What Ultramarine Blue, Raw Umber and White Can Do

detail of WIP

My friend and amazing artist Julie Ford Oliver once told me about the artist Carolyn Plochmann and the beautiful book A Charmed Vision.  I bought the book as soon as Julie told me about it and I have looked at it often, it is one of my favorite art books.  There is a wonderful black and white image in the book called Mother and Child and it inspired me to do a painting with minimal color and interesting lines and strokes.  This has been a great exercise for me because I would like to improve how I paint shading and light, plus I am intrigued about how certain lines and squiggles can add so much to a painting.

The photos of the feet and hands are just details of the 9 x 12 inch piece.  My instructor in the art class that I am taking suggested three colors...a blue, a brown and white and I chose ultramarine blue, raw umber and titanium white.  This morning, as I was working on it, I accidentally used prussian blue and now their faces have a very green hue...oops.  I can fix it!

detail of WIP

         

First layers of 9 x 12

Above is the entire composition after beginning it in art class.  It is much further along now.

Below can you see the source of inspiration?  Is that not the sweetest child?  She looks as if she did not want to take a picture. And mom's hat!...(or is it grandma?).  As I look at this wonderful old photo, I am thinking at some point I would like to paint all the people in it.

the inspiration 

Happy weekend everyone.

♥ Lisa

Sketchbooks and Nigel's Flannel Pajamas

sketchbook
oil

As I continue my painting of Nigel and his parents, I have been working in my sketchbooks as well.  Thoughts of spring are obvious in the above oil sketch.  Our new backyard is tiny compared to our old one, which has me thinking of some intimate touches that could be added to emphasize our new cozy space.  I can't wait to see what grows there already so that I can add more.  I am no green thumb, but I do love to plant and take care of a garden.

sketchbook sweetie
graphite

 I am trying to get back into the habit of sketching in my sweetie book (tiny moleskin) at night.  Good habits always seem to get interrupted, however if they are truly good, I try to bring them back.  This habit is good...it often offers inspiration for my paintings.  

detail of oil WIP

The Nigel painting is still in the works.  In my art class we had some discussion on how I could title this painting.  As I mentioned earlier, it is inspired by the song Making Plans for Nigel.  However, there is a gray area on whether I can use the same title or not.  There is all the business of copyrights and intellectual property to consider.  After our discussion about it, my instincts tell me I can use the name Nigel in my title, but I need to reword it somehow...like Plans for Nigel or Nigel's Future or What is Best for Nigel (which would be a spin-off of the song lyrics).  What do you think?

This week I focused on small details:  faces...hands...mom's dress...dad's clothing...

detail of oil WIP

...and some flannel pajamas for Nigel (still in the works).

I hope you have a beautiful weekend and get to stay in your pajamas a lot if you like that sort of thing.  Thank you always for all your wonderful comments and visits.

♥ Lisa

Color and Light for Nigel, Sketches and Studio Scenes

WIP detail

 This week I have continued on my quest to paint light in the Nigel painting and it is coming along slow, but sure.  I am trying to paint light coming from the lamp on the nightstand as seen above.  There will also be light coming from the hallway fixture as seen below.

WIP detail

My art instructor helped me in class this week and this morning I began reading a chapter about color and light in Richard Schmid's book Alla Prima.  I purchased it two years ago even though it was kind of expensive.  It probably appeals more to classically trained painters, but I knew it would be a go-to resource for me over the years, which it has been.

Color and Light chapter in Richard Schmid's book Alla Prima

 In the photo below you can see I shortened the arched doorway after my instructor suggested it, and now the parent figures stand in the boy's room rather than being detached (see previous post).  I am not sure I like it this way because I originally wanted the parents to be outside Nigel's door vs inside.  However, now it makes more sense as far as drawing purposes go.  From the beginning I have struggled with how to arrange this scene so that the parents are equally as important as the sleeping boy, but have it also make sense architecturally.

There is still much to do.   There are more shadows and light and fine details to come.  I am using glazes and cold wax, which means it has required a lot of time to dry in between sessions.

WIP 20 x 16  inch oil on cradled board

So while the painting is drying I have been doing things like straightening up my studio...

Studio

Studio

sketchbook sweeties
graphite

and sketching in my tiny sketchbook.

sketchbook sweetie
graphite and pastel

sketchbook sweetie
graphite and charcoal

I hope you have a beautiful weekend.
Thank you for following.

♥ Lisa

New Painting in Progress and the Song That Inspired It

WIP
oil on cradled wood 20 x 16 inch

This past summer while cooking dinner, I was listening to the Nina Simone station on Pandora like I usually do, and the song "Making Plans for Nigel" ( the Nouvelle Vague version) came on.  I swayed and twirled and cooked and listened, and as I did a vision of a young boy and his parents came to mind.  I saw basically what you see here in the beginnings of this painting...the boy in his bed with the covers pulled over his head...a tuft of hair sticking up (eventually)... and his parents standing outside his door discussing his future.  Nigel has hopes and dreams of his own, but his parents know what's best, don't they? Or do they? I sketched this scene out that evening and the ideas of painting it have been dancing in my head ever since.  I'm excited to finally be working on it.

I don't believe this is the true meaning of this song, but it is what I saw when I heard it.  My challenge for this piece...the challenge I am giving myself...is to paint light.  I see light coming down from the hallway light, onto the parents heads and faces, and spilling into the room.  The relation of the doorway and the room of course isn't right, but it's the only way I could get this down with my limited drawing skill.  It's the light, the characters and the overall atmosphere I care about.  I am not sure I can succeed with painting light, but I am going to give it a try.

Wish me luck.

Below is the Youtube video of the song.  Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Beginnings and Amazing Snowfalls

Work in progress

mixed media on 11 x 14 inch canvas panel

This is a work in progress with lots more to do. It is based on the sketch below.  

water-soluble graphite and ink sketch

4 x 6 inch

Obviously I didn't stick to the plan. As I layered acrylic paint, the composition unfolded in a different way.  Love it when that happens...I think.

Before I go, look what we got the other night.  It was so gorgeous out, my husband and I decided to take the dog and go for a walk.  He took this magical photo while we were out.

Adding Birds and More Pretty Pictures

                                

More progress on this 16 x 20 inch oil painting and this morning the birds have been added.  In Tuesday's class, the art instructor suggested that I could change the background if I wanted to brighten up the mood.   He pointed out a tinge of smokey blue that I had smudged on in various places as a possible alternative, but I love the reds with the yellows here too much to change it.  

However, his suggestion gave me an ah hah!  moment...blue would be the perfect color for the birds that are planned for this piece.  So here you have it...in progress.

                    

Speaking of blue...here are samples of photo edits again.  I found a new photo app called Photoscape for $1 and I love the colors you can add.  The photo above and below are the same picture with different hues.  I almost expect to see elves tip-toeing out from behind the trees in the above and the one below looks more like Fall in real life.  The original is bright and vibrant summer green.

                     

I have been spending time outside in the yard. Weeding flowerbeds is an ongoing job and such a relaxing thing to do.  I try to stretch while I'm working...you could call it Yard Work Yoga.  That keeps me from getting too stiff.   My camera is always near by of course.

                                  

These flowers are not from my yard.  They are from the flower shop.  That big sunflower just seemed to be singing out loud. 

Sometimes when I take pictures, they come out pretty just the way they are so I leave them alone.

                             

Especially when it comes to the sky.  Often, it does not need a filter.  It seems to have its own.

                                

Have a beautiful weekend.

♥ Lisa

Painting in Progress and a Surprise Gift from a Blog Friend

detail of WIP
16 x 20 inch oil on paper

On Tuesday I returned to Brian Hinkle's art class at Tessera Fine Art Gallery and jumped right in starting this 16 x 20 inch oil on paper.  Using one of my sketches as inspiration, the figures went down quickly.  There will be birds in this piece once it is all said and done.

beginnings of 16 x 20 inch on paper
at Tessera Fine Art Gallery

Here is a full view of the piece.  You can see another oil painting in the background which I have shown recently.  That one is slow-going because I have been really indecisive about color.

Hurley

I caught this shot the other night of my dog Hurley.  He has so many facial expressions and this one is precious.  Kind of pitiful, but precious.

Hurley

Speaking of Hurley, do you remember the above photo?  I posted it a while back.

5 x 7 inch painting of Hurley
by Patty Musgrove

Well a couple of days ago I was surprised and so touched to receive the above painting from Patty Musgrove with Listen to the Road.  Patty paints the most beautiful animal portraits and I could not believe she would give me such a gift.  Tears.  Many of them.  Thank you so much Patty.  Life is sad right now after losing my mom and this gift is so joyful and uplifting.

Please click on the photo to view her beautiful brush strokes.  She captured him perfectly.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

Textured Oil Painting.

in progress
oil on 9 x 12 inch panel

In my last post I mentioned an oil painting I had started  during a class I am taking that was all about building texture first.  Here it is at its current stage.  This is definitely a different way to work for me and creates a challenge because I mostly paint with my gut and this way of painting seems to require a lot more thinking ahead than I am used to.  Big bumps and lines can really make a face or an arm look bizarre.












Below is how it started out. I  smeared thick goopy gobs of paint mixed with Gamlin Solvent-Free Gel onto the panel with a palette knife.  The gel helps speed the drying time and adds texture.  The emphasis in this initial layer was all about texture and interesting brush strokes in various places.

Once my background was pleasing, I drew the figures into the paint.  It didn't take long to do all of this and then I had to let it dry...all week...before it was ready to be worked on again without messing up the texture I had created.  That is why I ended up beginning the 16 x 20 inch mixed media piece in the last post.  I needed something to do while this was drying!  So this may be my new rhythm...to do an oil painting in layers and either acrylic, mixed media or drawing in between.

in progress (initial stage)

 Everything done today (the first photo) was in a thin layer so it will dry quickly allowing me to move forward anytime. I just painted details on faces and added some thin strokes of color to the background and clothing. All this was done under the instruction of our teacher in the class Brian Hinkle.  He is an encyclopedia in all things art and has all kinds of different ideas on technique.  Everyone in the class is just doing their own thing and Brian helps us when we need it.  It is a great environment to work in and learn in.

Thank you all for your visits and comments.  I so appreciate it!
See you soon!

Sunflowers, Kansas, Sketchbook Sweeties, and Birds

Detail of WIP
16 x 20 inch oil on paper

Slow progress is being made on the 16 x 20 inch oil on paper painting.  Above is some more detail.

Trail at Pawnee Prairie Nature Center
Wichita, Kansas

I have been hiking quite a bit at our Pawnee Prairie Nature Center.  Lots of beautiful Kansas scenery makes the senses go wild.  I am not sure what I do most of...hike or take pictures.  The above photo is very Kansas...fairly flat with lots of grasses, wildflowers and big open skies.

Our backyard this morning after a storm

We have had so much rain here in Kansas and everything is so green.  It sure does make it a lot easier to pull weeds.  I have been spending hours and hours in the backyard working.

sketchbook sweeties
graphite in a tiny moleskin

Of course no day would be complete without at least one little sketch.  The above sketches are from weeks ago....the crazy girl on the left is a favorite.

sketchbook sweetie
graphite in a tiny moleskin

 I've been doing a lot of bird watching too and this sketch was done last night.  

Oriole

 Kansas has gorgeous birds...Cardinals, Blue Jays, Orioles, Golden Finch, Purple Finch and if you're lucky, you might spot an owl from time to time.  I often stand at the widow waiting for that perfect picture.  This is an Oriole...a little blurry...but you get the idea of what a gorgeous bird this is.  Its song is about five notes long and sugary sweet-sounding.  What kinds of birds do you see where you live?

Until next time!  Have a beautiful week!

Rooms Exhibition at City Arts and a Peek at a WIP

Yesterday I delivered nine framed paintings to City Arts for my exhibit there.  I have so many figures in rooms now so Rooms seemed like the perfect title. 

These are all the paintings that went.  You probably recognize some of them.  They don't look so good against that busy rug, but you get the idea.

WIP detail

I started a 16 x 20 inch mixed media painting late last week.  It's very slow-going because there are four figures and a lot of little details.  Hopefully I will finish it this week.  

Hope you're having a great week!

Painting, Painting, and More Painting

WIP
16 x 20" mixed media on canvas panel

I have four paintings in the works right now...2 oils and 2 mixed media.  I love to work in oil, but it's easiest for me to allow the layers to dry somewhat before going on, otherwise I mess up and cost myself a lot of time.  Since I am not much of a sitter, I decided to try something new and work on acrylic and mixed media pieces while the layers of the oil paintings are drying.  This routine seems to be working pretty good and it allows me to work in all the mediums I love.  It dawned on me that nursing had taught me to be pretty good at mulitasking, so I decided to apply that skill to my art too.  So far, so good.

Eva at Twilight
8 x 10" mixed media on canvas panel
SOLD

Sunrise from our front window the other morning

 This winter, I am in awe of the bare trees and since discovering the charming red shed by our house, I have noticed dozens of others all through the neighborhood while on my walks.  I want to start knocking on doors and asking my neighbors if I can photograph their shed, but they would probably think I was a weirdo.

In honor of this shed discovery, I painted this little one set in a wide open Kansas field.  Doesn't that green make you long for Spring?  It does me.   

Little Red Shed
4 x 6" oil on paper mounted to mat board
SOLD

Thank you for dropping in and have a lovely weekend!

♥ Lisa