Did you hear that Fox News’ parent company came right out and gave a $1 million contribution directly to the Republican party? So much for "fair and balanced."

Fox News is a problem. Which is why we want to pass on this important email from our friends at ColorOfChange, who’ve just launched a new campaign to get Fox News off of TVs in public spaces. Check it out!

A year ago, Glenn Beck called the president a racist who had a deep-seated hatred for white people.¹ In just over a week, he says he will "reclaim" the legacy of the civil rights movement by holding his "Restoring Honor" rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.—on the same day and place as Dr. King’s "I Have a Dream" speech.

You can get mad at Beck. You can protest and try to prevent him from stepping on Dr. King’s honor for one day. The reality is that the next day—and five days a week from there on out—Beck will be back on Fox News, speaking to millions and spreading hate, lies, and fear, as he does every week.

The real problem is Fox News. Fox News gives Beck his platform, and Fox promotes his events—all despite Beck losing virtually all of his major advertisers in the last year.

Fox’s rhetoric is not just divisive; it’s dangerous. Last month, a heavily armed man got into a gunfight with police after he was pulled over on his way to kill people at the Tides Foundation—a non-profit that was little known until Glenn Beck repeatedly demonized it, claiming it to be the center of a great conspiracy. Last year, Kansas doctor George Tiller was gunned down while at church after Bill O’Reilly called him a Nazi, a "baby killer," and warned of "Judgment Day."⁷

It’s why today we’re launching TurnOffFox, and we hope you’ll join us. TurnOffFox is the first step in our overall effort to beat back the poison, hate, and division of Fox. We’ll get Fox turned off in stores, restaurants, and other public places—places where Fox pulls in new viewers and gains legitimacy. But we need your help.

Click below to declare your household "Fox free" and at the same time call on establishments in your community (and across the country) to follow your lead and turn off Fox. Armed with thousands of signatures, ColorOfChange members will visit businesses in their communities that play Fox, explain how divisive and dangerous it is, and call on them to stop. And we’ll give you a FREE Turn Off Fox sticker when you do—it takes just a moment:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90115&id=22941-18004049-BaxFPqx&t=2

Some people watch Fox at home because it reflects their view of the world; but there are others who see it on TV in public places and assume that it’s legitimate news. Fox News is often on in bars, restaurants, airport lounges, stores—appearing to be real news, while spreading lies and fomenting hate and division.

The goal of Turn Off Fox is to reduce the number of public TVs showing Fox News, while spreading the word about Fox’s poison (and how it works) to those who don’t know.

Signing up for the campaign is just the first step. We make it easy for you to tell us about businesses playing Fox. If you’re willing to talk with them, we’ll provide you with straightforward materials that explain why they shouldn’t be a party to what Fox is doing. And if there are businesses you know that want to tell the world they would never play Fox, you can help them declare themselves a "Fox-free zone."

As businesses Turn off Fox and stand up as Fox Free, and as we encourage our friends and family to do the same, we’ll help make clear, to people across the country, what Fox is about. And we’ll reduce their ability to do harm.

Click the link below to join us and our partners at Truthout.com in standing up to Fox, and we’ll give you a free TurnOffFox sticker. And then please ask your friends and family to do the same:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90115&id=22941-18004049-BaxFPqx&t=3

–James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Milton, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team

1. "Beck caps off week of race-baiting by calling Obama a ‘racist’," Media Matters, 07-30-2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90116&id=22941-18004049-BaxFPqx&t=4

2. "Beck says his 8-28 rally will "reclaim the civil rights movement. … We were the people that did it in the first place’," Media Matters, 05-26-2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90117&id=22941-18004049-BaxFPqx&t=5

3. "Glenn Beck’s plans for rally on a hallowed date and spot spurs countermarches," The Washington Post, 08-17-2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90118&id=22941-18004049-BaxFPqx&t=6

4. "I-580 gunman targeted ACLU, Tides Foundation," KGO-TV, 07-20-2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90119&id=22941-18004049-BaxFPqx&t=7

5. "Beck denies being ‘responsible’ for planned massacre at office of group he demonized," Media Matters, 07-29-2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90120&id=22941-18004049-BaxFPqx&t=8

6. "George Tiller Killed: Abortion Doctor Shot At Church," AP /Huffington Post, 05-31-2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90121&id=22941-18004049-BaxFPqx&t=9

7. "O’Reilly’s campaign against murdered doctor," Salon, 05-31-2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90122&id=22941-18004049-BaxFPqx&t=10

From: http://www.examiner.com/paganism-in-salt-lake-city/paganism-101-what-does-pagan-mean

“Ask any person what the word Pagan means and you’ll get a different answer every time, with most of them insisting that their meaning is the correct one. However, even amongst all of the different traditions and religions that span the globe, there is no true consensus as to the exact meaning of the word ‘Pagan’.”

Probably the most useful definition (at least for myself) is: “a person who does not acknowledge your god.”
Reference: http://www.audioenglish.net/dictionary/pagan.htm

I use the term to describe myself as a method of characterizing myself as not belonging to any organized religion but also not  adhering to traditional western civilization assumptions regarding values or purpose of existence.  As an example, money and possessions are of great value in western civilization, but not amongst all people on the planet nor amongst all people in western civilization.  Some people judge their personal worth by how much money they make.  In other cultures personal worth is never a question because as a human you are considered a very real part of all that is, therefore, your worth is in a sense ‘priceless’ and infinite and never in question.

Random events seem nearly impossible to demonstrate within the know Universe. Even the most sophisticated computers systems require a seed event to produce a random number. Even the touted random distribution of radioactive decay is questionable. However, simply because chained events can be demonstrated does not mean that randomness was not involve in the connection of the events. How then do we approach the question regarding the underlying basis of serendipity? Or is this type of knowledge beyond our comprehension? It really depends on what you are willing to accept as evidence. In terms of a statistical analysis even the statistician has to make an assumption regarding which level of difference will be considered significant, there by calling it proof. Sometimes the proof (accepted as proof by level of significance) is actually a false negative and subsequently lives are lost because a drug was declared safe but in reality was lethal. The point is that since assumptions are used to establish scientific proof it seems reasonable to use them to establish a working model of serendipity.

Our a priori assumptions regarding the nature of the Universe can be used to arrive at personal conclusions regarding the experience of serendipitous events. It starts by addressing the age old existential questions regarding personal existence. Descartes addressed the initial assumption of proof of personal existence and concluded that by simply questioning his own existence he must exist since someone must be asking the question ergo; I think therefore I am. The immediate next step is questioning the purpose, if any, of our existence. The issue of purpose presupposes that existence results from either divine design or random events that magically turn amino acids into the foundation of organic substance (a mystery that remains unsolved). Regardless of our assumptions about the nature of the designer (God or Self), all outcomes have a high probability of reflecting the intention of the designer. It is the intention of the designer that establishes the role of serendipitous life events. This intention does not automatically negate coincidental possibilities of interactive events, but it does establish a plausible assumption that events are possibly controlled by the original designer: which includes both fortuitous and disastrous events. To suggest that these events are coincidental would require some evidence that randomness is actually possible. Given the fact that true random events defies discovery then fortuitous events, for now, must be a product of design (predetermined).

About the worst place for a beginner to start painting is on canvas.  Most of what you are likely to purchase will be a low grade canvas with a rough surface, having a pre-primed coating of Gesso.  The pre-prime is not near enough to give you a smooth surface and applying Gesso is an art form in itself.  Do yourself a favor and purchase a clear sheet (18 x 24) of acrylic (Plexiglas) from Home Depot.  You don’t need to apply any Gesso.  Most Gesso is acrylic based, so what would be the point of putting it on an acrylic panel other than to increase the texture of the surface.  What you do need to do is sand the acrylic sheet with 120 grit sandpaper.  Using an orbital sander makes this very easy and painless.  The purpose of the sanding is to enhance the mechanical adhesion of the oil based paint to the acrylic panel.

The following list of links will guide you through your first few oil painting attempts.  It is not hard, but it does take patience.

Introduction
http://quazen.com/arts/visual-arts/oil-painting-introduction/

Beginners Guide 
http://quazen.com/arts/visual-arts/oil-painting-a-beginners-guide/

Alternative to Oil Painting on Canvas
http://quazen.com/shopping/a-better-alternative-to-oil-painting-on-canvas/

Detailing a Small Human Face
http://quazen.com/arts/bodyart/oil-painting-detailing-a-small-human-face/

Embedding The Spirit of The Artist
http://quazen.com/arts/visual-arts/oil-painting-embedding-the-spirit-of-the-artist/

How a Painting Develops From The Heart
http://quazen.com/arts/visual-arts/oil-painting-how-a-painting-develops-from-the-heart/

First Attempt
http://quazen.com/arts/visual-arts/oil-painting-your-first-attempt/

The Human Form
http://quazen.com/arts/visual-arts/oil-painting-the-human-form/

Oil Painting Technique: Water
http://quazen.com/arts/visual-arts/oil-painting-technique-water/

Oil Painting Technique: Trees
http://quazen.com/arts/visual-arts/oil-painting-technique-trees/

Perspective, Brush Stroke and Lighting
http://quazen.com/arts/visual-arts/oil-painting-perspective-brush-stroke-and-lighting/

The Fine Art of Style
http://quazen.com/arts/visual-arts/oil-painting-the-fine-art-of-style/

Consider for a moment why people buy oil paintings.  Mostly it is for finding an accent to decorate a room.  However, some paintings are so damn captivating and haunting that the painting becomes not an accent but rather a precious possession.  Now just how many paintings of artifacts (dolls sitting on a shelf, etc.) can you find that transcend from “room accent thing” to “captivating” and haunting” ?  What can be captivating in dead art is the technique achievement of the artist,  but the painting itself remains “dead”.

Painting from the heart starts by first looking within yourself for subject matter.  Instead of thinking in terms of a particular thing to paint, think in terms of a “theme” or story such as a personal life experience. As an example, the theme that resulted in painting of  “Reality” was my personal experience with one particular canyon in New Mexico.  I didn’t just paint a picture of the canyon I visited nearly every day, but rather what I saw in my mind when I thought of that canyon.

Reality

Painting from the heart places the artist in the painting and the result is a painting that conveys the feelings of the artist.  If your intention is to develop a business from the sale of art, there is no doubt that dead art will have the larger sales volume.  And for many artists, it is the sale of dead art which supports their time in painting from the heart.  Too often the mistake of the beginner is to study technique, engage a production line of dead art and lose their soul in the process.  Just paint from the heart and technique will develop as you search for answers in producing a haunting masterpiece.

Painting from the heart does not eliminate the need for planning.  The general idea should be first sketched on paper.  However, the key element of this is “general” which means lines and composition, and not all the intricate shading that might occur.  What you need to understand is that drawing and painting are two very different forms of art.  And what might look good in a pencil sketch can be a disaster when attempted in oil.  Be prepared to change ideas as you paint: and never hesitate to wipe it off the board.  It is the painting you did not do, because you could not let go of the original idea, that is most likely the “master piece”.

Success is dangerous. One begins to copy oneself, and to copy oneself is more dangerous than to copy others. It leads to sterility (Pablo Picasso).

This article is intended only for those bloggers who have their own Word Press blog and would like to make a menu of post links and/or a simple non plug-in photo album.  The theme I used for my blog is WordPress 3.0 Magazine Basic 2.68 by c.bavota.

Photo Album

Most of the photo albums available as plug-ins for word press are extremely complicated and overdesigned.  Plug-ins should be simple, but when it comes to photo albums the designers toss in everything but the kitchen sink making the plug-in customizing process a nightmare for the average blogger.  The following link is a demonstration of a simple photo album that is composed of one js file (don’t let that throw you, a js file is nothing more than a bit of javascript used to run the album) and a blog post that contains a table with a select option for paging through each photo.

Demo

http://www.woodlandstar.net/Chocolate/?p=22

The javascript for this particular album was developed by i-code which is a internet programming service and was intended for placement in a html page.  You can down load the original script at http://www.i-code.co.uk/javascript/photoalbum.php however, a detailed set of instructions will be needed for implementing this script into a blog.

There is nothing difficult about doing this and all that is required is an FTP software for being able to load files directly into your word press directory.  It is mainly knowing where to place the js file in your blog and the images you want to show in the album and how to place the call for the  file in the header section of your word press theme.

Step 1: Create a Directory titled BlogViewer. Copy and paste the following into a text editor blank document.  Save this document as Viewer.js inside the directory  BlogViewer.

/*Photo Album by i-code.co.uk*/

/*(http://www.i-code.co.uk/javascript/photoalbum.php)*/

function changeImage()
{
var list = document.getElementById(‘optionlist’);
document.mainimage.src = list.options[list.selectedIndex].value;
}

function prevImage()
{
var list = document.getElementById(‘optionlist’);
if(list.selectedIndex == 0)
{
list.selectedIndex = list.options.length-1;
}
else
{
list.selectedIndex–;
}
changeImage();
}

function nextImage()
{
var list = document.getElementById(‘optionlist’);
if(list.selectedIndex == list.options.length-1)
{
list.selectedIndex = 0;
}
else
{
list.selectedIndex++;
}
changeImage();
}

Step 2:  Inside the directory BlogViewer. create a sub- directory with a name that will identify each album, such as WhiteSands.  Inside your album directory (in this case WhiteSands) place your images.  The images will work best if you resize them to 400 x 300 if they are taken holding the camera in a horizontal position.  To make things easier for future albums, title each image to indicate position such as image1.jpg.  By doing this you will be able to copy and paste from one album to another and all you have to change is the sub directory and number of images.  If taken in a vertical position they should be resized to 300 x 400.  This resizing all depends on the size of the blog screen.  Try a few different sizes to see which looks best on your blog.  If you mix horizontal with vertical pictures the images will appear to bounce around as the user pages through them.

Step 3:  Save the following left and right  images in the BlogViewer directory.  Make sure they are saved with the names used here.

left.gif     right.gif

Upload the directory BlogViewer to your main BLOG directory.

Step 4:  Go into the editor of your blog THEME and open the Header file.  Place the following code just before the close of the header ( </head> )

<script type=”text/javascript” src=”BlogViewer/Viewer.js”></script>

Just below the close of the head you will see the html code for the body ( <Body> ).  It may have some attachments inside such as

<body  <?php body_class(); ?>>  Add onLoad=”javascript:changeImage()” .  The body tag will now look like the following:

<body onLoad=”javascript:changeImage()” <?php body_class(); ?>>

Step 5:  Create a post using the HTML editor of the Word Press and place in the following code.  Keep the name of the post simple.  In this case I used White Sands

<table border=”0″ align=”center”><tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan=”3″ align=”center”><img border=”1″ name=”mainimage” /></td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td align=”left”><img onclick=”javascript:prevImage()” alt=”Go” src=”BlogViewer/left.gif” /></td>

<td align=”center”><select id=”optionlist” onchange=”javascript:changeImage()”> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image1.jpg”>1</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image2.jpg”>2</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image3.jpg”>3</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image4.jpg”>4</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image5.jpg”>5</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image6.jpg”>6</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image7.jpg”>7</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image8.jpg”>8</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image9.jpg”>9</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image10.jpg”>10</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image11.jpg”>11</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image12.jpg”>12</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image13.jpg”>13</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image14.jpg”>14</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image15.jpg”>15</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image16.jpg”>16</option> <option value=”BlogViewer/WhiteSands/image17.jpg”>17</option></select> </td>

<td align=”right”><img onclick=”javascript:nextImage()” alt=”Go” src=”BlogViewer/right.gif” /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>

You will have to add or subtract images depending on the number you have in the subdirectory.  In the above case there are 17 images.  Also, you can identify the picture with a word.  But use caution since the table will expand to accommodate the number of characters.  I found it best to use only the numbers then refer to the number is some description you might want to include with this post.

You are done!  Call up the post and test it out.  If you have problems write to me and I will help you through it.

Menu

A menu of links is composed of an iframe which calls an html page.  The html page is composed of the desired links and placed in your main blog directory.

Step 1:  Construct an HTML page and title the page albums.htm . The following example includes the photo album example above which has a post name of White Sands and a subdirectory of WhiteSands.  The subdirectory of WhiteSands is in the main directory  called BlogViewer.

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC “-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN”>

<html>
<head>
<title>blog menu</title>

<style type=”text/css”>

body {
background-color: transparent;
margin: 10px;
font-size:0.75em;
background: #000000;
}

a:link {font-family: arial; color: #fdd017;text-decoration:  none; }

a:visited {font-family: arial; color: #fdd017;text-decoration:  none; }

a:hover {font-family: arial; color: #ffffff;}

</style>

</head>

<body>

<p align=”left”><font color=”#000080″ size=”3″>Albums</font></p>

<p><a href=http://woodlandstar.net/WSBlog/?p=22 target=”_top”>White Sands</a></p>

<p><a href=http://woodlandstar.net/WSBlog/?p=33 target=”_top”>Trip To Vegas</a></p>

<p><a href=http://woodlandstar.net/WSBlog/?p=21 target=”_top”>Carlsbad Caverns</a></p>

<p><a href=http://woodlandstar.net/WSBlog/?p=34 target=”_top”>Backpacking 2007</a></p>

</body>

</html>

In the above html example there are four albums listed.  The scroll bar on the Iframe will expand to accommodate more albums. In your own case you will have to change the herf to match you blog location and post number. A target of  _top is necessary in order to get the post to come up in the container of your theme.  If you don’t do this it would come up in the side bar.

Upload the album.htm  to your main BLOG directory.

Step 2.  You now need to place iframe code in your side bar.  In this case the  Iframe menu is open source code from dynamicdrive ( http://www.dynamicdrive.com/ ). The complete Iframe code (below) should be placed on the side bar of your word press theme.  The Iframe calls the page  albums.htm composed of links.  Place the code in an area you want to have the menu appear.  This can get a bit sticky with some of the newer themes.  Placing it just before the last </div> is likely the most simple but you can experiment.  Just make sure you have downloaded the original side bar file just in case it all blows up in your face.

The following code should be placed in the sidebar.

<div align=”center”>

<script type=”text/javascript”>

/***********************************************

* IFRAME Scroller script- © Dynamic Drive DHTML code library (www.dynamicdrive.com)

* This notice MUST stay intact for legal use

* Visit Dynamic Drive at http://www.dynamicdrive.com/ for full source code

***********************************************/

//specify path to your external page:

var iframesrc=”albums.htm”

//You may change most attributes of iframe tag below, such as width and height:

document.write(‘<iframe id=”datamain” src=”‘+iframesrc+’” width=”150px” height=”100px” marginwidth=”0″ marginheight=”0″ hspace=”0″ vspace=”0″ frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”auto” allowTransparency = true ></iframe>’)

</script>

</div>

You might have to change the Iframe width and height to fit into your particular word press theme.  That’s it ! You are done.  Take it for a test drive.

Intro:  Good Morning New Mexico

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Singles_Social_Club/

What have I been up to this past week?

• Painting
• Developing this radio show

News you can use…Google free phone service anywhere in the US

Hi Marta:
Hope your are doing well. 
Please send me your Cell Phone Number.  I know you sent it once but I can’t find it.. thanks

The following is the general format for the radio show on 9/12

Format:

Show starts at 8am.  Marta is to call in at 8:05am (do not call before this):
Call in at 646 716 8050

Begin Show

8 am Nevyn will introduce the show.  Some chatter about current events.

8:05  am Marta Calls In>  I will announce the interview at this time and will introduce you to the audience and will then hit the call in button to put you on line.  (If anything is to go wrong it is at this point.  If it does, just hang up from your end and I will attempt to correct the problem.  Once the problem is corrected I will call you from my cell phone and tell you to call in again.

Please send me your Cell Phone Number (to be placed here in the format).

Nevyn:   "Hi Marta! I’m glad you could be with us this morning.

Marta:  (give response to greeting)

Nevyn:  "Well today’s show is all about singles finding singles.  Now I know you live close to Las Cruces.  Were you raised in New Mexico or did you move here?"

Marta:  (give response to greeting)
At this point I will turn the conversation to asking a little about yourself.  It will include:

Your Personality: (describe yourself)
Your Interests  (such as balloning)
Your Work (nursing career)

I will then ask what kind of person you are seeking for a relationship.

Wrap Up:

Nevyn:  "if anyone is interested in communicating with Marta send me an email and I will forward it to her.  … Thank you for being with us today Marta.  Have a wonderful week!
Marta: Closing response to Wrap Up. "Good by" or something similar then hang up the phone.  At this point I will close the radio connection to your phone.

Meet Up Sunday In The Park:

Beginners Guide To Oil Painting

Some Terms You Need To Know

Wet On Wet
Fat over Lean
"plein-air”

capture the natural lighting of a landscape.  It is this lighting and the use of  short imprecise brush strokes (possibly aided by a rough painting surface), that can produce an impression of a landscape or a person as in the work by Monet, "The Woman In A Green Dress".

Mahl Stick

Level Of Clarity

Effected by:

Texture Of Surface
Use Of Sketch Planning
Painting vs Drawing

Impressionism

Monet: Women In Green Dress

All oil painting includes some level of Impressionism.

If clarity is not something you are seeking, then by all means slap on the paint and go for broke.  One way to achieve an impression of a landscape (such as tree leaves and grass) is to use a fan brush painting wet on wet.  It is easy to do once you understand how to hold the brush and snap the paint on.  Do not let the brush linger.  Use quick snaps both on and off with the tip of the brush.  Avoid dropping the angle of the brush.

Painting Surface

About the worst place for a beginner to start painting is on canvas.  Most of what you are likely to purchase will be a low grade canvas with a rough surface, having a pre-primed coating of Gesso.  The pre-prime is not near enough to give you a smooth surface and applying Gesso is an art form in itself.  Do yourself a favor and purchase a clear sheet (18 x 24) of acrylic (Plexiglas) from Home Depot.  You don’t need to apply any Gesso.  Most Gesso is acrylic based, so what would be the point of putting it on an acrylic panel other than to increase the texture of the surface.  What you do need to do is sand the acrylic sheet with 120 grit sandpaper.  Using an orbital sander makes this very easy and painless.  The purpose of the sanding is to enhance the mechanical adhesion of the oil based paint to the acrylic panel.

Sketch

Make a sketch and place the acrylic panel over your sketch and start painting over the sketch below.  You can also do this to achieve clarity by placing a new acrylic panel over an old painting.  This will greatly increase control of the brush strokes.  Also, all first layers should be applied with the panel laying down flat.  Attempting to put first layer thin oil on a smooth acrylic panel while it is upright on an easel would be a lot like attempting to nail Jello to a wall.

Paint Using Thin Layers

If clarity is the goal, then paint with very thin layers of paint.  Let the old layer dry completely before applying a new layer.  You can thin the paint with odorless mineral spirits purchase from the same place you bought the acrylic panel.  You don’t need to use the expensive mineral spirits sold in art stores.

Archival Quality

The archival questions for a beginner are pointless.  Don’t fret over the often heated discussions of oil on acrylic or any other such nonsense.  You are not attempting to have your painting placed in a museum.  The simple truth about archival quality is that most conclusions are nothing more than guesses and myth.  The only way to actually test archival quality is to hang around and wait to see what happens.

Technique

Keep in mind that you learn by doing, not talking:  going on net forums is pointless.  While you may pick up a few techniques it is more likely to damage your self concept.  A better way of learning how things are done is by studying the paintings of other artists.  Eventually you will figure out how to apply a specific technique.  And here is a word of caution:  techniques allow for problem solutions but if all artists use the same technique then there is nothing to distinguish between the artists.  You will never achieve your own style by constantly chasing after the techniques of others.  Find your own solutions!

Brush Control

The clarity of a painting is enhanced by absolute control of the brush stroke.  Learn when to apply the stroke vertically or horizontally. Learn how to use long strokes that do not leave an unwanted edge on the painting surface.  Each major form (such as a human figure) on the painting will have an edge: keep these edges clean and sharp.  When feathering between forms (diffusion of the distinction where one form ends and another begins) is necessary make it a purposeful act and not one of random chance.

Starting Over

Do not allow paint to pile up.  You don’t fix something by applying more paint.  You fix it by removing the old paint and starting over.

Embedding the Spirit Of the Artist

The usual path for the beginning oil painter is a march to Wal Mart to purchase a few standard size medium grained canvases.  And that is just fine and an inexpensive way for the beginner to get involved in oil painting.  The learning curve on oil painting is steep and many techniques need to be tried and many canvases need to be tossed in the rubbish when the painting fails to impress the artist.  There will come a point (about 15 or 20 paintings) when the beginner is really no longer a beginner.  Anyone who has completed 15 paintings is no longer beginning, she or he is in fact an artist in progress. And this title remains for life and fits every oil painter throughout history including the old masters.  A common path for artists in progress is to construct their own painting surface.

Most artists simply paint on what is easily available and that is canvas and many begin to put together their own frames and canvas.  However, there are in fact many choices but less readily available.  Oil painting on acrylic panels is much easier than painting on canvas.   Most composite boards warp easily simply by applying Gesso.  You can purchase wood art boards, but they are very expensive compared to canvas.  An alternative is to create your own art board using an acrylic panel (Plexiglas).  Constructing your own platform for painting is what embeds the soul of the artist into the painting.  Now you are painting on something you created.

Stroke Of Genius

In each oil painting is a potential “Stroke Of Genius” waiting to be discovered.  Unfortunately many of these potential discoveries stay hidden because the artist  is hesitant to start over.  This is especially true when there has been a large amount of time invested in a painting.  For many of us, oil painting was a leisure activity that slowly developed into a favorite occupation.  Along the path of development we sometimes get distracted by “getting to the final product” and forego the learning that comes by way of extending the journey.  All too often the fledging artist wants to see his or her work completed and consequently may rush their efforts.  There is no doubt about the addictiveness of oil painting.  Some artists are so trapped by the desire to apply paint that they may have 5 or 6 paintings in process just to avoid downtime while a painting is drying.  It is useful to have alternative painting projects, but only if each one is approached with a standard operating procedure that allows time for simply staring at the project.  This rush to completion has been brought about by the “technique driven” artwork that has overtaken the art community.  With the focus on technique much is lost in the way of discovery.   Keeping a painting on the easel and simply studying your own work gives you time to make some mental adjustments as to how you want to proceed.  For myself I have found that studying a painting for two or three days while I am waiting for the paint to dry allows plenty of opportunity to make deviations from my original plan.  The simple truth is that the actual painting is done inside your head, and the physical process of applying the paint is only an extension of those thoughts.

It should certainly come as no surprise that finding your own individual style will never happen if you are constantly using book proscribed techniques.  Think about it: what you are doing is copying the work of someone else.  If you look across the net you will immediately see little difference to distinguish one artist from another.  Some try to compensate for this by trying to find subject matter that is unique.  That will work to some extent, but the essential problem is still the same.  Paintings driven by technique will never distinguish one artist from another no matter how different the subject matter.  If you want to develop your own style you have to first understand that painting must come from the heart and not from a book of techniques.