brushwork

Today's post is a couple detail shots from a 20x20 inch oil interpretation of a very small, detailed pastel painting, "Twilight," 6x6 inches (shown below). The goal of my larger oil of the same scene was to give a minimum amount of detail information to the viewer with the focus on loose brushwork and a play of colors and textures in a higher key palette for a different time of day. You can see the finished painting, "Yellow Dawn," by clicking here.

letting go of the past

Every artist and their work evolve. My art career began as a fashion illustrator working in pen and ink (black and white). When I moved to fine art, my introduction to color was through colored pencil and it was my exclusive medium for more than a decade. During that time I had the opportunity to serve as President of the Colored Pencil Society of America and to co-author Colored Pencil Solution Book for North Light in 2000. I have a big box of original art completed for that book and it occurred to me that artists currently working in colored pencil might enjoy owning these drawings.The Ball Jar (page 81) now has a new home. You can purchase my Copper Pitcher is sold

study for summer pond

Oil Study #10 is our backyard pond and flower garden painted from a reference photo taken last summer about this time. It looks slightly different this year because now that we have Annie, both the flower garden and the vegetable garden are fenced. Oil Study #10 is sold.

 

I forgot to give Oil Study #9 its "frame time." This scene is from a California road trip last year. Actually, I'm glad to post them here together to see the cool Washington colors and warm California colors together. Oil Study #9 is sold.

maui

This is the painting on linen canvas that was in my July 9th post, painted from a photo taken on our January trip to Hawaii. Weather on Maui was on the cool side as portrayed in this scene of a rocky hillside and lush foliage. "Maui" will be at Jeffrey Moose Gallery, Seattle, for a show in September.

today is orange day

Today's post is my Pepper. This was painted quite some time ago and resurfaced during my latest studio cleanup. I remember cutting this pepper open and thinking, 'OK, get ready....no one has ever seen inside here...oooh and aah!' And, I'm pleased with the way the painting turned out; looks like I had a day of confident brush work.

I forgot to post Orange Slices when they were complete. They were posted in-progress June 23.

Pepper is sold
Orange Slices is sold

what's on the counter?

Sometimes I have to just stop, clean off the counter in my studio, and line up the paintings I'm working on to keep myself sane. The counter is also a good place to review paintings while I'm talking on the phone because problems become apparent most often when I'm distracted.

All upright panels are works in progress -  left to right, two 18x18 inch oils that have been in the works for months, three little still lifes waiting auction on Daily Paintworks, orange slices currently on the DPW auction, three 10x8 inch oils with reference photos and three 6x6 landscapes.

I found another use for my versatile Soltek easel. I used it yesterday to hold my iPad with reference photo.  

attention colored pencil fans

As some of you may know, I co-authored Colored Pencil Solution Book, published by North Light Books in 2000. I still have my illustrations for the book, both the finished art and most of the step by steps. At the suggestion of one of my long-ago students and because I can't think of a good reason to keep them, I will be offering them on auction at Daily Paintworks. First up is the Ball Jar. Finished art is approximately 6 x 6 inches, colored pencil on paper. If you have a copy of the book, the original art would be a nice addition to your colored pencil library/art collection. Ball Jar has sold.

remember the wood panels?

Remember the wood panels I was preparing? That was June 18th (click here to see the post). Well, I wasn't happy with the texture of the gessoed wood so I glued (YES, archival glue) fine canvas onto each panel, rolled it with my rolling pin, and when they were dry, I cut off the excess canvas.  

I have very little experience painting on canvas but I do remember not liking the 'spring' of canvas stretched on a frame. Today I began an underpainting with Holbein Indigo (my new favorite color) on my new little canvas-on-wood panel and so far, so good.

 

I'll keep you posted on the progression of the painting on canvas while I also work on a larger piece.

happy accident completed

The painting that had the happy accident (see 7/2/12 post) is done! Titled "Waterway," 8x10 inches, oil on panel.

study for 'Windfall'

I found a good wall spot in my studio where I can hang finished oil studies framed, one at a time,  for a short 'so long, it's been good to know you' before they go on to their new homes. I'm painting daily, working on several paintings at once - something I rarely did in pastel.  My Open Box M is starting to look like it belongs to a real oil painter and I am working on a couple larger oils (more on them in a future post). If you would like to see the beginning of this painting three weeks ago, CLICK HERE.

Oil Study # 8 is sold

a messy happy accident

I posted recently about loving those little ribbons of color on my palette. Some of you are curious what they are so I'll name them starting on the left: Viridian, Ultra Marine, Cobalt, Terra Rosa, Transparent Oxide Red, Alizarin Crimson, Cad Red, Cad Orange, Yellow Ochre, Cad Yellow Med, Cad Yellow light, Cad Yellow Lemon and White. In the lower left corner is a blob of Liquin and in the lower right corner is my new favorite, Holbein Indigo.

Now for my messy happy accident story: See the painting in the foamcore holder? Notice that it is not held in by anything except the slight backward angle of the panel holder. I was working on black board and had just laid in the white only. Then, for some reason I can't remember, I decided to move the easel so I grabbed the tripod and lifted. SPLAT! This little painting fell face down onto my palette. I wish I had a picture of my horror stricken face. All I could think of was that my beautiful little ribbons were smashed! Once I pried the panel up off the sticky paint, I used a palette knife to scrap off the blobs of color that were all along the lower edge of the painting and plopped them back onto the palette. Then, I took a Viva paper towel and wiped as much color as I could off the painting.

Voila! the colors just happened to be exactly where I needed them! See the painting a little further along below.

It probably wouldn't have occurred to me to rub paint onto my painting with a paper towel for the soft reflection in the water but this happy accident worked well. I have now quit using the foam core and have the painting attached as the Open Box M was designed to be used!

frame time

I just realized that I didn't give Oil Study 7 it's 'frame time' on this blog. It will be sold unframed but seeing it in a frame is my little goodbye ritual.

 Oil Study # 7 is sold

salivation

Still on the easel, this oil study is coming along. Maybe I'm turning into an oil painter because when I look at the little ribbons of oil paint on my palette,  I now get the same good feeling as when looking at my pastel sticks. Note my Richard Schmid color charts nearby...so helpful to me!

artichoke time

And the winner is....the artichoke! I love this 6 x 8 inch oil painting from the 'short stack.' It will join Lemon Slices on my DPW Gallery.  sold

Here's what is on the easel this morning. 8 x 10 inches, oil on panel.

woohoo!

When I found the stack of little oil still lifes, I culled the worst and called what was left the 'short stack' in my last post. I asked for votes about which one to post on DPW next and Artichokes won. Then, I started looking at the orange slices thinking I could certainly improve on them so here they are, on my easel Saturday morning.

When I worked in colored pencil, my subject was always still life. I did that for a dozen years and it was also about a dozen years ago that I changed mediums (to pastel) and began to paint landscapes. Now, here I am, painting a little still life again but this time in oil. And, I have to say, Woohoo, what fun! I may have to do more of this.

short stack

This is the short stack (the best of the whole stack) of 6x8 inch still lifes I mentioned.  I'll be posting these little paintings, one each week, on the auction at Daily Paintworks. Lemon Slices is on the auction now. Which one should I post next? If anyone has an opinion, I'd love to hear it, either by a comment on this blog or by email. It is fun to see art on DPW because of the magnifier feature. I cruise around my own and other artists' work to see the brush strokes and other details.

Lemon Slices

 

Another "find" during my recent studio cleanup. I came across a stack of little oil still lifes. This one is 5.562 x 8 inches and was painted when I was trying to figure out what to do with a whole bag of lemons purchased at Costco.  I sliced them up and froze them for glasses of water. Now I don't know what to do with this little stack of paintings so I'll post them one by one on the DPW Auction.

 Lemon Slices is sold

making panels

For the past few days I've been preparing panels for more little oil studies. These 8x10 inch wood pieces are first painted on the backside with black acrylic. Next, I turn them right side up for two coats of white gesso applied with a sponge roller. When they are dry, for the final coat of gesso I mix in acrylic paint colors to make sure I cover the entire area instead of painting white on white. I use a brush instead of a roller for this final layer. After they dry, I'll sand them lightly.

When I worked in colored pencil, there was the preparation of transferring a line drawing to my paper, usually using the illumination method (window or lightbox). For pastel, there was joy in just walking up to the paper with pastel in hand and making marks - no guidelines. Now, for these little oils, I am going through the whole process of making the ground and I am finding it to be a mental as well as physical preparation for the work to come. I don't think I'll be making my own pigments - but you never know...

a change of locale

A change of pace...instead of another Pacific Northwest setting, this scene is from a road trip to California last May. I like the way the fence line divides the textures and colors of this place.

I'm enjoying working with oil paint, even the ritual of washing the brushes after each session and cleaning the palette. I plan to use photos of some of these oil studies for larger works in pastel. At the moment, these little studies are getting a grand reception on Daily Paintworks.

 Oil Study # 6 is sold

breaking it in

I'm doing it! I'm putting paint directly on my Open Box M palette. Having a good time! Started a painting from a reference photo of an apple tree taken a couple years ago at the Albert Handell workshop. Every time I come across this photo I want to paint it. I think the time is right for this size, this medium.

a laugh for oil painters

I was so excited to receive my new little Open Box M panel holder last week! But I was traumatized at the thought of actually putting oil paint on the clean palette. I emailed my oil painter friend, Marilyn Webberley and asked her..."REALLY? Am I really supposed to put the paint RIGHT ON THERE?"

While waiting for her reply, I began to paint using a disposable palette sheet - another item that I found in my recent studio cleanup. I also mounted my panel inside a foam core holder before attaching it to the panel holder so excess paint would end up there instead of on the wood.

Marilyn replied, yes, put the paint right on there and actually USE the Open Box M! After many beautiful paintings, Marilyn's Open Box M looks like this. I am excited to have mine look like Marilyn's but for now you can join me in laughing at myself. You can see Marilyn's work on her website and blog.

oil study for Wanderlust

As a pastel artist, I'm not used to mixing color so this summer's exploration into oil paint has been fun and challenging. I made these oil color charts 6 years ago and recently rediscovered them during my studio cleanup.  I am using them for many color decisions - mixing colors I wouldn't ordinarily use to create subtly varied hues.

After lots of green in Oil Study #4, I was ready to try a different color palette. Once again, the scene is the off-leash dog park but this time in late summer. Love those grasses! This is the 10 x 8 inch oil color study for a larger painting tentatively titled "Wanderlust."

I painted the same scene in pastel, much larger, 25 x 25 inches, earlier this year. See "Heartbreak Morning" below.

 Oil Study # 5 is sold

Oil study 4

Another 10 x 8 inch oil color study. I finished this one before I found my Richard Schmid color charts which would have been really helpful with all the greens I had to mix.

This is another scene from Golden Gardens park in Seattle. I returned there several weeks ago and took new reference photos which are very different from the winter photos I had been working from. Trees have leaves, grass is tall and everything is GREEN. Below are a couple paintings from the winter photos.

 Oil Study #4 is sold

my Schmid color charts

This post is especially for my friend Kay who is falling in love with oil. Six years ago I purchased Richard Schmid's book, Alla Prima. Pages 132 and 133 show color charts. He describes making the charts as 'an astonishing experience' and I agree. I loved making them and am glad I found them again recently during my big studio cleanup. Now will be a good time to reread the book and put what I learned then into practice on this summer's little oil color studies.

The real purpose of this blog post is to celebrate the clean counter-top in the background. That is where my pastel painting alleyway used to be (shown the the small photo below). When I begin working in pastel again, I'll have big changes and improvements to a new working area.

I'm painting in oil for the summer with my oil painting station set up at the end of my big worktable. My good, old Soltek easel works well for table top work. I love my Soltek except for the problem that sand can get into the telescoping legs. My little Paint Saver covers are in use and working well.

Wishing everyone a happy Memorial Day.

oil color study number three

Rainy days so no need to water the garden; more time for painting and rearranging the studio. I think I'm done with this oil color study of the subtly hued grasses of Oregon in August (it was hot!).

Looks like a good candidate for a larger work in pastel next winter in the studio. This little study is 8 x 10 and will go to the Daily Paintworks Auction when it is dry.

 Oil Study #3 is sold

 I found a jar of rosy hued gesso in my studio; primed an 8 x 10 panel and began a little oil using a limited palette.

At about 90% complete, I photographed the work, opened the image in PhotoShop and adjusted areas using the clone stamp tool and printed the image. Now, I'll go back to the easel and make the adjustments per my notes as well as the little visual reference.

empty shelves

For the past two days, I've been cleaning my studio - throwing old stuff out and rearranging what is left. It made me sort of crazy to use my daily painting time to clean, but now my oil painting corner actually has empty shelves (for the moment) and I had the chance to paint again today so now I feel more "normal."

Oil Color Study #2

My husband took the reference photo for Color Study in Oil #2. Completed this morning, it is 10 x 7-7/8 inches, oil on panel. This one makes me want to get my pastels out right now and start on a larger painting of this scene but I am committed to working in oil for a few months and to even paint plein air! I'll post this painting on my Daily Paintworks Gallery and it will go to the auction, unframed, probably Saturday starting at $30.

 Oil Study #2 is sold

I usually paint in pastel with an oil-wash underpainting but I have put my pastels away and am having a great time (and much anguish) painting in oil for the summer months.

I recently purchased Paint Savers on the recommendation of Carol Marine in her April 28 blog post. I inserted a piece of white matboard under my glass palette. While I was marking the matboard for the Paint Saver placement, I set them aside, on top of my glossy reference photo. Mistake! I did manage to separate them from the photo paper but it wasn't easy. Do not set Paint Savers on glossy photo paper! I look forward to loving this product. Will keep you posted.

And, GREAT NEWS! I received Best of Show at the Northwest Pastel Society 26th International Open Exhibition at The American Art Company, Tacoma, WA for "Heartbreak Morning." Juror was Elizabeth Mowry.  I am especially honored because the entire show is very strong; see it if you can!

A great reception tonight at Scott Milo Gallery for the Women Painters of Washington show and I was happy to see that it really is FIRST PLACE!