A little gem free online

http://archive.org/details/practicaldirect01merrgoog

This is an old book on watercolour portrait painting, and I mean old. However, I always love to learn things, even if they are considered out of style. I have read this little book, and I like it. It has some tips on how to paint a face with good blending. I will experiment with some of the things it says. I don't see why a modern book has more precious advice on art than an old one.

I have been gathering my materials, books and all sort of resources included. To think that at some point I wanted to give everything away, books, colours, brushes, the lot. I shudder at the thought now.

My main goal is to make something each day. Drawing, painting, anything. Just make a good habit of it. It was so long ago I spent my days painting. Now my ambitions are so much smaller: quietly spending some time each day in that world of beauty.

Life has become so stressful lately where I live. We never used to talk about money before, it was considered vulgar. Now it's all everyone talks about. Art is a luxury, apparently. For me though it's like returning home. I was away for so long.

Here are a couple of things, just to get me started.

Copy from a fresco at Pompeii. Watercolour and pencil.

 

An angel, brown and white on toned paper.

I've been thinking of using my family's old photos as inspiration. We have so many, starting mainly from the 1930s all through today, but there are some older one's as well. Even from the late 19th century, with the dresses and all. I could make a project out of it. I mean, it has been on my mind forever, because I've always loved looking at them.

Art and other lovely things

I have been painting all my life. It's great wonder then that I have nothing to show for it online.

I have been doing oils and grand things like that, but always focused on the human form.

However, several things (life that is) made me go back to the loveliness of watercolour and water based media.

I am still finding my way there, but ink, tempera (egg and acrylic medium) and watercolous are my main focus now. Something I can scan and share with the rest of the world.

I love the idea of sketching my way through life. Of documenting things, events and feelings, or just an image that pleases me a lot.

Water based media have a long and venerable tradition. It's part of the near east  and Mediterranean world , a world that has to do with the sea, the sky, the sun, the humanistic tradition, the history that links the peoples of the region and the cultural give and take. It's such a world of beauty.

That beauty has always been my great love. The icons, that go back to ancient painting, gave me the technical guidance and freedom for expression. I think I've left my oil days back for good.

Anyway, I also love learning languages, and hopefully one day I will be able to speak most of the neighbouring languages, apart from the main european ones. Whoever said "my mind belongs to the west but my heart belongs to the east" was talking about me.

Mission statement (well... at least a promise to myself):
Many many sketches, paintings, work to be done. Just work!

First post

I have attempted to start a blog in the past, but I always stopped after a while.

Hopefully this one will be my little corner in the web, as I try to figure out my place in this world. 

I love life, art, fashion, history, languages, my family. I love words and people. I try to fill my heart with love, and not to allow hard times to make me small and mean. 

I pray I will find a path in this confusing and uncertain world.