Apple and Pear Study

Apple & Pear
Oil 16x20

 
This piece is the most difficult piece I have ever done.  It took 8 hours and lots of grumbling!
The post ahead of this was the start of Jim's instruction on how to paint using oils, which was the value study for this painting.
What did I learn?  So much that my head hurts.. bad..    Lets see..
1) You don't need more than three colors; Alz.Crimson, Ult. Blue, and Indian Yellow.
2)  Shadows made with a transparent colors are deeper and richer.
3) Value shifts are key and must be represented properly. Everywhere!
4) Reflections from other objects and ambient light sources are what gives the best depiction when  painting a subject it gives it the proper descriptive form.
5)  That I have a long way to go to have my paintings sing a sweeter song.. 

Monochrome study

Oil 12x16 canvas pad

Monochrome value study from the WC Southwest Forum.  Jim started an instructional thread, its going to be a good one. I'm grateful he is taking the time to help others become better artists.

This is the first lesson. Monochrome painting to help us find the correct value relationships. The oil paints colors are ult. blue, alz. crimson, and indian yellow.  All are transparent colors that make a nice dark value. We were not to use white.. that was the hard part!  I forgot the paints we are using are dyes.  The dyes stained the canvas paper.  I am used to putting the paint on and subtracting it off of the canvas so the paper worked against me. So the value around the napkin is way to dark..Now I wished I used a panel! Live and learn!

Donkey Treats

Donkey Treats
11x14 Oil on Hardboard

  I was bumping about the house looking for stuff to paint for a still life.   I came across Eeyore and a few other stuffed critters.  Since he is my favorite I had to give him the honor.   Joe ate the apple though.. and the grapes never made it to the party.  Gotta love grapes.  ;)

Needless to say I'm thrilled how he turned out.  I've been doing more still life because the colors and values in shadow are much more defined.  It really helps because there are more choices on which way to go with hues, etc.  Much faster too!  

There are more paintings of my still lifes on my blog. I have not been posting them to Facebook as of late.  Life has been busy.   But if your interested in a look see.  Follow this link to the Home Page and scroll down.

Clucking Christmas Sewing Caddy

Oil 5x7 on hardboard

Little diddly of a little sowing caddy which has been tucked away for years in a shadowbox.  Had a phone call so when I came back to it I forgot where I was and had to re-group a bit.
   Goal here was metallic sheen.  Scissors and satin cloth.  One of these days painting is going to be like driving.  Meaning I get the hang of it with fewer mistakes.

My Lil' Homely Tea Pot

Diddle Tea Pot 5x4 oil

  These little 15 or 20 minute diddles are my start to the day, then on to serious stuff.  Not that they don't have merit I guess.  To me they are exercises and not quite works of art.  As a visitor was picking through a few and chided me that I must post these also.  I promised to post a few as I ramble down this road.
    In reality, this tea pot has to be one of the worlds homeliest  teapots ever.  I found it at a yard sale for a dime.  It is out of kilter everywhere!  The lid nubbin is off center, and it doesn't quite fit on the rim.  The handle is not center to the body either.  It's sides are not square and the pattern is not square to the sides, really adding to the out of plumb look.   Guess that is what drew me to it. Joe, of course, said "Get out! Your taking that home!"   "Yup." and I did.  
     Bit of a side note.  It has to be one of the most uncomfortable pieces I have done to date.  I thought it would be easy to do, but no!   To put down true lines that were not square goes against the grain of what my brain/hand feels is correct.  The principle that I follow when I do these diddles is.. Draw/paint what you see, not what you think you see.  Was really hard to adhere to!

Colorful Fowl

Colorful Fowl
5x7 oil hardboard

This is just a little daily diddle I did yesterday morning.  I guess I'm stuck being a realist painter.  At least the background is impressionistic.
Eyes always throw me off so I tend to put them in last.  This one the eye was put in first, as the professionals suggest doing, I had to work around the awkward feeling I get in doing this part of the painting first.  The painting almost takes on a life of its own and looks back at you, it just gives me the willies.  Jim from the SW forum said that feeling goes away with practice.  So practice I will.  ;)

Western Waterfall

Western Waterfall
5x7 oil on Hardboard

Just a little diddle to get back in to the saddle a bit for the western forum.  We are having an exchange of art work there and was busy painting a piece to swap (can't show it till the 20th though.) Working on three larger pieces at the moment.  Big is way outside my comfort zone.

Then there is the studio issue.  Studio is now at a standstill as the lumber yard dropped the ball with ordering the bead board.  Waiting a month and we still don't have it.  Joe and I went to another place and got a close facsimile for the rec room. But it still leaves my room undone.   Guess it is well worth the wait though.  Oh.  I did pick up cabinets at a good price so there is that.. ;-)