Lemons and Lemon Pepper, Procreate on iPad.
More random goodies on the table and off (Fiona kitty!).
Fiona snoozing on her cat tree at the window. Procreate on iPad.
On the drawing table, water bottle, coffee and pencil sharpener. iPad and Procreate.
Bananas in a Colander with Lemons and Journal, Procreate and iPad.
Continuing the series of morning sketches, mostly done of random stuff on the breakfast table.
Pastured Eggs of different colors, Procreate on iPad
Digital pencil sketch of journal and lemons in a bowl, iPad and procreate
Color layer added to Digital pencil sketch of journal and lemons in a bowl, iPad and procreate
Two pears and an apple on breakfast table; morning sketch in Procreate on the iPad.
And we have more morning sketches. I was really trying to force myself to stick to 3 values for each object. My glass-topped table is so great with its frosted glass square design elements and reflections.
Unfinished sketch of bananas and lemon on the table
Super quick sketch done on Procreate on my iPhone with my finger, barely had a minute to draw but didn’t want to lose momentum.
Portrait of Baby Toa, oil on linen panel, 10×8 inches
I really enjoyed making this painting of my friend’s grandson Toa. The biggest challenge was working from a cellphone photo taken in a carseat in the dark where his skin looked dark and bright orange. Fortunately I was able to see some other snapshots with better skin color.
I’ve been taking a new approach to painting; focusing on the joy of creating and letting go of the internal “committee” that demands perfection. I have accepted that my work will never be perfect and that perfect art bores me anyway. A bit of wonkiness, even in a portrait, is ok with me, if I feel I have captured the spark of the subject. I’m painting for myself; if it pleases someone else too that’s a bonus, but not at all a requirement. Giving myself this freedom has completely changed my life.
Below are my initial sketches, a picture of the setup with the photo, and an early stage in the painting.
Red and Green Okra, graphite and colored pencil, 8×10″
Getting back to daily sketching….yay! Some lovely and odd-looking produce from the local organic grocery. I hope to paint it too, before I cook it but I’m not sure how long it will last.
Veggie Porn, oil on Gessobord panel, 8×8″
I’ve developed the goofy habit of storing my leftover cucumber in the bell pepper half when I prepare a salad. It always makes me laugh so I decided to paint it. My sister called it veggie porn. I hope it makes you chuckle too.
I’m trying out a new format for my blog posts, a simple list with images of what I’ve been working on, successes, challenges and what else is going on in the studio and my life. Theoretically it will mean less writing and more frequent posting. So here goes…let me know what you think.
CHALLENGES: I’ve been struggling with composition, discovering half way through a painting that the composition sucks and the painting will never be an enjoyable thing to look at.
SUCCESSES: I finally got the willingness to begin all paintings with some thumbnail sketches. I realized that COMPOSITION is simply the structure that directs the eye around the painting, creates a feeling of action or stillness and (if done well) delights the eye. Two of my favorite painters, Susan Jane Walp and Giorgio Morandi use composition in unexpected ways, and both delight the eye (or at least my eyes) whether they are following or breaking the “rules” of composition or making their own.
LETTING GO OF A BAD PAINTING: This one started off really happily but ended up in the trash, after scraping and redoing it over and over until I killed it so dead it couldn’t be revived. I just felt there was too much red, that it was too “hot” somehow. A friend suggested adding black. That was the final nail in the coffin. I’m not sure why I’m even sharing it at all.
FAIL: Bad Begonias, oil on panel, 10×8″
SKETCHES: I try to do a sketch from the SKTCHY App at least weekly. Here is a recent one.
Isabel T, from Sktchy photo reference, graphite, 12×9″
WHAT I’M READING: “Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked.” Great book about how our devices and apps are designed to keep us using them. I waste way too much time web-surfing on my phone. This book gave me some tools for changing my habits along with a good talking to! I think it’s a must-read for parents especially.
WHAT I’M LISTENING TO: Ed Sheeran and Alicia Keys on Amazon music, which I like much better than Apple music. (If you’re interested, here’s a link to  Amazon Music Unlimited 30-Day Free Trial)
Sunflower and Pomegranate Studies, oil, 5×10″
After I did these two studies on one piece of Arches Oil Paper focusing on values (started with transparent earth color underpainting), I caught a nasty head cold. I feel super lousy and haven’t had the energy to paint but I’ve done a couple sketches, below.
Pomegranate and persimmons on a brick. 2B pencil in 8×10 moleskine.
Drawing helped take my mind off my sneezing and nose running like a river.
FarhooD S via Sktchy app. graphite, 11×8″
I think I made his hand too small. Here’s his photo on Sktchy:
