How to Paint - The inspirational and creative process of painter Linda Paul

How artist Linda Paul creates a painting from just a sketch to a finished work of art. See the process of inspiration and creativity at work. Mediums explored are egg tempera, acrylic, glass and stone

New in the works: Linda is creating original sculptures to be cast into metal

Jan 7 2012

I finally have the first set of my new metal tile sculptures from the foundary. They turned out amazingly
see them here original art metal sculptures and tiles of crawfish, crab and olives

September 21 , 2011

I am almost finished 3 original sculptures that I will have cast in metal: The two to the left are my sculptures of a crawfish and a crab (there is also an olive branch) I had to create a few of each of these to get one perfect enough to make a casting from. The next step will be creating a mould of these so that we can make multiple metal editions of them.

These little crustaceans are especially apropos as I will be attending Mardi Gras in New Orleans next year. I can only imagine all of the new inspiration that awaits

click picture to see larger

I have finished my Italian Pizza Kitchen painting. It is for sale here

With this painting its no wonder that I have been craving pizza all summer. My favorite is tomato basil garlic or wild mushroom and arugula. last night had a fabulous 4 cheese, spinach and garlic at the Lucky pie in Louisville that is a new contender.

Now I have to start working on the frame. I will start with a custom made unfinished wood frame which I am planning to finish with an oil rubbed bronze look and I think I will inset some beige and gold travertine mosaic tiles into the frame

click picture to see larger

August 11, 2011

Things are moving right along now. I have added a layer of bronze to the grapevine border and started added my faux oil finish on the bottom using a caput mortum pigment and egg yolk. Caput Mortum (literally translated as death's head) is a pigment originally made from the wrappings of mummies. Adapted for today's world, (and a lack of available mummies), I use caput mortem oxide which is a natural iron oxide with complex layerings of sienna red and dark brown-black colors.

I have worked on the pizza and other foreground elements. I like where it is going

Watch this page to see this painting progress

August 3, 2011
The artwork is coming along nicely. I have pretty much finished the sculpting part which includes the Italian chef and the grapevine border. I have sculpted all the items in very low relief using a polymer. For the grapevine surrounding the window, I have painted an underlayer of gold over over the sculpted polymer which I will paint with bronze metal powder and egg yolk and then apply dark brown shadows to emulate the look of oil rubbed bronze. Should look very cool

Italian Pizza kitchen painting in progress

July 26 2011
I have started painting in the background and added an outdoor pizza oven and garden pergola. I have sculpted mosaic tiles around the inside window arch area which should have a really cool effect

Next I will work on the other large elements like the chef and pizza as well as the sculpted grapevine border which will go around the window . The fat chef will be holding some Italian cheese as well as a garlic and some basil. That's pretty much perfect food!

collecting pigments for fresco paintings

July 21 2011
I have refined the sketch and drawn it on to a 30" x 24" board

Then I created a marble look to the wall around the arched window by adding wet pure natural pigments into wet acrylic polymer to achieve the marble look and texture.

The pigments I use are natural earth ochres that come from ancient mines of France and Italy. In the picture (left) you can see the sedimentary layers of the Rousillon France ocher mine where I get my earth pigments

rough sketch

Linda's first 2011 tomatoes on the vine (dinner tonight)

July 18 2011
Its time to start a new fun painting. This summer I seem to be obsessed with wood oven pizza. We bike over to Louisville for Lucky Pie pizza or go to Boulder for Boulder Organic Pizza. So its seems apropos to make a pizza themed painting.

I start with a 2 minute rough sketch at my desk with a cup of coffee. This get my ideas down on paper. . The fast sketches usually capture my instincts and feel that I want and then I develop the painting from this initial inspiration

I planted 24 heirloom tomato plants this year and my first early girls tomatoes (in the picture to the left) are just ready for picking. I planted lots of big red ones this year which I will include in my painting along with my fresh basil.

The painting will feature a window overlooking an garden with outdoor pizza oven and columned pergola. The window will be arched and the foreground will contain a fabulous margarita pizza, tomatoes, olives, basil, garlic, mozzarella cheese and a fat Italian chef overseeing it all. I may do an elaborate grapevine pattern around the window

Watch this page to see this painting progress

July 2011

see a custom backsplash mural installation in progress

About these original works of art
American Artist Linda Paul uses natural crushed stone & earth mixed with a bit of water and egg yolk to make her paint. Blues come from crushed lapis lazuli, greens from malachite & natural green earth found around Verona Italy. She uses fascinating colors which have been "lost" for hundreds of years and new colors which she has discovered in the Rocky Mountains. Her earth ochres come from the ancient open pit mines of Rousillon France. Her artwork is both beautiful and luminous. These Paintings will last for centuries! Read more and see pictures!

Why Buy Original art? Some people may ask, "why buy original art when you can buy a nice print". Several reasons, simply put, the original is just far more beautiful. Its also one of a kind. This beauty does not translate as well in the digital world. Another reason is that the original captures the soul of the artist, what the artist is feeling when they are creating the piece can tangibly be felt in an original artwork. Of course the original is far more valuable and usually increases in value. You should buy original art because you love it! It will enrich your life.

Artist owns the copyright of all artworks displayed in this online art gallery. Use of artwork is prohibited without written permission from the artist.