One question I hear on a regular basis is “Where do you get your ideas?” If you keep your eyes open you’ll find them everywhere! I share magazines with a good friend of mine. I was reading Carolyn’s Phoenix Homes and Gardens when I turned a page and SHAZAAM, this lovely courtyard appeared. What a wonderful idea for a painting!
This piece is going to be the show stopper for my Collector Event in Santa Fe this year. Pulling out my sketch pad I jot down my ideas. You can click on this or any of the other images to see them larger.
I begin by drawing the basic plan up on my canvas. All of my basic colors are laid out on the glass palette below the easel. The blobs of color on the side are leftover from the previous painting. To find out more about our Double Primary Palette CLICK HERE.
Just like building a home I construct the main structure first, then add the landscaping. All of the basic layin is done in an oil wash of MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) mixed with Liquin.
The chili ristras are washed in with Alizarin Crimson.
We’re all drawn up and ready to begin painting. Can you see the modifications I’ve made to make this scene more “Santa Fe”? Have a wonderful day and thank you for visiting our studio. Hugs,
Mikki Senkarik 
July 25, 2014 at 8:11 AM |
As always, your drawings are beautiful- even without your bright and lovely paints on them, yet! I do have a question – since you mention and show your idea coming from a magazine photo. Are you legally required to get permission from the owner of the photographer before using their photo, although you made a few changes? There are times I would love to use photos from magazines, but fear I may be infringing on someone’s legal rights. Please help me with that. Thank you!
July 25, 2014 at 5:46 PM |
Hi Sandra,
Thank you for your great question. I’m very aware of copyright laws, I worked as a Medical Illustrator for years. However, if you will compare the photo with my sketch on the canvas they are considerably different. I just used the general concept of the courtyard with the stairs disappearing around the building. When the painting is complete it will really look different. I have a photo we took in Italy that has almost the same architectural structure, only in Tuscan style. You are absolutely right, I would not copy the photo exactly or even with a couple of changes. That would definitely be an infringement of copyright law. I appreciate you following my blog. Have a wonderful day and Hugs, Mikki
July 25, 2014 at 12:19 PM |
Absolutely beautiful Mikki!!
July 25, 2014 at 1:44 PM |
As soon as I saw the pix, I thought, ‘that looks like a Mikki painting’.
July 25, 2014 at 3:18 PM |
I’m curious to know the answer to the copyright issue, too.