Jam Jar Label: Cranberry Jalapeño

This painting is for a jam jar label.  There are I think 8 jams, each one better than the next, as I was sent a box of them to try.  This is Cranberry Jalapeño and I was forced to eat the first half of the jar with a spoon. The rest I used with some cream on a grilled pork loin.

Mug shot 57, Blue Parrot Waiter

This is one of those no neck guys, and he was actually quite trim.
Last night in my painting group one of the really good painters let me sit behind her and watch while she worked, providing I did not speak.  I learned a lot about moving the paint around.  She used big bristle brushes for large areas of skin, I don't know what that seemed so revolutionary to me, but has been difficult for me to do. Seeing her do it helped. Also, once she put the paint down, she sort of moved it around over areas (in the beginning stages) and in her  finished painting there was the look of wet fluid paint which is what you need for skin, and maybe everything - because oh the beauty of the paint itself alone! Aside from all the other  thousand skills you need for painting, I guess paint handling is right up at the top.  Another issue I had with this, is that the photograph did not have many areas of strong darks, because the light was coming from the front toward his face and it was pretty evenly lit.  That studio lighting with a strong spotlight coming from one direction makes things much easier.  Anyway, I sort of got him.

The Wall Sconce

This was painted from a photo I took from an iPhone, I think the first picture I ever took from one. I was sitting on the bed in a hotel room and the wall sconce was just behind me.
That camera is a wonder, I was stunned, as can be seen.  This is what I learned from this painting: paint the entire eye socket flat in the darkest body tone and lay the shapes of the lids, iris, whites,etc. into the dark shadow paint.  Because I had to contend with those damn glasses, and because the glasses come last, by the time I got to painting them I could see I had misplaced one or the other eye slightly and so I had to wipe and repaint.  I painted lots of eyes...and the best ones were laid in over the dark tone.  The ones I painted piece by piece were not as integrated into the paint.  I have known this about painting over the dark for the eye socket, but I was not completely sold on it.  Now I'm a believer and will never never backslide.

Nose Kiss

Happy belated birthday to Jill W. with love.

Maggie

Um...been a while since I posted, but I have been painting and reading and organizing my wits.  Nothing much seemed post-able, so I stepped out from under that pressure for a bit and just kept plodding along.  This is a commission for the family in Dallas who rescues sick dogs and gives them the Mayo Clinic level of care.  They then live in a dog paradise of fun, food, clothes, jewels and  extravagant  canine experiences.  I think the pack is now up to about 8.  In spite of their advantages, none of the dogs is spoiled.  Elizabeth Quintero, I salute you.