The Kiss

Another imitation of an art nouveau artist, this time Gustav Klimt's 

The Kiss, 1907-08. His original was an oil on canvas. I had read somewhere that you can use acrylic paint as an underpainting for gouache. Somehow I missed the descriptive of "matte". I mixed a matte white and yellow ochre together, then decided to add a pearl acrylic which changed my mixture from matte to glossy. I painted the entire spread in my 5x8" Moleskine. It is a beautiful metallic gold. The next day when I went to add the flesh tones to the sketch I had done on top, the paint just beaded up and sat there. I wasn't ready to give up so I pulled out more acrylic and painted the skin and hair. Next, I laid tracing paper over the page and drew a silhouette of each of the couple's clothing, and cut out two of my gel press prints for clothes. I finished by outlining the figures and adding a bit of detail in black ink. I had a great time doing this one too.

 

Door Bell

This is the sketch for the third painting in the Taos series. But I will probably change the formate to the same 12x12 inch square canvas I used for the other two.

Back Gate

I have been working on two of the three paintings I conceived from my trip to Taos in September. Not pleased with either one. Actually like my color sketches better than what I have on the canvases. The excitement I first felt as left me so I may need to move on. Or maybe I need to go back to watercolor.

This started out as entitled Kitchen Door but then I realized the gate that goes into the back property is the real center of interest. Therefore the name change.

Back Gate stage one

back Gate stage two

The colors are aren't as bright as they show on the computer screen but they are bright. The brightness was intentional to show the warmth of the sun. I simplified the background, removed a ladder and may add a large pot with plants in the shadow on the right.

Radishes

This was my first go. I liked it but it was too dark in real life. The values look more balanced on the computer screen. The wooden planks work for me too but I decided to go back in and lighten it up.

I lighten it up everywhere except the red radishes. The  background, foreground and leaves are all lighter. Even so I may go in again the lighten the foreground and change the background to a lighter and bluer color. Or I may just move on. 

SBS Polishing Klass 6

The last class was with Juliana Coles. Her topic was art journaling. She did a great demo plus a parting gift of a detailed step by step exercise. I did this homework based on her demo before opening the exercise. Remember it is a start not a completed work. Now I need to find just the right book to alter for the art journaling exercise.

We started with an incomplete drawing or failed sketch.

Then we added words, thoughts. This reminded me of the Morning Pages exercises.

Next we added paint covering some but not all of the words we had written.

Then some mark making and collage. Not sure where this will go next.

Ladder to the Sky

I think I finished this one today. Changed the left side quite a bit but think it works. Not as excited as I was at the end of the first stage. The longer I fiddle with a painting the less I like the end result. Now to decide whether to work on the other 3 that I have sketched out compositions or move on to something else.

Ladder to the Sky (stage 1)

This is the first in my Taos series. I am working in acrylic and playing with blocks of color. I have 3 more sketched out. It is roughed at this stage but I think it is going the way I want to go. Don't know if I have the courage to leave the colors so bright and unblended but at this time that's the way I want to go.

Ladder to the Sky 12"x12" acrylic on canvas

Orange Slices

5"x7" acrylic on gessoed board

My second small acrylic painting based on Barbara Newton's teaching study.

Apples Divided

Barbara Newton has posted a paint along with me. She is a pastelist but I decided to paint along with my acrylics since I no longer have any pastels. I it was fun. I generally have trouble working from someone else's reference photos but this was similar to some of my small set up. I like her idea of altering your reference photo to get closer to what you want your finished painting to look like. I have the other one she did sketched on my panel and hope to get to it later this week. Whether you are planning to paint along with her or not her blog is a treat to view. Mine was done over a fail painting on a flat 5x7 panel.

Odd Man Out

Here is the third and final painting in this series.

Peppers at Midnight

This one was a surprise. The grays I used for the colander just sat there. I liked the abstract shapes of the peppers and their shadows on the curved surface. I thought about using a red wash, vetoed that and tried yellow on on section which I quickly wiped off. Then turn to the tried and true blue for pushing things to the background. I was the best color choice but I probably should have not gone so dark. Hence the name. This one is an acrylic on a 5x7 inch panel.  It has a completely different look from anything I have done so far.

Peppers in a Jar

I started a small series of mini peppers paintings in acrylic. Don't expect any great masterpieces out of this group but more of a continued learning experience with acrylics. I was pleased with the peppers but the glass jar not so much. Glass has a steep learning curve that I am still climbing.

Sunflowers, finished and signed

I finished this one this afternoon. I grayed and lightened the blue sky, added some texture and shading to the petals, put some pollen on the centers and signed. I don't like the signing part, never have. To me is detracts from the painting. In fact,  most of my paintings remained unsigned. But buyers like signatures. Now I just need to let this one sit for a couple of days to be sure it is completely dry then varnish the painting. 

An order of three frames ( one 6x12 and two 6x6) came in yesterday. I am very pleased with them. So pleased that I ordered 3 more today. Two are for paintings I have finished and the other four are for ones to come. What can I say, there was a sale.

Sunflowers

Sunflower painting almost finished. Might lighten the blue sky.

Sunflowers

The beginning of a sunflower 5" x 7" acrylic painting.

Tangerines in Glass Bowl

This was a fun painting to do. Of course, almost every one that turns out the way I had hoped is fun. I guess tangerine orange is easier for me to mix than pear green. I know that I have been whining about the texture on this panel but it really worked for the subject. The texture made it easier to get the rough fruit skin.

New Studio Addition

Have been wanting a cart to store and work from for my acrylics. I finally found the perfect one for me. This will allow me to have an acrylic painting and an oriental brush painting going at the same time. I like to work back and forth between the two medium. Sometimes I need to think on one before proceeding or something needs to dry well. I use to have to break down one and set up other. This will be so much easier. The working position of my cart is on the right side of my easel but I wanted a picture with both work areas in one shot. Now I should have no excuse for turning out lots of paintings in the next few months. Also need to get to work on framing.

tangerines start

Here is the start of my tangerine painting. On Monday I started a pear painting spent way too much time working on a failure before wiping it off. Did several set up with varying numbers of tangerines and decided to try this one. Already like it sooo much better than my pear start which I can't figure out. I have done lots of pears in watercolor and they alway come out ok if not great. Just could not get the greens right in that one. This is the 6" x 6" other Ampersand, The Artist Panel, value series wood panel with the primed canvas texture that I don't like as much as the smooth. But I did put a couple of additional layers of gray gesso and a warm golden layer of paint left on my pallet to fill in some of the "canvas" texture.

Only 3 Cups (3rd session)

Put in some more details, highlights but I think I need more darks. Granted it is white but there isn't enough contrast right now to show the curvature of the cups and the delineation of the cup bowls and handles. Like the background and shadow. Finding out that I much prefer the smooth surface to the canvas texture on these boards.

Only 3 Cups (2nd session)

Continuing working on this little painting. Painting in acrylics is fun and is bringing me joy no matter the subject. Enjoying this much more than the watercolors or oriental brush paintings I have worked on recently. Must get some more canvases/boards in different sizes and proportions. Figured out that by adding a touch of gel medium to the paint it is easier to apply to this canvas textured board.