Day 31.."French Carnations"

Allow me to reveal my new challenge logo! I would greatly appreciate your comments, critiques or just anything you would like to share as I begin the second month of my daily challenge in 2015. I also would like to challenge you to join me on this challenge.! It would be so much fun! ... I hope you enjoy "French Carnations'', painting No. 31 to wrap up the month of January.  This painting, for me, inspires thoughts of country living -- which I love -- either French Shabby Chic, or the quiet and sorted life of an English village. ... Ahhh, dreams dreams. ..

"French Carnations" oil on linen, 9x12

And finally day 30!!!

 Yes, today is the finale day of the "30 in 30" painting challenge and I have enjoyed the experience so much that I don't want it to end. Oh wait, should it end?.. No it will not end hehehe, not for me, I am extending the challenge to last the whole year "365 in 365". The last 30 days has been a wonderful exercise for me. It has triggered some developments in my style which I am pleased with and want to experiment with further and watch my style grow. I will not post every painting on Facebook but will post links to my blog where you can see them all and follow my artistic journey. I look forward to hearing your comments, as always, please be truthful, it will help my styles development.
                                   

"Evening Marsh" oil on linen, 8x10

Day 29, "Oriental Bloom"

This is my offering for Day 29 of the "30 in 30" painting challenge. I prepared this setup for my class. Wish I had more time to attempt a larger size. Will most likely do that!

"Oriental Bloom" oil on linen, 8x10

Day 28, "Sun in Port Townsend"

Sun in Port Townsend is a rare guest during spring. I revisited that unlikely solar event for a painting from plein air sketches I did at Fort Worden State Park. I had so much fun repainting the sketches, and adding texture, color and more life.

Sun in Port Townsend, oil on linen, 8x10

Day 27, "Mini Roze"

DAY 27

At 5x5, this is my smallest painting so far. I'm using lots of gorgeous fabric in my still lifes, giving me an idea for a series of just fabric paintings. ... So here is "Mini Rose" oil on canvas.

Mini Rose, oil on board, 5x5

Day 26 - "Breakfast on Balcony"

DAY 26

To paraphrase "Breakfast at Tiffany's", here is one I call "Breakfast on Balcony". That's exactly where I painted this little plein air sketch. I love painting outside (plein air) whenever the weather permits. This particular piece I revisited, repainting it almost completely for the purpose of finding new form, texture and style. I'm searching for a loose, wild, almost deconstructive style.

"Breakfast on Balcony" oil on linen, 8x8 

Day 25 - "Stormy Sky"

Day 25 of a challenge. Ok ..Stormy Sky - Sky is a very compelling subject for me to paint. Mostly because it's challenging ..Every time ...A stormy sky with its dark, dramatic clouds or the pinks and reds of a sunset is very appealing. But without of a some knowledge on the cloud forms and their characteristics will be really hard to capture...Plus, knowing how to paint those  scenes will help easily add credible clouds to any painting

Here is the classification of a basic groups of clouds:

How are Clouds Named?
The long, sheet- or ribbon-like clouds found in rows at low altitudes are stratus clouds. Rows of small, cotton-wool clouds found at similar altitudes are called stratus cumulus. Large, billowing, cotton-wool clouds are cumulusclouds. These can extend to great altitudes; when the top flattens out in an anvil shape it gets called a cumulonimbus cloud (nimbus is a term used to describe a dark, rain-bearing cloud). Cumulonimbus clouds are the ones that generate dramatic thunderstorms and hail. The whispy clouds found at very high altitudes are cirrus clouds; these are made from ice crystals.

Painting Stratus Clouds?
You want  visibly long, horizontal sweeps across your painting, so you can use a flat, wide brush. The lines of the cloud should almost be parallel, but paint them freehand, If they're perfectly parallel they'll look artificial. Remember that perspective applies to clouds too, so they become narrower (smaller) and paler the further away they are. But the most important thing is EDGES - remember to create a subtle transition between darks and lights, cools and warms 

Suggested colors: A light and a dark blue, such as cerulean and ultramarine, for the sky; yellow ocher and Payne's gray for the 'dirty', rain-loaded bits of the clouds. 

Painting Cumulus Clouds?
Think of the strong winds that whip up these clouds, and try to translate this action into brush strokes. Work fast and energetic not slow and painstakingly meticulous. Resist the temptation to make these clouds simply white with dark shadows. Clouds reflect colours and may include reds, mauves, yellows, grays. Concentrate on the shadows, which give the clouds shape.
Suggested colors: alizarin crimson for pink tints; yellow ochre and cadmium orange for golds; Payne's gray or burnt sienna mixed with one of the blues used in the sky, for shadows.

Painting Cirrus Clouds?
These are feathery clouds very high up in the atmosphere, swept along by high winds. Be light-handed to capture their wispiness. If they're pure white, consider lifting off the blue of your sky to reveal a white ground rather than painting with an opaque white, trying to leave parts white, or using masking fluid.
Suggested colors: alizarin crimson for pink tints; yellow ocher and cadmium orange for golds.

( Information included in this blog entry based on article by By Marion Boddy-Evans)

Stormy Sky - oil on linen, 8x10 

Stormy Sky - Day 25

Day 25 of Leslie Saeta "30 paintings in 30 days" . Another plein air painting I touched up and add more texture, which created interesting look and style.

"Stormy Sky" oil on linen, 8x10  

"Ocean at his fingertips" Day #24

Painting# 24, I did from the photo, my student Kristin brought to the class. From a large pile of beautiful photos of their family Hawaiian vacation, I found only one photo, suitable for painting. Please remember adjust your camera, if you are seriously considering  to use your photos as a reference material for paintings. You need to change settings of your photo camera for multiple exposures, to create underexposed, conventional and overexposed shoots. So now you will see color in your darks on underexposed shot, and color in your lights on overexposed photos. Of course, you need to have a good camera( crucial for artists).
   This painting is for sale on www.dailypaintworks.com

"Ocean at his fingertips " oil on linen, 8x8

Painting # 23

I'm so excited to start counting all my paintings and to decide not to stop painting daily.
There is no need to stop this "30 paintings in 30 days" challenge. I will continue ....It will be "365 paintings in 365 days" How about that?

"RED ON PINK" oil on linen, 16x20

CREME DE LA CREME

It's day 23 of Leslie Saeta "30 paintings in 30 days challenge" and I'm catching up with all latest postings.
It's been a great platform for those of us who wants to create a routine and discipline to paint as often as possible. I had an interesting discussion on facebook about what is the propose of painting every day in 30 days instead of painting one piece for 30 days. This is excerpt from Sergey Bogart notes on painting, which is the best answer to that discussion and beyond :
"It is all in the mileage invested. As Robert Henri says, do lots of starts and the finishes will take care of themselves.
In art, the hardest skill to learn is to be simple. As artists, we have a natural inclination to create detail; we must overcome this tendency. The first rule is to begin big and simple, then move toward small and complex."
Painting every day and painting small has so many benefits, which includes :
-Feeling less pressure and fears ..
-Gaining confidence 3 times faster
- You are feeling freedom to experiment , and this is a big one 
and finally, timing - you can ALWAYS find an hour to paint 6x6 little piece. 
Here are 5 paintings from day 12, 13, 14, 15,  ...and I promise to post daily !! ( ah promises , promises!!)

CREME DE LA CREME oil on linen, 8x10

Spilling Oranges. oil on board 6x6

"DECEPTION PASS" oil on linen, 6x6

"Valley's Guard" oil on linen, 8x8

PAINTING DAILY

 I call it serendipity.

     When my friend Scott and I finally made it to Tacoma to see "Nature's Gift of Water: Plein Air Washington Artists'', the spectacular show at the American Art Company, a lovely gallery assistant greeted us at the door with a  big smile.

     Turns out, it was artist Misty Martin, who supervises the gallery from time to time.

     Misty's credentials and achievements in the art world are impressive, but I was really dazzled by her super-realistic acrylic paintings. We chatted for a while, shared some art gossip, and then she asked me which of my paintings were on display at the gallery. 

     I pointed to "Chasing the Shadows'', hanging on the wall in front of us.

     Smiling at me, Misty asked: "Do you see that red dot? This painting is mine now -- I bought it today!"

     I was humbled and delighted that a fellow artist, one who works in a totally different media and style, had acquired my painting for her own art collection.

     Continuing on our tour, Scott and I headed off to check out "Art of the American West: the Haub Family Collection'' at the Tacoma Art Museum. It was my second visit to TAM, but the first for Scott. He was especially interested in the works of fellow Montanan Charles M. Russell.

      It should have been a perfect day. But, alas, I suffered a freak accident right upon arrival,  involving a rubber jump rope, which left me with a black eye. Aaaarrrgh!

Here are more paintings for Leslie Saeta "30 in 30" challenge. Painting daily, folks, is HARD! But the experience of getting into a zone when your brush became an extension of your hand and your soul is priceless. Only, when you brush flying on the canvas, when you surrender all your attachments for the every single little piece, only then you push yourself enough to get better at this!

"Rozy" oil on paper, 8x6

"Trinity" oil on linen, 8x10

 

Paint More, Talk Less

I"m actually thinking to rename my blog and title it" Pain more, Talk less!" :))
It's very much situated my crazy daly painting  routine for the next for 30 days - it's a pretty intense pace....
Anyway here are 3 more paintings for Leslie Saeta challenge "30 paintings in 30 days"

"Evening Tea" oil on linen, 8x8 SOLD

"Russian Spirit" oil on linen 8x8 

"30 paintings in 30 days" challenge

Alright, this time I'm not going to flake out and will post paintings every day, for the Leslie Saeta " 30 paintings in 30 days" challenge. Since it's already 3rd, I will post my latest one right now- and in an hour will add two more. This is a great routine to put you on a painting roll. In 2 weeks you will notice how your creative juices simply boil. Try it for yourself, be brave, be perserverant and learn from every stroke.
Happy Painting to all of you!!!

"Unlikely Friendship" oil on board , 6x6