Halfway Through....

I can't believe I am halfway through my year already. I feel like I am just now starting to get a handle on what Acrylic paint is all about, and how to hold a brush. I need more hours in the day, there is so much to learn!

Color Theory 101-Complimentary

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Fall

5" x 7" on Canvas Board

I have spent the past three days working on Color Theory. The goal was to produce a series of paintings using only 2 complimentary colors, and white and black to achieve values when needed. I did one painting in the pure colors to demonstrate the colors used to create the other three. I found this a fascinating study. I wish I would have spent more time on a solid composition. Definitely worth the effort to try these!

June 24-26

I've really had fun this week experimenting with various materials.

On Tuesday June 24th, I did a large watercolor using similar colors to my little postcard. I am not used to how the paint spreads on watercolor paper, so that was fun to experiment with.

On Wednesday June 25th, I decided to try a collage...which I never in my life would have thought would interest me, until I saw one Steve Quiller did in a demo. I used rice paper and interference acrylics which have mica flecks in them. It started out abstract and looked kind of cool. Then I tried to turn it semi-realism to a landscape as he did his…and lost it. Overworked is currently my middle name. But it was really fun and I definitely want to try this again...and again.

Collage #1

I took Thursday June 26th off from painting and instead spent the day discussing art, learning a lot, and counting myself lucky to have acquired some beautiful oak flat files and a drafting table from the estate of my friend Hollis Williford, thanks to his wife Debbie. I am so blessed to have met this couple. I just wish I could have known Hollis longer, as his mentorship in both sculpture and painting would have been priceless. But I knew him long enough to know he wouldn't tolerate too many of these "day's off." LOL. so back to work tomorrow!

New Beginnings

New Beginnings
4" x 6" on Watercolor Paper

Today was the first day painting in my studio, now that all the sculpture stuff is moved out of the way. It felt really strange to be doing something other than sculpture in there, so I opted for a fun simple piece for today. Fate kind of took my hand with this, as a single watercolor paper postcard came in the mail, and I thought that was just perfect for getting me in the groove. I did a very simple three color composition, more to get over my first day jitters than to create a great piece of art. However this little one will be hanging in my studio from now on to remind me of this special day and my New Beginnings. :)

(This piece is based on a Steven Quiller lesson in one of his books.)

45 Paintings and Counting....

So far since January I have completed 45 paintings and studies. Some good some bad, but I think I really need to step it up. Being ill the beginning half of the year really set me behind in where I hoped to be by now. I have moved all of my painting supplies into my sculpture studio, so that I will have everything I could possibly need at my fingertips. I am now going to try and produce a painting a day... life permitting of course. :)

Different Strokes/June: Blicker Isn't Bleak

Blicker Isn't Bleak
14" x 8" on Archival Unstretched Canvas

Available

This is a color-block painting I did for the June Challenge. Our required reference for this challenge was a photograph of Blicker Subway Station in NY which was provided for us. This challenge had a second required element which was to make it a One-Point Perspective...so that added some geometric lines to the piece. Being so new to painting, I cropped out the actual subway car cage as I felt it was just too complicated for me, for the short time we had. I really enjoyed this painting. I loved playing with the bright colors, and did multiple versions playing with different color ideas while on vacation. I even did one with graffitti! *grin*