Little Red

Little Red

12x16, soft pastel

Painting 15 of 30:  Little Red is finished.  It's always a toss up to be detailed vs. painterly....my style is somewhere in between.   I like definition...but too much detail and too much precision leads to stiff unnatural paintings with less expression.  If I was painting photorealistic then I'd put much more detail in.  So it's a fine balance every artist has to decide for him or herself when to stop and "let it be".   

This particular scene reminds me of myself.  I'm pretty darn petite...ok, I'm downright SHORT at a whopping 5'0".  Pretty much everyone seems to tower over me.  So I can identify wih this little dingy sitting side by side tied to a manmouth ship.  We may both be small...but we're so dang cute...lol.  Of course the older we get, we get a little rough around the edges.

Bedtime Buddies - Oil

Bedtime Buddies - Oil

6x6, oil on board

Painting 14 of 30 - Revisiting a painting I did in October of Macy...a Facebook friend's pup who is full of Westie attitude!  Having loved it in pastel...I decided to try it in oil.  This oil painting thing is definitely like trying to write with your non-dominate hand.  But again, I practice and practice....and practice.  I know it's not completely hopeless because I still bound out of bed each morning (often 4-5 am) excited to try again!  

Toy Boat Regatta - Pastel

Toy Boat Regatta - Pastel

12x9, soft pastel

Painting 13 of 30:  The same painting as yesterday...only in pastel.

WIP: Now a bit more layering...a bit more detail.

Toy Boat Regatta - Oil

Toy Boat Regatta - Oil

10x8, oil on board

Painting 12 of 30:  I like this little scene because of the colors of the water that graduate from dark blue at the top, down to the sandy color at the bottom...and of course I like the cute little toy boats gliding about....and of course, the boat reflections.  Come to think of it, I just like the whole darn thing!  And best of all...painting with oils didn't drive me crazy today!

WIP:  This one below will be a larger version (12x16 unframed, probably 16x20 framed) of "Little Red" which was a small pastel painting I completed a couple years ago.  I've had a hard time selling some of the paintings I really like and this is one of them.  But, my walls are filled...so this one will be sold, eventually.  First, a quick sketch...

Then a little work on blocking in the masses and working a bit on the first couple layers.

Sunset Sail

Sunset Sail

16x12, soft pastel

Painting 11 of 30....Finished painting "Sunset Sail" finally has the mood I was after...colorful yet soothing!  I painted this scene a couple years ago in a much smaller version and am glad I tackled a larger version.

Sunbathing Trio - Pastel

Sunbathing Trio - Pastel

6x6, soft pastel

Painting 10 of 30 - Sunbathing Trio in pastel...ok, done with onions for a good long time!  On to finishing Sunset Sail.

WIP:  Sunset Sail

Below are the first three steps on another larger piece titled "Sunset Sail" that I've been working on the past week.   I started with a very saturated bold underpainting...we'll see how it goes!

I'm getting there (or, I will get there come hell or high water).  This is what is often called "the ugly stage".  Where things are sort of coming together, but deep inside you wonder if you shouldn't trash it!  Layering, layering and more layering of pastel to eventually get to the mood I'm looking for....maybe that vibrant underpainting was a bit too much!  We'll see.

Sunbathing Trio - Oil

Sunbathing Trio

6x6, oil on board

I tried...really I did.  I logged onto YouTube and watched an oil painting video as I proceeded to paint my three little onions above.  I listened closely to every single instructional detail.  I bought the paints recommended and the ingredients to make my own mixing medium.  I decided on a subject matter that wasn't too complex and selected my board, brushes and palette colors I would use. 

I started the video and listened intently and followed the instructor's detailed steps on how to pre-mix all the colors I would use (at least most of them I would use)....but, somewhere along the way I broke formation.  In general, I have a hard time following someone else's steps...especially if they're time-consuming.   

Eventually, (once I get bored or I see a potential shortcut) my creative side defies authority in any form and I just start muddling through a painting on my own.  I'm a terrible student!  Even though I know perfectly well the instructor is a much better artist than I am and has valuable information to share.  If ONLY I would listen with patience and follow directions!

True to form, my poor little onions were left to suffer the consequences of my actions. I made mistakes. I got a little frustrated. And, I bumped and bumbled my way through it and then cried "uncle".   Oh well...there's always tomorrow!