Robert Burridge Blog

Bob Introduces The NEW 'Painting Glass' Studio Chart!

2011-08-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

Introducing the latest Burridge Studio Chart: Painting the Illusion of Glass Vessels. Imagine having all on one page, every reference you’ll need to help or remind you how to convincingly paint wine glasses, cocktails, tumblers, flower vases and wine bottles. It’s the perfect companion to other three Burridge Studio Charts: Goof-Proof Color Wheel, Colorful Composition Chart and Rembrandt-Style Lighting & Value Chart. Made in the USA.

How I Start my Day in the Studio

2011-04-26T21:39:00.001-07:00

I’m often asked, “How do you start?” The first thing I do after a brief walk to my Studio is prepare the place to be productive. Anything that does not serve me for the day’s painting assignments is put away out of sight. I prefer an organized studio when I create. The painting tables are covered with polyethylene and become my painting palettes. Next, Sirius Radio or Pandora sets the music atmosphere. Music helps me focus on the task at hand.

Always with me is my sketchbook with notes and painting assignments. Some mornings I play my electric drum set in the corner of the studio. It’s my “stretching exercise.” After an hour, I’m ready to paint. It’s 8:30am… like a real job!

Before painting, I journal in my sketchbook. I journal my dreams and thoughts to get them out of my head. My sketchbook is my toolbox of ideas. This becomes my “job description” and includes my daily four Cs. What’s the CONCEPT? The big idea. What’s the COLOR combination? Following my color wheel, I squeeze 4 tubes of predetermined colors, plus black and white right on the table. What’s the COMPOSITION? I have twelve to choose from. And the last C is a no-brainer - COMMITMENT to the concept. I’m a painter and I’m committed to the task at hand.

I start with small 6x9 inch warmup paint sketching consisting of a themed series. It’s my goofing around time - my play-in-the-sandbox -time. After an hour or so, it’s time to get into my purpose of the day - the larger body of work I’ve been painting for awhile, such as an exhibit series, my museum show or the Sausalito Art Festival. Once I start painting, I am all about production and flow, which lasts all day, uninterrupted. I paint without stopping this flow of “creative automatism.”

When I am invited to teach my “Loosen Up” painting workshops this is exactly how we begin everyday!

Fix and Finish

2010-10-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

Our Colorwheels are Made in America

2010-10-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

Pears

2010-06-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

Circus Birds

2010-05-29T14:09:00.001-07:00

My Circus Birds were created on 300 lb Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper with Holbein Acryla acrylic paints. My "collage glue" is gel medium. I also painted some Circus Birds on canvas - 12 x12 canvases from Cheap Joe's.

Demo of my "Circus Birds" at a very recent workshop in Upland, California at the Art Box Studio!
Watch the movie to see the technique.

This Month is Landscapes!

2010-05-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

I was out the other week picking up wine from our local winery. We’re members of their “Club” which means we receive a case of their favorite handpicked wine every month. This gave me a new idea! How about “The Burridge Painting of the Month Club.” You get an original painting every month!

I paints many original warmup paintings everyday, so we thought why not make them available to our friends first? Here’s the deal: When you join the Burridge Painting of the Month Club, you will begin receiving an original Burridge 6x9 inch painting (matted, with a foam board back and sleeve) every month!

Each painting is completely painted and hand-selected by Robert Burridge, signed and dated. Each month will be a different subject matter, including still lifes, abstract, landscapes, figures, etc. and represents what he is currently working on in his studio. Each month you can expect high quality paint on professional quality watercolor paper. 6x9 inch paintings matted on a 12x16 inch presentation.

Last month's was Pears - this month is Landscapes!

Gold Coast Art Reception

2010-04-19T13:18:00.000-07:00

Gold Coast Art had an reception last Sunday in Santa Maria, CA. Great to see artists and friends!

Gary Brandes has been my framer for many years. He opened a new storefront, this time with a gallery - each artist has a wall! So happy that I have a local place to show work. This time Kate and I decided to do a Floral Theme!
Thanks for all the great comments and well wishes! We had a fun time.

Bob, Jill Targer and Dr. Dennis Shepard
Bob and Jill Targer
Bob, Claudia Mapes and Jill Targer
Jill Targer's Wall

Announcing my Art Museum Show!

2010-04-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

Derwent's Inktense Pencils

2010-03-28T21:19:00.000-07:00

In the February issue of our ArtsyFartsy newsletter, I reviewed Derwent’s Inktense Pencils. There were so many comments about these pencils - I decided to do a follow-up demo. Inktense pencils are watersoluble and they dry permanent. I paint and draw simultaneously while making a painting and this is the stick I use for drawing. They are brilliant and intense.

Here are 6 small drawings I did with Inktense pencils. They act like watersoluble pencils but with very intense colors. I’ve tried them all - this Inktense pencil I love!

Inktense Pencils - up to 72 colors

I draw with a dry pencil then...

Wet with a watercolor brush. It will look like Bombay India ink and have the feel of sumi ink.

Or... wet the paper first. Then draw with the pencil. It bleeds! Cool!

Messy Studio!

2010-03-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

Messy Studio!
In between workshops - got home from Palm Desert workshop at the Art Colony and getting ready for an Abstract Painting & Collage Workshop in Chico, California at Butte College. I know it looks like my studio exploded, but laying everything out is the best way for me to get it all re-organized!
Many projects everywhere. I continue to work on my Circus series - it is fun and people like the bright colors. I am also working on more purely abstract pieces to continue my "No Full Disclosure" theme - you can see some of those in progress on the back wall. Pear warm-ups, landscapes and "making a mess" under paintings for classroom assignments. It's not a pretty site, but it's my studio!

Reigning Cats and Dogs

2010-03-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

I was recently invited to submit a painting for a group show entitled "Raining Cats & Dogs." Visual puns are cheap and immature and that's why I like puns!

I called this painting "Reigning Cats in Dogs." My original idea was to submit a "heavy on the collage" visual statement.
Afterwards, I felt the painting needed… well, painting!

Color was added only as a translucent - so as not to lose the image underneath. I prefer the texture of added collage paper and make no attempt to hide the fact that I'm working with torn pieces of paper. It reveals the hand-built quality of making this collage form of art.
For me, collage is another form of telling a story!

"Raining Cats & Dogs" is on exhibit at the Studios on the Park in Paso Robles, California, March 18-April 11, 2010. Studios Atrium.

Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting Workshops

2010-02-22T20:39:00.000-08:00

I have quite of few of these workshops scheduled this year! I call it my flagship workshop because it is a good starting off point for loosening up your painting style, no matter what your subject or materials. My Loosen Up Workshop is technique-based rather than materials-based and we have a lot of fun doing many different assignments. The posting below shows samples of the different days.
Interested in attending a Loosen Up Workshop?
Go to my website for the contact information -

March 29-April 2, 2010
Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting
5-day Workshop (Monday-Friday)
Kudzu Art Zone, Norcross, GA

May 3-7, 2010
Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting
5-day Workshop (Monday-Friday)
Hot Springs Gallery, Hot Springs, AR

May 17-21, 2010
Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting
5-day Workshop (Monday-Friday)
Art Box Studio, Upland, CA

May 24-28, 2010
Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting
5-day Workshop (Monday-Friday)
Sedona Arts Center, Sedona, AZ

June 1-4, 2010
Loosen Up With Aquamedia Painting
4-day Workshop (Tuesday-Friday)
Leading Edge Art Workshops, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

June 21-25, 2010
Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting
5-day Workshop (Monday-Friday)
LaConner Art Workshop, Mt. Vernon, WA

August 9-13, 2010
Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting
5-day Workshop (Monday-Friday)
Jerry’s Artarama, Raleigh, NC

September 13-17, 2010
Loosen Up with Aquamedia Painting
5-day Workshop (Monday-Friday)
Paletteers Art Club, Westminster, CO

Circus Girls

2010-02-21T09:22:00.000-08:00

My Sedona Loosen Up Workshop, May 24-28 features all my Loosen Up techniques and favorite color combinations.

In our Loosen Up workshop we play off of the figure image in some of our paintings. Our own version of the figure is not only part of the design, it becomes the Focal Point in the painting. Then we paint a series of the same subject over and over. The paintings become looser and bolder. This “Circus Girls” painting is one of many, many paintings based on the same theme.

By repeating and practicing, we gain incredible confidence and creativity. Paintings pour out of you when you think of a single theme you have always wanted to do. In my workshop, we start off with that.

Much of my new work is looser, more suggestive and painted with a specific limited palette of colors. My painting themes tend to either be a single subject - like a pear or a storytelling tale from personal stuff - like circus, magic, landscapes and dreams.

Plaza

2010-02-21T09:21:00.000-08:00

My Sedona Loosen Up Workshop, May 24-28 features all my Loosen Up techniques and favorite color combinations.

“Plaza” was one of thirty paintings from my solo exhibit last year at Butte College in California. The theme and title was called “No Full Disclosure.” This painting was to draw your attention more to the corners and not so much to the center. With no movement in the center, your eyes move around the perimeter, searching for something to focus in on.

Much of my new work is looser, more suggestive and painted with a specific limited palette of colors. Most are based on themes and contemporary nonacademic painting techniques.

Morning Light and Soft Day

2010-02-21T09:17:00.000-08:00

My Sedona Loosen Up Workshop, May 24-28 features all my Loosen Up techniques and favorite color combinations.

Painting a flower never interested me. However, flowers in a painting do interest me! I am more interested in the immediate graphic impact the painting has first and then you see a painting of “flowers in a vase.” I usually start off abstractly - loose, color splattering and water everywhere begins the day in my studio. My workshops begin the same way.

Much of my new work is looser, more suggestive and painted with a specific limited palette of colors. My painting themes tend to either be a single subject - like a pear or a storytelling tale from personal stuff - like circus, magic, landscapes and dreams.

Amber Pear

2010-02-21T09:14:00.000-08:00

My Sedona Loosen Up Workshop, May 24-28 features all my Loosen Up techniques and favorite color combinations.

Many of my early paintings were a single subject inspired while buying fruits and vegetables from our local farmers’ market. I just had to paint them one by one. My favorite single paintings were pears, avocados, bananas, navel oranges, cantaloupes, celery, zucchini and eggplants. In fact, my first gallery giclée was titled “Farmers’ Market.” Twenty years later. I still practice painting the single subject everyday in my morning warmups. It’s a great way to get started!

This pear painting was created with splashing colors, alcohol and CitraSolv-treated tissue paper collage.

Much of my new work is looser, more suggestive and painted with a specific limited palette of colors. My painting themes tend to either be a single subject - like a pear or a storytelling tale from personal stuff - like circus, magic, landscapes and dreams.

New Kid in Town

2010-02-21T09:09:00.000-08:00

My Sedona Loosen Up Workshop, May 24-28 features all my Loosen Up techniques and favorite color combinations.

“New Kid in Town” was a painting demo of turning loose colorful drips and splashes into a painting of trees. This painting demonstrated my “negative shapes” painting technique. Using an opaque color, I painted in the sky and the spaces between the tree trunks giving the illusion of a row of trees without actually painting the individual trees. Later, one tree became the Focal Point when I added more red splashes in a concentrated spot.

Much of my new work is looser, more suggestive and painted with a specific limited palette of colors. My painting themes tend to either be a single subject - like a pear or a storytelling tale from personal stuff - like circus, magic, landscapes and dreams.

October 2009 Artsy Fartsy Newsletter Released!

2009-10-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

Interested in tips, how-to advice, and reviews on products and media? Check out the Newsletter!

http://www.robertburridge.com/newsletter/artsyfartsy_oct09/

September 2009 ArtsyFartsy Newsletter!

2009-10-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

Check it out at my website: http://www.robertburridge.com/newsletter/artsyfartsy_sept09/

We're in Italy!

2009-09-24T09:44:00.001-07:00

I am teaching a painting workshop in Certaldo in the Tuscany region. The workshop is sponsored by the Sedona Arts Center. We flew into Florence on the 15th to be tourists and enjoy a few days before the workshop started. Certaldo is beautiful - more photos to come!

"No Full Disclosure": New Show!

2009-08-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

My new show and opening reception at Butte College! Join me for the reception on Saturday, August 29th!

August 24 - September 18, 2009
“No Full Disclosure”
Reception - Saturday, August 29, 7-9 pm
Coyote Art Gallery
Butte College
3536 Butte Campus Drive
Chico, CA 95926

http://www.robertburridge.com/no_full_disclosure/index.html

Painting on Glass

2009-04-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

I live in California, on the central coast in the middle of fifty-two wineries. Actually there are many more if you take into account the surrounding wine growing areas of Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles. Because of this, I am asked to take part in fund raisers that feature art and wine. This year, the Paso Robles Art Association is having a fund raiser called “Magnum Masterpieces.” Many artists were asked to paint on bottles that will be auctioned in May. This 3D painting is titled “Hoochie Choochie.”

Painting on glass is not that much different than painting on any other surface. First I primed the glass with acrylic gesso. First coat - a variety of blues acrylic paint, and finally “drew” all over the bottle with Decco oil-based markers. Finishing with a final coat of clear varnish.

Go to the auction page by copying and pasting this link in your web browser: http://pasoroblesart.org/magnum-masterpiece/

Photos from My Workshop in Salinas, CA March 2009

2009-03-24T07:41:00.001-07:00

Small Interior Study

2009-03-22T17:07:00.001-07:00

I'm a member of the faculty at the Sedona Arts Center - we have a faculty blog and posts nearly everyday. We each contribute weekly. Because we're all instructors, our posts have a teaching bent - what we're working on, why we do certain techniques, experiments and assignments. Here is my latest post. I really like this painting - I've used it on my new Composition Chart. If you want to see all other Sedona Art Center Faculty Blog entries, go to http://www.sedonaartscenter.com and click on Painting a Day Faculty Blog. Enjoy!

I continue with my small warmup series of acrylic paintings. My intention was to make a prominent focal point of color, neutral background and use the "golden section" composition.
My four accent points are: 1) dark blue spot of color on the bottom of the vase, 2) focal point of flowers - violet/pink spots of color, 3) chair back, and 4) dark square that "grounds" the chair.
The white table cloth pushes the table and vase to the forefront, the golden rectangle "doorway" makes the background, along with the chair recede.
Small Interior Study - 10x10 inches acrylic on paper.

Mendocino Art Center Reception

2009-03-17T12:57:00.001-07:00

Mendocino Art Center hosted a opening reception for my "No Full Disclosure" exhibit last Saturday, March 14. I was so please -- big spacious space, great lighting, wonderful food and wine from Handley Cellars in the Anderson Valley. Lots of friends came by to celebrate. Always great fun to see Sunshine Taylor! Karen Bowers introduced me to Bob Rhoades, soon-to-be-retired art professor from the College of the Redwoods. Board members Dale Moyer and Don Paglia also dropped by -- great to have their support! My thanks to Michele Ketterer for coordinating the exhibit. And thanks to Linn Bottorf - he is the registrar for workshops at MAC - he told me that there are a couple a spots available in my April workshop, "Abstract Acrylic Painting and Collage" -- it will be great to keep working on my No Full Disclosure series during the workshop. Give him a call.

No Full Disclosure @ Mendocino Art Center

2009-03-08T17:20:00.000-07:00

Show Reception & Announcements!

Robert Burridge Exhibition
No Full Disclosure
Reception is Saturday, March 14, 5-8 pm
Mendocino Art Center
45200 Little Lake Street
Mendocino, CA 95460
http://www.mendocinoartcenter.org

For a preview, copy and paste in your web browser:
http://www.robertburridge.com/no_full_disclosure/index.html

Join us and celebrate his new work!

2009-03-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

Experimenting with Combined Media
This is an original 12 x 12 combined media on paper, mounted on canvas.
I set out one morning to experiment and play as my warm up exercise. I started out just goofing around on 300 lb watercolor paper with gesso - building up thick layers, then scratching, scraping and imprinting shapes and patterns in the gesso before it dried. Then I painted with acrylics - building up layers of patina and also rubbing out areas, scratching thru the layers to reveal color "surprises." All the while, imbedding collage graphics and drawing back in with Derwent watersoluable pencils (my favorite is Black, 8B) while the painting was still wet.
After I was satified with the result, I glued the paper to a 12 x 12 canvas. The paper is slightly smaller so there is a 1/4" border all the way around the paper.
Before I adhered the paper to the canvas, I painted the outside edges of the canvas purple - also painted a 1/4" border. The glue I used to adhere paper to canvas was Gel Medium. After letting dry (with weight on top) for a day or two, I varnished the entire piece.
"Matinee" is very textured, combined media paper on canvas - no glass necessary.

Sedona Arts Center's "Painting a Day"

2009-03-02T09:11:00.000-08:00

Last year, Vince Fazio with the Sedona Arts Center asked the instructors who teach there to contribute to a "Painting a Day" faculty blog. We've been posting on the SedonaArtsCenter.com site - I thought I would start posting my contributions - this one is my latest - posted last night. Enjoy!

I've blogged about my warmup paintings, but I don't think I've shown an overall view of them. The size is 9x12 inches - acrylic on paper. All are gessoed and are varnished when completed. I work on at least a series of three - similar colors, compositions, etc. My warmups follow a distinct composition - the still life one above illustrates one of my favorites - the "Cruciform" composition. When I work on a still life painting, I pay attention to the composition, the color combination and the light source. In this case you can see the light bathe the flowers - coming in from the left, with the vase casting a shadow on the right.
I call these 9x12 studies "small original paintings" - I have them on my website. Please inquire as to availability.

Day One!

2008-09-09T18:33:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my blog!
We're very excited about launching this -- hopefully you'll find it useful (or at least entertaining) too.
Our blog will not take the place of our free, monthly online newsletter. As a matter of fact, we'll post a link to the ArtsyFartsy News as soon as we get it ready.
In our blog you can expect a little looser style - almost like a journal entry. We'll be in the field a lot too (I've started to call it "on tour") when I am traveling to different areas for workshops.
Just last weekend - Labor Day Weekend - Kate and I had a booth at the Sausalito Art Festival. What a great festival! The deadline every year is March 1st. You can download forms and applications from their website: http://www.sausalitoartfestival.org They are always in the top ten of the country's outdoor festivals. The organizers make it so easy - they transport all the gear and artwork to your booth space, the communal tents are already setup, they don't take a commission, they feed and water the artists and booth assistants for all three days of the festival (Sat-Sun-Mon). There is also a killer party on Friday night. Here are a couple of photos from our booth!

2008-09-09T18:30:00.000-07:00