Cosmic Cow: Scott Plaster is Featured Artist of the Week in the Community Arts Cafe Magazine

Cosmic Cow » Forums » Scott's Art Blog Forum » Scott Plaster is Featured Artist of the Week in the Community Arts Cafe Magazine

Scott Plaster is Featured Artist of the Week in the Community Arts Cafe Magazine by Scott Plaster - Sunday, 7 December 2008, 09:27 AM

"In Pursuit of the Cosmic Cow" Cosmic Cow Artist Scott Plaster is Artist of the Week in the Community Arts Cafe Magazine Scott would describe his most recent works as whimsical. "I think that one reason for creating art is to get people to look at the world around them in a different way. I try to highlight my subjects in a way that makes them look "more than" their surroundings. I try to give the animals character, and people often comment that they can relate to the animals they see in my works." He finds that some of his paintings make people smile, which in today's world can be as rewarding as anything else in today's troubled times... Read the Full Story in the Community Arts Cafe... Reply See this post in context

Cosmic Cow: Cosmic Cow Society Featured in GoTriad!

Cosmic Cow » Forums » Scott's Art Blog Forum » Cosmic Cow Society Featured in GoTriad!

Cosmic Cow Society Featured in GoTriad! by Scott Plaster - Sunday, 7 December 2008, 09:25 AM

GREENSBORO - Scott Plaster's artist eye couldn't help but notice the cow. It stood alongside the Blue Ridge Parkway, looking so out of place as cars whizzed by. Plaster snapped a photograph. Someday, he knew, he would paint that cow. He didn't know then that his whimsically-painted bovine would become the namesake of a new organization of emerging and established artists, the Cosmic Cow Society... Read the Full Story in Go Triad Reply See this post in context

Cosmic: Cosmic Cow Artist Scott Plaster Featured in Community Arts Cafe Magazine...

Cosmic » Forums » The Latest from the Cosmic Cow » Cosmic Cow Artist Scott Plaster Featured in Community Arts Cafe Magazine...

Cosmic Cow Artist Scott Plaster Featured in Community Arts Cafe Magazine... by Scott Plaster - Sunday, 7 December 2008, 08:47 AM

In Pursuit of the Cosmic Cow Cosmic Cow Artist Scott Plaster is Artist of the Week in the Community Arts Cafe Magazine Scott would describe his most recent works as whimsical. "I think that one reason for creating art is to get people to look at the world around them in a different way. I try to highlight my subjects in a way that makes them look "more than" their surroundings. I try to give the animals character, and people often comment that they can relate to the animals they see in my works." He finds that some of his paintings make people smile, which in today's world can be as rewarding as anything else in today's troubled times... Read the Full Story in the Community Arts Cafe... See this post in context

Cosmic: GoTriad Features Cosmic Cow Society ...

Cosmic » Forums » The Latest from the Cosmic Cow » GoTriad Features Cosmic Cow Society ...

GoTriad Features Cosmic Cow Society ... by Scott Plaster - Sunday, 7 December 2008, 08:35 AM

GREENSBORO - Scott Plaster's artist eye couldn't help but notice the cow. It stood alongside the Blue Ridge Parkway, looking so out of place as cars whizzed by. Plaster snapped a photograph. Someday, he knew, he would paint that cow. He didn't know then that his whimsically-painted bovine would become the namesake of a new organization of emerging and established artists, the Cosmic Cow Society... Read the Full Story in Go Triad See this post in context

Cosmic: (S)mart (T)alk about (ART) Guest Speaker Series

Cosmic » Forums » The Latest from the Cosmic Cow » (S)mart (T)alk about (ART) Guest Speaker Series

	(S)mart (T)alk about (ART) Guest Speaker Series by Scott Plaster - Friday, 24 October 2008, 08:04 PM
	Stay tuned for the series of art talks sponsored by the Cosmic Cow Society, to be held the second Friday of each month at the Maya Gallery on 340 Tate Street, Greensboro, NC. Click Here for the full press release and check back for more information about our first speaker. See this post in context

Cosmic: Cosmic Cow Society OPENING SHOW

Cosmic » Forums » The Latest from the Cosmic Cow » Cosmic Cow Society OPENING SHOW

	Cosmic Cow Society OPENING SHOW by Scott Plaster - Friday, 24 October 2008, 08:06 PM
	Join us for the OPENING SHOW of the Cosmic Cow Society at the Maya Gallery in December. The opening reception is Thursday, December 4 at 7 - 9 p.m. Click here for the full press release. See this post in context

Cosmic Cow: My New Home Page at ScottPlaster.com

Cosmic Cow » Forums » Scott's Art Blog Forum » My New Home Page at ScottPlaster.com

My New Home Page at ScottPlaster.com by Scott Plaster - Monday, 18 August 2008, 02:15 PM

My New Home Page at scottplaster.com I'm really excited to announce that my new home page is ready at http://scottplaster.com. I'm using this url on all of my promotional materials and so I wanted a one-stop page where people can go to access my biography, artist statement, blog, online gallery, newsletter, and contact information. I added fancy navigation buttons and put them on all of the pages so they would be tied together, and I added a Contact "feedback" so people can easily contact me without having to use e-mail. Please Check It Out and let me know what you think! (go to the Contact page and fill out the form). This is the type of page that our Cosmic Cow Society member artists can create to be "portals" for their own sites -- completely customizable and you can point your very own url web address straight to it!    --Scott Reply See this post in context

Cosmic Cow: "Crab in Space" -- Painting in Progress

Cosmic Cow » Forums » Scott's Art Blog Forum » "Crab in Space" -- Painting in Progress

"Crab in Space" -- Painting in Progress by Scott Plaster - Friday, 15 August 2008, 06:47 AM

"Crab in Space" -- My Next Painting I've decided to do another whimsical (but mean) animal. I had toyed with the idea of the title, "I'm Going to Peeeeench You," but then I noticed that the blue and white-speckled enameled lid the crab was sitting on looks like one of those original sappy screensavers...like outer space. This treatment would let me disembody the crab from its background a little and focus on creating some depth through different parts of its body. Here is the edited image (based on my photograph and edited in Photoshop) ready to draw on canvas: "Crab in Space" Edited Photograph I had to add to the image on the right-hand side by using airbrush, clone, and brush tools so I could slide the crab over the left enough for my liking. I wanted the eyes to be left of center, and the front claw to be right of center, to create a little movement. Compared with the photograph, I also rotated the crab about 10 degrees clockwise to make the image more dynamic. So far, I've created an 8"x10" printed reference then overlaid a grid to help me draw the background on canvas. I only have the claw done so far: my drawing so far (just the claw) photo reference with grid overlay  Wish me luck on my progress! I'll keep you posted...   Links: Cosmic Cow Press Release: http://tinyurl.com/ccpressrelease Cosmic Cow Image Gallery: http://tinyurl.com/ccimagegallery Scott Plaster's Blog: http://tinyurl.com/scott-plaster-blog Cheryl Sings the National Anthem: http://tinyurl.com/cherylsings Reply See this post in context

Cosmic Cow: Corrected: NEW Cosmic Cow Image Gallery

Cosmic Cow » Forums » Scott's Art Blog Forum » Corrected: NEW Cosmic Cow Image Gallery

Corrected: NEW Cosmic Cow Image Gallery by Scott Plaster - Friday, 8 August 2008, 02:13 PM

Sorry: Previous post had incorrect link *********************************************************** Hello All, I just completed our new Flash-based online image gallery, so please take a look at our artwork with its new presentation. I apologize for you having to follow a link, but it won't display inside of an e-mail: NEW: Check out the New Cosmic Cow Society Image Gallery... Reply See this post in context

Cosmic Cow: Feature Story: Sand Artist Dave Dandron

Cosmic Cow » Forums » Scott's Art Blog Forum » Feature Story: Sand Artist Dave Dandron

Feature Story: Sand Artist Dave Dandron by Scott Plaster - Wednesday, 6 August 2008, 07:54 AM

The Difference Between a Dreamer and a Quitter: Featured Artist Dave Dandron DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA August 2008 I first met Dave Dandron on the beach outside a resort in Florida last summer. Dave is a sand artist working and living on the beautiful beaches of Daytona Beach. Although unassuming by nature, Dave sometimes attacts a flock of observers to his sculptures-in-progress as he spends sometimes days creating them. His sand and wood artworks have been featured in publications regionally and nationally, but his greatest accomplishment is the way he approaches life and his attitude about his circumstances... ... READ WHOLE ARTICLE Sand Artist Dave Dandron Copyright - 2008 Cosmic Cow Society Reply See this post in context

Cosmic Cow: Scott Plaster Presents "Pelican Peeking"

Cosmic Cow » Forums » Scott's Art Blog Forum » Scott Plaster Presents "Pelican Peeking"

Scott Plaster Presents "Pelican Peeking" by Scott Plaster - Monday, 4 August 2008, 10:31 AM

Scott Plaster Presents "Pelican Peeking" 30"x40" oil on canvas This close-up of an Eastern Brown Pelican shows off its vivid color and varied textures. The artist has always wondered what pelicans must be thinking as they sit there trying to pretend they're invisible. The rosey pink background gives this work a slight unearthly quality and ties in the rest of the colors. Textures abound, with the different types of feathers and the scumbled texture of the bone-like beak. This painting is one of the latest in the artist's line of "whimsical" animals, and this one fits right in to that theme! Click to enlarge "Pelican Peeking" is Available at the Following Galleries: the original painting fine art Giclee prints on paper or canvas, framed or rolled in tube fine art prints (matted, mounted, laminated, or framed) or posters fine art prints and posters, and variety of specialty items Reply See this post in context

Cosmic Cow: Pelican Peeking - The Overpainting

Cosmic Cow » Forums » Scott's Art Blog Forum » Painting the Pelican (at last)

Pelican Peeking - The Overpainting by Scott Plaster - Monday, 4 August 2008, 08:41 AM

Pelican Peeking - the Overpainting After our Florida trip, I came back inspired to finish the Pelican: Step Six: The Background Using my disposable palette, I experimented with color mixtures using only zinc white, burnt sienna, alizarin crimson, indian red, raw umber, and ultramarine blue. I knew that the rosey color I was looking for was primarily indan red (light red oxide), but I added a little alizarin crimson for a more pinkish cast. Just a hint of burnt sienna and white made my main color for the background. I scumbled in some blue and more of the reds in the upper corners. I started with white in the lower corners and I worked in some raw umber to make a little grey. Step Seven: The Completed Background     Here is the painting with the completed background. This picture also shows the completed black and white back of the bird. I painted the white streaks first, then using a very dark umber/blue mixture, I created the darks, then highlighted the white feathers again (using some thick paint to create the wispy feature texture). Step Eight: The Bird's Head I did the top of the bird's head next usng mainly burnt sienna, blending down to the back of the bird's head with a very dark mixture of umbre and blue. I made a light blue green mixture and made wavy strokes to capture the wooly texture there. I got carried away and didn't get pictures in between these steps! But here are the highlights: I did the top of the head next with an attempt to capture just enough of the feather texture to be convincing. I highlighted the right edge of the head with white and then a dark color on the vertical lines. I created the wooley white plume in between the dark left and the green. Using lots of paint, I piled it on to create the texture and then went back in and created more darks (grey). Next came the interesting green underbeak. I covered it with a base green, then made a blue green and went back to add the lines, noting the cross texture, as well as the lines that run down vertically. I went back in and added highligts in key spots to create some light. It was at this point with the blue green that I experimented with a scumbling approach on the beak. With a very dry brush, I scumbled over the beak with various colors, leaving most of the underpainting showing through. I only went back over at the very end to create a few lighter areas, but nost of the richness of the colors was achieved with scumbling and a very dry brush. The eye was a challenge in form and because the colors. I attempted to capture the "roundness" of the eye. Note the many little round lids around the eye, which I did in a peachy color. I added a highlight in the pupil as the last touch. A Small version of the completed painting is to the right. I will post a larger version as a separate post.     Show parent | Reply See this post in context

Cosmic Cow: Peeking Pelican - Steps So Far

Cosmic Cow » Forums » Scott's Art Blog Forum » Painting the Pelican (at last)

Peeking Pelican - Steps So Far by Scott Plaster - Friday, 25 July 2008, 05:47 AM

A Painting from Start to Finish I'd like to document the stages and evolution of my current work, "Peeking Pelican." Step One: The Inspiration I used photographs as my source for the painting. I was fascinated with the brilliant colors of these strange birds. I started with this photograph. I then cropped the photo to create a vertical composition, and experiemented with background colors to highlight the colors in the bird. I ended up with a pinkish grey. The stark closeup of the bird seems a little striking and should catch the viewer off-guard. Step Two: Getting Started My next step was to get a basic drawing down on my canvas. I use water-soluble graphite, because I like the way I can "erase" it with a wet paper towel, and it doesn't bleed through the paint. My canvas for this work is a 30" x 40". The first picture shows my basic set-up and then a detail of the drawing. Step Three: Working on the Drawing I used technology next to help me with the drawing. I took the original edited photograph in Photoshop and created a new layer. I created a basic outline in black and then layed this over top of my drawing that I had so far on my canvas. This allowed me to see if my basic proportions were close enough to continue (they weren't). See the two smaller pictures below. Then, I edited my drawing on canvas using a wet paper towel and water soluble pencil. This resulted in the following drawing ready for the next step (to the right). Step Four: Preliminary Painting/Underpainting I set up a simple disposable palette (not my wooden one) with only a few basic colors (zinc white, burnt umber, raw umber, ultramarine blue, and yellow ochre), a few brushes, and odorless thinner. I made a neutral gray by mixing white, burnt umber, raw umber, and ultramarine. Using lots of thinner, I outlined the main parts of my drawing. There is something almost psychological for me about this step. The outline serves no real purpose (it will be covered later, and it is not a rigid line), but I like the feel of outlining my forms with an actual brush and actual paint. This step also allows me to get a better feel for the composition and adjust the main lines as necessary: I let this outline dry, which doesn't take very long with my water-soluble oils and thinner (no oil or medium). Step Five Continued: Next, I used combinations of these same colors to create a basic color underpainting of the subject. I thinned the mixtures drastically (with just odorless thinner) so that they were even as thin as watercolor and used these tints to establish the main colors of the bird. I made a dark grey for the stripe down the left side. I added blue for the upper parts of the beak. I used yellow ochre for the head. I left white exposed to show the lightest parts of the bird. At this stage, in addition to basic color, I wanted to begin to capture the texture of the different parts of the subject. With the green underbeak area, you'll notice the running texture, but also the lines. The features of the head begin to take on their upswept character. The background starts to appear atmospheric (I even used a towel for part of this). Although at this stage, I do not pay attention to small detail, I do want the colors and textures to stand on their own because sometimes I let some of this underpainting show through. I want the painting at this stage to appear somewhat complete (although far from finished). Again, something psychological makes this stage for me a time when I can work out not just the lines of the composition, but the colors, even if the final colors appear different. If I am not happy with a painting at this stage, then I try to do something to fix it, but with the Pelican Peeking, I am very happy! All there is to do now is to wait (overnight) for this underpainting to dry completely and I can start the "real" painting. Show parent | Reply See this post in context

Cosmic Cow: Painting the Pelican (at last)

Cosmic Cow » Forums » Scott's Art Blog Forum » Painting the Pelican (at last)

	Painting the Pelican (at last) by Scott Plaster - Thursday, 24 July 2008, 08:21 AM
	pelicancolorunderpainting_250.jpg This is the first post in the new forum I've created. If it works, I'll use it as my artist blog. I'm trying to start painting the Pelican today. Here's what I have so far. Reply See this post in context

Welcome to Scott Plaster's Art Blog

This is the main feed for my Artist Blog. It is updated here automatically through an email sent from the Cosmic Cow Website. The blog is a Forum on the Cosmic Cow Website that you can participate in, or simply subscibe to the feed from here and you will receive it.