Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Here's mine Bruce..


I had a ball painting this guy! I used 3 colours and white, and a palette knife. 10"x 12" gallery wrap canvas. (Acrylic)

The River that insists on looking like a road ......







This painting was a disaster from start to finish. For a start I didn't plan it out ........ I was trying to paint from memory as I had no ink in my printer and I never had a ref image near me when painting.....I know excuses excuses ..... I just can't paint landscapes to add to the ever growing list of things I can't paint ....... I guess my heart wasn't really in this one but I felt I had to do it for the challenge.
I do love this scene and I may take my time and try to do a proper painting of it. I go walking here a lot .... there is a little path that runs right along the side of the River Tow....a very romantic spot to be walking .....
See if you can guess which one of the following pictures is my painting? ROFLOLPIMP
This is so embarrassing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Market paintings





Here are some paintings I painted at the markets and one of my frogs again, It was suggested I warm up the shadows. What do you think?

Chillaxin', a Self Portrait


I don't think this is strictly impressionist, but it's close. I was going to do something simple but, I always seem to find a way to make things hard, so I started with hard and it turned out to be easier than I thought.


This is acrylic on canvas, 18X24, This is Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick, Canada, in the Bay of Fundy, known for its 60-foot high tides. The spot is known as the "Hole in the Wall."

Monday, April 27, 2009

Impressionisn

Bruce, my painting is going to be late. I am exhausted from the Market yesterday. Was a good day. I have someone ill here too. I will post this week though.. :-))

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Well here I go. This is a painting of a very small bit of my local paperbark swamp (lagoon, small lake, big pond) in Priests Gully where I walk frequently, particularly early morning and late afternoon - chasing the light. The watercolour depicts early morning light (6 am). I have included 3 photos for the non-Oz people to give you some idea of these beautiful swamps. The water is vey dark - mud sometimes but also full of tannins, and hence gives wonderful reflections. Photos first, then the painting, watercolour 25 x 35 cms.




Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Three in a row................................



12"x 4" double thickness gallery wrap.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Frogs of course..




To replace the 3 which sold. Two are 12"x 4" and one is 5" x 9" The two are double thickness gallery wrap, and I like that, they look very nice. They are 5.00 each to buy at the variety store, so will be cheaper at the Art warehouse. The 5x9 inch is single wrap, it also looks neat, I think. I will paint a few more seeing as mothers day is coming up. and I am really enjoying painting them. Acrylics of course.

I still have to find a way of taking a decent photo of an acrylic painting, they look washed out. I think I might have to take the plunge and the credit card to a lighting shop and buy a couple of standard lands to place each side of the easel when I take the photo.

NEXT Challenge Bruces turn

I am glad you guys had fun doing the pointillism challenge. It was a challenge, as it was supposed to be. It made us think about colour theory for a start. I can't say I learnt a lot by doing it, except that I need to go back to basics and do some more reading.

So what will Bruce have lined up for us??

Same deal all post of the same day nominated by Bruce..

Oh what fun I had doing this .....


Yes ...it was fun and especially so because it was on Saturday night and I had a couple of drinks in me at the time .....that explains why it isn't as good as JJ's or Rees ...... next time I will do a more sober one .....I bet you all can't wait ......
5" X 4" acrylic on paper .....

Pointillism Challenge from JJ


I am ashamed to post mine after seeing Ree's beautiful picture. She should be so proud of hers, it is absolutely beautiful.
Mine is 5" x 7" on canvas panel. My housemate knew what it was, which surprised me, do you?

Sunday, April 19, 2009

To Market To Market

What a long day. Up at 4.00am, at the market at 6.30am set up stall by 7.00am, and I didn't get home again until 5.00pm. I sold 3 small canvas' a couple of paint brushes, didn't cover my site fees again. Just as well I am forever the optimist. :-))

I took my paints, and some small canvas boards. 8"x 10" and 3"x 3" I think they were. I sat there painting all day. I painted frogs, They sold, and I painted pelicans. A couple of seagulls. I think I made about 8 paintings all up. Made the day go faster, and all good practice. Gave me some idea's for more paintings too. I know have a couple of big paintings in mind.

No Photo's today, I didn't even think about it.. Weather was great today, no wind, no rain, and I didn't have to stand there holding the gazebo for dear life, like the last time. I laugh every time I think of holding that darn thing up, and it was collapsing in on me anyway. This new one is tons stronger!!!

So that was my Sunday.

Made this last night. These pieces are what I call color sketches. Probably should have used more than 3 colors to add some excitement. 

I need work on separating background from foreground as evidenced by this piece. A change in temperature would do it. So if I were to make this into a final painting I would spend more time picking the palette.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Hello


I paint mostly in watercolor. I do some work with acrylics but get frustrated being unable to blend smoothly so I don't do much in that medium,  unless it is on furniture. 

I make portraits, and I'm learning so I appreciate if a person wants to give me tips. I don't have a clue as to how to make a tree, or a sunset, or even an animal. And that is because I am not interested. I just want to study the face, the emotion of a face and portray it. I also have to paint clothing so folds is something else I am studying. 

I don't always get a likeness in a portrait and usually I don't care.  But, I am studying planes of the face because I want to make a better product. The shadow is what makes the likeness. You have a shot at a decent portrait if you understand the bone/muscle structure of the face, but the likness factor is in the shadows or color values. If you are trying to make a likeness from a photo that clearly does not show values, you might as well forget it is what I say.

I  like to do stuff for fun. It's all about having fun with me and I haven't offended anyone yet and hope I never do  because that's not what I am about. I don't go to shows, or advertise a website or anything of the sort, so everything I have ever sold is word of mouth. 

Friday, April 17, 2009

Old Fiddle Case .....



I'm trying to paint an old fiddle case up against an old radiator in an old derelict house .....does it give that impression at all?



Here is an updated photograph.....as it is not finished you C&C is most welcome....

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Run Away


I did this in response to the paint challenge in WC Click me #10. It was based on a basket of peppers but I needed to break loose to shake off the blahs and get out of my rut so I went back to my roots as an abstract painter.


Orchid x 2. Get up from your seat and stand back, please.



I hope no-one from the Acrylic Forum follows this blog.. These are my entries for the Different Strokes for this month. Bruce is that your photo in the Paint Meeeee for this month??
Acrylic 10" x 12" wrapped canvas.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

CHALLENGE for the 14th April to the 20th April. POINTILLISM



All paintings to be posted on the 20th April please.

POINTILLISM
What is it?


A series of small dots painted on your chosen surface in primary colours, RED YELLOW and BLUE only, which create the illusion of secondary colours. Pointillism relies on your colour perception to mix the colours in your eye and brain and make a full tonal painting, when viewed from a distance.
Georges Suerat was the first to paint in this way. He is the leader and main player in the Pointillism Movement. Paul Signac and Henri-Edmond Cross also painted in this style.
Pointillism is usually done in oil, but this is not a requirement here, we can paint it in acrylics. You could do pointillism with almost anything! Oil paint was used mainly because it's thick and doesn't bleed or run. The idea behind pointillism is to not physically mix colours, so if the paint bled it would not be good.
Usually tiny dots are used, but I have seen successful paintings in the Museum, where a size 6 brush was used. That is what I am going to use.

Reference; I have been sitting here thinking about this, and as the pointillism in itself is challenging, I think we should each choose our own reference, and keep it simple.

Have fun!!!




hehehehehe

My Itty Bitty Yard






Well, since JJ is bragging about her palacial home and surrounding gardens, I thot I'd give y'all a dose of life in Northern Ontario. We have had another 70 cm of unexpected snow last week on top of what you see here. The tree is on the two-foot wide strip between me and my neighbour.






WHEN IS SPRING REALLY COMING?????






Monday, April 13, 2009

View out of my front window.


This is the view from my home office window, right now. it is raining. albeit lightly and it is wonderful. I would half like to go for a walk, but I want to study some painting techniques as well, and the art wins out ;-)

Here are a couple of photos of my back yard too.




Rain is good.

There is one pussy mobile hanging against the post in the second picture, here are the other two.


Saturday, April 11, 2009

4 paintings, the 3 seagull ones are easy, and fun.





The other painting was fun, it is a sunset at the Wynnum waterfront. I can't get decent photo's darn it. I painted these this evening, now I am off to bed. All 12" x 16" single thickness gallery wrap canvas acrylics. c&c of course..

Contemplation


12" x 16" canvas - acrylics.

Survivor, the Hospital Version

Hi y'all, just when you thot it was safe to view the blog....I'm baaaack...

The operation to insert a third wire into my heart for my pacemaker was successful and what a difference already!!! However, I woke up in the operation when they started the pacemaker agian and felt my heart flutter. It was great....until they started digging and cutting around the pacemaker, without freezing...it had worn off...I yelled loudly and they added more freezing but I still felt it and let them know, arrrgggghh.

And to top off the fun, I got an infection at the same time which kept me in the hosp for an extra 5 days. So instead of coming home in two days, I spent a week in there, plus I have to wear an IV pump for another four days, but I'm home finally. Made it back last nite. I may haunt you all for a while yet.

I see you all have been up to some nice work while I was away. Good to see you guys producing.

Puffins for Anne ;-))




So I have to tell you it 'aint easy painting puffins.. *sigh* The second one isn't finished, but it is 1.30am and I need some sleep..
Both are 10" x 12" canvas acrylic. c&c very welcome!

Gee, they don't photograph well, do they Anne? Wow, they look so much better in person.

Friday, April 10, 2009

HAPPY EASTER Everyone!!!

I am going to put a new challenge up after Easter. Everyone is busy with their families, and recovering from holidays and stuff, so just have fun painting away at whatever you want this weekend, if you have time.

We are getting very worried that we haven't heard from Bruce since he got out of hospital, Bruce if you are reading this, I hope you are well my friend, and please if you can just check in for us.

Colleen is back from her Korean break, so we shall hear from her soon.

I know Anne has a house full of family this weekend, so hopefully she will find a spare moment to check in.

Ree and I are going to paint. Oh and I have the Market on Sunday if it is not blowy and wet.

I feel another marine art coming on, and I have a little puffin to paint.

And I have to think of something really exciting for our next Challenge, how can I top Anne's Zorn Palette? Hmmm

Thursday, April 9, 2009

It;s that puffin again ..... well actually it's a different one .....


I'm still working on painting a puffin and trying to get it right ....
This one is 6" X 8" acrylic on board

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Itty Bitty Kitty with Zorn Palette


It's a bit dark as I took the photograph at nighttime ....but at least it hides the mistakes!!!
12" X 10" acrylic on canvas