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.

Demo at Indian River Estates, Vero Beach

"Pastre Scene" 11"x14" Oil by Judy Burgarella

"Pasture Scene" began as an oil wipe-out demo At Indian River Estates in Vero Beach, wherein I squirt on the canvas with alizarine crimson and sap green, mix it all right into the canvas, then proceed to wipe the elements of the scene off the canvas, leaving ghostly images.  Refining it is really fun, using a rag wrapped around my finger, with additional series of wiping out with Q-tips and other instruments which may or may not be wrapped in a rag.  Intense contrasts can be achieved using turpentine.  Painting can be worked on with other colors while wet or when dry, however if worked on when wet it gets that soft "antique" look as it mixes with the brownish residue left after wiping.  Such fun, and makes a good demo, especially if it is a face emerging out of the canvas!  This is a nice little peaceful scene as is, but I may put a few cows grazing in the sunlit pasture, and maybe some birds flying overhead.  Pretty but dead without life in it.

Will post more later, time to go to the beach.  (In Florida ya' know!)

Judy Burgarella
Blogger

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'.

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