Two of five miniatures for sale at Elder Street Gallery, Houston, Texas

"St. Joseph and Christ in Aix en Provence," 1 15/16" x 1 5/6", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum, (SOLD)

"Pink Lotus," 2 3/8" x 2 7/8", egg tempera and gold paint

Here are two of my five framed miniatures for "It's a Small World," a minature competition and show at Elder Street Gallery in Houston, Texas. Although I have previously shown "Pink Lotus" on this blog and elsewhere in a pink shelled frame, since framing is part of the judging and the rule of 'no craft' may exclude that frame, I reframed "Pink Lotus" in a gold frame for this miniature competition, and will be using my pink shell frame for another upcoming rose miniature I've started.

I decided to frame "St. Joseph and Christ in Aix en Provence" with a triple matt, which takes lots of patience and several tries to cut perfectly, but I think it was worth doing. (It's middle matt is a cream color museum matt, though it looks more white online.) My other three entries for the Houston, Texas show include, "The Ruby Slippers," and two eye portraits which you can see by visiting Eye Portraits in Miniature: "Kimberly's Eye," and "Kimberly's Eye #2". All of these miniatures are also available for sale online through Elder Street Gallery. "It's a Small World" opens at the gallery in Houston, Texas Sept. 19 from 5 - 10PM, and runs through Oct. 4.

"Memory Rose"

"Memory Rose," 1 1/4" diameter, egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum in gold easel frame

(enlarged)

I've test-fitted this into it's frame before signing it, but here is the finished art for "Memory Rose." Once the miniature is signed, I'll also add it to my website.

*Just want to add, thanks so much, everyone, for your lovely comments about the rose mini. I've decided it goes up for direct sale. Since I enjoyed painting it so much I've started another rose, from the other rose bush I planted in memory of Dad, and I hope to post on it soon too.

....And More Birthday Art!

"David (my nephew) at 17", 4 5/8" x 4", (detail from graphite drawing)

Happy Birthday David (today, August 10th)!

"Lauren, (my niece) at 22", graphite drawing, 4 1/2" x 4"

Happy Birthday Lauren, Aug. 6th

As you can see there are a lot of summer birthdays in my family! At least two more birthday drawings coming up soon, but next is the finish on the rose miniature.

Birthday Art

"Ben at Seventeen"

Just catching up on some birthday treats for my niece and nephews, but Ben is first since his birthday is most recent. He looked so handsome in this photo that I couldn't resist trying to draw him!

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.

Eve and Her Dog (part 3) & Piano Key Miniature

"Eve and Her Dog," small work in progress, 9" x 12", charcoal & pencil on mylar

Now that I've developed the clothesline I feel I want to indicate a building or two behind it in the background to clarify where Eve is, but since I'm not sure if this rooftop scene was in Manhattan or elsewhere, I'm going to ask Eve, and get filled in on that before I proceed further. I'm also starting a small floral mini before I resume on the piano recital miniature because the show I'm preparing the floral for happens first.

Meanwhile, do these eyes look familiar?

piano key ivory (shown at it's actual size)

I'm also starting a new miniature eye portrait, and this time I'm painting it on a piano key! You can read more about piano key ivories and follow me as I paint this miniature portrait of my own eyes in oils on my eye portrait blog, Eye Portraits in Miniature

Eve and Her Dog, part 2

"Eve and Her Dog," small work in progress, approx. 9" x 12", charcoal and pencil on mylar

I'm developing the rooftop scene in this drawing of Eve I started a few weeks ago. It's cropping a little tightly on my scanner top to bottom. I have a little more work to go on the clothesline and sky behind it.

Returning to blogging soon, but just in the midst of a two week break for re-organizing, and hosting several special guests. I'm looking forward to catching up with some old friends and my Florida cousin who are coming into town.

Latest Miniature Eye Portrait

"Kimberly's Eye", 1/2" diameter (shown actual size), egg tempera on vellum with gold leaf matt in a pearled brooch

Here is my latest miniature eye portrait. To see more visit my eye portrait blog:

Eye Portraits in Miniature

Eve and Her Dog

"Eve and Her Dog," small work in progress, charcoal & pencil on mylar (approx. size 8" x 10")

I've been having a lot of fun doing this small charcoal for a family friend. Eve and her husband, Gus, originally met my father at NYU law school. Later on, Eve became my very first art patron in life, when she asked me to make an oil painting for her family. I was just 12 years old! I still remember how thrilled I was, and believe it or not, Eve still has that painting I did of Brutus, their large family dog.

I'm working here from a small polaroid of Eve as a lovely bathing beauty, catching some rays with another favorite dog of hers, up on a city rooftop. Still thinking about developing the background a bit more.

Two colleagues try egg tempera

"5 Giuseppe," 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", egg tempera on drawing paper, by Deb Kierce (c) Deb Kierce 2009

"Einstein #3," 2 1/2" x 3 1/2", egg tempera on Multimedia Artboard, by Akiko Watanabe (c) Akiko Watanabe 2009

Here is the first egg tempera painting done by each of two colleagues, Deb Kierce, and Akiko Watanabe during the past week. Deb has also done a second egg tempera, now posting on her blog, of Mother Teresa. Please click on their names to visit their blogs overall, and see some of the great work being done by both of these fellow artists.

I want to salute them for trying egg tempera painting. It's beautiful work!

And now it's time for the humorous video version of how to make egg tempera!

"St. Joseph and Jesus Devotional, Cathedrale Saint-Sauveur, Aix en Provence,"1 3/8" x 1 13/16", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

I'll be posting one more time on this miniature painting of a Joseph and Jesus devotional in France which I had started a while ago, after it's finishing touches are done, since I'm trying to get it ready in time for an approaching miniature show.

Two of my fellow artists have tried out egg tempera as a result of my video and tips, and with their permission, I'd like to do a special post on their work tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the humorous video version of how to make egg tempera has to be hands-down my friend and fellow artist Rob Milliken's own animation: "Making Egg Tempera Paint", so make sure to see it too, it's hilarious fun! Thanks so much, Rob, for allowing me to share it here. Rob serves on the board of the Society of Tempera Painters, and please take a moment to view his amazing egg tempera paintings here.

Answers to FAQs and 3 more tips about painting with egg tempera

As a result of my brief demo on egg tempera medium (see June 14 post) one question that came to me is whether to buy liquid tempera in jars that is sometimes sold as a children's product. This is just poster paint. Look for dry powder pigment, sold in jars, available through most art stores, and also through Kremer Pigments, which is mixed by you with water into a paste and then mixed with egg medium. You can also buy a limited palette of egg tempera paint pre-mixed in tubes in some art stores, but since I haven't worked with it, I can't comment on using it.

If you want to varnish your egg tempera, or work over it in oil, you must isolate it with a layer of blonde shellac or liquin. I recommend either of these rather than spray fix to isolate it best. Varnish is not required, and you can also "buff" or "polish" an egg tempera, once it is more thoroughly dry, gently with a soft cloth to enhance it's beautiful natural sheen.

Three more important recommendations:

Choose a rigid support. Choose a thick four-ply board with a smooth absorbent surface such as Strathmore cold press illustration board or Crescent hot press illustration board to practice on at first. I don't recommend paper or bristol because it will warp with the addition of too much water and the paint may crack. Egg tempera is a rigid medium, so choose a rigid non-bendable support. The most ideal surface for egg tempera is a rabbit-skin glue gessoed panel (such as poplar wood or high quality birch plywood). Panel is a different experience too, than working on rag illustration board, but in both cases it is possible to build up many layers. Acrylic gesso will not absorb the egg tempera paint as well as rabbit-skin glue gesso, and the paint may not bind as well. I've tried clayboard also, but only with mixed results, so I don't recommend it.

Apply the paint very thinly, and in layers. A common mistake most beginning egg tempera painters make is to apply the paint too thickly in one individual layer. Build your paint gradually and remember that the principle is translucency. You are building layers to create an illusion of color and this also results in more luminous color. Remember that the principle is juxtaposing translucent layers. Layering creates an illusion of a color---for example a layer of green, with a layer of vermillion on top would make a warm shadow on a face.

How much egg medium is too much or too little? If the paint is chalky and dusting off your surface you have too little medium. If it becomes tacky and sticky, you have too much medium. As you gain experience your finished painting will eventually have an even 'sheen' or satiny patina. You can help even it out at the end by gently applying a thin layer of egg medium in the areas without sheen.

For any other questions which may arise I recommend the Society of Tempera Painters website at: http://www.eggtempera.com and it's forum link.

Moving along next to my next miniature!......

What's in Progress

sketch/value study for the piano concert miniature painting

Recently I had the pleasure of attending my nephew, Eric's, Westchester spring piano recital at Wainright House in Rye, New York. Out of his piano school, Eric is currently the tallest and most experienced pianist, so his performance came last, but while I waited to hear him play, having a front seat made it a great joy for me to both listen and catch a few photos of each student performing their music. I'll be doing some artwork of Eric later on too, but today I enjoyed preparing this sketch and value study of another young pianist from the concert who caught my eye. Can't resist making her my next miniature subject in egg tempera on panel!

More information about surfaces to paint on, and answers to other questions about painting with egg tempera coming tomorrow.

"How to Mix Egg Tempera Medium", my video demo

I wanted to get this finished last weekend, but I went briefly out of town, so here, as promised, is my demonstration on how to mix medium for egg tempera painting. I hope it might tempt you to try this wonderful medium, especially if you have never worked with it before! This is the medium I have used most often to paint with, whether on gessoed panel, on Kelmscott vellum or on Strathmore illustration board, and it is a medium perfectly suited to miniature painting because of it's capacity for fine detail and translucency.

For more about working with egg tempera, I also highly recommend a visit to the Society of Tempera Painters informative website.

Kathleen and Jason's Miniature Eye Portraits Completed

Kathleen and Jason Coy, husband & wife eye portraits shown actual size, 3/4" diameter each, egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

Kathleen's eye portrait, enlarged view

Jason's eye portrait, enlarged view

I ordered this pearled brooch from Nancy Still's MiniArt Supply, because I thought it would be a lovely way to for Kathleen to enjoy wearing either her own eye portrait or her husband's.

Here are the finished eye portraits of friend, artist, and fellow blogger, Kathleen Coy and her husband Jason Coy.   They were such great subjects to paint, and such willing participants!  These two portraits are my gift for them with my thanks, but if eye portraits are of interest, or if you'd like to commission your own eye portrait, I welcome you to visit my newest blog, Eye Portraits in Miniature, for more information.

Two Great Miniature Shows to Enter

I'll be posting the finished eye portraits of Kathleen and Jason shortly to follow this evening, but just want to give a heads-up to any interested fellow miniaturists out there that several prospectuses are now out for two important international miniature show competitions, and provide you the links to these entry forms if you are interested in submitting your work.

Entries for the Miniature Art Society of Florida (MASF) 2010 show are due on Oct. 9, 2009, and the link to their prospectus is here.  Entries for Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society of Washington, D.C. (MPSGS) are due Sept. 26, 2009, and the link to their prospectus is here.

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.......

Husband and Wife Eye Portraits

fellow artist Kathleen Coy and her husband Jason 

(thanks Kathleen for loaning this photo for the portraiture!)

sketch for Kathleen's right eye portrait  (enlarged - actual diameter 3/4")

sketch for Jason's left eye portrait  (3/4" diameter)

Friend, artist and fellow blogger, Kathleen Coy was kind enough to loan me the lovely photo above of herself and her husband Jason, and from this reference I will be painting their eye portraits!  Also above are two sketches I have prepared.  One thing I've been observing as I paint eye portraits is that it is not only the eye itself, but the area around the eye that must be given attention for context so that the eye does not 'float'.  Facial expression, lighting, and angle of the eye also factor into what makes an interesting eye portrait.

To see some additional eye portraits I'm preparing to paint, please also visit Grander Joy of Spirit, and check back later this week to see these paintings unfold.

Awards and Appreciation

I am honored when a colleague acknowledges my work, and I want to say thank you to James Parker who awarded me the "Splash" award, and thank you Akiko Watanabe, for the  "Noblesse Oblige" award.  You can read about these awards on their blogs and take a moment to see some of the excellent work they are doing.   Whether it is a blog award, a sale of my art, or a comment in the comments column, I want everyone to know how much I appreciate all of these gestures of appreciation for my work.

I'm addressing some important personal matters, but check back since I hope to post soon on my next eye portrait, and thanks for letting me know that you enjoyed hearing about this special miniature tradition. 

Miniature Eye Portraits, Part 1

"Mother Meera's Eyes" 1 3/8" x 1 3/4", egg tempera on vellum, eye portrait of Indian saint, Mother Meera

"Amma's Eyes", 1 3/8" x 1 3/4", egg tempera on vellum, (eye portrait of Indian saint, Amritanandamayi Ma) available from my website

An example of an eye portrait pin (unknown artist, circa 1805-10) from the Lelia A. and John Hill Morgan Collection shown in Love And Loss, American Portrait and Mourning Miniatures, by Robin Jaffee Frank (p. 264)

My miniature magnifier arrived yesterday, and before moving on just want to mention that fellow miniaturist, Carol Andre, pointed out a very practical and less expensive way of magnification: if you wear reading or bifocal glasses, place a second pair of reading glasses over the first pair to achieve the magnified view (cost is about $1 as opposed to the $17 it cost for my magnifier). Speaking of eyes, it's my next topic!

I want to try another eye portrait. The top two images above are examples of two eye portraits I've done in the past, but lest you think it's my own idea, miniature eye portraits or lover's eyes are a lost art with an interesting history. The third example above comes from Love and Loss, a book I recommend on miniature painting. In the past, tiny jeweled brooches, rings and pins were the frames for a portrait of the single eye of a secret love, the idea being that if you can only see the eye, it is more anonymous--- a form of portrait that no one can easily identify except your beloved. It is said that a former Prince of Wales kept an eye portrait of his mistress which is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection, and a secret lover was often the subject of an eye portrait, one reason that they are a rare find now, but some were not only for secret loves. (See this short online article on Lovers Eyes.)

There are some wonderful examples of miniature portraits online, but since jewelers and museums have pretty strict copyright protection on the images, just Google "miniature eye portraits" to see some further examples.

For Part 2 on the topic of eye portraits, I'll show you an eye portrait I am working on.........

A special postscript for anyone visiting this post late who is interested in miniature eye portraits: please visit my blog for more detailed information on this at http://eyeportraitsinminiature.blogspot.com

Video Demo on Egg Tempera, Anyone?

Thanks so much to everyone for your supportive feedback on my website improvements!  It's really helpful to get some feedback on it.

I should soon have the new miniature magnifier that I ordered for $12.99 plus shipping from Bass Pro Shops, a fishing tackle outfit online.  

Hoping also to post another miniature soon, and I want to let you know that within two weeks I'll be posting a five minute demo on how to mix egg tempera medium.  If it's of interest, I'm also scoping out whether I can create a 30 minute instructional DVD (perhaps eventually a series of these) on learning to paint with egg tempera, which would be available for purchase from my blog and website.  Is anyone also interested in this opportunity for more in-depth instruction on painting with egg tempera?

Website Expansion

"Cinderella's Slipper," 4" x 4", egg tempera illustration on Strathmore board

"Floral Illumination," 4 1/2" x 4 1/8", egg tempera on Strathmore board, miniature scale embellishment painted for Anne of Green Gables (Macmillan)

Above are two of the illustrations and paintings now posting in a newly expanded version of my website.  The topics I've been asked to paint over the years are various, so if you've enjoyed seeing some of my miniatures, you might also enjoy seeing another side of my work, as an illustrator and commissioned artist.  Although I gradually add new art and make improvements on an ongoing basis to my website, right now there are approximately 25 additional paintings and illustrations for you to see when you have time for a look at monadianeconner.com

LOL

Laugh-out-loud, it's not my best week!  My miniature painting magnifier decided it had had enough, and dropped it's lens during the night.  Luckily, it did this without harming anything, and all of my miniatures are fine.  I hope to be back in business in a few days with a new one!

Happy Mother's Day!

"Amira", 2 inches x 2 inches, pencil on polymin

(note:  polymin and ivorine are both synthetic substitutes for ivory, a popular surface used most often by miniaturists in the past)

(enlargement for detail)

This miniature pencil portrait of Amira is done for my friends Danielle and Max for how they once allowed an upright piano to pass through their window!  To see more of my large portraits in progress, such as the one below, click here.  Happy Mother's Day to Danielle, to my Mom, and to all mothers out there.

"The 'Mary' in Terry" 25 1/2" x 19 1/2", pastel portrait (in progress)

"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.)

"Spirit of Aretha"

"Spirit of Aretha," 4" x 4", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum (available from my website)  (c) Mona Diane Conner 2009

The preceding step (#5) for the "Spirit of Aretha"

Just one more post of Aretha Franklin, since her portrait is finally completed!  Sometimes it takes me a while to return to a painting since I generally have 4 or 5 paintings and commissions in various stages of completion at one time.  Since it's been a while, I thought it would be interesting to add this re-post of the preceding step. 

Internet interruption

Just a note that my internet connection went out over the weekend.  Sorry for the delay, but I'm happy to be back today with a new modem, and am preparing for a new post later on tonight. 

Corrected Rules for Mona's Mini Blog Award

"Kay Petryszak," (click on art for a detailed view) commissioned miniature portrait by Bill Mundy (see Bill's blog for his step-by-step of this painting.  Kay Petryszak is the current President of Miniature Artists of America, and a very talented miniature painter herself.)

"Kyra," by Akiko Watanabe, 2.5" x 3.5"

"Intricate" by Deb Kierce, 2.5" x 3.5"

Sorry if it got confusing.  I was articulating in my last post about the parameters of this award, but probably not clearly enough in the rules themselves that Mona's Mini Blog Award is aimed toward honoring miniature artists, and ACEO artists who are interested in pursuing miniature art, so to help others steer this award down it's intended path, I'm reposting the rules including this specific, and you can pick up the rules for Mona's Mini Blog Award here:

Acknowledge via link the artist who passes you the award, and pick it up from their blog.  The fun part:  name 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 miniature or ACEO blog artists you appreciate for their finely detailed art on a small scale, linking them in your post. 

Above is an example of the lovely miniature work by the three mini-artists I chose to pass this award forward to.

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.)

Award goes to Anna & Ryan for "Sugar"

I got too tapped out this weekend, so it's tomorrow that I'll post the actual award and lay out the rules for passing it forward, but I'd like to announce today that in honor of my neighbors, Anna & Ryan, I am creating a special blog award, for their new movie, "Sugar".  You can see trailers and clips for "Sugar" here.  "Sugar" is my pick for the best movie of the year.  I feel it carries a message of value for artists, and for anyone who is a professional in their chosen field of endeavor.   (Additional note:  I'm painting an actual miniature for the award, and it's taking a little extra time, so please look for it on Tuesday!)

Holiday Wishes, & a Painting Award

"Crucifix for B-Gay," 2 1/4" x 1 7/8", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

I've received the "Passion for Painting" award again, this time for my Ruby Slippers blog, from Deb Kierce.  Thank you Deb!  Deb enjoys painting ACEO's, another form of miniature painting, and she features precious scenes from nature.  In acknowledging this award I am supposed to name five things I love, and since I especially love going to the movies, I am choosing just five out of many great movies I have particularly enjoyed over the years:  "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "Corrina, Corrina," "Saint Ralph," "Picture Bride," & "The Horse's Mouth."  "The Horse's Mouth" is an old British classic with Alec Guiness that every artist should see! 

Since this award has already been around the block, I'm not passing it forward; however, I am creating an award of my own for something very special, so stay tuned for that tomorrow.  Passover and Easter are special times.  Tonight I am attending a Paschal Vigil at my local church, and I wish everyone a joyful and meaningful holiday time.