Tools of the Trade

The ruler or straight edge is an essential tool to sacred geometry, the possibilities are limitless with a compass and straight edge as to what you can create. A metal ruler is a good thing to have because plastic ones can get melted or nicked up. It's also important to have a ruler long enough for whatever you might be doing. My ruler also has a cork underside which I think is supposed to keep ink from spearing if you use it on a pen.

I nearly forgot, aluminum rulers can leave lines on your paper (from the metal, not from what you wanted to do) so it's good to have a stainless steel ruler.

Sacred Geometry: A Primer

 This week, how to make a square. I have this labeled in my notes as the best way to make a square of a specific size and I think that's true. To make this square you start out with a horizontal line (though if I think about it you could probably do it just as well with a vertical line.)

On the line space two points in the size you want your square to by, I put my points two inches apart.

I labeled my points A and B, which is not that easy to see in this picture, I'll have to start doing these in pen or something darker. If you're doing it to use in or with something else however it's good to make your lines very light so they aren't too obvious in the final project. Once points A and B have been established, you'll need a point C below and in between points A and B.

With your compass point on C and your drawing point on A make a circle. (Mine stayed inside of point B but I've found it better to try and place C so that the circle goes outside of point B.)

After drawing the circle draw a line on the point C and point D where the circle and horizontal line intersect.

The point where the diagonal line and the circle intersect is point E, draw a vertical line on points A and E.

  Open your compass so that the point and drawing point are the same. Pivot down from point A and mark the length on the new vertical line.

From point B and the point just marked swing the compass out and make an intersection.

Then connect the points to form your square.

I'd love some feed back at how these could be better or more helpful to you.

Piece of the Week

Another geometrical piece from Hex for this weeks piece of the week. Happy Memorial Day!

watercolor

9x9in

2012

Series: Hex

Remembering Italy

A year ago I was getting ready to go on my first trip to Europe, to Italy. It was a dream come true and I keep thinking about the trip and plotting/planning my next trip there. I was over the moon getting  to see so many beautiful paintings, sculptures, and buildings.

We went to the Vatican Museum, the National Museum in Rome, famous sites like the Pantheon and St. Peters and saw the most amazing and beautiful things.

This will be a long post of pictures even trying to limit myself to a few really awesome ones.

So far we haven't even made it out of Rome, we also went to Florence, Lucca, and Pisa.

These next photos are from Florence. There are significantly less pictures than there could have been because the Academia and Uffizi don't allow you to take pictures. Through the google art project you can visit some of the Uffizi though.

Back to Rome.

These places are so full of beauty, it's an incredible experience. I don't know that modern and contemporary art will be quite as worth of such pilgrimages hundreds of years down the road.

Tools of the Trade

My watercolor pallet is ceramic and sort of small and I should really get another one just like it. An essential tool in my watercolor process.

Sacred Geometry: A Primer

I had never heard of sacred geometry before college, the only geometry I knew, was a hated mathematical study from my freshman year of high school. Sacred Geometry was a wonderful change from ordinary geometry, sacred geometry helped to create beauty.
For those who haven't heard about sacred geometry, or for those who might want to know more about it, here is a resource for you.

Starting off, the tools needed for sacred geometry are: a compass, a straight edge/ruler, a sharp pencil etc. and paper.

To draw a diamond or square, start with a horizontal line.

Next, with the compass on a point on the line, draw a circle.

With the compass on the right point where the line and circle intersect and expand the compass past the center of the circle and draw arcs above and below the circle.

Repeat the same action on the opposite side with the compass at the same setting.

Draw a line between the two sets of intersecting arcs to form a line perpendicular to the horizontal line.

Draw straight lines between the perpendicular lines where they intersect the circle to form a square or diamond.

Next time a regular square.

Piece of the week

The summer after I graduated, I started my first series on bees. I researched bees and was blown away by the amazing creatures that honey bees are, I'm not the only one either, through out history people have enjoyed bees' honey and marveled at the remarkable little creatures that they are.
The series I created was only the second or third time I'd attempted to create a series, a body of pieces that work and build together. The series wasn't very great as a series with mostly watercolors and a few pen and ink pieces, and ideas that were loosely connected by the theme of "Bees" but some of the individual pieces turned out pretty cool.

pen and ink
2009
Series: Bees
9x9in
photo by David Hawkinson

Ps something new will hopefully be coming to the blog this week!

Tools of the Trade

When you have good brushes, you need to take care of them to keep them in good shape. There are various brush cleaners but I use this kind which was recommended to me.

I used to just use it for oils and I didn't think that I needed it for watercolors, I probably did a fair amount of damage to my brushes doing that, I now use it to clean my brushes whenever I use them, you can't get all the pigment and paint out of your brushes just rinsing them. Anyway, brush cleaner.

Art News: Nude vs Naked

I recently found this article in the May edition of Art News, I thought it was an interesting look at that difficult issue of nude/naked. I don't know if I agree with all of it but I think there's a lot of good points in there.
Note: for those that might read it in print there are understandably a lot of nudes, online there's only one small one.

Piece of the Week

I've been really excited about geometry lately and  so another newer piece from Hex for the piece of the week. This one is just the beginning of the design but per a suggestion I hope to make a bigger piece with this pattern expanded. I don't know how soon that will happen though. I should really try to figure out or put words to why a cool pattern or design is so intriguing. If you know why I'd love to hear it.

watercolor
6x6in
2012
Series: Hex

P.S. I went back through the Islamic art exhibit again and I still love it and one thing I love is looking closely at paintings etc. and seeing lines and patterns that aren't completely perfect, these pieces were done by hand not by computers etc. and they are beautiful and wonderful but they aren't totally perfect. My pieces are not totally perfect either and sometimes I feel like they aren't good enough if they're not totally perfect but it's good to see that I'm not the only one.

Tools of the Trade

Windsor Newton Series 7 brushes (watercolor brushes) are what I use. Near the end of school I bought them, quality brushes to last and to help create quality pieces. I for so long didn't think that an expensive brush would work any better than a cheaper brush would and in some cases that may be true but Windsor Newton Series 7 brushes are about the highest quality there is; there are reportedly huge waiting lists to get the larger sizes of brushes. Series 7 brushes are made of natural sable which holds the paint very well and stays together better than synthetic fibers. I have found my series 7 brushes to be wonderful and I've tried to take good care of them. I have them in sizes 0-4 and then one that's a 7 or 8.

Piece of the Week

I was really excited about this piece when I was making it and then didn't love it so much when it was done. I was really excited by the possibilities to the pattern and really I suppose it's more of a pattern study than a finished piece. After giving it some time I've decided I do like it and I'm still really excited about the pattern and how it sort of changes depending on what you focus on.

 Watercolor and Sumi ink
9x9in
2011
Series: Hex

I was going through older posts and found this picture from the National Museum in Rome and I think I'll be making my own version of the design in this mosaic.

Tools of the Trade

For this week's tool of the trade is another tool that I use when I watercolor. Sumi ink is used in Asian calligraphy and painting and I probably spelled it wrong. I'll be honest, I really don't know much about Sumi and the history, etc. it has. Sumi was recommended to me by my mentor when I was looking for a good black to use in my watercolors. I use it pretty much like a watercolor, except it comes in a stick so I have to sort of grind it into the water to make a paint, that may or may not be correct technique. I really should try to learn more about sumi but none the less, it's a tool I use.