Painting Spree

This year has been really tough with a several sad events taking place. My painting has suffered. Now I have a puppy and life has opened up to a new chapter. The puppy is Maxwell Huggins III. He is our third bulldog. Being our first boy and first French Bulldog, he has managed to bring a lot of happiness into my life. In this photo he is wondering if my painting session is over so we can go outside. He got his wish and now he is bedded down on the dog cushion by my computer chair. I am in the middle of a painting spree. In about a week this has to stop so I can focus on my daughter's wedding. Life is always pulling me away from my brushes, but this is a very happy event. The painting shown here is a lion fish. I have photographed these fish at several aquariums and finally started a painting. After a simple layout, I am proceeding with drawing as I go. The paint has to flow and mingle. There are many soft edges. The background has to make the fish pop, at the shame time create the illusion of the fish being in the water. More and more water attracts me as a subject. The lion fish is perfect to satisfy my desire for a challenge. In the next painting session I will strive to complete the detailing around the fishes eye. So for so good.

Valentine's CD Painting

My good friend Jean Gottas got me going this morning when I saw her painting of hearts on Facebook. A CD painting is a good exercise. Put on a CD. Paint until the CD is over. Just experiment with water, and pigment. No worries...except with sleeping grandchild in the house, will this be the only time I get to paint today? Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

The Parade

I painted this painting last year. Recently I worked on it turning the shadows into shapes and concentrating on the faces more. The painting has the same feel. I am not sure it is not coming out of the frame again. It is hanging at North Pard Villiage. I will make sure I will take time to study it when I visit my father. It is so differt seeing a painting hanging on a wall than viewing it on the art table. Painting is a process with me. Some of it is planning and drawing. Then the paint goes on mingling and flowing. With watercolor there is no way the painter wants to control everything. Real pleasant surpises happen on their own. Then there is the time when that painting talks. Things have to be done to made it work. Sometimes need time to really observe.

New Journel

Frog Outlook
10"x14"
Sold

I took this painting to Waverly House to be in the gallery for Meet the Artist Night. It sold before it hit the wall.  This painting started with a quick drawing of the frog and then wet -into-wet painting for the background. The bubbles were made with dropping alcohol from a tipped bottle into the wet paint. 

The challenges in this painting was establishing the top of the water and the and the water below.  I kept the colors cool on top because of the reflection of light and sky.  The waterline is not straight across here.  This seems to add interest and movement.  I had to work to make the uneven line believable.

 Several of Daniel Smith's pigments are made with minerals from the earth.  They have often have an interesting granulation.  Some of them have a natural sparkle which add more interest.  I have enjoyed playing with these new pigment.

I find this kind of painting difficult.  Much of it is controlled happy accident.  I have to push, pull, add, and subtract to fabricate the background.  There is no reference material, accept for the frog.  I have gotten good at painting from life.  Painting from ideas in my head are more challenging.  The painting has to lead me more with less planning.

Old Engine
Watercolor
21"x 14

I delivered this painting to the Springfield Art Museum. It will on display in the 2011 Watercolor U.S.A. I honestly thought that I would enter this show for a lifetime before I got in, and was quite surprised when I received the acceptance card.

This painting has already won best of show twice, so it is a strong piece. I have been painting a lot more, with doing shows in Florida, this winter. When I was spending so much time caring for my parents the last few years, I felt my painting was a little rusty.

A very good photo that I took in California, Was the foundation for this piece. Then I painstakingly worked on the drawing and detail. The angle of the train was difficult and had to be right. Then finally balancing the wet-into-wet areas and with the detailed areas was what makes this painting work. The strong value pattern also makes it stand out.

Wish they all could be like this one.

Dr. Sketchy's Award Winning Sketch

This is a painting sketch from a Dr. Sketchy's pose. Dr. Sketchy's is similar to a life drawing session, only the models are burlesque dancers. The model is never totally nude, but at times can have little on. I find it interesting to add the clothes. With music, drink and food this evening is party-like.

This was a 15 minute4 pose. I started with pencil on a piece of rag mat board. This is a good use for left over pieces, too small to use in framing. Then I painted, with a round brush that points really well. Then since there is not time to let things dry, I go in with a little colored pencil to add detail or firm up a line.

I then I throw the sketch on the floor. Often I see something that does not read from a distance and pick it up to add touches.

There is usually a contest in the evening, where artists put their paintings on the stage to be judged by the model, after a series of poses. I have never won before, and was surprised when my painting was picked up as first place. I won a breakfast at a local Kansas City Restaurant.