10.05.2007

Happening 10.05.07


Here's what's happening in - and out of - the studio today:

A 20 x 16 inch canvas is on the easel with the beginnings of a china teacup painting. The still life stand is about 12 feet tall which allows for plenty of room to get a good view, adjust the lamp, change backgrounds and stabilize the object to keep it from spinning.

The oak tree is just starting to lose its leaves while the maples have already let half of theirs go. The squirrels are still busy burying acorns but the hummingbirds and monarchs are long gone.

4 comments:

Tracy Helgeson said...

Mary, you have made my day by giving me a peek into your studio to see your set up. Do you stand when you paint, or sit?

How nice to have such a great view from your studio.

Steven LaRose said...

. . .and how high are your ceilings?

I still don't get how you keep things from spinning while you paint.

ps
your floors are way too clean

Mary Klein said...

Hi you two - thanks for stopping by.

I almost always stand when I paint, Tracy. I like to pace a lot so that may be why. The legs of the quad-pod thing are each 11.5' so I'm guessing the ceiling is about 12'. You're not the first to notice how clean the floor is, Steven. I don't use any solvents and that may be why - just straight oil paint out of the tube - and paper towels to wipe my brushes clean. On spinning, if you enlarge the image you should be able to see the thread that is going through the handle of the cup. It's angled quite a bit and is tied at one end to the leg with the lamp and then spring-clamped a bit higher to the leg closest to the easel. Once you have the cross string touching the object you don't need much to secure it - some tape or in this case, simply passing it through the handle did the trick.

Steven LaRose said...

I see.
I also see the same Costco? patio umbrella that we have.
The startling skull we don't have.