Showing posts with label favorite things. Show all posts
Showing posts with label favorite things. Show all posts

Monday, December 16, 2013

Carrie's Favorite Things

Hi Everyone,

Since I'm slow on the painting front at the moment I thought I would share my favorite things list:)  I would love to hear (read) some of yours in the comment section.


I'll start with the most life changing tool I use for my art.  My Ipad, full sized, please!  It has truly transformed how I paint.  I use it for taking reference photos, and I paint from my I pad.  The image is amazing way better than any printed off photograph.  If you haven't tried it you need too!!!
My favorite paints are Daniel Smith watercolors.  Their Quinacridones are the best.  They are limited and will run out in the next few years so stock up now.

My favorite brushes are Richeson brushes.  Daniel Smith sells a set that I've been using.  It's the Laurin McCracken set and it has a size 2, 4 and 6 kolinsky sable.  But I've been hearing so much about
Rosemary brushes that I'm going to have to try those as well.

My favorite pencils for drawing are mechanical pencils.  You can get the tiny details without having to sharpen your pencil all the time.  I'm cranky if I can't find a mechanical pencil in the house:)

My favorite paper is Arches 260lb.  Because 140 is too thin and buckles and 300lb is too thick and soft.  260lb is just right:))  Thanks to Paul Jackson for turning me onto this paper.  I did hear that Canson bought Arches so I'll probably be purchasing quite a bit of this before Canson starts making it.


My favorite thing to watch while I'm painting are movies.  I love streaming movies and shows through Netflix and Amazon video which comes free if you sign up for Amazon Prime.

My favorite movie at the moment to watch while I'm painting is "It's Complicated" starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.  Love, love, love this movie and have watched it a thousand times.

Another favorite movie I watch is "Something's Gotta Give".  I know you're probably wondering how can you watch a movie and paint? Well, I'm not a music person.  It gets on my nerves when I'm painting.  So I love having movies or shows on.  I mostly listen but am able to watch too, I'm a multi-tasker.  Talking to other people that have trouble listening to music while creating I think that I have to have by brain engaged, listening to talk, or pod-casts, or talk radio.   Music makes me think to much and I need to be able to zone out to paint.

Not only do I love Something's Gotta Give for the movie but who wouldn't want to create here

Or live here.  I just love the interiors in this movie and would love to have a house that looked just like this!!

And because I love her desk so much in Something's Gotta Give I had to buy this one when I found it at an antique store.  It's my painting desk.  It was in a legal office in New Orleans and is solid wood and really old.  I love it!  I put the glass top on it, it doesn't quite fit so I'll have to order one.

If you haven't listened to this podcast you have too!!!  Artists Helping Artists is the best blog radio show out there.  Tons of free marketing information and interviews with amazing artists.  There is something for every artist.  You can find it on itunes for free or you can listen right on the website.  You must tune in.  A new show airs every Thursday and I've co-hosted often.

And this is what I use every day.  I love EOS sweet mint.  It's an organic product.  It's amazing and addicting.  Love it!!  I also love Burt's Bees, I'm for anything that is all natural and not tested on animals and that is an amazing product.  I wear the color rhubarb and raisin in lieu of lipstick because it does just as good a job.

I hope to do a favorites things list more often because it's just fun:))  Tell me some of your favorites:)

Carrie



Wednesday, September 26, 2012

These are a few of my favorite things


Thought I'd share some favorite things of mine:)

Favorite Fall Painting:

I love this painting of Heide Presse's "Oliver's Porch".  Heide paints with watercolor, casein and oils.  After seeing her works I bought casein paints, I didn't have much success with them, I may have to give it another go sometime.

Favorite Paints

 It was love at first sight with Daniel Smith's quinacridone paints.  Couldn't live with out them.

Favorite Candle

I love candles and this is what I'm burning this month.  Smells so good!

Favorite Fall Candy

I hate to admit this but our family has already been through 2 bags of candy corn and it's not even October yet.

Favorite Artsy Flick
Watched this documentary while painting this month.  It's fascinating.  I was thrilled when I found out that the Arkansas Art's Center just had the opening for an exhibit "50 for Arkansas: the Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection." The couple's gift to Arkansas is part of the Vogels' "50X50" donation of 50 works to all 50 states, to institutions of their choice, making the Arts Center lucky as well. The remainder of the Vogel collection went to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.  Can't wait to see it.

Favorite Project Around the House
I decided to spruce up the front door of our house.  Left is the before picture it was pretty bland so I decided to paint it, Right shows the after.  We have a lot of stone work on our house so I wanted to pull some of that color for the door.  I was thrilled to find the perfect shade of paint in the Oops section at Home Depot for $2.  Pretty great improvement , money well spent:)


What are some of your favorite things?

Carrie