Well...... a commission.
Today there was a lot of wiping, but still I was happy to be painting. This is my 4ooth post, it snuck up on me. What if I hadn't done this blog thing? I would have missed so much.
I used to buy these flowers when I lived in Boston, in the dead of dreary winter of course, and they were so intensely colored, like a flame, except for the white ones which were altogether pure. And they are in sort of frozen motion with their petals flung out every which way, not like a flower at all, but more an idea of a flower. I always managed to kill them fast, but here in Texas I have figured out their living requirements: a sill in strong light and a saucer underneath to put water in, instead of watering from the top. And water every day. I have managed to keep them happy for a couple of months now, and I have another pale pink one, that I rescued and have in rehab hoping to have a go at it soon.
This orange is sitting on an empty Brie container that I gessoed so it would be white. I'm trying to stack and combine things so there will be more of something. Or less.
Chocolate peanut butter cupcake and 2 other simple forms....looking for ways to make the relationships interesting, necessarily trial and error.
A friend send out vouchers for cupcakes from a heavenly local bakery, the Galaxy Coffee Shop (and cupcake emporium) as a Valentine's gift! Isn't that the best idea?! Thank you Nick. So the cupcakes will be starring in my next few paintings. This one is chocolate peanut butter with a section of a Reese's Peanut Butter cup on the top. Very very difficult not to eat it.
Marshmallows are the best things to paint! Everybody should run right out and buy a bag of them. It's so easy to see the gradation of whites and the form makes itself right before your eyes. And they're so funny and light hearted.
A variety of brushes, small and large bristle and a large flat. The bristle brushes leave distinct ridges in the brushstrokes - maybe it is because I am working on panel. I am getting used to and might prefer that larger bristle brush, but I notice if I am tackling something particularly beyond myself I go for the flat because I can control it better. This equals tightness, I think.
OK, Ok, I've had some fish complaints. Here is another go at the grocery store primroses. The leaves were a luxurious tropical jungle, nice counterpoint to the big freeze we have here. My other news is that I did paint the underside of my glass palette a neutral grey and it is so wonderful -- much better than white. It is easier to gauge color against the neutral background - much, much easier. Oh yes, also, this painting is my contribution to the challenge for this month (flowers) on the web site sometexasartistsliketopaint.blogspot.com. To see everyone's entries, clickhere.
I have been shut in my house too long without outside contact. Help.
More of the trash items, big flat brush, black gesso. I was aiming for strong color with grey, just to see how it works, maybe. Or doesn't work.
This is stuff from the trash, except for the half of a candy bar left in the wrapper, which went into the trash as soon as I ate it, so I figured that was ok.
Big bristle brush for some of it, little bristle filbert (1/4 inch) for some of it, I 'm gradually learning when to use which brush. Also, I got some grey gesso and will paint my glass palette on the underside so I have a neutral mixing ground rather than white. I see several folks around who have that grey palette, maybe it is a good thing or even a great thing for judging color. I did paint a piece of paper grey and slipped it under the glass to see what it felt like to work on grey and it was surprisingly helpful.
Again, big brush, lots of paint. I am a little alarmed at how fast the paint goes, but what to do...
Big bristle brush, lots of paint. I want to do some studies for a few days now and stop before the finish. Mostly though I want to concentrate on the placement and relationships of objects to each other and the picture plane.
