 cm. Continue reading “Artificial light for a painter´s studio”
During the last week of August I am a painter with the large brush. I will exoplain why. Chelva celebrates its annual festival: Las Fiestas de Agosto. There is plenty to do. Fireworks, music, dancing for young an old, religious processions, paella competitions, too many events to mention. Continue reading “Painter with the large brush”
I am a portrait painter you know by now. The last twenty-five years I have dedicated almost exclusively to this specialization. I have really enjoyed my job and thank goodness, I’ve always had plenty of commissions. And I´ll continue of course, as well as keep creating video tutorials about portrait painting and everything that comes with that.
In the village where we live almost everyone has an olive grove. Or more than one. Small or large plots of land which have been family-owned for generations. The harvest is mainly destined for the production of olive oil. These weeks are picking time and the village is buzzing with activity. Whole families go out to their olives with sticks and nets, boxes and carts. And walking across the market, or queuing up in the bank you can hear always someone say ”Have you done all your olives yet?” Continue reading “Olive picking in Chelva”
San Anton: This weekend people in Chelva make big bonfires, to celebrate the feast of San Anton. The village also hosts an international oral storytelling festival: Cuentanton. Fantasy weaves around our homes. Imagine you are walking behind a magician through the narrow mediaeval streets. Suddenly, the group stops at a small square. Somewhere a window opens and a narrator starts telling a beautiful tale. The window closes, the procession continues then halts again as another window opens for a new story. It is completely enchanting.
Afterwards people return to their own bonfire. (More than two hundred fires will burn in the village). Then grills emerge and local sausages are roasted on the fires. Wine flows freely. But beware, not too much because at midnight the old tradition of empujon begins where young and not so young clogg the narrow streets with their bodies, gently pushing and jostling as shouting and laughing compete with folksongs.
On Sunday morning, domestic animals are blessed by the priest and you see a procession of horses and donkeys, cats and dogs, canaries and turtles, goldfish and hamsters and more go by. San Anton is one of Chelva´s traditional fiestas that I like the most!
