Original Oil Painting: Low Tide

Low Tide

14" x 18"

Painted on stretch canvas.

 I used a photo from Jim Humphrey on PaintMyPhoto. He called his photo Staithes Beck 1. I posted the photo below. I made a few changes : I flipped the image because I like my focal point on the left side. I added several seagulls which seems appropriate when painting boats and adds to the whimsical aspect of the painting. I also changed my original title: Waiting to Low Tide thanks to my Facebook friends and Paint On friends!

 This painting was quite a challenge because the photo was too bright on the right side so I used my imagination quite a bit on that part of the painting. Shadows in photographs can look flat and darker than in real life, too.  I have painted outdoors before so I made allowances for these things but found that in Jim's photo there was enough info. to draw from in the shadows which helped a lot.  Hope you like my painting and please feel free to check out my online gallery by clicking on the DailyPaintWorks icon. 

Thanks Jim for the wonderful photo!

Original Oil Painting Amphitheater in Drakensberg

Amphitheater in Drakensberg

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11" x 14"

Painted on a stretched linen. 

I painted this using Marna Buys' photo posted below. My goal in this painting was to concentrate on the reflective surfaces. Does the surface reflects the sun, sky, water, etc. What the surface reflects decides if the color is warm or cool. With hot and cold color placement all around, the colors become very vibrant. 

Marna's photo has a perfect composition so I could concentrate on my goal. The foreground deals with the transparency and movement of the water which I love and draws the viewer's eye into the rocks on the shore and up to the mountain tops.  Thanks Marna for a excellent photo!   

Original Oil Painting River Valley

River Valley

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

This is my third lesson. My goal is to increase expressionism in my landscapes. I tried to add a yellow glow to the landscape. My favorite part is the way the river snakes to the horizon. Can you imagine the warm spring days melting the snow and filling in the river? 

Original Oil Painting Rock'n Gondolas

Rock'n Gondolas 

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14" x 18"

Painted on gessobord. 
 

This is a painting I made for my weekly painting class. It was the hardest one so far. I gave the background a white glaze to push it back to create depth in the atmosphere. When I painted the poles I tried to hint at a little back lighting so if you look close you will see colors on the edges where the sun is passing by. I spent a lot of time on the water. It seems to me that the water plays a big part as the boats do.  I love painting water and with all the reflective colors it was a blast! The poles were the hardest because if I messed up then I had to touch up the water or on one pole the sky. I hope you enjoying looking at my painting, a lot of work and time went into it but I feel every minute was worth it.   

Original Oil Painting Hibiscus Sunrise

Hibiscus Sunrise 

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

I used a reference photo for this but made a lot of changes. One of the petals in the back was too short so I pulled it up. Then I used several pictures I had to finish the background. To say this painting was a challenge would be an understatement. The hibiscus had so many shades of orange and yellows to start with but add to that a whole new set of oranges and yellows to create in the shadows. I came very close to scraping the whole thing off but I just kept coming back to it.

 Painting can be kind of a puzzle or mystery that needs solving.You see all the beauty in nature and you what to convey what you see and feel, but how? So you try this and that, all the tools you know and are learning through trail and error. Well at the end I am happy this turned out. Hibiscus are wonderful flowers and I love the tropical colors they have. I hope that was conveyed in my painting.