Tag: Art

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Art theory Flower Art Oil Painting Painting Still Life

Two Sunflower Survivors with Process Chart

Two Survivors, oil painting of sunflowers and white vase on linen panel, 7x5 in
Two Survivors, oil painting on linen panel, 7×5 in

Persistence, patience, perseverance, determination, curiosity, courage, confidence, wonder…these are all qualities needed to become a better painter. Another essential is learning to really see and understand the subject. I titled this painting (available here) Two Survivors because only these two survived from the big bouquet during the week I struggled with two previous sunflower “studies” (aka failed paintings). Sometimes it takes a while before the “blinders” fall away so that I can see the shapes, colors, and values instead of the named bits (e.g. petal, leaf, or nose) that interfere with seeing as a painter.

I was inspired by artist Chris Beaven (whose sunflower painting I purchased and love) by his Session Detail charts that he embeds at the end of each post (sample). I modified his chart to create one for myself to focus my goals and intentions for each session and the painting as a whole. Completing  the chart at the end of each painting session with image, results and plans/goals for the next session is making a big difference in my process and helps me avoid random, unfocused messing about with paint.

Below is the chart I used for this painting. If you’d like to see all three session charts for this painting with my notes about goals, composition mistakes and corrections, and corresponding images, click here to open 3-page PDF file.

Session 1 Detail Chart (Click image to enlarge or click PDF link above to see all 3 sessions)

I loved the original painting of the vase in Session 1 above, with wonderful warm highlights and cool shadows created by the new LED lightbulb I’m experimenting with. My intuition told me to leave the vase alone but instead I started adding the pattern from the actual vase. After a few strokes I realized I didn’t like it and tried to wipe the pattern off the still wet paint. Then I tried to return to the original shapes of color, temperature and value.

I revised the chart layout after this painting. In my next post (another sunflower still life) I’ll include the completed chart for that painting’s 6 sessions and a blank template for anyone who wants to experiment using or modifying it for their own artwork sessions.

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Flower Art Ink and watercolor wash Plein Air Sketchbook Pages Walnut Creek

Lilly Pond at Ruth Bancroft Gardens

 

Water Lilies at Bancroft Gardens, sepia ink and watercolor, 5x8 in
Water Lilies at Bancroft Gardens, sepia ink and watercolor, 5×8 in

It was a gorgeous day at Ruth Bancroft Gardens in Walnut Creek when my plein air group visited. I walked around looking at all the beautiful plants, sculpture exhibit (and buildings in the private area we were given access to, where the 105 year-old Mrs. Bancroft still lives). With less than an hour before our session end I finally settled on sketching at the lily pond.

I painted the old barn the last time I was there and that barn sketch is one of my favorites ever.

Here is my sketch with the scene behind it and artist Catherine Fasciato painting a lily with oil paint. I sat right between her and the sculpture, choosing shade first and subject matter second on this very hot, sunny day.

Water Lillies and their sketch at Bancroft Gardens, ink and watercolor, 5×8 in
Catherine painting in Bancroft Gardens
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Flower Art Ink and watercolor wash Sketchbook Pages Still Life

Hydrangeas and the Last of EDiM 2014 (Fan and Remote)

Hydrangeas in Glass, ink and watercolor, 7x5 in
Hydrangeas in Glass, ink and watercolor, 7×5 in

My hydrangea bush is doing great this year, probably because it’s on the side of the house that is now a dog run and every day I empty the dog’s water bowl on the bush. Also it’s no longer competing with its two siblings that I removed because one never blossomed and the other had annoying teensy flowers that shed all over the table.

EDim 22 Remote Control, ink and watercolor, 5x7 in
EDiM 22 Remote Control, ink and watercolor, 5×7 in

These remotes live in the studio and operate a little combo TV/VCR, a DVD player and the stereo. There are another half-dozen that live in the house. I’m glad remotes were invented but they are ugly and annoying. I so wish I had this remote (a brilliant sketch and concept!)

EDim 23 Fan, ink and watercolor, 5x7 in
EDiM 23 Fan, ink and watercolor, 5×7 in

As I noted in my journal above, drawing a fan seemed like it would be even more boring than drawing the remotes but in fact it was really fun. I was really surprised as I sketch to discover all kinds of interesting design features I’d never noticed before when just turning it on or off (without the using the remote that came with it, which I’ve lost).

So I didn’t make it to every day in May, just 75% of them. I went away for a 3 day retreat and when I came back had lost the momentum. Oh well.

Categories
Ink and watercolor wash Sketchbook Pages

EDiM 19, 20, 21: Rope, Pickle Fork, Close-Ups

EDiM 19-20: Dog Rope and Grandma's Pickle Fork, ink and watercolor, 7x5 in
EDiM 19-20: Dog Rope and Grandma’s Pickle Fork, ink and watercolor, 7×5 in

My dog’s favorite pull toy: a knotted rope for EDiM 19. The packaging asserts it’s good for their teeth, acts like dental floss. I don’t think that makes much sense, but at least it is one toy she hasn’t been able to shred, turn inside out and/or unstuff.

I think this little plastic fork for EDiM 20 was one that my grandmother used when putting out her fabulous dill pickles. It probably was a copy of a more elegant model originally made of ivory. It’s about the length of a dill pickle.

EDiM 21: Closeups, ink and watercolor, 7x5 in
EDiM 21: Closeups, ink and watercolor, 7×5 in

These close-up views of things for EDiM 21 are probably pretty easy to figure out: clockwise, a petal and leaf from a hydrangea, a spray bottle, an old pencil sharpener from the days when office products were all IBM beige, and a pliers from my toolbox.

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Ink and watercolor wash Sketchbook Pages Still Life

EDiM 15 and 16: Stapler (ancient) and Cookie (monster)

EDiM 16 Stapler. Ink and watercolor, 5x7 in
EDiM 16 Stapler. Ink and watercolor, 5×7 in

I’ve had this wonderful old stapler for as long as I can remember. Maybe it was my grandfathers? It’s heavy and has rusty spots but still works great. I enjoy using it every time I staple something.

EDiM 15 Cookie (Monster), ink and watercolor, 7x5 in
EDiM 15 Cookie (Monster), ink and watercolor, 7×5 in

I don’t eat cookies because I’m overly sensitive to sugar; eating one usually leads to eating the whole bag so I just don’t eat that first one. Drawing a cookie would have been too tempting so I drew a fellow friendly cookie monster.

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Sketchbook Pages

EDiM 13: Cowrie Shells

EDiM 13 Shells. Ink and watercolor, 5x7 in
EDiM 13 Shells. Ink and watercolor, 5×7 in

When I was a kid I had a little shell collection and my favorites were Cowrie shells (though I misheard the name and thought they were called Molly shells. I still get confused and have to look them up. They feel so nice to hold, with their smooth, shiny surface and egg-like shape.

Since I was looking up the name anyway, I read a bit about them on Wikipedia and learned these interesting factoids:

  • The term “porcelain” derives from the old Italian term for the cowrie shell (porcellana) due to their similar translucent appearance.
  • Shells of certain species have historically been used as currency: The Ghanaian cedi was named after cowry shells and starting over three thousand years ago, cowry shells were used as currency in China and India.
  • The Classical Chinese character for money (貝) originated as a stylized drawing of a Maldivian cowrie shell.
  • Cowry shells are used in sacred Objibway ceremonies and the Whiteshell Provincial Park in Manitoba, Canada is named after cowries.
  • Cowry shells are also worn as jewelry or otherwise used as ornaments or charms and are viewed as symbols of womanhood, fertility, birth and wealth.
Categories
Ink and watercolor wash Sketchbook Pages Still Life

EDiM 10, 11, 12 (Cracked, Found on Internet and Shelf)

EDiM 11 Water Bottle Found on Internet, ink & watercolor, 7.5x 5 in
EDiM 11 Water Bottle Found on Internet, ink & watercolor, 7.5x 5 in

I love Klean Kanteen stainless steel water bottles. I keep a tall one in my car, the one sketched above lives on my bedside table, I carry a Kid-sized bright blue one on walks and keep a jumbo 64 oz. Klean Kanteen filled with lemony water in the fridge where it surprisingly fits nicely on the door shelf. I use it to make sure I get my 8 cups of water each day. The bottles are light weight and don’t leave a taste or chemicals in the water.

EDim 10 Cracked Cup, Ink and watercolor, 7x5 in
EDim 10 Cracked Cup, Ink and watercolor, 7×5 in

This drawing is just as cracked as the cup! This was my favorite coffee cup for a long time. Now it’s on my still life shelf waiting to pose for a painting.

EDiM 12 Shelf and stuff on it by studio sink, ink & watercolor 5x7 in
EDiM 12 Shelf and stuff on it by studio sink, ink & watercolor 5×7 in

I shouldn’t have even started this sketch as I was way too tired and it shows. This is a shelf next to the sink in my studio. I drew quickly and directly with ink and painted just as quickly. Sloppy but it’s done.

Categories
Gouache Ink and watercolor wash Rose Sketchbook Pages

EDiM 8 and 9: Mirror Image (me in pitcher) and Shadow

EDiM 8 Mirror Image in Copper Pitcher, ink and watercolor, 7.5x 5 inches
EDiM 8 Mirror Image in Copper Pitcher, ink and watercolor, 7.5x 5 inches

This one was really fun to draw. It was a surprise to see that I was reflected twice, right-side-up and upside-down. I had to stack the pitcher on top of a box of kleenex on top of a box of rubber stamps.

EDiM 9 Mirror Image in Copper Pitcher, ink, watercolor, gouache, 7.5x5 in
EDiM 9 Mirror Image in Copper Pitcher, ink, watercolor, gouache, 7.5×5 in

I drew this in pencil sitting outdoors at a little round table in the sun.  I sketched in the shadow of the flower and painted everything with watercolor. By then the sun had moved and there were more shadows so I painted them in too. I didn’t like the way it messed up the composition so I brought the sketchbook into the studio and painted over table and extra shadows with gouache. It only partially hid the “mistake” but I decided I liked the way there’s a shadow of a shadow showing through.

I used rubber stamps for text on the page but got that wrong too (9, not 8) so just used the X stamp to cross out the 8. I love work that is fresh and just right on the first pass. This isn’t that, and shows a bit of the struggle. Sometimes that just makes things more interesting.

Categories
Every Day Matters Ink and watercolor wash Sketchbook Pages

Every Day in May #3: Umbrellas

EDiM 3, Duck Umbrella, ink & watercolor, 5x7.5"
EDiM 3, Duck Umbrella, ink & watercolor, 5×7.5″

I did 3 sketches of umbrellas for EDiM 3. Above is my funny folding duck umbrella (meant for children, I think, but it’s been my only umbrella for at least 10 years). First is where it lives in a tall vase and then opened, sitting on the floor where it scared my cats.

20140504_EDiM_3-Umbrella
20140504_EDiM_3-Umbrella, ink & watercolor, 5×7.5 in

The umbrella above sits on the deck outside my studio and shades the big glass door from the hot afternoon sun. It’s actually a much bigger umbrella than it looks in the picture. I got the base from Costco to replace a previous one that cracked over the winter. This one is designed to be filled with sand and bricks by the owner and then assembled (ugh).

It was a lot of work filling it and then screwing on the cover with about 36 screws, especially since my electric drill stopped working and I did it all by hand. Then I couldn’t lift it turn it right side up and had to get the guys next door to help me since it weighs about 125 pounds filled. Even though it’s heavy it rolls really well so I can move it around as needed.

Categories
Every Day Matters Ink and watercolor wash Sketchbook Pages

Every Day in May #2: Knife

EDiM 2014 #2 Knife, ink and watercolor 5.5x7.5 in
EDiM 2014 #2 Knife, ink and watercolor 5.5×7.5 in

The cue for day 2 is “Knife” and this is the most recent of a long line of Swiss Army Knives I’ve owned over the years. I carry one with me in my purse or backpack. They come in handy for cutting fruit, opening a can, removing a splinter (there is a tweezers) or screwing in a loose screw.

I’ve had several taken away from me at airports; I forget to take it out of my bag before traveling and the x-ray machine doesn’t lie. Oops.