Wishing Trees

 

Wishing Tree ink by Diamine is a lovely, winter day hue that pushes pink and turquoise in those wet areas!  It's perfect for the winter landscape, and I thought it lacked star power in the bottle.  I am constantly surprised when playing with fountain pen inks.  There have been a couple I thought would be excellent, but paled in comparison with this seemingly blah gray.  In fact, this is the first gray ink that has ever made am impression on me!  I'm looking forward to more interactions with this chromatic gray ink!  Painting number 5077 in 5077 days. 

Moody Winter Creek

Rain threatened all day as the temperature rose.  Although January, the local creeks are taking on the green tint of spring.  I love the dark, cloudy days, and I think there is much beauty in the close values. Color is more saturated, richer. I hope the warm days continue - I can't wait to get back in the field!  Painting number 1467 in 1467 days.

Oil on panel, 10x8
purchase here

Red Bandana

Red Bandana
Acrylic on masonite, 6x6

This man was dressed in period attire for the Buffalo Bill Days in Leavenworth, while I was attending the plein air event.  His face has so much character - I knew I would paint him!  He allowed me to take his profile shot, as well as a few others, and for today, he is my muse.  With limited time between the gym and picking up the boys, I jumped right into the color block in, using my acrylic palette.  Although I had taken these photos outside, I refrained from adding in the background color until all masses were in place.  I just wasn’t sure what color I would use ahead of time.  I ended up sticking with the true color of the landscape, as it went so well with the surrounding masses.  This study was finished in just over an hour, and I think I would like to paint him larger, and when I have more time.  I think he would make a very interesting portrait indeed!  Painting number 1142 in 1142 days.

Alastair - value study

Alastair - value study
Acrylic on masonite, 5x5

This is my second value study on this month's atelier on portraiture. I am working from a photo that I took with indoor lighting and a flash - which does not produce wonderful lights and shadows for painting.  But, I love the expression, and am going to find a way to make it work....push the values a little.  Originally, the background was light, but I found it competing with the subject, so I painted it dark.  The focus is now on Alastair.  I have used some really loose brushwork here, but I like the effect!  As with all of these studies, they must be completed in 40 minutes, all in black and white - from which I mix the grays I need. My sta-wet palette is indeed keeping my acrylics wet, and I have not added water since the very beginning.  I am still waiting for my special brushes to come in, but I am making do with what I have on hand.  This painting makes 1038 in 1038 days.

Alan - value study

Alan - value study
acrylic on masonite, 5x5

Today, I am starting a new painting adventure - portraits in acrylic, using an impressionistic style!  I am taking an online atelier for the month of November - and this is my assignment for the week.  From the reference photo of my grandson below, I had to capture the lights and darks in 40 minutes.  I thought this would be so hard - but to my surprise I finished most in 20 minutes!  Hard to believe, I use to be much slower.  I guess the daily painting has really sped up my time!  I have always started portraits with a line sketch, not in this workshop!  Instead, capturing the form with shapes of paint is key.  I though this would be SO daunting, but it was not!  It was fun to see the image emerge with loose strokes!  Additionally, I have not used my acrylics since June, and have only used them sparingly in the last 3

years.  So, the thought of having to make those paints work, when I feel oils are so much better suited, was also scary!  But, it was not!  It, too, was fun to build stroke upon stroke, as the layers dried.  SO crazy, to enjoy this whole assignment as much as I did!  I already did another one for tomorrow, and will begin combing through my photos for the best reference work!  This photo of Alan is from a few years ago.  Without even thinking about it, I have painted him to look more his age now!  I can't wait to see how my portraits improve over the next month!  Painting number 1037 in 1037 days :)

Stormy

Stormy
Oil on panel, 7x5
bid here

Hooray!  Mike finally cut some hardboard up into 7x5 panels for me to paint on!  I had a 4'x8' sheet of birch cut the other day at Home Depot, and for the first time ever - not a single panel was the correct dimensions to fit into any frame!  This poor young guy did not have a clue how to measure and make a cut!  SO, my husband gets to correct all of this guy's mistakes - thank goodness he will do it for me!  After priming roughly 30 panels with tinted gesso, I then started painting one of our old cats, Stormy.  It was bliss to paint on the smooth surface after so many days of canvas!  The paint bends totally to my will when there is no toothy cloth to grab at it!  I will need to take another photo in good light tomorrow, as there is a little "slide" mark on this one to the right - where it slid behind another wet painting!  Ah, the perils of having so many paintings in the drying stage!  This is painting number 759 in 759 days and Day 28 in the 30 Day Painting Challenge :)

Winter Whisper

Winter Whisper
Oil on wood panel, 7x5
sold

This painting has a secret behind it - another landscape in acrylics!  Running low on primed painting surfaces, I went through a few older paintings.  A spring landscape from 2010 is no more, but this is SO much better!  All of the colors from the first painting only enhance what is put on over it - and today I am embracing a brooding atmosphere before sunrise.  I love the very early light before the sun when it starts to illuminate the planes.  I am having so much fun painting winter!  Painting number 742 in 742 days and Day 11 of the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Into the Winter Woods

Into the Winter Woods
Oil on canvas, 7x5
sold

Today, I was really feeling a pull towards my oils.  I was able to get a couple of watercolor paintings half finished, and had to wait for the paint to dry before removing the resist.  I detest any kind of down time - since I seem to be squeezing every second from every minute!  So, I painted this small landscape while I waited.  Loving the buttery softness of the oils, it is such a contrast to the hard lines of the watercolors.  There are lots of soft edges here, and the muted grays and blues of the dark winter day.  The palette knife was my finishing touch.  This painting is number 739 in as many days, and Day 8 of the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

January Blue Jay

January Blue Jay
Watercolor on 300lb paper, 9x6
purchase here

I have many watercolor paints that I have not yet used, so today, I tried a new one.  The color is Daniel Smith's Carbazole Violet, which I mixed here with indigo to get some wonderful winter shades.  I don't have any violets on my palette - but  this one just might make the cut!  Working on my favorite weight of paper - 300lb, I am using a block to paint on.  Once the paper is dry, I slip in a flat palette knife and separate the top sheet from the others.  Looking forward to tonight's snow - painting number 735 in 735 days, Day 4 of this January's 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Winter Creek

Winter Creek
Oil on panel, 7x5
purchase here

Another day filled with family, cooking, cleaning and visiting - and very little time for a painting at the end of the day.  I am embracing the grays today, keeping in the moody colors.  I am painting this on canvas with the oils, using rather thick paint.  I will have to make posting this short and sweet - because I am now needed in the living room.  It is a miracle that I was even able to get a painting done today!  Painting number 731 in 731 days.

Charlie Cat

Charlie Cat - in progress

Charlie Cat
Oil on panel, 6x6
Purchase Information

Our Charlie is very regal and majestic in all of his movements.  With his long hair and wonderful coloring, he knows he is superior!  He has a very affectionate nature, second only to Wesson in his friendliness.  This is the second time I have painted him - and again in oils.  With that thick, long hair - I need a paint with body, that will hold the brushstrokes well.  I first sketched him out with a pastel stick, and painted his eye completely!  I so often do this with portraits, feeling as if I must catch the soul in the eye before I can continue to the rest!  As you can see by the "in progress" photo, I started with an orange underpainting - for no other reason except this is what I had, and this was the size I wanted to paint!  Laying down those oils with heavy strokes, I worked in the fur - pulling the whiskers last.  Adding some of the background color in small strokes on his coat, I marry the background to the foreground.  With a final highlight on the eye - je suis fini!  My regal cat is the 588th painting in as many days :)