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The Artist Diaries

The Artist Diaries (in HD)
Starring:
Lee Hartman (as the Teacher), Loni Kao Stark (as the Student)
Description: Can a student become a master painter? Chasing the dream of a lifetime, one art class, one painting, and one headlock at a time.
Episode Guide:
The Artist Diaries
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building Rome
Artist Diaries: Lucie Stern Theatre in hues of purple
by Loni Kao Stark | 03.10.10 | Comment
Artist Diaries: Lucie Stern Theatre in hues of purple

After sketching out the Lucie Stern Theatre building on canvas last week, I embarked on my first pass across the canvas with my oil paints.

I chose to paint this building because I’ve always loved the architecture and also ...

Obsession with Architecture
Artist Diaries: Transforming green blobs into leaves, a final signature and sketching Lucie Stern
by Loni Kao Stark | 02.28.10 | Comment
Artist Diaries: Transforming green blobs into leaves, a final signature and sketching Lucie Stern

This week I finally completed my fourth oil painting. The last challenge I had with this painting was in an area that I had painted first: the trees in the top right corner of the painting. The leaves ...

Having an eye for it
Artist Diaries: Learning to create depth with light and dark color tones
by Loni Kao Stark | 02.22.10 | Comment
Artist Diaries: Learning to create depth with light and dark color tones

This week, I adjusted the tone of some of the walls. However, the main focus was on the greenery in the foreground which I was looking forward to painting because it really adds a pop of color to ...

obsession with architecture
Artist Diaries: Terracotta pots get added and a question to ponder
by Loni Kao Stark | 02.17.10 | Comment
Artist Diaries: Terracotta pots get added and a question to ponder

I am now at the point of the painting where the anxiety level starts to climb. In the beginning of a painting, it is easy to add a stroke here or there and see significant improvements in the ...

we're not in Gotham anymore
Artist Diaries: Altering the foundation colors of the fountain with some Dioxazine Purple
by Loni Kao Stark | 02.09.10 | Comment
Artist Diaries: Altering the foundation colors of the fountain with some Dioxazine Purple

This week, I warmed up and lightened the colors of the fountain so that it would not look so foreboding.

If you recall, last week, because of the darkness of the fountain relative to the other elements of the ...

Rome or Gotham?
Artist Diaries: Bringing the foreground into focus and a foreboding conclusion
by Loni Kao Stark | 02.04.10 | Comment
Artist Diaries: Bringing the foreground into focus and a foreboding conclusion

In class this past week, I finally moved onto my second pass of the foreground which includes the fountain and the dining area in bright blue. Up until now, these areas were just blocked in as part of ...

Wisdom of experience
Artist Diaries: Finding the balance between “medium” and “crazy”
by Loni Kao Stark | 01.28.10 | Comment
Artist Diaries: Finding the balance between “medium” and “crazy”

Last week, Lee Hartman looked over at my painting from across the classroom and noted I had a “medium” painting. When she first declared this, I wasn’t sure what she meant. However, in general, I don’t ...

A great teacher
Artist Diaries: Rome was not built in a day…and neither will my oil painting
by Loni Kao Stark | 01.12.10 | Comment
Artist Diaries: Rome was not built in a day…and neither will my oil painting

This past Saturday, I had another oil painting class with Lee. This was a class I was looking at with a bit of dread. If you recall, I left the last class realizing the balcony at the top ...

Meandering brushes
Exploring the streets of Rome with oils
by Loni Kao Stark | 01.09.10 | Comment
Exploring the streets of Rome with oils

I wanted to give you an update on my fourth painting. The subject matter is a photo I took while exploring the streets of Rome. I had been walking everywhere by foot and as a narrow street cleared, ...

Paint it Black
The Artist Diaries #5: ‘Goals and Shoes’
by Clinton Stark | 01.05.10 | Comment

Loni talks goals. Lee talks shoes. Can a student become a master painter?

What's in a rainbow?
What is your color aptitude? Here’s a test to find out
by Loni Kao Stark | 01.01.10 | Comment
What is your color aptitude? Here’s a test to find out

One of the most important talents of oil painting, as I am finding out from my time in Lee Hartman’s art classes, is the ability to see the colors in a photo or live subject. The ...

Inspiring Fountains
Oil painting: Memories of meandering through the streets of Rome
by Loni Kao Stark | 12.21.09 | Comment
Oil painting: Memories of meandering through the streets of Rome

I’ve started my fourth oil painting that is based on a photo I took while walking the streets of Rome, Italy.

The city is full of beautifully aged fountains and plastered buildings with bold colored shutters. This particular clearing ...

Revisiting rome adventures
From red barns to the fountains of Rome
by Loni Kao Stark | 12.05.09 | Comment
From red barns to the fountains of Rome

After travels to Loreto Baja and Australia, I am happy to be back to my regularly scheduled oil painting classes with Lee Hartman on Saturdays at University Art in San Jose, CA.

Today was a momentous day as, with ...