Several people have asked me to offer a class about how I paint with acrylics, and most of those people are primarily impressed with how I use color. Today, I have begun putting that class together, and my first step is to show you most of the Golden acrylic paint colors and how I group…
Highlights from February Flowers 2021: Jacki Kellum Florals – Defining My Style
In February, I participated in the Instagram event, February Flowers, which prompted me to paint a different floral every day. Because I had not truly painted with acrylic before, this event was especially meaningful for me. For the past several years, I had only painted in watercolor, and most of that painting was as illustrations….
Who Is Jacki Kellum? and Why?
“I am part of all that I have met.” – Tennyson – Many years ago, I read Tennyson’s words about how life’s experiences become the core of who we are, and today, as I continue to celebrate my debut picture book, The Donkey’s Song, I thought that I’d tell you a bit more about who…
Create to Be More Creative – A Zen-Like Thought about the Importance of Getting Things Out
A year ago, my first picture book was acquired by Doubleday for Young Readers. And while it would seem that this miracle would have opened my floodgates and would have called forth every book that might ever lie deep within myself, the opposite was actually true. Regardless of what I tried to write, a voice…
6 Tips to Help You Get Ready for Your Picture Book Manuscript to Be Discovered on Twitter through PBPitch
Almost two years ago, I pitched several manuscripts through #PBpitch, and although my overall success was minimal that day, I landed a once-in-a-lifetime contract offer from Frances Gilbert, who is the Editor-in-Chief for Doubleday for Young Readers, which is a division of Penguin Random House. She purchased world rights for a manuscript that I almost…
How Many Hours Does It Take to Create A 1-Hour Painting and Why?
Yesterday, I posted images of my 1-Hour painting Lilies, and within minutes someone asked me how much that this painting would cost. Lilies – Jacki Kellum Acrylic Painting Created in 1 Hour I came back with the price of $300, and I could almost hear jaws drop. “What? $300 for 1 hour of work?” Well,…
A Peek into Jacki Kellum’s Studio in the Ozark Mountains.
Roses in a Striped Mug – Jacki Kellum Acrylic Painting January 21, 2021 Today, I was painting, and before my still life fell apart, I decided to snap a shot of my setup–in the spot where I actually paint. I live in a house that is about 125 years old, and I paint in a…
Sunflowers and Roses – Jacki Kellum Acrylic Painting Created with Only 25 Strokes
Sunflowers and Roses – Jacki Kellum Acrylic Painting Created with Only 25 Strokes This is Day 4 of My Commitment to Paint Every Day for at least 100 days. Although I painted in oil years ago, I have been painting in watercolor for the past several years. To help get myself into a more painterly…
To Help Control Your Perfectionism, Try Completing a Painting in Only 30 Minutes
This week, I have returned to one of my older passions–painting boldly and expressively. I have discovered that even though my 30-minute paintings are not loaded with the “real,” many people still like them because they are free.7 A Jar of Sunflowers – Jacki Kellum Acrylic Painting Completed in 30 Minutes Sunflowers in a Blue…
How I Create 20-Stroke Paintings to Train My Artist’s Intuition & to Help Improve My Paintings
At least once a week, I argue with one person or another, telling them that painting is not magic. It is a learnable skill. The would-be painter needs to learn some drawing basics, and again, that is no more mysterious than learning how to type. Mere drawing and painting are technical skills, like typing or riding…