Golden Light

Golden Light
14x11in  oil on canvas SOLD

Artist Note.
This was a demo I did last month.
I started with a charcoal drawing
and scrubbed a coat of
Indian Yellow (transparent)
to cover the canvas. Adding
a little Alizarin and
Transparent Brown Oxide
as I worked out from the light
Keeping the paint transparent
as long as possible was my goal.
I mixed Ultramarine Blue
with the yellow to make
a transparent green
and Alizarin, Ultramarine
and Transparent Brown Oxide
to make
the dark of the Ravens.
I fractured everything with
the tool and
went back in and reinstated
and started with using
some opaques by adding
Naples Yellow to
Indian Yellow and greens.

Following the principle
of warm light/cool shadows
I introduced the cooler
blue/greens at the end.
They look more blue on the
screen than they
actually are.

Tea Time

Tea Time
7x5 oil on canvas SOLD


Artist Note

This one is one I painted
way back in 2011.
I liked it then and I like it now.

Still cleaning up my
home studio
I have had such a lot
to do and so
have not painted.

I miss it.
And so yesterday
I started a new one,
but it is slow going
between making
decisions
like...if I should
save an item or let it go.

Brushes for example...

Now why 

did I hang on to them?

Anyone else a

 mega

studio clutter-er ?

Make me feel better 

if you would share.

Have a great weekend.

Balcony in Guadalajara, Mexico

Balcony in Guadalajara.

9x8 in watercolor on Yupo

study

Artist Note.

Carol Marine came up with

a neat subject for this week's

 Daily Paintworks Challenge.

I have loads of balcony photos

from all my travels. This one 

from the gorgeous old city 

of Guadalajara, in Mexico's

interior. In this area they 

all had small clothes lines,

sometimes four to a balcony.

This was 20 years ago...

I wonder if they still

hang it outside or 

if they have dryers

now their electricity has

improved.

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas

6x8in oil on canvas $130. SOLD


Artist Note

This was a demo for the Friday group
on the same limited palette as the last post
with the brightly colored Anemones.
The goal was to show how to paint
masses of small blooms by only painting
one or two in detail, and the rest only suggested
by shadow and color.

This time I worked with \
more neutral colors to show the full
range of this handy palette.
Here are a few color charts
from Guild members.

Ned Jacob's limited Palette

Cad Yellow light
Orange 
Alizarin Perm. W&N
Ultramarine Blue
Black
Titanium White

I was fascinated seeing the many different 

harmonious earth colors and lovely

greens shades that can be mixed.

Precious Flower Gift

Roses and Callas

12x10 watercolor on Yupo paper

not quite finished...

I had a birthday recently and my daughter

and her hubby sent flowers - 

gorgeous flowers. 

(She knows what I like to paint.)

Thanks a bunch, Rainy and Eric.

I had a wonderful time looking, and painting.

Artist Note

I thought this was finished, but,

sigh... I just noticed something 

 I have to fix. 

Put it up on the screen,

 and something not right, jumps right out.

Frustrating, but very helpful.

Does this happen to anyone else?

A Thank You Bird

Watching

6x6in  watercolor on paper
Gift

What do I paint for someone who loves realism?
Why, something I love to paint, of course,
 but with more detail than usual.
A month or so ago
a friend's husband went WAY out of his way
when I was experiencing a rather painful
situation, and he donned a Knight's
attire and rode to my rescue.
Bless you, Wiley, and thank you.

Artist Note.
My hijacked email account was apparently
one which has been around
a while. It made me very upset and hope
everyone changed their password
IF
they opened it.
Thank you to those of you who quickly
let me know about how to deal with it.
It was my first experience with one.

A friend expressed the desire to
super glue together
the fingers of the hacker. 
Loved that thought!

Late Summer in Santa Fe

Late Summer in Santa Fe, NM.

6x6in oil on canvas panel  SOLD


Late summer walks along on Canyon Road
cannot be beat. This was on a side street and
the light fixture caught my eye.

Artist Note

A neat couple saw this painting and liked it.

 We started to chat and I enjoyed some interesting

conversation before they returned another time

to buy it.

I really appreciate getting to 

know people through my paintings.

For a start, it has occurred  to me that we must 

share a liking for similar places
and types of beauty.

Computer fixed. What a pain when
they misbehave.

New Mexico Window

New Mexico Window

51/2in x 8in watercolor on Yupo paper  SOLD

New Mexico windows  and doors
have been a favorite theme for me.
This window is a new find.

Artist Note
I consider door and windows almost
like a still life within the landscape.
The light may change, but not that quickly
and being able to
get close up to study them is a real pleasure.

Experimenting - day 27 of the challenge

Single Pom

12x9

Not for sale.

Artist Note

The following is a handy and 

creative way to break up your 

color/value areas if you want to try for

a looser effect, but enjoy painting smoothly.

Start with a random black/grey white paint

patterns on canvas or paper.  You can drip, 

splatter or place, but use a generous amount.

(I used gesso)

Lay another piece of paper or canvas

 over it and

gently press and lift straight off.

It will look similar to an abstract  

mono print

Next I used a palette knife to 

smooth some areas, but if you like what you

see, then leave it alone.

Let dry.

You have two abstracts to work on.

Next draw what your subject will be.

Mine happens to be a pomegranate.

I used a rigger brush and thinned oil paint.

 Let the fun begin. 

I started with transparent colors

Adding some opaque paint where I did

not want the dark underneath to show through.

I am going to do a landscape with the other 

piece of paper - which was the one used on top..

The possibilities are endless.

I want to thank Mary Maxim for 

saying such nice things about my blog on the 

radio show Artists Helping Artists

It plays on Thursdays, 

but you can pick it up at any time.

Leslie Saeta hosts the show and is the energy

which makes it work. Mary was the co-host 

for this month and came up with fabulous 

ideas and art information.

If you are not familiar with 

Mary's truly amazing paintings 

you can

check them out HERE

Have a lovely weekend.

Trio of Calla Lillies - day 22 of the challenge

Trio of Calla Lilies

6x6in oil on canvas panel $100.

Purchase HERE

Day 22

These are the type of calla lilies that are grown 

as a house plant.

Pretty, but nowhere near as gorgeous as the ones

that grow outside.

Artist Note.
We still have cloudy skies so my still life set-up
has a very dull cast to it. This is a great
opportunity to 

work with neutralized colors.
For example - the background pinkish
tone was originally a Napathol Red base
with a yellow/green mixed in with it.
I used Naples Yellow to lighten.
The leaves were made from Ultramarine Blue,
Perm Yellow and Transparent Brown Oxide.
 I also added a tiny amount of background
color mixed in - here and there.

I miss my sunshine!

Nap Time - day 15 in the challenge

Nap Time

8x6in oil on canvas panel  $125. SOLD

Day 15

This is my Grandcat. He is not longer

with us but left us with many happy memories.

This chair has a woven seat,

and sometimes, when he jumped up on the 

chair, his legs would go right through.

It was hysterical because he would

still nap with a couple of his legs hanging

through. After a while he learned to 

jump on the chest next to it, and 

carefully step down.

ARTIST NOTE

Half way through ...

Don't forget to take a look at all the 

other artists participating in the 

Leslie Saeta 30 in 30 Challenge

HERE