Passion For Practice Musings From Music Masters Illustrations Explained, Cont. Page 3
Continued (from here).
12. Picture 9.0 Continuous Phrases: I don’t think this painting actually needs explanation. Playing goes smoother when you can play your phrases in a continuous manner. Since selling cards at music conferences like ASTA, TMTA, Midwest Clinic…, I believe this is a pretty poplular problem because this has been a reasonably popular selling card for teachers to purchase. Since no one has purchased a large amount in bulk of this note card, I actually have not printed it on the best quality paper that I usually print cards on in bulk.
13. Picture 10.0 Embrace Your Obstacles: Mostly explained in the book, but I regret that I didn’t figure out how to paint a piccolo in the left hand as an ice “Pick”, especially because that’s what Prof. Shelley Binder plays (rather than the saxophone). But I like the color, size and shape of using a saxophone.
Sleep On It
14. Picture 11.0 Sleep On It: (I haven’t actually printed this as a note card at the time of this writing, but I can provide a larger print or offer the original. My other “Sleep On It” note card Here, has been enormously popular). This original painting has a bit of texture, as I used gel medium in the background paint and spread it around with a fine comb. I found I fine metal comb when cleaning out my Mother’s bather room and didn’t know what it was. I A friend told me it was to clean hairs out of hairbrushes, and that I should use it to texturize my paintings. It worked fantastically. The testure came thru from the back ground when I painted the pictures on top of it. I decided I liked it this way. Otherwise, I would have filled in the ridges with get to smooth out the areas uner the pictures. I love this painting for so many reasons, one being that I have so much trouble actually sleeping myself.
15. Picture 12.0 Hard Spots or Target Practice: Well, I had fun with this painting. What comes to mind when hard is mentioned to you?! Following Einstein’s equations? (Perhaps I put the simplest one on the card?), hard metals?, playing very fast? Climbing coal mountains thru hot fires? I would love to get a note from anyone with other fun ideas about what they would use to symbolize “hard”. Interestingly enough, the only person that purchased this card at my last ASTA convention exhibit, (when the card was new) was a young boy. Out of all my cards, he picked that one to purchase!
16. Picture 13.0 Practice the Tail End: This is a newer painting (painted after Covid started, and I haven’t had it printed as a card at the time of this writing, but I can provide a larger print if requested). I notice that in smaller paintings, I tend to keep races the same. It is such a hard decision. It’s the reason I started painting a lot of animals playing instruments, only to find out that people loved the animals playing instruments. They are bigger sellers! About practicing the tail end - this is something people don’t do enough. I finally did it myself, and was amazed at how helpful it was!
