Eclectic Studio - Tammy Morrison-Koenig

I chose to use a grisaille technique for the painting of this old man in watercolor. Grisaille is an old technique oil painters used to develop a monochromatic value study, kinda like a road map for your painting. This later served as a base for the addition of  transparent layers of color. For this painting, I chose to use a limited palette of dioxazine purple, Naples yellow,  alizarin crimson for the face with a pop or 2 of transparent orange and green gold at the end. **This is not a palette I would choose again and here's why. Naples yellow doesn't pack any punch and is opaque. This is not a great mix when you need to cover or mute the purple. Diox purple is also strong stainer, making it difficult to remove pigment. Sometimes this is ok, but didn't really help on this piece. I started this gentleman with an ink sketch that can be found in my Strathmore watercolor 400 series journal. I love the quality of paper in this journal but I wish it wou...

A rt has always played a major part in my life. Whether it be grabbing a sheet of printer paper and pen, some charcoal and wood or if I am really lucky I can find time for a brush and canvas, I have always used art both as a therapy and as a gauge of my mental health. I feel it is very important to find 1 hour a day to focus on your personal well being. I don't consider it selfish or negative. Our lives get so crazy and easily become of control that I find it an essential part of my emotional health and I am very lucky to have someone in my life that recognizes that.   I find 20 minutes hour a day of uninterrupted time when I take lunch. I drive down to the river, and either grab my running shoes and zip around a quick 2.5km trail or I crank up the stereo and grab my travel sketch bag. I take this kit everywhere. It contains the essentials for my style of sketching which is not really fancy, is easy to transport and knows how to get the job done. I emphasize ...

Hi everyone, What a long last 6 months. It has been pretty hectic around here with travels and family and I havent had alot of time to do anything as far as market pieces. So to get back in the swing of things I pulled out my pens and waterbrush and sketched a few 10min studies. The first 2 are done on watercolor paper and the dog was done in my moleskin. A few months ago I purchased a couple of sakura waterbrushes and when combined with both a watersoluable ink pen and a permenant ink pen most of the work for me. Hope you enjoy. :)

I swear I was born with a pencil in my hand, as my first love will always be drawing. Growing up I really never got much encouragement to pursue my passion for art so out of necessity to get rid of all of this creative energy it was for the most part me and my pencil. I have about 25 sketchbooks scattered around my house, stuck in my purse, hiding in my glove box.. lol, but they are available at any time for my amusement. So I thought I would share a few of my portrait practices while I get back to painting. Hope you enjoy