Halloween Season Kicks Off for 2017

While everyone is belly aching about the latest news frenzy, I'm in the background designing and organizing for the upcoming Holiday Window Painting Season. It's an overwhelming task. I keep notes on my current clients and structure the necessary photo albums for quick image reference. I'm at a loss at times for ideas until I begin the journey to the location I will be painting. Sometimes, inspiration hits just in the nick of time and I am off and running with the idea or ideas in this case.

I love designing a window painting that reflects the business I am decorating. The select elements mixed with tried and true imagery and characters lends a sense of humor and a unique view of the business offerings inside. It is tailor fitted to each individual case and the theme may take a few hours to take its true shape. Once it forms the sketch is drawn out and the colorful sections filled in.



The above scene is one of the dog grooming service offices in my client list. They asked me to take down the summer scene I did and create something fitting for the Fall season and Halloween. I'm sure they'll want to leave this one up as long as possible. I know I do. I enjoyed creating it very much and spent a very emotional few hours finishing it. The individual sections are brimming with delightful imagery. My heart aches when I take them off to change seasons. Art is both a joyful and painful path.



Right to left we have bright pumpkins in a pumpkin patch setting. The leaves and pumpkins are lit up in neon colors. This is a standard theme for Fall decor and one I must pay close attention to when painting. It must be solid enough to brave weather changes and last about two months. The windows here are covered with a roof section so the tempera paint I use won't be rained off, thankfully. They may take a scratch or two or a chip, but they will last and hold color for a very long time.



Panel two is a design that I did not plan. This scene was pure inspiration and one I'd like to preserve on canvas eventually. This is Monster Piece, a trio of dogs dressed as classic Hollywood Monsters. The bulldog stars as The Mummy. Our pink poodle models the wig from The Bride of Frankenstein and the Foxy Dog character is dramatically pulling off the Dracula look. I was delighted with this design image and giggles surrounded me in the creation of my monster piece...



The business entrance door holds a place for the traditional Halloween kitty. Scaredy Cat was backed up by a line of blue so the raging, rising fur could be scene clearly at a distance. Check out the glowing, glaring eyes and sharp fangs in the image below.



Moving on to the next panel, we have a sweet Autumn scene with a sheep dog dressed as a farmer or scare crow and a wild Chihuahua popping up from a Jack O' Lantern. That little dog is the cartoon image of my beloved Tulip. She's a Chihuahua short-haired Terrier mix and a very busy, but sweet little girl. I've included her whenever I get the chance to do pet scenes.



Close ups of the faces are below...





Now you can see why I was a giggling fool with this scenery. I hope it causes others the same cheery emotion.

The next section is a door that is not used and it holds a nice trio of pumpkins.

Funny thing about this door. There are two cats that live in the store and they like to bat at the window while I'm painting. The first time they did that I called the owner. This was during the summer scene and I did not know the critters were in there. I told her I thought something fell over in her store. She told me about the resident felines then. They sure made me jump when they hit the window!!



The pumpkin's scrolling vines and leafy details were added to give form and texture to the image. I'm more of a cartoon artist, but I like to try my best to add contrast and light to my paintings. It's been 40+ years creating these scenes and I still believe I have a lot to learn.



The final panel is a small scene with three additional pets in costume. Left to right we have a Maltese in a pumpkin outfit. (He is a dedication to my dearly departed Simon.) Next is Frankenkitty - an unhappy cat dressed as Frankenstein. Finally, we have Charlie B., a beagle with the ghost sheet like the one that Charlie Brown wears in the endearing Peanuts series. The bag reads Tricks for Treats because we all ask our pets to perform for us before offering a reward.

Enjoy the holiday season and be safe out there when Trick or Treating!!

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Browse the blog here for more stories and artwork or visit the artist's website for more information. There you'll find the artist-author's book The Essential Window Painting Guide. This simple tutorial will help you get started in the wonderful world of window painting.

www.holidaywindowpaint.com

Thank you for visiting!

posted from Bloggeroid

Christmas Magic

My favorite painting of Christmas this past year was a section of the Santa Sled team I did for Dynamic Scenery in Las Vegas. The job was one of the largest window areas I had ever been asked to do and the pressure was on for a good project. The design and paint had to be right this was a professional design company. They did displays for conventions and other business services. I know the reindeer team turned out well. I could feel it in my heart.



One of the unintentional elements I added was a reindeer looking up at the sky. The sweet face was directed at the bright star placed over a tree. I like to have action with in the sled team. It gives the design a sense of life. This small piece of the design is one I will always hold dear and will add to a canvas for permanent enjoyment.



My thoughts on the scene was that even Santa and the team believed in Christmas and I hope to inject that wonder and hope into every painting I do because I do, too. It is the promise of light in the dark. The knowledge of Spring warmth following  the dead of winter. It is the faith of one's hardship to end and blessings to come.

Take time to explore your belief in the good things of this Earth. There are many wonders to delight in and beautiful things to treasure.

posted from Bloggeroid

Painting Fourth of July - An Endurance Marathon

(Image credit: M Burgess)

I had the privilege of painting for a local children's therapy group this week. Decorating for the Fourth is a new theme for my portfolio and catalog. The colors are the standard red, white, and blue. I added some of the fluorescent colors for firework effect. These paint colors weren't the only hot thing with this project. The temperature on my car dashboard read 122°F! Heat like this is deadly and measures must be taken to maintain safety and personal health.


(Image Credit: M Burgess)

The best thing a person can do for extreme heat is drink a lot of water and stay shaded. If one must go into sun exposure a good sunscreen is recommended. Wearing clothing made from a light material with long sleeves and long pant legs would be a good idea to further prevent sunburn, but who wants to wear all that fabric in hot weather?


(Image Credit: M Burgess)

Cool Foods

Carrying an ice chest with me proved to be a life saver. Inside this relief station I packed a dozen water bottles, assorted soda and sports drinks and a few goodies. The best treat on a hot day is cold fruit like cut watermelon or a chilled apple or orange. With the fruit on hand, a quick healthy snack can help cool the body down. The fruit also delivers much needed vitamins and sugars for energy. The sweet time out helped this artist complete a gruelling painting marathon. 5 businesses in two and a half days were decorated. This sets a record for me. I have now painted in both weather extremes.


(Image Credit: M Burgess)

Cool Memories

In the future, when called upon to paint in hot weather, I shall remember these tips above and think back to the night I tried to paint a gas station in the dead of winter.

The wind whipped through me and froze the paint as soon as I touched brush to glass. The material failed to stick and blew away with the heavy breeze.

I know now that painting in the late fall and winter are blessings to me. May I never utter another complaint about being cold while sharing my art. This summer thing was challenging in more ways than my health.


(Image Credit: M Burgess)

Heat and Equipment Challenges

Anytime a business hires me to paint I start by cleaning the window surface. I never paint unless I have a clean canvas to work with. I found that the hot glass dries almost instantly, so I had to use a sopping towel to moisten the surface down for the squeegee. The sponge with the squeegee didn't add enough water to the glass and the rubber blade just smeared soap across the area. The preclean helped cool me down a bit and the window cleaning was completed quickly using the towel.


(Image Credit: M Burgess)

A sketch of the design is done after the cleaning is performed. Drawing out images and adding lines for lettering helps balance out designs and lettering. It is helpful for complex image creation and making sure a phrase is spelled right. It also is useful in helping the casual passerby see what is happening. The window glass was so hot that my stabilo pencils melted almost instantly. I countered the effect by dropping them into a ziplock and stashing them in the ice chest to cool them down.

Paint thickens as it is heated and a few colors were the consistency of tomato paste from the extreme temperature. I make it a rule to pull all medium from my car at night so I do not lose product. Given a few drops of water, thick paint may still be usable.


(Image Credit: M Burgess)

Plastic has a tendency to melt or grow brittle in high heat and one of my fluorescent orange bottles blew out while in the course of this project. Thankfully, it was not a full container. I did have a green blow out and soak the entire tub of my materials once. There was green paint all over my equipment for days!

I am super thrilled to add this holiday theme to my portfolio and catalog. I learned a lot with these paintings and believe it helped me improve in several areas. Repeating a design is never easy, but my brushes lived up to the challenge.


(Image Credit: M Burgess)

Folks, stay cool. Stay shaded. Stay learning. If you ever end up outdoors working like I did, you know what to do!

One last thing. Keep your pets safe during the festivities. Animals tend to bolt and panic with the sound of fireworks. Shelters fill up quickly during this holiday so keep them inside!


(Image Credit: M Burgess)


For more about the artist see:

www.mariaburgess.com

or

www.holidaywindowpaint.com

posted from Bloggeroid

Cheery Summer Window Themes

The heat is coming and with that the adventures of sun, surf, and passing the uncomfortable hours until the temperatures dip to a more pleasant number.

Creating window painting themes that reflect and celebrate seasonal flair or occasions can get a bit detailed. They require a patient hand and an ordered process. My best organizing tip is to craft a mock up design or sketch ahead of time with ideas and creative interpretation of related activities or features.

I was recently contacted by a new client and she suggested a familiar scene with a twist. With these ideas, I was able to do a doodle sketch to aid my layout efforts and help organize an amusing painting.


(Right Summer Scene Section)

The painting flowed easily, however my energy was challenged by sun reflecting off the glass back into my face. This resulted in a rare, painful migraine later, but the final scene was worth the sacrifice.


(Sam Sheepdog and Cartoon Tulip in Progress)

We artists inert a bit of our spirit in everything we do. It takes me a week to recoup from a painting like this. Christmas marathon paintings takes me a month to bounce back. It's worth sharing this talent. The smiles it brings tells me something is right with what I do.

(Marilyn Ducky)


Painting in the Heat

The paint dried quickly and drip issues were minimal. The layering and image cell areas were filled with ease and the results were very similar to the idea I had scratched on paper by mechanical pencil. I dearly love creating a totally new set of characters when challenged by fresh ideas and input. My client was delighted with a view of only two layers. She didn't get to see the detail when she made her exit from her shop. I will be painting for her in future celebration, but for now we all have to make it through the dog days of summer.

Meet The Gang:


(Swimming Simon)


(Kitty Card Dealer)


(Red Foxxy)


(Scene 3)

(Sam Sheepdog and Cartoon Tulip)


(Petunia Poodle)


(Brutus Bulldog)





All images intellectual property of M Burgess. Please, do not copy or use without permission. Copyright 2017

posted from Bloggeroid

Christmas Windows Are A Wash

The season has come to a close and images that were painstakingly painted are now on a removal campaign. I know a lot of artists do not do cleaning and that is fine. I offer the service for a few reasons. I am able to see what held up and I can take additional photos.

The candy canes in the image were washed out by rains. This property will require paintings to either be higher on the window, thicker in medium, or glazed with a protective coating. I may choose to use the acrylic method in the future. This method requires several time consuming steps.

The Tempera paints do pit and wash out if exposed to heavy water. This climate issue is low scale where I live, so I am able to work with this paint in a majority of my art. I prefer them because they are easy to work with and are non-toxic. Essentially, they are a green medium. Good for the environment is good for this artist.

posted from Bloggeroid

Three Wise Men and Christmas Camel

Part of every nativity scene should be dedicated to these wonderful players in the Christmas story.

2016 Halloween Window Painting with artist Maria Burgess

The season has begun for Halloween decorations. I took time out this weekend to paint two store fronts and I had a great time creating these paintings. The video is a few moments captured at Groomer Has It in Las Vegas. I'm demonstrating the techniques I talk about in my book The Essential Holiday Window Painting Guide. All of my paintings start off just like this. The theme below took about 7 and a half hours to complete. 

The video shows the pre-clean process, drawing in boundary areas, the sketch of design images, and the fill in for the base colors. 

The Characters and creatures from this painting and more can be found here on my website blog:

Do you remember the good old days when scary movies were in black and white or poor color or even more interesting, they were in colorized form? They featured vampires and werewolves. They depicted the monster that Dr. Frankenstein created. They were the creatures of ...
http://www.holidaywindowpaint.com/blog/halloween-paintings-and-hollywood-monsters

Related posts: 

http://hubpages.com/holidays/how-to-do-halloween-art-for-window-painting

www.holidaywindowpaint.com

The Traditional Christmas Story and Tales of Santa

Traditional Christmas Eve Stories

Christmas is the central reason I paint windows. The images and the spirit of the celebrations portray hope and joy in a bitter and cold season. The scenery depicted in the birth of the Christ child and the story of Santa Claus are seeded with delight and wonder. Both are accompanied by a magical quality found in no other tale. One is religious scripture, while the other is a whimsical story.

(The images below are from my Zazzle product line. The site does use cookies to track visits and customers.)

The Christmas and winter holiday season are held dear to all those that celebrate and await its arrival. We look forward to traditions and activity and goodies that are only found during this time period. We cook feasts, seek out and wrap unique gifts, and decorate our homes with warm, festive items. The season is ripe with fun and festive traditions. We spend a small fortune on these holidays in order to bring the spirit of the season to our homes and the hearts in our lives. 

The Reason for the Season - Nativity Scene

The Story of the Christ Child

There are several accounts of the Nativity event in the bible. What believers know for certain is that the Christ child was born in Bethlehem in a manger. He was born King of Kings in a barn of sorts because of the conditions the city his earthly parents traveled to were overcrowded. The original Christmas story is populated with this trio, angels, shepherds, and Wise Men. The image of the Guiding Star is the reason we place stars on our trees for decoration. These figures play prominently in holiday songs and Christmas Carols.

Carols featuring Thomas Kinkade's Art

The scriptures may be found in the King James version Bible for reference. The Christ child's birth may be found in the book of Luke 2:1-20. The story of the Wise Men is found in the book of Matthew 2:1-12. These are given here so that you may save the scriptures for reading on Christmas eve. The readings may be begun by one family member and passed along to the next or read by one in its entirety.

The Three Wise Men - Christmas Card

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The Christmas Nativity Story from Luke and Matthew 

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The Christmas Nativity Story - Poster

Nativity Video

See also: https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/the-nativity?lang=eng

These are the moments I remember when I pull out my art supplies and brushes and begin a themed window painting. The moment in our history when the birth of a tiny child changed the world. His arrival marks the ray of hope looked for since ancient history. His mission was one of ultimate love and that is what I feel when I am creating the images that celebrate this occasion. I mean no religious views here, I am simply stating why I paint with such passion. This moment gives me such a calm feeling and it is a joy to reflect this statement in my art and the music I may be caught singing as I complete the work. I am so overcome at times in my work and the spirit that I may shed tears during the work. I feel so blessed to be able to share art in this way with all that pass by the paintings.

The Story of Santa and St. Nick

Santa is known by many names. Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, are among the titles this jolly character is called. He is the excitement of the night before Christmas. Children lie in wait all twilight for his arrival. Some youngsters try to sneak a sound or a sight of the large elf. Others obediently jump under their blankets and drift away during the reading of a beloved story poem.

The Night Before Christmas was originally titled A Visit from St. Nicholas and it has been a holiday tradition for almost 200 years. originally posted in 1832 anonymously, it was claimed by Clement Clarke Moore in 1837.

The story is a picturesque view of a wholesome family Christmas. It describes the atmosphere of the home and the enlightened mood of the holiday spirit. It tells of the suit Santa wears and details the reindeer team's names and activity. The prose is a wonderful way to welcome the close of the evening holiday preparations.

A Visit from St. Nicholas - Poster

Rankin-Bass' Twas The Night Before Christmas

In Closing

I implore you to read each of these accounts in reverence to your children during the holidays. Encourage them to read the stories to you. The delight of these seasonal messages will place good memories on their hearts. The tales will stay with them through life and create a moment they will always look back on fondly. 

The Christmas Story

The Night Before Christmas - Clement Clarke Moore
Corinne Malvern (Illustrator)

Related Links and reference

Nativity Of Jesus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus

Book of Luke: https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/2?lang=eng

Book of Matthew: https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/2?lang=eng

History of Santa Claus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus

A Visit from St. Nicholas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Visit_from_St._Nicholas

Window Painting http://www.holidaywindowpaint.com

12 Original Christmas Art Paintings For 2015

Original Artwork on Windows

Christmas is my favorite theme to paint for and with it comes whimsical characters and the bright, cheery images related to the season. Creating themes for a specific business type is this artist's specialty. Window painting for me is more than images and design.

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Excerpts from this artist's book series - The Complete Window Painting GuideVolume 2 - The Traditional Window Painter's Guide
(coming soon!)

I enjoy expressing my talent and my love for the season in a variety of ways. People tell me I don't charge enough for my art, but for me, it is the mission of a strong holiday spirit that motivates me. My fees are just right for what I do. I love to share these images with people through my brushes. It is the greeting a stranger I may never meet needed that day. It is the joy of the holidays and the hope of the season. It is magic in color. It is a smile in design. It is a warm, welcome moment in the dead of winter. 

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A Gallery of Holiday Paintings 2015

The following designs represent images that were created specifically for a business' motif. There are a pizza parlor or two on my client list, a wireless store, a pet grooming shop and more. For these locations, I've altered holiday themes to tie into the work being performed inside. The window paintings developed to the delight of the artist, customers, and the store owner's alike. These images represent some of my best work for the Christmas 2015 holiday season.

Image one is the artist painting the interior doors of a pizza parlor / coffee cafe in the season for 2104. Wreaths decorate doors between the two restaurants. The foliage is feathery and light and details are added to the surface once the base coat is dried. This scene was repeated in similar fashion for Christmas 2015.

    Artist Maria Burgess filling in a holiday wreath     

1 - Wreath with Candy Canes and Bow

This next image is from a nail shop. I have really worked on forming an acceptable Santa image this season. I've always found the Jolly Elf to be a serious challenge. Painting humans is a difficult task for most artists. The detail and proportions need to be correct for them to be anywhere near attractive. I have worked on St. Nick for years and years and years. This season I finally got him close to right. I have to confess I always cringe when people request this wonderful being. He needs to be done in a wonderful manner and up until now my talent lacked the skills needed to do him justice. I think I have remedied that issue, at least for this painting. I am rather proud of this scene. 

2 - Santa and the Manicurist

Speaking of elves, I found two decorating a Christmas tree in the north end of our city. These two really worked hard making at making this tree fun and beautiful The spots of color are my first attempt at using glitter glue. The glitzy medium stays on for a bit but has a tendency to lift after a few weeks. Use this accent sparingly... If it is applied too thick it will drip and run ruining the painting beneath the glue.  

3 - Elves Decorating Christmas Tree

The opposite windows at this shop feature Groomer Girl, a character I have developed for Groomer Has It in Las Vegas. The grooming shop found my work on the internet and put me to work soon after. Groomer Girl is helping Santa's reindeer get the bells on for his Christmas eve run with Santa.

4 - Groomer Girl and the Reindeer 

The frilly wreath is a favorite design for me. I love decorating them and creating them on different surfaces. They are always a sweet accent to a set of doors and the nice thing about having them painted is they do not shed pine needles as they age. This image is on the doors of Desert Reality in Las Vegas, my childhood friend's Dad's real estate office. Ms. Charlee hung out with me as I completed the work for their office front and it was a delight to see her again. Note the poinsettias added to this scene. I love those unique flowers. The added touch of neon green and red in the holly make this design really pop!

5 - Frilly Wreath 

Although this snowman character is not tailor-made to suit the interior business service he is tipping his hat in greeting for all that enter or walk by. The squiggled line of his crooked smile lets you know that you are welcome.

6 - Hat Tipping Snowman

These paintings represent my best paintings of Christmas 2015. Images 7 through 12 may be found on my website blog www.holidaywindowpaint.com

If you would like to learn more about window painting or are interested in this artist's story visit the site for details on the book The Essential Window Painting Guide. It is the beginner's guide to the art of window painting. In it, you will find the steps you need to get started painting right away. It is available in print and Kindle on Amazon and as a PDF file for download on the site. Thank you for viewing!

Tag Along With The Window Painter

Window Painting on the Internet

Strawberry plant with ripe berry
Image M Burgess

Sharing on Social Networks

I wanted to take this opportunity to invite you to follow along with my paintbrush adventures. I frequently post on my Facebook Page - The Holiday Window Painter. The additional images and items I find to share may be of interest to the creative types like myself. I've discovered some really cool things along my path as an artist and I'd love to have you join me there. 

I am also on Instagram. I post daily, but most of what I post these days are images from my garden. It is Spring and I am a very avid gardener. Not everything I do is art related...or is it? There is an art to gardening, too. I love working with the earth and watching the tinyiest seeds grow into monster plants. Occassionally, I get an art project and of course I have to post items from that as well. 

Exploring the world around us is part of the blessing/curse of being an artist. The gardening allows me to photograph nature and in this study I am able to improve my sketches and my art in general. I see things most people would not in the images and the results are a treasure trove of visual information as well as healthy produce for my body. The plant kingdom offers many opportunities in color, form, and texture.

I write on many topics including gardening. My main topic of interest will always be my art, but I find joy in sharing my recipes, my gardening tips, and articles on preparedness. I hope to share more of my writing in published form, but for now I will add my notes to the circle of social networks and keep taking those pictures. 

This author's site may be reached through this link: Maria Burgess.com  The site is a catalog of my web publishing. It features my blogs and websites as well as some of my hstory. 

I have another post to draft, so I will see you somewhere on the web soon. Have a great day!