Original Oil Painting Classic Peonies

Classic Peonies

16" x  20"

Painted on stretch linen

This is my last painting assignment for Elizabeth Robbins' online course. The assignment was silver, peony and "S" composition. Elizabeth is an excellent teacher. I encourage anyone who likes to paint flowers to look her up. She won't be hard to find. Her paintings are well known. 

My goal was to concentrate on a softer looking flower approach and to leave background items less detailed. I love her paintings and was so excited to hear that she has a six month online course. I will send this to her and hope I do not have to make major changes. Wish me luck.   

Original Oil Painting Sweet Peas

Sweet Peas

12"  x  12"

Painted on ampersand gessobord.

Original Oil Painting Yellow Roses with Delphiniums

Yellow Roses with Delphiniums

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16" x  20"

Painted on Ampersand Gessobord

This is one of the paintings I made for my online course with Elizabeth Robbins. I used her photograph to paint from that is shown below. I hope to post a better photo of my painting above after it is varnished. The table top and blue blossoms are darker and have more hue in them. I will photograph it on a sunny day.  

This is her painting she did for us as a demonstration. She painted it in two hours roughly. Of course my painting took about 8 hours. 

Here are some of my in process photos posted below.

The first step was to block in the shapes I see without thinking about what they represent. Basically just think of them as abstract shapes.

Next I worked on the background and table which will help me get the values right in the roses. I noticed right away they where way to light.

Now I start on the large left rose. Adding more detail and contrast. Unfortunately I became very frustrated and moved on to the other roses. I found out using a little less detail and more soft edges made the rose look like real roses. I knew all the roses will need more work but I needed to take a break so I worked the glass vase. What fun!

The next day I revisited the roses adding less contrast in the left rose and finishing the vase and table scraps.

Checking the highlights and adding new paint to freshen them up if needed. I also decided the background hue was to saturated and too gold. I spent an hour working on just that. I hate it when I get the background wrong but I am much happens with the less saturated darker hue. I used a transparent oxide red, olive green and gray violet to wash over the background colors.

Well I thought I was done. I photographed it, loaded it on the computer and stopped. I could not take my eyes off the glass reflection. When my eyes settle on a spot and stop moving I know I got a problem. The reflection is competing with the flowers. I need to calm it down so you do not notice it as much as the flowers.

This is my finished painting below. The table hue is much like the photo above but the day light was getting darker and the colors look washed out in this photo.

Original Oil Painting Summer's Sunflowers

Summer's Sunflowers

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14" x 18"

Painted on stretch Canvas. 

Original Oil Painting Hand over Hand

Hand Over Hand

12"  x  12"

Painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

I painted this cross over composition in my studio. I like how the composition has the objects cross over each over. It reminds me of how we use to choose who is up to bat first by placing your hands on the bat 's neck and the last one to get their hand over the other person's hand wins. Is it the onion or the scallion? I will let you decide. 

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

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Original Oil Painting Vintage Rose

Vintage Rose

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12" x  12"

Painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

Original Oil Painting : Alstroemeria

Alstroemeria

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8" x 10"

Painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

Original Oil Painting Autumn Begonia

Autumn Begonia

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12" x 12"

Painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

Painted from a studio still life using my 2017 bright orange begonia!

Original Oil Painting Strawberry Sunflower

Sunflower Strawberries

8" x 10"

Painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

It has been awhile since my last post. I haven't been able to get myself to pick up a brush. That happens from time to time. So I spent my time surfing the net and looking at all the beautiful art work. Usually that gets me going but this time it did not work. Then I started to gather things from the refrigerator and garden arranging some still life(s) and photographing them. I would take maybe 72 pictures to find one or two I liked. I find still life arrangements a lot of work. It is not easy to create compositions that work plus adjusting lighting and strawberries rolling the wrong way. 

  Well today I started this small one. Tomorrow I hope to added the finishing details: checking the colors and fixing any color that looks muddy and brightening the highlights. It is always easier to do this when the paint is dryer. 

Original Oil Painting Stacked Lilies

Stacked Lilies

11" x 14"

Painted on canvas board

Ok, the struggle continues. This morning I spent a couple more hours. I just could not let this painting stay the way it was. Yes the shadow work I did yesterday was better but now the background needed more contrast and the flower's highlights needed to be lighten.

The brightening of the pieces of blue in the upper part of the background really made the whole thing pop. Now I think I can go on but I thought that yesterday too. So you know I am not kidding, I am posting it to Daily Paintworks today if my computer will let me. Computers can be finicky just like artist. Sorry for the long post but I thought you might what to know what goes on in my crazy art world.

These are the before photos of this painting:

Original Oil Painting Mosaic Clematis

Mosaic Clematis

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

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Original Oil Painting Daffodil Choir

Daffodil Choir

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9" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

It has been a gloomy few days here in Wisconsin. I decided I needed to paint something light and bright so I went through my photos. I found a daffodil photo I took a week ago on a sunny day and I love the way the flowers captured the sunlight and how their white petals reflected all the color around them. It was not easy to capture the sunlight. It took a lot of premix colors but I am happy with the results. The time and effort was well worth it. I posted the photo I used below.  The green spikes in the photo were so dark and stiff that I used other photos to suggest them.

 Rain, rain go away and let the sun come through!!!

These photos were taken at Evergreen Manor in Oshkosh Wisconsin. Evergreen Manor is a rehab/ retirement home.  

Original Oil Painting Tandem Roses

Tandem Roses

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Here are a couple of the roses I received for my birthday. Thanks for the flowers guys!

The composition combines a variety of textures: glass, cloth, worn wood  and soft petals. All these items have some reflective color in them which helps create unity even thou they are so different in many other ways: shapes, size, color etc. If someone asked me what the focal point of the composition is, I would have to say the red/orange rose. If you stare at the painting your eyes should always find their way back to that part of the painting. The dark background and the strong light and dark contrast gives that rose the front seat of this tandem. 

Thanks for viewing my: Tandem Roses!

Original Oil Painting Spring's Trumpets

Spring's Trumpets

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10" x 10"

Painted on gessobord. 

Original Oil Painting Rose # 2

Rose # 2

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8" x 10"

Painted on a gessobord.

It has been awhile since I posted a painting. Fall brings added yard and clean up work: plants need extra care or trimming, garage needs cleaning and basement needs organizing. About the same chores as spring but in a different way. Spring, I always get excited about the up coming warm days. In fall I dread winter, so I savor every nice day. 

Today I told myself no more excuses, PAINT!

It was a great day! 

Thanks for viewing my little rose painting. 

Original Oil Painting Hollyhock Hummingbird

Hollyhock Hummingbird

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Original Oil Painting Morning Glory Butterfly

Morning Glory Butterfly

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10" x 10"

Painted on gessobord.

There is only one thought that comes to mind: This was a tough one! It took a lot longer to paint than I thought at first. I thought of chucking it out the windows many times. Instead I would just took a break and come make to it. I was painting from a photo of a butterfly which was terrific except the flowers were hard to make out. In fact I ended up changing the flowers completely from little pink flowers to large purple morning glories. The purple is a compliment to yellow and would help contrast the butterfly. The large flowers and leaves really helped balance the whole painting out. The photo I used is posted below and I hope that helps you understand my problem with it. 

Thanks Robin Brad for an awesome butterfly photo. I hope you do not mind the changes. 

Original Oil Painting Peppermint Lily

Peppermint Lily

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Here is one of my last lilies that will bloom this summer. It is an oriental lily with a less potent fragrance than my other oriental lilies so I can bring it into the house. I put the final touches on it today: brighten areas, added more color to the lower petal and open the background with lighter areas. During the final stages of my paintings I look mostly at the painting not so much at the reference subject. I am looking at the flow of the painting, the balance of light and dark and any where my eye gets stuck or avoids. If my mind's eye gets stuck it is usually on an area that is structurally wrong: repetitive or the wrong value, etc.. If I avoid a spot it is usually boring, not enough to hold my interest. Thanks for viewing my Peppermint Lily! 

Original Oil Painting Hummingbird Bee Bop

Hummingbird Bee Bop

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10" x 10"

Painted on gessobord.

Bee Balms are one of my favorite flowers. I love their pointing petals and crazy tops. I am not crazy about all the bees they attract so I paint them rather than plant them. When I saw a photo of a hummingbird with bee balms I had to paint it. The hummingbird with its' long beak compliments the pointing petals of the bee balm so well. I used Linda Anderson's photo posted on PaintMyPhoto as a reference. The photo is posted below. Thanks Linda for sharing your wonderful photos!

Original Oil Painting Oriental Lily in a Snifter Glass

Oriental Lily in a Snifter Glass

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9" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Here is one of my oriental lilies that grow in my front yard. Their fragrance is quiet potent so I painted it from a photo and now it sits in my garage. It is a good thing the snifter glass can not smell.

I added the dark red cherries to compliment the dark tips in the center of the lily. The cherries are probably wondering why they are not in the glass, maybe next time. Thanks for viewing my Oriental Lily in a Snifter Glass and if you do plant any oriental lilies be prepared for some strong fragrances.