Birthday Portrait

"Eric", 8 1/2" x 8", pencil portrait of my nephew for his October birthday (click on the drawing to see it larger)

I'll replace this with another scan after I put some final touches on the clothing in this, but I'm going to visit Eric's family in a few hours, and he has been waiting so patiently for his birthday drawing! Happy Birthday, Eric!

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?!

Visiting Miniature Masterpieces Behind the Scenes at the NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art

Last month friend, fellow miniaturist, and Royal Miniature Society member, Justine Woodward contacted me to let me know she would be visiting her daughter in New York City in October, and we thought it would be great to try arranging an appointment similar to one we had arranged five years earlier to view miniatures in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It takes some advance planning to arrange such a visit, but it is possible for serious artists, especially those interested in viewing for research purposes or for specific professional inspiration to make an appointment to view works of art in the Museum's permanent collection which are not currently on display.

Collection databases searches are available online at metmuseum.org

(Metropolitan Museum of Art) so I did a search for European miniature paintings, and it took about five hours of research for me to narrow down a list of suggestions. As it turned out, Ms. Mattia of the European Art Dept. brought the suggested portraits out in archived boxes, enabling us to see much more. Although a few including several by Hans Holbein the Younger were in conservation and not available to view, we did see one by Holbein, several by Nicholas Hilliard, as well as the portraits of Jean Baptiste Isabey, Etienne Bouchard, and other French, English, and German miniaturists spanning several centuries.

Justine views one of the archival boxes that we saw. For several hours Ms. Mattia brought out an absolutely thrilling array of miniatures for us to view, providing us with wonderful inspiration from master miniaturists.

When we arrived, Ms. Mattia greeted us and brought out the first box of miniatures, a white cotton glove to carefully check tag numbers, a strong magnifying glass, and a copy of the museum's definitive book on this collection: "European Miniatures in the Metropolitan Museum of Art" by Graham Reynolds, which provides some interesting background infomation on each miniature.

A peek inside one of about nine archival boxes that we saw. This particular box featured some of the miniature works of Jean Baptiste Isabey. The variations in his approach within this box helped us to see how Isabey's style changed over a thirty year span of time.

Taking a closer look at "Madame Jean Baptiste Isabey" (See below a black and white copy from the Met online of this miniature portrait which Isabey painted of his first wife.)

"Madame Jean Baptiste Isabey (Jeanne Laurice de Salienne, died 1829)", 3 3/8" diameter, on ivory, was painted by Jean Baptiste Isabey between 1796 and 1800. She is pictured sewing with a small basket, spools of white thread, and a tiny, tiny pair of sewing scissors. Stylistic differences are revealed between this miniature and the one below, "Mrs. Rufus Prime", which Isabey painted about thirty years later.

"Mrs. Rufus Prime (Augusta Templar Palmer), 5 3/8" x 4", on card, an American bride portrayed by Jean Baptiste Isabey in 1828. I can't adequately convey enough detail with my photograph of this miniature to duplicate the experience of seeing it first-hand, but because this was a larger miniature, it was great to study it's details and brush strokes. It's pastel tones and colors, the translucent fabric and ribbons, were so finely and delicately handled in this later work by Isabey that I found it to be a wonderful source of inspiration.

One box we saw held two bracelets which consisted of linked ovals, each of which held a miniature portrait of a family member, with the mother at one end, each child in the middle and the father on the other end. We imagined and discussed ways that one could create a modern miniature portrait bracelet. Some of the miniatures held sentimental inscriptions on their backs or frame covers, and jeweled trim, or scrimshaw on the back of the ivory. There were also about half a dozen eye portraits, in rings or brooch pins, which I very much enjoyed seeing.

Ms. Mattia kindly copied an interesting article for us to take home which I look forward to reading called "Secret Arts: Elizabethan Miniatures and Sonnets" by Patricia Fumerton. I'm also purchasing the above mentioned museum's book on this wonderful collection as a memento of my visit and to read more about the fine portraits we saw.

Mini Meeting at the Met!

Giant frames loomed on floor to ceiling vertical racks at one end of the inner offices of the European Art department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, next to where Justine Woodward and I sat behind the scenes to view selections of the European Miniature art collection

Yesterday I had a thrilling experience in tandem with friend and British miniaturist, Justine Woodward of the Royal Miniature Society, when, thanks to the gracious and kind help of Ms. Mattia of the European Art Dept., we went for a private appointment to view miniature masterpieces at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC! I am still absolutely soaring inside from all the inspiration we were so fortunate to absorb from miniature master portrait artists such as Holbein, Hilliard, Isabey, and many more. Stay tuned for photos and a full report of our visit in my next post....

Four Other Entries Submitted to MASF

I promised to post you about which other four miniatures I've sent off to MASF, Miniature Art Society of Florida, for their annual show, January 17 - February 7, 2010. Since I've recently made a few improvements here and there on my website, I thought you might enjoy viewing these four paintings directly on my website in my miniature gallery, so here are the titles and the link to see them:

"Carribean Ship Flag," "Madonna in the Leaves," "The Bluebird of Happiness," and "Memory Rose," can be found at monadianeconner.com in the Miniature Gallery.

Just a few notes of clarification---Only once in a while do I have a later thought about an improved title for a painting, and when I do, I allow myself to re-name the painting. I've done this on two of my entries. Also, on my website the miniature portraits appear in both the Miniature Gallery and the Portrait Gallery.

"The Piano Recital---It's Mary's Turn" completed

"The Piano Recital---It's Mary's Turn," framed


"The Piano Recital---It's Mary's Turn," art and image © Mona Diane Conner 2009
5 1/2" x 4 1/4" egg tempera miniature on gessoed panel, (Sold)

The five entries I have submitted to the Miniature Art Society of Florida 35th annual miniature show at Leepa Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs (January 17 - February 7) include "The Piano Recital---It's Mary's Turn," shown above in it's final form. This portrait of Mary has sold, pre-show, to her parents, but they are allowing it to go into show competition this year, prior to receiving it, and I am grateful for their support.

More on the rest of my entries for the Florida show later this week.

(Interim post to see it larger)

(This is just an interim post of the same stage of the painting as below so you can click on this one to see it larger, since the click-on in the post below was not working.)

A Few Points About Competitive Miniature Painting

Post Script: Here is the portrait of Mary almost completed. While it's Mary herself who inspires its details, and I hope I am doing justice to the person who inspired it, a question recurs from time to time about how 'it looks finished already' when its still in progress, and I know it's sincere, so just once I want to take a moment to go over a few specific points from my own perspective about competitive miniature painting.

It's throughout the year that I am developing my miniatures for competition purposes, so if at times it seems I get into minute details, it's often a conscious effort on my part if I feel I may be preparing a painting for competition---something which usually takes longer than non-competitive miniature making. Added into the mix, my medium of egg tempera is also more time-consuming than other mediums because it consists of many superimposed thin layers of paint, but I hope it feels worth the extra time to others because of its effects, and because it is my preferred medium for painting. At times I can unconsciously get into a higher level of detail even when I am doing a simpler miniature study, and some of you have purchased good bargains from my blog in this way.

Because my particular style lends itself toward detail, to the extent it feels important, I go as far as I can go with detail to be on target for a competitive entry. But at miniature competitions I have seen that other styles are also respected, and what I have witnessed over the past six years as a participant in competition is that for those with a different style, such as a pastel artist or an impressionistic painter, it is simply a matter of preserving that specific style and scaling it down more finely for its miniature size and scale. Making miniatures is about an effort to fit into a small area and scale the same level of painting that we can paint larger.

When it comes to minute detail at miniature scale, ultimately it becomes important to see a miniature painting in person in order to truly appreciate it. I can come close, but I can't duplicate it entirely online either if it's this tiny, so I hope if you have never seen a miniature show in person, you may have an opportunity in the future to do so.

Next post I'll show you the final version of the portrait of Mary.

"The Piano Recital, Mary's Turn," (in progress), 5 1/2" x 4 1/4", egg tempera miniature on gessoed panel

Here's another update on my progress, and with her dress now finished, I'll do one last post of the completed painting in a few more days. I want to work on her hands and hair a little more and refine certain details and values in the painting.

More progress on "The Piano Recital, Mary's Turn"

"The Piano Recital, Mary's Turn," (in progress) 5 1/2" x 4 1/4", egg tempera on gessoed panel

Here is another update on my progress on the portrait of Mary. I've started working on the piano keys, and next, will zero in more on the beautiful dress she is wearing, which has a delicate pink floral pattern.

"Niche in Aix-en-Provence"

"Niche in Aix-en-Provence," 1 7/8" x 1 5/16", egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

(framed version, shown at it's actual size)

Here is one of three spiritually-toned entries I submitted earlier this week to the annual miniature show competition of the Miniature Painters, Sculptors, and Gravers Society of Washington D.C. This little French Madonna and Child ornaments the corner of a building in the beautiful town of Aix en Provence. My other two entries, which were shown recently also at the Miniature Art Society of Florida show are "Madonna and Child of Saint-Remy," and "Amma's Eyes".

progress on "The Piano Recital, It's Mary's Turn"

"The Piano Recital, Mary's Turn" (in progress), (click on the image to see it at it's actual size) 5 1/2" x 4 1/4", egg tempera on gessoed panel

I'm busily preparing for two miniature shows, so it's just occasional updates for right now. Here's an update on my progress with the portrait of Mary at the piano recital. I've really been enjoying working on this one!

Birthday Drawing

"Casey," 7 1/2" x 8 1/4" (small work) graphite drawing

(click the image to see it larger)

Belated Happy Birthday Casey (September 9)! My youngest nephew, Casey, is a few years more mature than this drawing reflects, but I drew my inspiration from one of my favorite pictures of him from 2007 because I feel it just captured him so well.

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.

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.