WIP day #2 "Elephant"

I had a day off today so I am back at it again. I am starting to get excited about the painting at this stage. It is really beginning to take shape. I am beginning to block in the colors I will be using is very thin layers. They dry quite quickly at this stage so tomorrow I will be able to go back and add another layer or two. I find as I stand back and look at the painting little things will pop out at me that need to be changed. I notice that one of his tusks looks a little off so I will do some adjusting tomorrow. Overall I am happy with the progess.

WIP in oil "Elephant"

This is the first stage of my painting of the African Elephant. It is done on stretched canvas and is 24 x 30 inches so it has quite a presence in a room. I started by drawing my image on the canvas with a pastel pencil. I like to use these as I can rub out lines easily if they are not quite right. I usually do a lot of rubbing out in the beginning. I think the main ingrediant to a successful painting is getting the drawing right. I wanted the crop to be quite tight with not a lot of background showing. This way the elephant has all the attention, as it should. I use the blue paint to draw in the image after I am satisfied with the drawing. I start to do some modeling at this stage indicating where I will be putting the shadows and the hightlights.

8 x 10 inch oil "Pewter and Plums"

This little painting is done on prepared masonite in oil. I really enjoyed how the oil worked on this surface. It was a lot easier to get good detail than when I use canvas. I have some more pieces of the masonite cut and ready to go, so I will probably do a larger piece in the near future. I am enjoying doing these still lifes especially when they are depicting light and dark and reflection. I have another painting started that is totally different from this and I think I will post my progress as it goes. It is quite large (24 x 30 inches) and is of an animal. That is all I will say for now so stay tuned to my progess!

20x 20 inch oil "Storm Clouds" & 18 x 24 inch "After the storm"

Lately I have a fascination with clouds and storms. The second image is another experiment using oils on canvas. It doesn't really show in the photo, but the background is a very dark navy blue giving the painting a moodly effect. I like the overall effect and will probably do some more large canvases very soon. The first painting is done from an image I found on Wetcanvas.com. I like the colorful palette although it has a totally different feeling from the first painting. Again this is done on stretched canvas in oil and is approximately 18 x 24 inches.

20 x 16 inch oil "Oranges in Cello"

I have been admiring this photo on Wetcanvas for some time so I took the plunge and tried it in oil. I am happy with the results although I still have some finishing touches to make. I will probably make the background a warmer, richer brown and punch up the hightlights on the oranges, but overall I think it was a success. Since it is oil I will wait a couple of months before coating it with a gloss varish. I have the perfect vintage gold frame that it will be going into.

16 x 20 inch oil "Stalker"

This is the second oil work I have done and I am very pleased with how it turned out. I really enjoyed how the oils performed for me especially how I could blend so nicely and not have to worry about the paint drying so fast as with acrylics. I will definitely be using oils again.

8 x 10 inch pastel "Strawberry Delight"

This is my latest endevour after finishing a commission for a cat portrait. This one will probably be a Xmas gift this year. I have a lovely silver frame that I think it will look great in. It is done on suedeboard as per usual with a variety of soft pastels. I may do a little tweeking yet, but I think it is generally finished.

9 x 12 inch acrtylic "Mom"

I have been working on this for a while and am nearly finished. It will be for Dad for Xmas. I probably will play with the hair some more but I think I will leave the face alone. I am not sure this is a good likeness but the photo I had was terrible. Mom hardly ever smiled in photos.

8 x 10 inch pastel "Mason Jar"

Since it is a rainy, dark day here on Vancouver Island, I thought I would do another small painting. This is done on Wallis professional pastel paper, the first time I have used this (and I like it) with a variety of soft pastels. This one was done suprisingly fast for me - about 2 1 /2 hours. I have another picture of a mason jar that I want to do to make a pair for the kitchen.

11 x 12 inch pastel "Bowl of Cherries

I just finished this painting after a few hours of enjoyable painting. It is done on suede matboard with a variety of soft pastels. I just received my new order of pastels from Terry Ludwig Pastels and am loving the reds and oranges that I got. Just what I needed! I can't wait to get started on a couple of ideas I have for paintings! Stay tuned.

16 x 20 inch acrylic "Lavender Fields"

I wanted to have a go at some acrylics again since it has been so long. Lavender happens to be my favorite scent and garden plant so this picture really inspired me. I think I may fine tune it later, but for now I am going to leave it alone. Leaving it sit on my easel for a couple of weeks let me see things that I ordinarily wouldn't see at this point.

9 x 12 inches "As the Storm Breaks"

I though I would change things up a bit and do a little landscape. Again using my favorite colors, blue and purple with some orange thrown in. This painting is done on LaCarte paper with mostly a variety of soft pastels.

8 x 10 inch pastel "Purple Cabbage"

Here is another in my vegetable series done again on LaCarte pastel card. I loved all the blues and purples in the reference photo and really enjoyed painting this one.

9 x 12 inch pastel "Red Onions"

This is another little painting in my vegetable series. I love the colors of these onions, that is proabably what compelled my to paint them. All of these paintings are going to be put in a stainless steel frame that I think would look great in a modern kitchen (specifically mine, unless I have a buyer!) Again this is done on LaCarte pastel paper.

5 x 7 inch pastel "artichoke"

This small painting is another in the vegetable series. This one was very difficult for me and I though it would be so simple! This small size is a real challenge to work with even for someone with small hands like me. Again this is done on LaCarte paper. I think I will use the sudedboard for my next one. Perhaps some oranges? Stay tuned.

5 x 7 inch pastel "Peppers"

I am beginning to paint a small series on fruts and vegetables and this is one of them. I am really enjoying using the LaCarte pastel card for these still lifes. It really works well and holds lots of pastel. Although this is small it still managed to take me around 3 1/2 hours to complete, almost like a large one.

9 x 12 inch pastel "Blues Guitar"

This is quite a departure from what I normally do, but I am really getting to like doing still life. I am not at all musically inclined but I really like how the light shines on this obviously very shinny guitar. This is done on LaCarte pastel card in soft pastel

7 x 10 inch pastel "Cradled"

This one was definitely a learning curve. This is done on a new surface for me, LaCarte pastel card, which is a sanded paper. It was quite different to work on than my usual suedeboard. I did a lot of blending with my fingers, something I don't really do on the suede. I think I will keep doing small practice paintings until I get the hang of it.

8 x 10 inch pastel "Plate of Fruit"

Here is another one that I found a bit challenging. Again done on the suedeboard in soft pastel. I think I was drawn mainly to the red of the fruit when I saw this reference. Thanks to a contributor on WetCanvas for the photo.

9 x 12 inch pastel "Egg on Satin"

Here is another attempt at still life on suedeboard. I am not sure I was altogether successful at making the cloth look like satin, but I gave it a good try. Takes so much to the wonderful photography of Diane Ponting at Wetcanvas.com.