The new best brush in my miniature painting repertoire

Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Sable Miniaturist brushes, 

L-R, #3, #2, #1, #0, #000

Comparing #0 brushes: 

 from bottom to top, #0 Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Miniaturist,

#0 Winsor and Newton series 7 miniature, and #0 (regular series 7 Winsor and Newton)

Comparing #000 brushes:

bottom to top, 000 Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Miniaturist, 000 Winsor and Newton series 7 miniature brush, 000 Winsor and Newton (regular series 7)

Along with a few varieties of small synthetic brushes, I've been a fairly loyal user of Winsor and Newton series 7 miniature and regular series 7 for several decades by now, yet over the years I've observed that the amount of hair in the ferules has decreased, the cost has gone up, and although they are still good brushes, for the price and quality I'm just not feeling 100% satisfied with their performance and staying power.  With all the interesting brushes out there to try these days, I thought it was time for some research on sables.  After looking over three or four lines of brushes, I decided to try Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky 'Miniaturist' sables.   

My rationale was that of all the miniature brush lines I saw, the Da Vinci Miniaturist line has more hair (fatter at the ferrule, or base of the brush), and a shorter but still very pointy tip.  It's a round brush made of Kolinsky sable, (which means male winter Siberian Kolinsky sable, the best sable you can get), and I hoped a fatter pointy brush meant it would hold more paint without dripping, and give me more control and precision.

So far I am very impressed with these neat little sables!  Above are some comparison pictures demonstrating the difference between the two lines, especially since the brush sizes do not exactly correspond, and it took me a while reading over the brush dimensions provided online to decipher the sizes I wanted to try.  They are not inexpensive, but I got mine through a nice sale at Dick Blick online.  I've been using them on a commissioned miniature painting in egg tempera, and also on a larger portrait commission in oil.  As soon as I get a little further with the miniature commission, I'll post it in progress.

Latest Miniatures Framed

"After the Davidson College Graduation", 4 5/8" x 3 3/8", egg tempera on panel in black lacquer frame

"Self Portrait at 34", 3 3/4" x 3 3/8", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum in a gilded wood oval frame

And here are the two most recent minis framed. The gloss of the black lacquer is hard to capture in a scan, but it makes for a richer black wood to surround "After the Graduation".

More Progress on the Giverny Bone Box

My painting of Giverny Gardens in progress, oil over gold leaf on bone, (2 inches diameter)

Here is a bit more progress on my bone basket box lid painting, as seen from under my magnifier. Still working on the left-hand side.

Tea Party

"The Bluebird of Happiness #2", 1"x 1", egg tempera on vellum

                "Ona and Corin with Bluebird", 11" x 7", graphite portrait drawing

                                                                                                                                                              Last week I was invited to tea with my friends Martiina, and her daughters, Ona and Corin, who also used to be my neighbors. They have moved to another spot in the area, so on this occasion we had some great fun catching up, eating cake and cookies with hot chocolate and tea, practicing our yoga and dance moves, and playing with pet gerbils! 

Some of you who follow my blog will recall how I made a second miniature painting of my lucky glass bluebird, "The Bluebird of Happiness (#2)" for them to have in their new home. It's an honor that it is posted in a special spot right in between the girls' rooms, and since they posed for a few pictures how could I resist making a drawing of them?!

Wedding Roses

"Heaven on Earth Rose," (in progress, Step 2)

During the past week I was thrilled to attend the lovely wedding of good friends, Susan and Peter. On this great occasion I met their wonderful families and friends, and it was also an honor for me to be asked to serve as one of their witnesses at the wedding. After a warm, elegant ceremony in a private room at Convivium restaurant here in Brooklyn, and champagne toasts all around, I enjoyed ballet-dancing with Peter's granddaughter, Madeline, sharing a delightfully delicious meal, and a special wedding cake baked by the restaurant's co-owner, Michelle Pulixi.

Susan and Peter at their wedding

Madeline and I ballet-dancing after the wedding at Convivium

Susan gave me some of these gorgeous pink roses to take home from the wedding, and once I complete my work for the upcoming miniature shows, I hope to paint at least one 'wedding rose' miniature! Susan and Peter, Mazel tov!

pink roses from the wedding (photo © Mona Diane Conner 2009)

photo © Mona Diane Conner 2009

photo © Mona Diane Conner 2009

Step 1 of "Heaven on Earth Rose," and What's Next

"Heaven on Earth Rose," (in progress), 2 3/16" x 2 5/8", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

Shell Frame for "Heaven on Earth Rose"

the sketch for my next miniature, "The Piano Recital: It's Mary's Turn"

Sometimes when the object being painted is so beautiful, it's really nice to be able to zero in on it more, and the rose I have started painting is hard to resist for a close-up view. When this is done in miniature painting, it can wind up being miniature in the size of the painting itself, and miniature in its level of detail, but not at 1/6th of life scale, and this is sometimes called an 'atypical' miniature. "Heaven on Earth Rose" is an example of this.

"Heaven on Earth" is the species name of this variety of Floribunda rose, which I photographed from the first rose bush I planted in my father's memory. I've planned for it to be framed with this pink shell frame, and when it's finished, I will post it for sale exclusively on this blog, but since two more major miniature shows are fast approaching it will be completed in my spare time as I go forth.

Next I'll be starting the miniature painting of "The Piano Recital: It's Mary's Turn."

This post also marks my one year anniversary with The Ruby Slippers blog, since my first post began Sept. 4th, 2008.

Rose Miniature

rose miniature in progress 1 1/4" diameter,

egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

Gold easel frame for rose miniature

Here's the floral miniature I have in progress. For this painting I've pulled out my photo of the very first rose from one of two rose bushes that I planted in my father's memory. This is a "Princess Diana" rose, and it's colors are so delicate, even for a tea rose. It sits on a hand-painted English berry plate that I serve strawberries and creme on when I give a tea party. (Come to think of it, that's another mini I must paint!)

Sometimes I like to plan a mini around a frame I've found, and I have this lovely gold frame that I think will be just perfect for it. I'll post it again when it's further along.

Kathleen's Right Eye (in progress)

Kathleen's right eye, 3/4" (actual size), egg tempera on vellum

 (enlarged view)

This is a little paler in it's original form (scanner exaggerated the pinks), but it's done except for some softening and final touches.  Next it's Jason's left eye.......

"Baby Dutch Bunny"

"Baby Dutch Bunny",  1 3/8" x 1 7/8", egg tempera on Strathmore board

(available)

First of Two Chocolate Dutch Rabbits & Awards

"Chocolate Dutch Rabbit," 2" x 3", egg tempera on Strathmore board,  (available)

I love chocolate Dutch rabbits, so I thought I'd try painting a mother and a baby.  This is the mother.

Ed Burton recently honored me with the Passion for Painting and the Lemonade Award.  It's my first time receiving the Lemonade Award, given for positive attitude, gratitude, support, and online friendship.  Thanks Ed,  it's mutual, and check out Ed's blog, to see his amazing tromp d'oeil ceiling mural.

Instead of passing these two awards on, I'd like to award two more people Mona's Mini Blog Award:  Rachelle Siegrist, and Dana Lee Thompson.  Don't miss seeing their fine work in miniature, and Rachelle's blog.  Rachelle often features her latest wildlife masterpiece on her blog.  Dana paints beautiful horses and hounds, and I hope she'll be inspired to start her blog soon, but any miniaturist qualifies for this award and can pass it on to others via email if not via blog.

Rachelle and Dana, you can see the rules for passing this award forward in my April 16 post, and here are five more of my favorite movies: " The English Patient", "Nashville", "Days of Heaven" (love the soundtrack in this one), "The Russians are Coming...The Russians are Coming!", & "Rear Window".  (My movie of the year for 2009 is still "Sugar!")  (Note:  I made an error in Dana Lee Thompson's link at first.  So sorry, it's fixed now.)

Because Artists Love Movies Too

"Mona's Mini Blog Award", 2 3/8" x 1 7/8", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

I have a health issue going on this week, which is slowing me down, but as mentioned in my April 11 post, I'm ready to launch this art blog award.  I've painted and created this award in honor of my neighbors and friends Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck, to salute them for their great movie, "Sugar."  The message I got from "Sugar," is how much personal ratification matters.  It's my pick for movie of the year!  This award is given to recognize outstanding miniature artists and to appreciate film, and filmmakers.  Here are the rules for receiving it and passing it on:

Acknowledge via link the artist who passes you the award, and pick it up from their blog.  The fun part:  name, (as I did in my previous post), five of your all-time favorite movies.  Additionally, name your pick for this year's movie of the year!  Then pass the award forward to three blog artists you appreciate, linking them in your post.

I'm passing "Mona's Mini Blog Award" on to Akiko Watanabe, Deb Kierce, and Bill Mundy.

Looking forward to hearing your movie selections.  I'm only passing it on to three people, but I trust, Bill, if I pass it to you, that you'll pass it on to Rachelle.  There are so many great miniature painters to honor!  And congratulations again to Anna and Ryan.  Click on "Sugar" for a link to the movie's website.

*Just a clarification note:  sorry it wasn't stated more clearly in the rules themselves, and it's fine too if the award is wider spread, but my intention with this in particular is to honor miniature artists.  To the extent possible, please choose artists to pass it forward to whose blogs focus on miniature painting and/or ACEOs, (and thanks to all for passing it on the corrected rules, now listed in my April 16 post.)

Just received an Art Blog Award from great artist & fellow art blogger, Akiko Watanabe.  Thanks Akiko!  Please check out her amazing animal paintings.  The recipient of this award is supposed to name 7 things he/she loves, so here are 7 of mine:

1.  I love God, and I feel a connection to God whenever I paint, and this is #1 for me. 

2.  photography - some I do for painting reference, but more recently I have 'gone pro' and included my photography in my professional galleries on my website.  Some of my photography combines with my love for travel.

3.  Icon-writing - I've taken lessons in Russian Byzantine icon painting  (called 'icon-writing'), and this is something I very much enjoy and look forward to doing more of.

4.  The view out my studio window - I look out on Brooklyn rooftops and the Williamsburg Bank building.  I've heard there is a falcon's nest on the top of it's tower.

5.  The food in my neighborhood -  great restaurants.  Akiko, come visit!  There is the local Food Co-op and Brooklyn Bread bakery, with the pastries of your dreams, cannolis, cream puffs, fruit tarts and delicacies.  I'll have to paint some of these.

6.  Park Slope -  the neighborhood where I live in Brooklyn, is a hopping place I've called home for 31 years.

7.  Water - I love the seashore and water environments, so my studio is LoveWater Studio.

I'm passing this Art Blog Award to five artists in the miniature painting and wildlife arenas:

Rachelle and Wes Siegrist - award-winning husband-wife team of miniaturists specializing in wildlife art.  Rachelle has also won awards for her miniature portraits

Bill Mundy - from Oxfordshire, U.K. one of the greatest portrait miniaturists, who shares wonderful travel stories

Dana Lee Thompson - check out Dana's website including miniature paintings of her specialties:  hounds and horses

Johnny Mullane - just recently discovered this wonderful wildlife painter's blog

Aretha and a Bit About Process

My pencil drawing of Aretha combines several images I caught, so it has the feeling I want

my goose-neck magnifier which I use intermittently over my miniatures in progress, along with the blue Saral transfer paper I use to transfer my pencil drawing onto my vellum

During the presidential inauguration I was experimenting with my digital camera taking shots of the imagery on my TV screen, and I captured about half a dozen shots of Aretha Franklin wearing her gorgeous outfit and belting out our national song like we've never heard it.  She was so fantastic that day, I knew right away I wanted to make a miniature of her from this occasion!  It's been very busy behind the scenes for me, and I'm sorry it's meant less posting for a bit, but wanted to at least share my start on this mini, esp. if it also gives me a chance to show you more about my process.  

One popular FAQ I am asked is whether I work under magnification.  I use this goose-neck magnifier which has a lens magnification of about 350 percent.  It cost me about $15 on E-bay when I bought it, and it's flexible neck allows me to bend the angle and height of the lens over my work however I like.   I work by naked eye too, but I monitor how it's looking under the magnifier, and partly it's painted under the magnifier too.  There's a competition category in the MASF show for the best miniature by someone under age 35, and I'm always joking it should be for the best miniature over middle age, because everyone's ability to see at close-range diminishes after mid-life.  If only I had the close vision I had at 35!

I work with blue Saral transfer paper, which works just like carbon paper (comes in graphite, blue, red, yellow, white).  I prefer blue which gives me a light line that I can retain but brush even lighter just before I start to paint with a small wad of cotton, so my drawing winds up adequately 'cued in', but doesn't overwhelm the translucent layers of egg tempera that I will be adding.

Unless it's a commissioned drawing, my preliminary drawings for paintings tend to be more utilitarian and smudgy (I'm a lefty!).  For my portrait of Aretha I decided to combine the facial expression from one photo with the sweeping hand gesture in another.  My years of practice with combining imagery as an illustrator make this part easy for me.  My photos are pretty fuzzy from being taken from TV, but hopefully should be good enough to pull off this miniature portrait.  For it's size I decided I wanted her to be as big as allowable and still consider this a 1/6th scale miniature.

I intend to make this a masterwork mini rather than a daily, but I'll be taking you through my steps on it as I progress.

For Your Enjoyment: The first of two Holy Family Scenes

"Mary & Jesus, Aix en Provence Exterior Wall", 1 5/16" x 1 7/8"

"Just Peachy", Framed

"Just Peachy", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum,

(at Dunedin Fine Arts Center in Dunedin, Florida, for the 

MASF 2009 Annual International Miniature Art Show)

I promised to post a copy of "Just Peachy" in its frame, and here it is.  It is being submitted for the Miniature Art Society of Florida show.  I'll be posting other final entries for the MASF show shortly, and then it's on to the next show!

Refining "Just Peachy"

"Just Peachy", 1  3/4" x 1  1/4", 

egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

An earlier dailywork, "Just Peachy" has been refined and developed 

into a masterwork so that I can submit it as a still-life painting for the MASF show competition.  I have the perfect frame for it, and if time permits I hope to scan it framed to show you how it looks before I send it out.

"Madonna and Child of St. Remy" Step 3, & Frame Shopping

4" x 6", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

Now nearing completion, I have been working toward portraying a feeling of a living Mary and baby Jesus in this painting instead of just replicating the devotional statue.  Not an easy task, since my reference is somewhat 'doll-like', but it feels important to try.  I darkened the background further, and have started to create a slight feeling of an aura around Mary.

Last week I also went frame shopping, and here are some of the miniature frames I have chosen for my general use:

(detail of Venetian glass floral mosaic frames)

Madonna and Child, Saint-Remy, Step 1

4" x 6", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum (in progress)

"Two September Berries"

1" x 1", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

dailywork miniature - Happy Birthday Hilda!

My sister's mother-in-law, Hilda, and I have the same birthday on Sept. 7.  This year Hilda is visiting from Barcelona, and we were both treated to a wonderful birthday dinner at Sequoia on Pier 17 in Manhattan, which overlooks Brooklyn's skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge.  Today's miniature is Hilda's birthday present.

Two pet portraits, both 1/6th scale, but are they both miniatures?

"Jack", 1  3/16" x 1  1/16" (nfs)

egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

"Max with Cosmos"  7" x 9"

egg tempera and oil on panel (commission)

Here is a comparative example of two pet portraits.  "Jack" is a portrait 

I painted in just a few hours today.  It has less detail.  

But click on the second portrait to see the greater detail in Max.  

The first is a dailywork; the second is a masterwork.

The dogs in both of these paintings are portrayed at least 1/6th of life scale, but are both miniature paintings?  If you know the answer, please submit your comment.