Thursday, March 31, 2011

Ohio Farm


This painting sold on the Daily Paintworks Help Japan Challenge with six bids and sold to a purchaser in California.

Portrait of a Songdog


Donated one of these prints to the Daily Paintworks Help Japan Challenge. My last donation had six bids and sold to a person in California. I will post it next.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Yellow Maple

First photo of the Yellow Maple. Since studying on Johannes Vloothuis' Webinar on WetCanvas.com, I have learned so much and this is this week's homework. Do a tree with hard and soft edges. I am still attempting to do the value masses also. Difficult. I wanted to do the sky a light blue but it didn't go with the 3 value plan. I think I went to light in the tree too fast, so now there is MUCH paint on, and feel I need to let it sit for the night. How weird when you are painting....donuts, birds, squares and circles all appear and need to be corrected, and all the sky holes end up being the same shape. It is also very difficult to make the shapes all different especially on the outline of the tree. Another out of the box attempt for me.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Comments

Goodness, Sorry if I have not responded to your comments. I made the wrong assumption that they would notify me if there was a comment and today I saw one and checked the comment tab. I appreciate all comments and will respond in the future. Thank you so much.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Original photo


This was the original photo that I started with.

Webinar

I am learning a tremendous amount from the Wet Canvas Webinar. Abstract shapes, values, changing the view, being creative, simplifying, It will make a huge difference in my paintings.

3 value sketch

The original photo was similar to the top sketch. I chose to change the format, redesign the painting to the bottom value sketch.

Seascape and Pine


I did this today for the Wet Canvas class. We had our choice of 10 photos. Then we had to crop and redesign. Then do a 3 value study sketch, then paint the values in color. I will see what remarks Johannes Vloohuis has to say, so I may need to work on it some more.

Hotai series


I worked on this on Wednesday. I needed some companion pieces for the 16x20 Hotai, so I did him looking at a Cardinal. Need to stamp my dragon and name on him. I need another view which will be a side view. I still have not mastered the acrylic. I have to layer too much. Like my oils much better.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Peel


I love watching this. Amazes me!

Rabbit and violet


This week's DPW Challenge...One or two white objects set upon a colorful cloth. I went to Hobby Lobby and bought a 1/2 yard of a Spring fabric after deciding I had only a white ceramic rabbit and a white Corelle dish. Both things I love. The rabbit was bought in the hospital gift shop when I was in nursing school and the small Corelle plates with the iris were purchased last year. This was definitely a challenge. I wanted to make it a one color per brush stroke but that didn't happen. It was so difficult to get those different whites. I do love this painting.I put the plate behind to make the composition more interesting. I attempted to make all the dark shapes one value and then all the light shapes one value.so they work together to make interesting shapes.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

The Honorable Abe


This week's Daily Paintworks challenge. We were given a black and white photo of Lincoln and told to do what we wanted. There were different choices. I did a 5x7 pencil sketch on a canvas board. I knew our Portrait Club was going to demo some flesh tones so waited on that and worked from those colors. This is actually my first Portrait of a human! I usually do Pets.

Ohio Marsh 3


This one was done on black paper,and very hard to keep the painting light. Takes a lot of pastel to cover it. So what I have learned in this challenge...When doing the underpainting one should not go too dark if you want a lighter painting, that warm undertones do warm up the rest of the painting, that cooler ones keep it with a cool feeling. All these decisions need to be made before putting the brush to the paper. The whole idea of the Underpainting is keep that color and just add needed pastel. If you go too dark, then you have to use a lot of pastel to lighten. Always easier to go dark with the pastel.

Ohio Marsh 2



This Marsh painting was done on blue gray paper. It has a cooler look. These are definitely challenges as the colors change on the background colors.

Ohio Marsh 1


This is actually the Marsh done on White sanded paper with an underpainting. These were interesting to do to get the colors. This one on white paper came out with a very pastel shade painting where the previous one on Warm paper has a definite warm feeling.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Watercolor Pastel Challenge

After watching a Richard McKinley DVD, I decided to accept his challenge of doing the same painting on different colored paper. This was the actually the second painting done on warm ochre paper.. This was fun and exciting. I have been using these winter months to challenge myself to learn more about techniques, color, etc. Getting prepared for Plein air painting if Spring ever gets here. I am excited to go Saturday to the Ohio Plein Air Society annual meeting, a day long event with demos and to see all my plein air friends.

Hotai the laughing Buddha


This was a 16x20 done in acrylic for a show, where 2 8x10s will accompany it. It was done from a four inch statue of Hotai, my favorite little guy! I rub his belly daily and he inspires me to laugh every day. That is what inspired me. I am challenging myself to work in acrylic. I do much prefer oils.

Tears of the Dragon


This was last week's Daily Paintworks Challenge. One color per stroke. Very exciting to do. 8x8 Oil. I am enjoying these challenges. It is getting me out of the box. The plan is to mix paint up ahead and that works pretty well. My problem is getting them photographed and uploaded correctly.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

One color per stroke Challenge


This is how I want to paint. Very difficult to not just move that paint around and keep stroking!! It takes a lot of planning and mixing color ahead of time. Lots of paint!
I do love these challenges. Just think how my painting will go if Spring ever comes.