Spring Rain at Crestview

When the day started cloudy and gray - I knew I wanted to take my fountain pen inks!  Making dramatic shifts between masses, I dropped in ink with a dropper, then floated in water with a wash brush. I took a small glass dip pen and 3 other fountain pens with different colors of inks loaded. I was sheltered from the gusting wind, so those wet inky puddles could dry without being blown right off the paper!  So unpredictable, it was exciting to watch the ink do it's magic as I worked on the next mass.  I'm known for keeping everything clean, but tonight I'm sporting a little garland ink on my fingers from the dropper spurting erratically!  I may have to wear it off, or maybe try bleach next!  I know it's crazy for an event, but some days you just have to jump in boldly and embrace what drives you!  Painting number 3383 in 3383 days. 

Bold Sunset Sailing

Feeling bold today, the palette knife was calling my name.  I had sold a sailboat painting last week, and the memories of so many other seascapes came flooding back.  Using personal photos on my phone, I started this demo in class today to assist a student through the process.  This is painted entirely with my Princeton Catalyst, which I normally prefer to any metal knife.  The handle was too long to fit in my pocket box, so I took the head off the handle, holding it from the ferrel end!   It slid right off, and I can stick it right back on for normal use!   It is super fun to get chunky with the paint, while using the photo as a "jumping off point" for my painting.  It gives me some guidance, as I let the whims of the paint run wild.  Sometimes, I just have to run free!  Painting number 1482 in 1482 days.

Water Lily in June

As I worked in the flower beds around the pool, I wondered what I would paint today.  My abundant perennials are so quickly out of control,  that I really have my work cut out for me.  There was some fabulous peachy light streaming in from the west during the golden hour,  but I was just a little too late to capture it.  So, coming to my easel late, I am using reference from the arboretum for tonight's painting, and playing with my palette knife.  I need to find my catalyst, as I prefer it......I hope I didn't lose it in the field last week!   Painting number 1253 in a 1253 days :)

Water Lily in June
Oil on panel, 6x6
purchase here

Bold Beau

Bold Beau
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, 8x8

This sweet little lab weighs over 100 lbs - and thinks he’s a lap dog!  His head is larger than mine, and his feet bruise mine when he happens to step on them as he goes outside first thing in the morning!  So full of energy, he has certainly been a handful - but he is so full of sweetness and love, that all is forgiven.  My husband’s “special boy” is my muse tonight, as I push the colors in a bold direction.  It was a little harder for him than it has been for the cats and Ray.  He is such an unusual red lab color, and it was hard to translate that into the vivid hues.  I started with highlights, then dropped in bolder colors a little at a time, testing them against their neighbors as I went.  So much of the energy of a painting is in the relationships of the hues - what lays next to what.  He has the most unusual light green “people” eyes - they seem to glow in real life (it was a little creepy at first)!  I’ve mainly used my brushes for this one, but I did do a little topping off with my new catalysts - which I love!  If you don’t have one, you simply must try one!  They make marks unlike any other tool.  This painting makes 1155 in 1155 days.

Ray

Ray
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, 12x12

colors in progress...

So, I have probably lost my mind, but I am having great fun with color as I get wild with Ray Charles tonight! What possesses me to go after this portrait in such a way?  Painting daily takes away all fear when it comes to trying new things!  I’m undaunted when I slap down a strong, vivid stroke, the unexpected is just that much more exciting, and most of all - it is sheer, undiluted fun to push those boundaries way, way back!  I chose Ray Charles, because I love the infectious joy that his smile exudes......and it kind of goes with the music theme I had going with a few paintings last week.  I got my new catalysts yesterday, and I have used three new styles on this painting - the square, the arrowhead and the large chisel edge.  I love each of them!  I used the tip of the arrowhead for those little choppy hair curls, and the others throughout.  I probably used the square head most of all!  I think they are SO much better than palette knives, and I may never pick another knife up!  This wild and crazy painting is the 1154th in 1154 days :)

first sketch over old landscape!

Streetside Umbrellas

Streetside Umbrellas
Oil on masonite, 10x8
Parkville in Art Paint Out - purchase here

As I stepped out of my car, I saw these gorgeous umbrellas from two blocks away.  Walking past the little shops dotting Main Street, my focus was already on the composition, the first strokes being laid in my mind.  I had not left enough time for this complex painting (hmmmmm - seems to be a pattern here....), so I would need to work fast.  Setting up in a small square of shade, tucked unto the side of “Finders, Keepers”, I sketched out the cafe scene.  The bright, late afternoon light and the bold color of umbrellas, cafe and foliage is what drew me instantly to the spot - so I had to capture that glory before it faded into shadow!  Once all of the block in and some of the finish work were done, the light had changed - and my time was up.  Time to get to the award presentation for the English Landing, so this painting required one more visit to finish up, which is something I almost never do.  Painting number 1018 in 1018 days :)

Electric Mountain Reflections

Electric Mountain Range
Oil on canvas, 10x8
purchase here

Tri-County had Melanie Nolker in for a palette knife workshop - and it was super fun!  With bold color choices, I struck out with my palette knife and abandoned my normal palette.  She provided paints, orange primed canvas and a single knife from which to complete this painting.  The underpainting is scraped on very lightly with colors to create an energy with the top layer of thick paint - so not what you want the top color to look like.  Over the top of this, a thick layer is spread on as if icing a cake.  Then, I punched up the colors, allowing the painting to have it's own bold voice! SO FUN and a little crazy! This is Day 19 of the 30 Day painting challenge and my 992nd painting in 992 days.

underpainting

Red Hot Wine Glasses

Red Hot Wine Glasses
Oil on canvas panel, 7x5
purchase here

Switching gears completely tonight and playing with bold, wild color!  Brushing on thick and topping off with palette knife - this bright and lively still life closes my very busy day.  Some days are too busy for eating, but I can always squeeze in a painting!  I hope I can paint more than one tomorrow during the Tri-County paint in.  It is definitely better to be ahead by a painting - it adds a little breathing room when life becomes too hectic!  Painting number 959 in 959 days.

Bold Sunflowers

September Sunflowers
Watercolor and wax on rice paper, 6x6

This painting is a bit of an abstraction using the watercolor batik technique on rice paper.  Bold and vibrant color reign in this small painting as I have mixed my paints with little water.  Experimenting to see if bold color can even be applied to such a thin, delicate paper, I have indeed found that it can.  I have left a little white - where I applied the hot wax onto the painted sunflowers and stems.  Laying in heavy, wet color for the background was fun!  I just kept dipping in more pigment with my brush, letting the water carry it over the surface.  Once dry, I cover the whole surface with hot wax (in a tiny crockpot).  Dry, and crinkle the painting into a ball, open and float another color into the cracks (brown - shown here).  Laying brown paper on top and bottom of painting, I then heat with a medium iron until no more wax comes off onto the paper.  I needed to change out papers three times to get the wax up.  Painting number 637 in as many days, and Day 27 of the 30 day Painting Challenge by Leslie Saeta.  It was her challenge in January of 2013 that started my daily painting journey!  I have learned so much in the last 637 paintings - and I have Leslie to thank for the nudge in the right direction :)