94 Days Left. 83 Paintings To Go.

 

Gift Box

Oil On Canvas

I have painted this object a couple of times. It continues to vex me. 

As does almost everything else.

Have to get myself back on track.

102 Days Left. 84 Paintings To Go.

 

Alizarin Experiment #1

Oil On Canvas

I have been feeling exceptionally discouraged over the past couple of days. Some of it is news of the world, some of it is situations here at home. So although I have done some background things, canvas prep and cataloging paintings, I have not put brush to canvas in a couple of days.

I worked on this piece late this afternoon. I used a plain white canvas to play around with two colors that have limited opacity, thus allowing light to pass through them, bounce off the white background and be reflected back through the paint. It gives the colors a sense of glow.

Maxfield Parrish worked in a similar way which is why his canvases appear so vibrant. Unfortunately to further the effect he varnished the whites underneath, which over time has caused severe cracking issues because of uneven drying of the paints. In another generation most of his work will probably be lost to us.

I always feel at least slightly better after I draw or paint. Something I should keep in mind more often.

And with that it is time for dinner. And a glass of wine.

Peace in yer crease.

105 Days Left. 85 Paintings To Go

 

Miscellaneous Hardware

Oil On Canvas

This is the first time I have turned the 12" x 16" canvas to a portrait orientation. I should have scaled up the object to fill more of the space, but otherwise I think it turned out fairly well.

And with that it is time for dinner and a glass of wine.

Peace in yer crease.

106 Days Left. 86 Paintings To Go.

 

Grey Hat

Oil On Canvas

109 Days Left. 87 Paintings To Go

 

Cut Pepper

Oil On Canvas

It's interesting the things I see when I look at photos of my paintings, things that are not always immediately obvious when I am looking at the work itself. Little details (or mistakes) sort of jump out at me.

It is kind of like the Color And Design class I took at my alma mater. It was a year long class that you had to pass each term or you couldn't continue in the program*. I always noticed the obvious flaws in my projects just as I was handing them in.

What is it about unveiling our work to other people, or ourselves in a different format, that makes us see the things we wish we could fix?

Well, anyway it is finished, and I am on to dinner and a glass of wine.

Peace in yer crease.

*We were always told this by upperclassmen, but I don't remember hearing it from any of the faculty. It may have been urban legend.

110 Days Left. 88 Paintings To Go.

 

Cone In Blue

Oil On Canvas

I was hoping to get two canvases completed today, so I cheated a little and went with 9" x 12" instead of 12" x 16". I also decided to go with something simpler in terms of subject, so chose a single object with regular lines and proportions.

I had an urge to do something using blue, so decided to do this as a value study, with the blue standing in for black. I used Ultramarine Blue since it is fairly dark. But Ultramarine is also fairly transparent, so I was not entirely sure how well it would work replacing black.

Cone In Green

Oil On Canvas

Instead of changing objects, I decided to try the same idea using another color. I used Chromium Oxide Green, which is not as dark, so it was tougher to get the balance between the background and the dark side of the cone.

I may try this idea with other colors. We shall see.

And with that it is time to prep for dinner and do some Italian exercises.

Peace in yer crease.

111 Days Left. 90 Paintings To Go.

 

Three Spheres

Oil On Canvas

10% Complete!

This was a busy day. I toned another six canvases this afternoon, and then began work on this. There are one or two issues with the ball on the left, and the subjects could take up a little more of the canvas, but overall I think this turned out well.

It was good to produce something that sort of looks like I have some ability as a painter.

I am a little behind where I wanted to be, but I think I have my schedule worked out so that I can actually get a little ahead in the coming week.

And with that, it's time for a glass of wine and some Italian lessons.

Peace in yer crease.