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San Simeon As I See It...

by Laurel Marie Schmitz
(Medford, Oregon, USA)

San Simeon 1

San Simeon 1

I used to live at the beach and I loved watching the waves, and listening to all types of water (on cassettes and now internet) and painting water...ocean, lakes, rivers, streams...even water in a glass...or dew on a leaf...but I never got really good at it.

My mother, when she was alive, and who was a beautiful landscape artist, would tell me my paintings were too cartoony...animated. As hard as I tried I couldn't get better at real.

I love acrylics and especially 'Atelier Interactive' and searched the internet for someone who used Atelier Interactive to teach me how to use them. I found Graeme Stevenson and that led me to you...FINALLY SOMEONE TO SHOW ME HOW TO MAKE BETTER WATER...among the other things...you are just a great teacher...I quickly joined 'A.A.' and absolutely LOVE IT!!!!

Thank you for being you....I am homebound and no longer live on the beach so whatever I paint comes strictly from my head...I think this may be the reason for the cartoony or animated look about them. The inside of my head is VERY ANIMATED...LOL

Comments for San Simeon As I See It...

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Oct 16, 2014
 reply to Jane, Mark and Anonymous NEW
by: Laurel (Lori)

Hi Jane, thank you so much...I'm not quite sure how I get that effect with the foam...I think it's something I learned a long time ago called scumbling. I scumble the white very lightly over the top of the water. I practice a lot...right now I'm practicing making the water like Mark taught and I just bought a bunch of 9 x 11 canvas boards and I am practicing his way of holding the brush and getting the refractions right...I think I'm getting better at it...I just haven't tried a real painting yet. But scumbling is kind of like Mark does to get the light refractions when he lightly smudges the back of the wave to get that reflection from the light he talks about...anyway, thank you for liking my painting...
thank you Mark, for you kind words...I love your work so much...I'm just curious...how many shirts do you go through a month...lol...when I saw you for the first time on "put some color in your life" I went into shock and my jaw dropped to the ground when I saw you swipe the brush on your shirt...hahahahaha...
And Anonymous...thank you, thank you...it made my day to see the word brilliant in connection to something I did...lol ;)
Oct 15, 2014
 Love the foam! NEW
by: Jane (from UK)

Hi laurel - really nice paintings and I just love the effect that you get on the foam ... how do you do that?

Congratulations!
Sep 23, 2014
 Nice NEW
by: Mark Waller

Love your energy and enthusiasm. Cant help but be infected. Its so lovely watching the process be enjoyed so much.
Sep 22, 2014
 Your paintings... NEW
by: Anonymous

Are brilliant! A nice start to my day!

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