Receding Tide

Here is another one that ​was incomplete for a few weeks until I decided to get things done! Again, it was a problem with the sky which I have now finished. I love how rocks reflect in the shallow water as the tide recedes. It is certainly fun to paint!

The Dune

I painted 98% of this painting a few weeks ago and had been meaning to fix a portion of the sky. I finally got around to it and it only took two minutes. I have no idea why I procrastinated so long, but I am glad that I finally finished it as I am happy with the result.

Clouds over Kiawah

A high school buddy of mine has a place on Kiawah Island and said I could use her photo of a marsh as a reference. I toned the paper with orange and allowed some of that to peek through. Still using the oil paper but I computer it down to 8 1/2 x 11. I know that isn't a standard size for paintings, but I accidentally bought some diploma frames (nonreturnable at this stage) and thought the oil paper paintings would fit in them perfectly. I am still using a palette knife, too.

8 1/2 x 11

Oil on Arches Oil Paper

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Santa Monica Sunset

I've never had that much success with sunsets. I always end up wiping them down, so I went a little semi-abstract with this one. Block in was done with a large brush, and the rest was structured with a palette knife. This is also bigger than usual and I really enjoyed it.
Oil on Board
18x24

Posted with Blogsy

"Tree on Right"

I have to do something about these titles.  Semi-abstract tree.  This is just a study of a portion of a future large painting I intend to paint ... eventually.

I am a fan of this French artist Alexandre Monestier.  You can see his work here: http://www.atelier-monestier.sitew.com/.  His father, Pascal Etchenic, is also a painter, and some of his work can be seen here:  http://www.galeriedecannes.com/gallery/artist_detail.php?artisteID=3.

When I first started painting (and not knowing anything about working with oil paints), I made some attempts to mimic their style.  It didn't work out very well.  Trust me.  However, I like this little semi-abstract tree.  I intend to paint a large landscape or seascape with flattened out colors as Monestier paints.

I think I had to learn to "construct" before I learned how to "deconstruct".

"Sunny Forest Floor"

I've never painted a scene anything remotely like this.  Initially I was intimidated, but it wasn't that difficult, actually.  Partially painted with a palette knife and partially with a brush.  Partially painted yesterday and partially painted today.  I'm partial to this painting.  :-)
6x6
Oil on Board

"Brewing Storm"

I wasn't sure whether or not to consider this painting "finished" or not.  I suppose it could just be a semi-abstract landscape.  I did, however, like the color scheme which was a pretty limited palette of: Cadmium Red Dark (Classic Artists Oils), Quinacridone Red (Classic Artists Oils), Hansa Yellow Orange (Classic Artists Oils), Cadmium Yellow Medium (Utrecht), French Ultramarine Blue (Winsor & Newton) and Titanium White (Winsor & Newton).

Normally, I would have used Gamblin Galkyd as a medium, but this was a lunch hour painting and all I had were my paints, the board and a palette knife.

I started out with a very thin underpainting (on the land and rock area only) with the Quin. Red and the Hansa Yellow Orange.  Hansa Yellow Orange is like Indian Yellow in other brands, but I particularly like Classic Artists Oils' Hansa Yellow Orange better.  In the dark areas, I used a combination of the Cad. Red. Dark and Fr. Ult. Blue.

The gray in the painting was made from all the colors in the palette scraped together with a bit of white added to get the right value.  I rather like it.

SOLD - "Baby Blue"

98% of this was done with the palette knife. Since it's a small painting, I had to break out the brush for his beak and eye.

Posted with Blogsy

Repainting Painting

I revisit paintings a lot.  Maybe it's a comfort thing.  Maybe it's a lazy thing.  I painted these pears from a reference photo from Wetcanvas in pastels (and sold them to a friend).  Thank you, Sandy.  There's a big difference between the oil version and the pastel version though.  Here I was very bold with the colors, and the use of the palette knife brings about quite a different painting.
The pastel version first, and the oil version second:

The Most Beautiful Village in Provence

Oops!  I forgot the picture when I first posted this!  Roussillon was one of the most beautiful villages in Provence. On our tour through Provence, our lovely guide, Virginia explained that there were quite a few villages boasting to be "The Most Beautiful Village in Provence". I, for one, could not choose. They are all beautiful in so many different ways. Roussillon is very unique with its ochre cliffs. I painted this scene before in pastels, and thought I would give it a shot in oils and with a palette knife. I'm pretty happy with this ... well ... except for that stupid shadow from my easel that I didn't edit out!  Doh!  

I titled this one Ochre Naturel (spelled the French way since this is from Provence)

Ochre Naturel
5x7
Oil on Board

Posted with Blogsy