Thursday, April 24, 2008

The next update on the lake painting

About ten hours went into bringing this to its latest
incarnation. Worked mostly on the lower part
and some on the far background. Water details
like the reflections and ripples as well as modifying
the lavendar will come next, then the fun part of all
the stuff about the trees and branches. I will also do
more on the shadows that are falling across the rocks.
Quite a challenge, but really interesting to do.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

One for me - Last Stage (almost)


It will take some close looking to see what other
little touches I've added. This is not a test however!
I may yet do more, like the too-dark window that
needs some lightening so it isn't such a 'hole' in the
painting! Otherwise, it is pretty much done.
After I do a painting and have taken it as far as
I can, I will leave it for a while and then review it
to see if I still consider it fully done. If I do make any
changes, they are never big ones. I have learned
over the years how to work in such a way as to never
have to do any drastic changes. I pass on these
trade secrets to my students!

One for me Stage 4


So now the subtle stuff is coming to life with the
various refinements I am choosing to make.
With details one must sometimes FORCE oneself
to hold back until near the end.
I am liking the results!

One for me Stage 3!


Well I just went to town on this one as you can see!
I really did this all in an afternoon, just couldn't wait
to see it come to life more and more. But what a lot
to handle in the way of greens - warm greens, cool
greens, light greens, dark greens, GREENS! But now
the feeling I am looking for is emerging...

One for me Stage #2

Some of you have commented on enjoying seeing
how I develop my work. So here is the next stage
of the house. Such a LOT of green to deal with.
Also, getting the tones (values) of the roof and sky
just right as they are pretty close.

One just for me

Starting this painting for ME! It is quite special
in my life...but I will let the story unfold as I post
the development of it. Quite the GREEN challenge!
Lots of it to work with in front of and behind the
house.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Starting up a big one!

This painting is 30 x 40, the largest one I've done
in a while. It requires a LOT of standing back to
assess the effects I'm creating. This is a scene of
the lake behind my studio. I am still incredulous
about the actual occurence of violet in the water,
but it really was there. So stay tuned for the coming
installments. I think it is interesting to see how
artists develop their work and I hope you find it so
as well. This is the first go in one session after the
drawing underneath.

Monday, April 14, 2008

On my studio desk

I have been trying to get just this
photo for ages. So I had a cup of
water on my studio desk and my cat
was very interested in it. Sometimes
she will do this....dip in her paw and
then lick off the water. It is quite the
operation to watch. Artful, I'd call it.

Full view of card

Here is the card opened out so you can see how
I wrapped it. There is even a little tab that wraps
to the inside of the card.

Carded!

For my son's birthday this year I
decided to make a card for each
year of his life. I've had great fun
doing it and each card gave me
inspiration for the next one. This
is one of them where I took something
I had in my boxes of collage material
and wrapped it around the cardstock.
Then I put the personal message on
top and inside is a statement of his
purpose as he told it to me. I am also
leaving that untold as that is up to him
to spread around the internet!
I have used gold and silver inks,
photos of my Dad's, collage pieces of
watercolor paintings that my Mom did
and cut up for later use. Now that they
are no longer here, I have used bits and
pieces of the creative work of their lives
to send on to their grandson, my dear son.
Maybe he'll consider this post as yet another
card of sorts!

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Getting there!

This is just too much fun! There is SO much to see
in the scene and I keep finding more in it. But it
does not serve the painting to put in every little
thing. So it is really close to completion. The leaves
at the top of the painting need more filling in, for
instance. However, I am enjoying it so much that
I hate for the painting of it to end. I was with my
son on a shopping trip inSan Francisco when I caught
this shot. So now I getto relive the pleasure of that
day with him.
Please let me know how you like it. I really love it
when you comment on my work - all of you who see
what I am doing!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Just getting started

In a case like this where you have to be extremely
accurate about perspective, I am working from my
photograph and the sketch I did. Because the canvas
is small (10" x 20") I am using a Papermate
sharpwriter that will maintain thin lines. Charcoal
is what I use when I do underdrawings for paintings
on canvas, but in this case it would not work well.
There you have it for the moment. Oh yes, and that
is a piece of kneaded eraser - great for shaping to
take out tiny errors!

Saturday, April 5, 2008

The last banner



After many months of squeezing in getting
the 7 banners done for the school I told
you about in an earlier post, I have now
done the last one. Here it is, the
quintessential graduation images.
I did the first banner with gold and
silver in the background. Then the
next three were the primary colors.
To finish up I went for the secondary
group and thus you have this orange
background! I hope to have a photo
for you of all the banners hanging
on their specially built structure!
It's their thirtieth year celebration
this month! Congratulations.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Almost done!

This wonderful tea set has been an unfolding
discovery journey. Everytime I go back in on
it, I discover yet more subtle reflections. I am
very amazed at the reflection splayed across the
wall behind the entire set. The window that is out
of sight on the left is pouring sunshine onto this
tray of silver. My parents had a beautiful tea and
coffee set on a silver tray. I can remember them
using it for company when I was growing up. Now
the idea of polishing silver is pretty much over.
Painting this set has brought back some very nice
memories and I hope it will do the same for the
future owners of this painting!