Still Life 5"x7"

Oil on 5x7 gessobord.

After an afternoon of trying to set up some sort of still life, my eye was caught by some items that had been collecting on top of a cardboard box. It seems that they had created a more interesting composition all by themselves, than anything I had come up with. So, I painted it. And it was fun, and casual with no pressure. A fake butterfly, a bowl, a ribbon, a pencil, and a little mannequin.

"Banana and Strawberry with Box"

This is painted in oil on a 5"x7" Ampersand Hardbord. I recently bought a package of hardbord to try, instead of using the gessobord. It's the same kind of panel, but the gessobord already has gesso on it, and the hardbord does not. I like putting my own gesso on, I did 2 seperate coats, one brushed up and one brushed across, criss crossing each other. It made a nice soft pattern, almost like the threads of cloth.

Forelle Pears and Cranberries 5x7 o/b

I finally finished this painting. I learned a lot during the 3 or 4 times I went back to it. It's strange though, how I don't seem to retain anything I think I learn. Every time I paint, it's a new adventure in figuring things out. It turned out much different than when I started, mostly because I moved the whole set up into a different room, near a window, which changed the whole lighting situation on it. Then I decided to paint out the cloth, since I messed it up, and couldn't get it right again. The pears also ended up in slightly different positions than before, changing the patterns of color.

Forelle Pears (in progress)

Happy Thanksgiving!!
Here is a picture of a pair of forelle pears, with a few cranberries on the side. I don't remember ever seeing these kinds of pears before, but when I saw them in the store, I thought they would be nice to paint. They are small, and are pretty shades of green and red. I've only started this painting, and didn't continue it further because I started painting it on a bare gessobord. I usually put something on the gessoed surface before I start painting. Usually I smear a thin mixture of turp and paint over it and let it dry before I paint on it. I'm always doing something a bit different to the surface to try and see what works out best. I've done it for so long, that I forgot what it was like to just start painting on the original surface. So, that's what I did, tried the original surface, and it didn't take long for me to remember why I don't like to do that. It's like painting on a dry raw plaster wall... yeck! the gesso sucks the moisture out of the paint, and it is very unpleasant. So, maybe once this layer of paint dries, I'll paint on that to finish.
I have gotten out of the habit of painting lately, which I want to try and correct! I've been more often wanting to spend my spare time looking at artwork on line rather than making my own. I love looking at the paintings of others. It's so exciting to see what new thing everyone else has painted. I also get sidetracked with another of my favorite pastimes this time of year, knitting. Once I get that out of my system, it'll be easier to get back and paint more regularly.

I'm also considering moving my "studio" into another room of the house. Since my oldest son recently moved out into a home of his own, I was thinking I'd take over his empty bedroom for my art studio. I could also have my computer in there as well, and have everything in one room! Which I've never had before. So, that would be nice. Not as nice as having him here in his bedroom, but, things change , and ... I might as well make the best of it :)
( hi Rick, miss ya)

Grapefruit study 6x6 o/b

This grapefruit half has been sitting in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks, waiting for me to paint it's picture. I kept putting it off because for some reason I thought it seemed too complicated to paint, and I'd probably just mess it up. So, today, I thought I would use the back of an unwanted painting to try a practice painting of it. Just to try it, no big deal... and before I knew it, I noticed that I was much more relaxed than usual, not afraid to make mistakes, and just scrape them off and try again. And after a while, I was surprised to find that I didn't do such a bad job, and I learned a few things. I even like how the shadows zig zag across the picture and create different shapes. I'll have to paint this one again sometime, and use a good peice of board, and hopefully try and get in that same frame of mind again!

Fruit and Flowers

Oil on 8"x10" Canvas Panel

"Green Grapes and Flower"

Oil on 5"x7" Ampersand Gessobord

Here is a picture of the grapes painting I had started the other day. I'll post it on ebay later this evening.

2 Paintings....

images may be clicked to enlarge

I have 2 things to post today. The first is a picture of a painting in progress that I started last night. It is of a bunch of grapes, and a single bachelor's button flower. I had started with just the grapes by themselves, and noticed those little flowers I had in a vase nearby, so I added one. I really like the combination of green and purple together.

The second is a painting I finished the other day, of a lemon on a cloth. I thought I would try painting from a different perspective, so I stood at my easel (instead of sitting in a chair like I normally do) so I could look down at the lemon. I liked how it came out, so I think I'll try a painting from this view point again sometime. They are both oil on 5x7 gessobord.

Red Pear and Bananas

Oil on 5"x5" Ampersand Gessobord (two pictures, same painting)

I had a pleasant time painting this, and I think it might have been because I bought a couple of new brushes. I seemed to be able to put the paint just where I wanted it, instead of fighting to get it where I want it. Whenever I go to the art store I take the longest time, looking through all the brushes. I feel the hairs, and hold them pretending to paint with it against the shelf to see how the hairs bend... I want one that is soft, but still sturdy enough to use with oil paint. Sturdy, but not one that has hairs that are too stiff, and scratch at the paint. I get softer ones, and then they wind up too flimsy, or once the oil paint is in it, the fibers seem to all stick together in one mass that leaves marks in the paint... grrrrrr! I wound up buying a couple of small filberts from winsor and newton, called "eclipse". The fibers are soft and natural, and not flimsy. I forget, but I think they were labled as black sable. It doesn't say on the brush, and they weren't expensive. I was looking for a mongoose brush, but there weren't any in the store I was in. Maybe I'll have to look online for some. Anyway......

The fruit in this painting is sitting on a glass salad plate. I didn't think I'd be able to make the plate look right, but, it seems to look ok to me.

"Fresh Cut Apple"

Oil on 6"x6" Ampersand Gessobord

I was hesitating to try and paint a cut apple because the white of the apple changes so fast and becomes more yellow. And I love the color of that fresh cut apple!! So, I just made sure to try and do the white first before it changed on me. I like how this came out, and the pictures came out good too, I couldn't decide between these two, so I just thought I'd post both.

Apple on Cloth

Oil on 5"x7" Canvas board

It's apple season here, and it's always nice this time of year to go to a farm market for apples and apple cider! I think this one is a macintosh. I had painted this picture a few days ago, and wasn't happy with how it was coming out, so I put it aside. I worked on it again today, changed a few things, and now I like it much better.

watermelon slices , Oil on 6x6 board

I don't know why I have had so much trouble getting an accurate image of this painting. I usually do wind up taking many photos of paintings in different lighting, but this one for some reason, just would never come out as perfectly as I wanted. Either the reds were too red, or the background was too chalky looking.. the highlights on the red watermelon would look way too pink... and so on. So, after a few hours of trying to pick the one best photo, I am giving up and I'm just going to post the 2 or 3 best ones.

This will be posted on ebay later this evening.

Red Pear Oil on 5x5 board

I painted this red pear today on an ampersand gessobord. The previous painting of the cantalope was done on a canvas board and I can see the difference in the way I paint on different surfaces. I like them both, but I wonder if I'll ever prefer one over the other as time goes by??

Also, I thought I would mention a couple of websites that I have been enjoying. These 2 artists each use"uStream.tv" to broadcast a live, interactive painting session from their own studio. The sessions are also recorded so you can view them at a later time. They are David Darrow, and Susan Carlin. I have a link to their sites in the "favorite blogs" section on the side of my blog page. Check it out some time, it's a real treat to watch a painting session in real time! There is also a live chat available to communicate with the artist. I haven't tried that yet, but it's not necessary to sign in to watch.

Cantaloupe Slices and Green Grapes

Oil on 5"x7" Canvas Panel

This cantaloupe was not a very tasty one, unfortunately, so it got cut up and used as a subject for a painting instead. Now I feel better, it didn't go to waste :) I will put it up on eBay this weekend. (I also need to take a better picture, this one has a bit of glare)

Mask on Red

Oil on 5"x7" Ampersand Gessobord

This is a painting of a ceramic mask that I've had for years. (I've had the mask for years, the painting is new) I've drawn it before but never painted a picture of it. I thought it would be fun to try.

Banana in Shadow

Here is the banana I painted yesterday. It's oil on 6"x6" Ampersand Gessobord.

Peeled Orange on Book

Still working on this one.... I took out the line where the table surface would meet the back wall...I just couldn't figure out how to shade/highlight in that area. I like it better with just a gradual change of value. I reworked the orange over and over, and I'm still not 100% happy with it, the shading and red reflection from the book seems to have me puzzled as to how to paint it... I'll leave it alone for a while, and look at it again in a day or 2 (if I can force myself to wait that long!) then maybe I'll be able to see better what to do with it.

Bowl of Cherries (finished)

Oil on 6"x8" Canvas Board

White Zinnia with Cherries

Oil on 6"x8" canvas panel
Here are a couple of pictures of the Zinnia painting. They were taken in bright outdoor light on a sunny day, so the colors look extra bright, and there is a bit of a glare on the wet paint. I like this painting alot, because I always want to paint the flowers I have in my garden, but I seldom want to try, it looks so difficult. But, I tried, and I was happy with how it came out. I should try more often.

4 Rainier Cherries

above is a close up image, click either image for enlarged view

Oil on 5"x7" Canvas Panel

This is the cherries painting I did a couple days ago, I thought it needed a little more work, and now I am happy with it.