New paintings!

Just thought I'd show you a few new pieces I've been working on.  A dear friend of mine had an Open House for me in early November - an Art Show & Sale and I did sell several pieces.  What a sweet friend!  I'm trying some different methods, working in acrylics and adding lots of texture with a palette knife.  I find these paintings energetic and SO much fun - a good break from the painstakingly detailed works that I usually do.  Here's just a few...

24x30  "Tuscan Poppies"  (sold)

24x30  "Zinnias & Sunflowers"  $250 + shipping

24x30  "Dancing Poppies"  $250 + shipping

The process starts with a generous amount of gesso over the canvas followed by an adhesive such as decoupage.  Then I crinkle tissue paper or some other kind paper that will give you a good texture and apply that.  Another layer of adhesive over the top of that and finish with a coat or two of gesso.  As I paint, I block in the main colors and continue layering with brush and palette knife generous amounts of acrylic paints until I get the look that I'm going for. 

The edges of these paintings are 1 1/2" wide and painted a rich black. That way, you can frame it for a more traditional look OR hang it as is for a more modern, streamlined look.  Last, I apply a glossy finish lacquer over the painting to protect it and to bring out the colors.

 I was pleased with these results and will be doing more of them.

Holler at me if you have any questions or further inquiries about these pieces!

Thanks for looking!

Guitar Player II

Hey, I'm back. I think this is where I left off...  Continue modeling in black, white & grey, getting the canvas covered thinking about design.  I deliberately kept the lights and other objects in the background loose - nothing is going to be in high definition.

OK, now I'm going to make a change.  The photo I used to go by of Adam - he had on a baseball cap.  Well, he usually has on a cowboy hat, so I changed that in the next frame and began adding color on top of the acrylic grey-scale.  This is a great idea for oils or acrylics to do an underpainting. There are some oils and acrylics colors that can be very transparent and it's very helpful to have the correct values under the color glazes to show through.

The forms are taking shape - there are random lights and the stage sets in the background.  I'll use lots of color and loose painting to create shapes, colors, and contrasts and just give you idea of him being on stage.

I noticed in the above photo of the painting that the head of the musician looked rather large and out of proportion so in the following photo, you'll see that I trimmed it up a bit.  The painting is nearing done - Sorry there was a bit of glare on it, but you can see what I was going for. 

Thanks for looking.  We're taking this painting to our son soon - hope he likes it!  I think it'll look good in his man-cave - it's all black and silver.  This'll sure jazz it up a bit!

Guitar Player

Hey there, friends!  If you've made it over here, I sure do appreciate you coming to look!  Next up on my easel is a fun little (well, 30x40) piece that I'm doing as a surprise for my son, Adam.  It's for his new apartment - all manly and black and silver.  I decided he needed some color.  We're going to see him in the not too distant future and I'm trying to get this done before we go...

This project is going to be a fun, splashy, colorful, more modern, loosely painted piece.  I HOPE.  I'm trying to break out of my shell and not be quite so detailed - I just wanna have fun with this painting.  Without further ado...

Here's the first installment.  Blocking in with a value study and grey-scale, and getting it sketched off on the canvas.  Since I'm working very large on this one, I have to stand back many times in order to get the proportions right.  I'm not too worried about making this kind of piece perfectly perfect because it's destined to be loose.  I think I'm getting close - constantly refining as I go.

I'm working in acrylics on this piece - thus, it's going to go much faster (YEA).  I am having to learn  more about color mixing in acrylics - they do mix differently than oils, which I am so used to.  But I got to thinking about all the fumes I breathe in while painting in oils.  I love how they mix and the textures I can get with oils. But painting in the middle of summer and winter with the windows open (unless you have a good exhaust system in your home - which I don't) does have it's drawbacks.

AND, contrary to what you may have heard - acrylics can be just as permanent as oils when the painting has been  dried well and varnished with a good quality art varnish.  So, I have changed my thinking about using acrylics.  There is paint thinner or turp, mediums for oils paints, and of course, there are leads and others chemicals in oils, too, that you WILL get on your hands.  It's inevitable.  I suppose I could paint with latex gloves on but that's such a hassle.   I do have a friend that does that.

No, I'm thinking I'm going to make myself learn to use acrylics - at least when painting indoors.  When plein air painting, I'm sure I'll go to my oils.  We'll see... Plus, acrylics can be thinned and cleaned up with water/soap.  They can also be thinned to the point that you could even do kind of a water-color effect. Very versatile.

ANYWAY,  here's the last shot for today...  trying to get some basic colors laid in.  I also am changing the ball cap that Adam had on in my reference photo to a cowboy hat - which is more like him.  This painting is not destined to look like Adam - just loose and funky and musical and colorful.  This photo I'm using is from one of his shows.

I think the head's a little big.  Will have to pare that down a bit.  Good thing about acrylics as you know - they dry quick!  That can be a burden AND an advantage - so far, it's working in my favor!  See ya next time - thanks for looking!