Working on Roses

Roses and Vast #2/  oil on board/ 6 x 6/ $125

 I have been trying to learn to paint roses. Many roses have given their lives for this effort. I started to copy other painters. Finally, after many failed attempts, I painted the the small rose portrait (second painting down). I still want more painterly strokes but at least this is improving. Next, I lit three of the most recent grocery discount buys  and a fabulous chocolate pot. I painted the watercolor image (bottom of these) and finally a small oil. This one I love. Especially the orange and blue contrasts.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/roses-and-vase-2/196929

Rose Study/ oil on board/ 4 x 4/

Roses and vase #1 /watercolor/ 9 x 9/ 

Kookaburra and little sunshine paintings

I am excited and honored that this painting was juried into the 37th Annual Southern Watercolor Society Exhibit to be held at the Kerr Arts and Cultural Center (KACC) Kerrville, TX.

Because it continues to be cold, I painted two sunlit paintings as exercises today. The fisherman is a small 6 x 8  oil painting with a lot of texture.
the little shoveler is a watercolor on handmade paper trying to paint only the shadow masses and leaving the light unpainted.
They are both just freshly done, so I will look again to decide whether they are finished or not.

Vase and Pear Study

Vase and Pear Study/oil on board/ 6 x 6/ $100

I haven't posted much lately because I am working on improving. Often, that requires a lot of experimentation and lots of paper or wiped canvases.
As part of this improvement, I have also been reading and recently read that Sargent, as a young painter spent 10 hours a day learning to paint and he did this for years. Helps, to be reminded that learning to paint takes time and effort.
Artsist Note:
Ib this painting my objective was to paint the continuation of objects: one thing leads into the next. I addition, I am working on understanding edges. Therefore, I painted the form and cast shadows as a single unit and then added reflected light.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/vase-and-pear-study/195851

Orchid Study

This is the second study of this orchid. The first was wiped.
I especially like the texture of the rim of the petals.

Dancing Pears

Dancing Pears/ oil on board/ 4 x 4/ $75

I have been studying and trying new things lately. This results in a lot of "paint and wipe or throw away"  work. None is time poorly spent, since even as things don't work, there is a fair amount of learning....but nothing to post.

This study was working on changing the "volume" or "distance" of the background and lost edges at the junction of shadow and light shapes.
I like how much "movement' this seems to create.
I have the most beautiful pears from Harry and Davids (by way of Benson) so I will repaint them before I get to eat them!
How great is life!

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/dancing-pears/194831

Not Quite Finished

This little painting needs a little more work. However, it made it this far. I have painted many small paintings that have been wipers lately.
I am still interested in completing 100. I was lucky today because a friend gave me some new photos to work from. Can't wait! I'll repost this after I rework a couple of areas. See if you can see what I change....

Espresso for One and Adrianna's Gerber Daisy

I am rereading Alla Prima II by Richard Schmid. Presently, I am studying his chapter on "Drawing" which he defines as the "arrangement  of patches of color that are the right shape and size".

This small espresso maker has great shapes to practice. This is in contrast to the little gerber daisy below which has lots of lost edges and few sharp, easily defined shapes.

Schmid reminds the reader that drawing requires ongoing practice. this reminder made wiping these small boards multiple times worthwhile.

Adrianna's Gerber Daisy/ oil on board/ 4 x 4/ $75

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/adriannas-gerber-daisy/193329

Catch Up

Small carnation study/ oil on board/ 4x4

This past week I have been a little under the weather and faced with large painting deadlines. Here are some of the exercises completed while working on the large paintings.
This is my first carnation study.

Carnation Study #2/ oil on board/ 6x6/ $100

This study is larger (still only 6 x6). I was working on more color differences in the reds, and more stroke variability in the flowers themselves.


http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/sue-churchgrant/carnation-study-2/192877

SOLD

Next, I lightened the shadow on the right hand figure. And then there were several wiped studies in the week's efforts.

I did manage to get paintings entered into the show deadlines for this weekend. I'll post if they are accepted.
Here's to a great week, with improved health!

Another Process: Beach Oil

Here is another process painting. I am learning to paint small patches of color. I start with larger patches of color and then place smaller brush marks.

Beach Play Sketch/ oil on panel/ 6 x 8

Apples Completed

This is the painting "completed".

Artist Note: The colors listed previously were added in thin glazed layers and when dry, the highlights were gently lifted out using a soft synthetic brush.
I like the warmth of these colors.
Sometimes, seeing a painting photographed gives me a different perspective.  Although this painting is "completed", I am fairly certain that later today, I will apply another thin glaze to the left side of the background and work a little on the reflection of the left (as you look at the painting) apple. Once done,  I will repost.

Work in Progress 2

There has been a lot done since yesterday's photograph. The right side (as you look at the painting) of the background is fairly close to completion. The green apple (which is my center of interest) is what I painted first after the background. This was also painted with thin layers of paint.

Artist Note: The colors included Schminke indian yellow, aureolin,  translucent orange, and sap green, Daler Rowney alizarin crimson, Holbein cad red light, Daniel Smith  indanthrone blue, and quoin gold for the apples and reflections, The reflections all had some of the background colors added to them to "grey-down" their colors.

My artistic goal for this painting was to have it "feel" like an old master's oil painting: rich, dark and warm.......

Happy 2014: Work in Progress

I like to post "work in progress" photos after I know the painting will work. I have many paintings that I stop because they aren't "painting" the way I imagine them to be. These I use on the back for smaller (often successful) paintings. This painting is maybe half-finished, so the verdict is still out whether you will see it completed or not. I thought it would be good for teaching, regardless.

Artists notes:
This is painted on 140 lb cold pressed Fabriano paper stretched on a waterbord, taped with distracting quick release painter's tape (Fabriano shreds when I use masking tape) The blue of the tape influences the colors that you see when you are painting. If you are more patient than I am, you can retape over the blue tape with masking tape (onto of the painters tape, so it won't rip the paper). In this case, my visual impairment is useful (I only see what I am looking at, so I don't see the tape at close distance).

1. The four corners of the background will be different from each other in the final painting, so even in an early stage, the corners vary in color temperature, and value.
2. When I paint a dark background, I know that to "smooth it out",  I will be adding layers. This will only work well, if I confine myself to transparent colors. Transparent colors in the background give perspective to the background (it feels like you can see further back into the painting). As soon as I add an opaque color,  it will make the background chalky and impossible to add further layers, so opaque colors have to be added last. Here, I am using Daniel Smith's beautiful colors including sepia, quin burnt orange, quin burnt scarlet, quoin gold, and ivory black in various combinations.
3. To know whether a color is transparent or opaque (or semi-), some manufacturers put a square on the tube of paint: clear is transparent: black (filled in) is opaque. You can also click on the drop down when looking at a particular paint on line (under paint properties). Here, you can find out what the pigment is (the names are so beautiful but brand to brand, you can buy the same color with a new name: the pigment number will sort this out for you), the granulating properties and whether a pigment is transparent or not.

So, in further examples, I will be "smoothing out" the "scratchiness and visible brush strokes of the background. I have found that the brush type make a difference as I add layers (perhaps because I am impatient and heavy-handed in my application). However, if I use a squirrel mop brush and gently stroke (almost float) the next layer on, I have less "lift" of what is already painted.

Hope this helps. Please comment (still painful because I  have left the "prove-you-are-human blocks in the way) and let me know if you have particular questions.
Have a great day!