Painting Skin, Gold Jewelry, and pearls in Acrylic 

(colors can apply to oils also)

Below are the results of demonstrations I have done in the painting of skin, pearls and gold.  Perhaps you can get some benefit from it if you are painting portraits.  Happy to share what I have learned-- enjoy!

Examine the jewelry (in photo or on model) closely to identify where it glistens and shimmers, and at what angle.  Look for colors within the gold also.

The color and reflections on pearls depend on what colors are around it, especially clothing or skin which it is placed against, and including what kind of direct light is cast.  All reflections should be soft in nature, and not harsh, and follow the curve of the pearl ball.  Remember to also paint any shadows cast by the pearl on fabric or skin to get a 3-dimensional look.

This skin demonstration was painted hurriedly in acrylics in order to be able to mix colors while still wet.  If done in oils of course there would be no rush, as they are slow-drying.  I did not wash my brush between hues, but just wiped it off with a paper towel.  This was done with straight acrylic paint, no water.

The Glisten and the Glow

How to Paint Eyes

I usually demonstrate painting "The Glisten and the Glow" in my portrait classes, however I made a "how-to" sheet to help my students remember.  "The Glisten and the Glow" is a phrase I created, and I predict that in the future it will be bantered around quite frequently in portrait classes (she said humbly...).  So here it is ~




This process can also be viewed in Youtube where I demonstrate painting eyes in pencil, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, oil and acrylic.  Just Google Judy Burgarella.  There are only 2 Judy Burgarellas in the world, one has passed on (my husband's cousin), and then there's me, alive and kickin'.

"Misty Morning" in Acrylics ... and more!

As promised, brief directions for painting 

"Misty Morning" in acrylics.

(I used an 11"x14" canvas)

To get interesting colors blending and residing side-by-side--and also to add some excitement to a usually boring part of starting a painting--just squeeze the paint on.  I used titanium white, phthalo green, dioxizine purple and ultramarine blue.  Using a big brush blend colors together, but not so much that the canvas ends up all one color.

Notice how you can see the variations in color, and that it is lighter on the top.  In order to get this effect, you must work fast and blend just enough so that you can see individual colors here and there.

Paint soft waves using a large brush towards the bottom, gradually making the ripples smaller as you get towards the middle.  Dark shadows on the underside of the waves, lighter highlights on the tops.
When dry, trace a sailboat with graphite paper (see next photo), wherever on the canvas you choose.  I plan on painting in a couple more far-away boats, more misty,  on the left side.

 The following is as far as I got during the 1-1/2 hour demonstration, and I was painting fast.  For the sails I used yellow ochre with lots of white, then added for shadows sap green, phthalo green, and purple.  Very sparingly but it was beautiful close up and pulled in the background somewhat. 

This piece probably needs another 4-5 hours to be worthy of framing, especially if I add 2 more boats in the distance.  But it was a fun piece to paint and demo, and everybody liked it and learned from it.

"Misty Morning" 11"x14" acrylic by Judy Burgarella (unfinished)

Spent a good part of my day yesterday (Saturday) demonstrating oil portraiture at the Vero Beach Museum of art, where I am on the faculty.  Other faculty members were demonstrating too, and it was a very successful event, one that fills our classes up.  I demonstrated a portrait of my brother, Timmy, who worked for NASA in Cape Canaveral most of his life - and so I put a rocket going up in the background.  When I am finished I will post it, but it's pretty rough right now.  He was a great guy, good brother, whom I miss very much.  Unfortunately he passed on 2 months before me and my husband moved to Florida 15 years ago. 

Anyway, the whole Museum was open and admittance was free, including their fabulous "Victorian Radicals" show, subjects which I will be using in my next set of classes there.  If you are in the Treasure Coast area and love to see really fine art, please stop in and see the show.  Worth a trip.

Hope you enjoyed this posting.

Judy Burgarella
Art Blogger

An Invitation for You!

You are invited to the reception posted below at the Emerson Center in Vero Beach.  I will be there to greet you, along with the other artists.  Three of my paintings are on display, and many other wonderful works by renowned local artists.  Wine and hors d'euovres will be served.  Hope to see you there!  I will have several paintings there on display, including my new oil painting of Waldo Sexton.

Judy Burgarella
Blogger

Welcome to Burgarella Art Tips and Tricks ... Stay tuned for helpful information each week!

Dear Artists and Artist-Wanna-Be's ~

This blog has been created for all those aspiring to learn more about creating art.  During my years of teaching others how to paint and draw, I have developed some helpful teaching tools and techniques that I am happy to share with all who can appreciate them, my students in particular will benefit from this blog since they are fans of my teaching style and techniques.

So much to share, where do I start.  First of all let me start with a short bio and visual of a time-lapse video of creating a portrait in oils, which is also available on Youtube,  Please watch and enjoy, and hopefully you will gain from following my weekly (or maybe daily) blog.  Click on the link below and see me paint Bob Barbour in about 2 minutes (actual painting time is 4-1/2 hours)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcLf7ACVaJk

Live Portrait Demonstration - Painting Bob Barbour

Brief Bio:

Currently teaching portraiture in Acrylics at the Vero Beach (Florida) Museum of Art, and on March 29th-30th two full days workshop in Portraits in Oils.  Also classes held at the Sebastian American Legion, and Indian River Estates, in addition to private and group classes and demonstrations.  Teaching art for 20 years, crafts for years before that.  Belonged to lots of clubs, shown in lots of galleries and shows, won awards, love to volunteer in anything artsy, and love learning new artsy things and sharing freely whatever I learn.

Stay tuned for helpful information on portraits, landscapes, animals, seascapes, etc, in all mediums and styles.  Learn along with me new tips and tricks as I discover new and better techniques myself with each new painting.   My mission is to spread the joy of art, so I hope you enjoy my blog.  Visit again soon as I expand and grow this blog.

Yours in Art,
Judy Burgarella
Blogger

Same day - later
Just want to upload at least one of my charts to get this thing started.  Following is a simple color mixing chart, would work for oil or acrylic, and each color may be different in your collection of paints, depending on brand, quality, etc., so I suggest you make your own chart with the colors you normally use. Bold black outlined squares indicate cross-section of same color.  Feel free to print this out, or for that matter anything on this blog, for your own use.  Hope it helps you.

Judy Burgarella