Study in Grays and a Pop of Color

It seems like I am always looking for new affordable learning opportunities so I'm in my exploration mode and reading a lot as a source for inspiration. 

This painting was just one of those 'what ifs', and wanted to share it here on the blog. The 'what if' was using mixtures in black and white with a bit of color to see if it went dead or not.

I tested the printing on a flat notecard and the color in the background came out much more purplish, but okay for the price!

So now, I've been looking at it for several weeks trying to decide what to do with it. 

I like the neutrals with the intense red color for the visual interest, and will probably try a few more with a variety of intense color spots. 

Study in Gray and Red Berries
8" x 8", Oil on Stretched Canvas

Back to Oil Painting Basics...

During the past several weeks I've purged every thought/idea that popped into my head without judgment. Just hacking around. I had a blast doing that... however, I decided to get back to basics. The steps described may seem boring to some folks, but when you love something, it is also for the love of the process. 

I started my painting with an instructor (Ron Lukas - in Ballard, WA) back in the 80's. He was from the Russian Impressionist tradition. This study was after a 4 year degree in art. The painting interest has always been with me, but it was hard to find anyone in my area who could teach me the technical skills along with an intelligent understanding of what I was doing! Ron was better at teaching what I wanted to know so I studied with him for a couple years once a week in a group setting.

Ron would do demos at quite a fast pace, and I remember asking myself how does he do that? His brush strokes looked like jewels! I had no clue how he decided on color mixtures, because they clearly didn't match the objects he was painting. And so it goes for every clueless beginning student of painting...

First came the value studies in black and white that I still do to this day. I love it! ;o)
Then came some basic still life in color, and then painting from a live model. I thought everything looked ugly. ;o( Mixing color O-M-G what was I doing???

Filbert brushes are all I used... so I decided to just get back to basics that Ron taught me using a palette similar, but a little different... and a little more in the traditional style.

Massing In

The block in of masses only suggesting a few details to be sure I was going to stay with it. This took about an hour to decides what objects to use that I had laying around the studio. Nothing new, this process is the same as most any artist you might run into.

I do tone my canvas when working this way, and my palette is toned to approximately the same value making it easier to judge the mixtures.

Getting the canvas covered.

Then always working towards the finish and painting more slowly so I felt more confident about the value and color of each paint stroke. This took about 1.5 hours with a few breaks to judge what I was doing from a distance.

Looking in a mirror at the reverse to be sure it didn't look too 'wonky', and was really content in the process.

BTW, I wanted the rose to glow...

Final Touches
8 x 8 Oil on Stretched Canvas
©2015

After about an hour I went back to see what I thought about the overall image and if it was worth keeping. I always do this and sometimes the answer is no and I'll scrape off everything and start over. This one though was going to survive another day. But (always the but)...

I wanted to do a few more touches to help the eye move through the painting so I added bits of orange peel, softened a few edges, and adjusted values and reflections in the blue bottle.

Note: the blue glass bottle is a darker value, less bluish, and less busy looking in the actual painting. Monitors and the online editors tend to change values even when the original photo is almost perfect.

T'was the Night Before Xmas... Christmas Card Opt #2

I finally completed the second study for a Christmas card.

The photo of my Granddaughter was actually taken a couple of Christmas eves ago - so I thought the title fitting. She's sitting in her Great Grandma's chair that now resides at her Auntie's house.

It is a little brighter than I originally thought I would do, but it will be darker by default after it is printed. It is getting a little late to be working on a Christmas card image, but at least it will be ready for next year if I don't make it happen this year. ;o)

T'was the Night Before Xmas
9 x 12 Oil on Stretched Canvas
© 2013
NFS

"Paint Two Images..." - Stage 2

It has been about 6 months since I posted anything about this project regarding the 'Paint Two Images Project'. It seems no matter how important a project is, it doesn't mean it is going to happen quickly, and this is definitely one of those projects.

I think about this project almost daily, and have mulled over old drawings, and new drawings, and lots of ideas about what these two images should be. All in all, I kept returning to a figurative theme, and here is the next stage of the project.

Title TBD - Originals Not for Sale
16 x 20 inches - Oil on Stretched Canvas
© 2013

While researching for this project, I came across one charcoal drawing and one ink drawing that were done in 1980's during figure drawing classes. When I drew them, I didn't know I would be using them in the future - the thought never occurred to me. The female model was done during a fashion illustration course, and the male model is actually a dancer who modeled for art students in Seattle. The originals were done about 4 years apart, and I was a little surprised to see how little the style of my drawings changed.

As I develop the idea for these paintings I became keen on using symbolism, and I am leaving it open for interpretation. Several thoughts have swept across my mind about what it might mean, but I tell you 'it changes' a bit even though some passages are constant. It is like different layers of understanding are represented.

The actual rendering of the image is not determined because of the difficulty of finding and affording models to work from, so in the interest of allowing these paintings to develop as I go along, they may likely be left to look very graphic rather than realistic. BTW, I am working on them simultaneously as though it is one large painting. This should keep them looking harmonious both in style and color.

I have some ideas for the background, and will be posting that result I hope in the near future. I have resolved that no matter what the result of these paintings, they will be framed and put on the wall.

Happy Thanksgiving to all...

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving no matter how you spend your day - of course it is best to do this with a grateful heart. ;o)

The following days many of you will then spend lots of time shopping and decorating for the next big day of the year!

My wish for you is that you carry that same grateful heart with you for a more sane and peaceful holiday season.

 Best Wishes

Still life painted circa 1980's

I Amazed Myself... and giggled!

I remember a workshop I attended several years ago after a dry spell from painting. The class was painting a still life. It was a fun class on many levels; 1) because I was thrilled to be painting again, and 2) because I saw many past artist friends also attending - so it was a great reunion time too.

I happily went about painting the setup arranged by the instructor on my "homemade" stretched linen 12x12 birch stretcher bars for the time remaining in the morning after the teacher demos in such a workshop, and then it was time for the lunch break. Upon going to the sink to clean my brushes before leaving the studio for lunch, I turned around to look at all the student's work and asked "who did that one?" No reply, so I turned back around finished cleaning my brushes, and went back to my spot. OMG!! I had to do a double take because it was my own painting; I had not recognized it! How can this be??

Frye Workshop Still Life-Block In

12 x 12 Stretched Linen

Circa 1980's

The experience left me with an odd yet pleasant feeling because when I first asked whose painting it was, I was thinking whomever did, looked like they had a pretty good start! Even a classmate standing next to me noticed the painting as notable-also not realizing that it was mine. I never finished it because the afternoon session was portrait painting.

Looking now of course I can see things I'd change in the arrangement. but thinking back on this experience, I still have to chuckle a little. The lesson back then - as most of us learn eventually - was it is sometimes helpful to work on a painting looking with fresh eyes from another angle (the mirror trick) or sometimes just setting it aside; it truly does give us a chance to see what the wonderful right brained genius living inside our heads can do when given the freedom to enjoy creating with complete delight - no pressure.

I know this may sound a little strange, but since this experience when I catch myself being too critical while painting, I tell left brain (LB is very dominant sometimes) to be patient for the painting that right brain is doing because RB needs to build confidence - and LB can write an interesting story about it later. It seems to be helping with much less frustration around my studio. ;o)