Different Palette

Sometimes I just want to play with different colors. In Fresh Paint I can mix my own colors and save them, even saving incidental colors that occur when I blend on the canvas. That leads to some pretty subtle blends that inspire me.

This one is derived entirely from imagination and memory, as it very loosely resembles a view across the valley, looking at Sandia from the West Mesa in Albuquerque, my hometown.

More Playful Fun

I'm feeling a little new energy now that the spring winds are blowing. The first one is a mental walk through my old stomping grounds, the West Mesa in Albuquerque. I lived near these extinct volcanoes.

And I wanted to try to paint the Northeastern areas a bit more. Here's one inspired by a snapshot taken last spring at Niagara Falls. 

Again, both are digital, done in Fresh Paint, a Windows app.

Fresh Paintings

A fresh look at things. I needed COLOR again!

I have to confess that these are all digital paintings. I used an app called Fresh Paint to make them. They feel so lively and new, reinvigorating me. 

Tell me honestly, did you look at them thinking they were digital or did you assume they were actually paint on canvas? 

I'd really appreciate knowing!

2016

I always feel like I should start something new in January. I'm resisting that feeling and continuing this blog, rather than launch another new one. I have way too many blogs already!

Here are a few things I'm working on right now.



A new journal has inspired this drawing. See, this idea of new things is quite compelling. I bought it from a missionary to China who visited our church. A paraplegic Chinese man makes them to support himself. I have no idea what kind of paper it is, but it's quite thin, has a fine tooth, and erases beautifully. It's 5.25 x 7.25". I figured I could practice in it, since I haven't been doing much drawing recently. I'm using an old #2 pencil and my kneaded eraser. A recent photo of my granddaughter provided the subject matter. Not a ringer for her, but getting there.





This is an odd point of view, but a painting that's dear to my heart. My son's dog died last year and this was the last picture taken of him. Such a character, he would often be found snuggled up to my son. Inverted on his lap...of course. I'm working on some PastelMat, which is extremely absorptive paper. I think I may just use this one as practice and do another one on watercolor paper. Of course, all you're seeing here is the ugly stage, the first hour of slopping gouache onto the paper. But I like the start, so we'll see where it goes. It's about 9.5" x 8.5" now, but I intend to crop it down.





Another one in the Chinese journal, just playing with a view of my old home town, Albuquerque. There's a web camera on the west side of the city that I watch. Occasionally I grab screen shots from it. Here I just had some fun with values. I like the angles. You can see how thin this paper is in the strong side light in this photo. I only consider these practice pieces!





I have an idea for a project I might make for my granddaughter this Easter that would involve drawing some sheep, so I thought I'd practice them. This is a very quick sketch done in a small Moleskine pad, about 3"x 5" in size. It's hard to get the skeletal structure of these creatures beneath the wool. I'm going to keep sketching and see what comes before I decide on this gift idea. I always try to give my grand some little handmade things.

Viviane's Roses

Viviane's Roses, gouache on Arches 300 c/p, 2.5" x 3.5" 

I haven't painted a lot recently, having become involved in a family genealogy project that has sapped all my time, but I recently realized that I needed to do something that wouldn't involve mousing around. The ache between my shoulder blades often reminds me that I've become too compulsive! Treatment is a delight: I sit at the dining table with my box of paints and while away a day in a completely different posture and mindset. It's very refreshing.

The entire time I painted this little one, I kept reminding myself to just have some fun. When I'm out of practice, my paintings get somewhat more realistic, mostly because I have to prove something about my ability to paint what's there. I'm not free and easy and open with strokes and mixtures and the like until I've consistently practiced for a while. But for a realistic piece, this one is pretty relaxed and I really like it. A Facebook friend said it looks Victorian. I agree, but I can't quite put my finger on the reason why. The photo I used, on loan from a friend, was a lot less structured. I added the suggestion of a vase.

Favorite part: The star of the show rose at the bottom pleases me. I painted the flowers in three stages: medium, dark and light. I particularly like the juicy pink petal at the bottom, as it catches the light and comes forward nicely. Sometimes thicker paint is useful that way.

Complementary Bouquet

Complementary Bouquet, 3" x 3" on mystery paper

Do you ever forget about a painting? I painted this a month ago and recently rediscovered it under the pile of papers used to flatten it. I don't know why I didn't post it. I've had it set it up on the table next to my computer to view for the last few days. It pleases me.

The paper is a mystery. It's some I stashed away a while ago, so the brand is lost in time. I can't say I really like it very well. It's lightweight and has a texture that's too large-scale for the work I do. If I use a textured paper I like it to be fine textured enough to make the painting appear to be much larger, not dwafing the strokes too much.

But I like the color stucture and contrast here. I scratched out the stems with the handle of a paintbrush, which worked pretty well. Sometimes the direct approach is best.

Favorite part: The two long, arched white flowers leaning out of the composition on the right-hand side. They balance rest of the bouquet. Square compositions have some challenges, especially when the subject fills the page this way. Balance is the key to success, I think.

In the Mix

In the Mix, gouache, 2.5" x 3.5" on Arches 300 c/p

Needless to say, I want some color and vibrancy in my life right now! If you're like me, your eyes long to see certain kinds of colors. When you finally see them, there's a satisfaction that's quite physical. Perhaps you understand--I hope so. It's hard to explain.

The overbuilt saturation of these colors was quite intentional. I can't quite get the picture of it to behave, but this is a fair, if not good approximation of them. Winter has had me seeing too much black and white. It's time for life and color to bloom, so when I found this photo of a bouquet, I knew I had to paint it.

Honestly, the painting took on a life of its own, as they sometimes do. I found myself spraying it with water, dabbing away any too-wimpy colors and firing in pure, bright hues instead. Some colors simply demanded to be added, even though they weren't evident in the source photo.

Favorite part: The top of the yellow flower, sculpted by the velvety purple background color. Those colors zing, and the negative shapes define the positives in a very satisfying way.

It's 34° right now! Do you know what that means, after two months of temperatures well below freezing? Spring. Is. Coming.

Praise God!