Categories
Flower Art Oil Painting Painting Still Life

Less Struggle, More Sunflowers

Sunflowers #4, Oil on Arches Oil Paper, 12x9"
Sunflowers #4, Oil on Arches Oil Paper, 12×9″

I’m still trying to figure out sunflowers. I hate to quit before I’ve succeeded so decided to give it another try, continuing from the four attempts in my last post. Off I  went in search of fresh sunflowers. After striking out at the first two shops, I decided that if they didn’t have any in the next store I would put an end to the sunflower project. But freedom was not yet mine; they had sunflowers.

Below are a couple steps in the process. This time I didn’t spend as long sketching or blocking in and I made a point of starting with darker tones which I think helped. I get fooled by the concept of “yellow” and have trouble really seeing how dark yellow can be in the shadows.


And believe it or not, I’ve started yet another sunflower painting that will be the last one for a while. I’m desperate to get back to portraits and a still life I have in mind.

Categories
Oil Painting Painting Plants

Struggling with Sunflowers Again

Sunflowers #1-A; oil on Arches Oil Paper, 17
Sunflowers #1-A; oil on Arches Oil Paper, 17″x10″

Sunflower Attempt #1 (Above) This one quickly went off the rails, the flowers got scraped off and then not repainted because the actual flowers had keeled over and I had nothing to work with.

Sunflower Attempt #1-B (Below)

There are some interesting things about this composition but I was still working too large (about 16×11″) and by the time I started painting after getting it sketched and blocked in it was too late in the day and the next day the flowers were falling over. The brown scarf

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Categories
Food sketch Oil Painting Painting Sketchbook Pages Still Life

Figs on a Grey Plate

Figs on a Grey Plate, oil on Arches Oil Paper, 9x11"
Figs on a Grey Plate, oil on Arches Oil Paper, 9×11″

My fig tree is supplying me with figs that are delicious to look at and to eat. I’m working on simplifying my paintings, aiming from strong values and composition, and trying to stop at “good enough for jazz.” This is so much more fun than trying for perfection and ending up with overworked instead. This painting is available on DailyPaintworks here.

Below are the steps in the progress of this painting and below that some bonus fig

Continue reading “Figs on a Grey Plate”
Categories
Flower Art Oil Painting Still Life

Mom’s Vintage Perugia Italian Vase

Mom's Perugia Italian Vase, Oil on Arches Oil Paper, 12x9 inches
Mom’s Perugia Italian Vase, Oil on Arches Oil Paper, 12×9 inches

My mother loaned me this beautiful vase years ago to paint. When I was looking for a subject to paint this week it called out to me from the shelf where it’s been waiting for so long. Below is the step-by-step progress of the painting, which is available on DailyPaintworks here.

Continue reading “Mom’s Vintage Perugia Italian Vase”
Categories
Food sketch Oil Painting Painting

Sliced Granny Smith Apples

Granny Smith Sliced, oil on Arches Oil Paper, 11x9 inches
Granny Smith Sliced, oil on Arches Oil Paper, 11×9 inches

I was struck by the beautiful cream color of the apple when I cut it open and then all the subtle pastel colors I could see in the flesh because of the light shining through and reflecting off of the apple skin and the turquoise plate. Below are photos in the process of painting the apples from life, with a snapshot of the set up. This painting isavailable here: (Click here for purchase info)

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Categories
Oil Painting Still Life

Kissing Cantaloupe

Kissing Cantaloupe, still life oil painting on Arches Oil Paper, 10.5 x 9 inches
Kissing Cantaloupe, still life oil painting on Arches Oil Paper, 10.5 x 9 inches

I’ve been thinking about still life painting and what, for me, makes it fun to paint and enjoyable to look at. Number one is color that pleases me and a feeling of light and space and a close second is strong value contrast (between dark and light). Traditional or classic still life paintings often have dark backgrounds and somber colors and I’ve realized that’s just not me. That style seems very masculine to me; perhaps because the old masters were mostly men and even back then men liked their “man caves.”

I want to find a way to paint in oils that incorporates what I like so much about my watercolor paintings, which have mostly been light with bright colors painted on a background of white unpainted paper. Another difference is that in oils I’ve tended to work small, painting objects smaller than actual size, and in watercolor I’ve typically painted much larger than life size. I’m going to be exploring working larger and lighter and in colors that make me feel joyful.

This painting is available on DailyPaintworks here

Categories
Drawing Faces Figure Drawing People Portrait

Life Drawing: Portrait of Beebe R.

Portrait of Beebe R., Pitt Monochrome pastel pencils , 14x11 inchesWe had the lovely and vivacious model Beebe R. today in figure drawing. She did a fantastic job holding the long pose. I worked for about an hour and a half on this one, trying to stop at the “less is more” stage instead of the “Ugh! Way overworked!” Stage. 

 I can see many things I’d like to adjust (and experimented doing so after class in ProCreate with a photo of the sketch on my iPad (below). 

Portrait of Beebe edited in ProCreate on iPad.
Portrait of Beebe edited in ProCreate on iPad.
Categories
Drawing Faces People Portrait Sketchbook Pages Sktchy

Obey! You Must, this Kid, in a Cap.

Sketched in pencil from photo on Sktchy, 10x8"
Sketched in pencil from photo on Sktchy, 10×8″

Another quick post of a recent sketch done from an inspiration photo on Sktchy. I love the app and I love drawing people more than just about anything. Pears and bowls and pretty landscapes are great, but nothing can match the joy of drawing people for me. Below is the reference photo. I’d intended to add color but liked the black and white version too much.

Photo reference by Adam Vitry on Sktchy
Photo reference by Adam Vitry on Sktchy
Categories
Digital art Drawing Faces People Sktchy

Shower Caps!

Shower Caps! Inspired by a Sktchy photo, created in ProCreate on iPad with Apple Pencil
Shower Caps! And here’s the ph

Inspired by a Sktchy photo, created in ProCreate on iPad with Apple Pencil, when it was too early for bed and I was too tired to go to the studio. Sat the iPad on my knee, looked at photo in Sktchy App on iPhone.  And here’s the inspiration photo:

 

Shower cap inspiration photo on Sktchy by Danith R.
Shower cap inspiration photo on Sktchy by Danith R.

Let me know what you think about shorter posts like this. I’m going to try to post more often to the blog, with more pictures and less words. Sometimes less is more (posts) if I can get stuff posted quickly without long explanations. But don’t worry, there will still be lessons I’m learning in the studio posts too.

Categories
Animals Gouache Sktchy

Ay Chihuahua! Creating Color from Black and White

Chihuahua: Make color from B&W: Gouache, 8x10"
Chihuahua: Make color from B&W: Gouache, 8×10″

When the Sktchy (see previous post) Weekend Art Extravaganza inspiration was to make a color sketch from a black and white photo I found the photo below and couldn’t resist putting a little color in this little guy’s life. I used to make fun of Chihuahuas, comparing them to rats (which can also actually make good pets if you don’t mind the smell). But after a couple of friends adopted chihuahua mixes, I have come to really appreciate their funny and quirky personalities.

B&W Photo Reference
B&W Photo Reference