Rock Bridge with rocks below

While the rest of the US gets snow, we finally at least got some rain.  The poor NE is still getting snow bombed.  So, I decided to do a painting without snow. 

I did this painting on a 16 X 20 stretched canvas.  I wish I would have had more canvas left at the bottom to show off the water more,....but.... I first painted the canvas with black gesso and let that dry.  Next, I painted in the sky colors, trees, then lavender-grey rocks, then burnt umber shadow rocks, then burnt sierra on the top of these burnt umber rocks.  So basically I just painted the scene without drawing any of it on the canvas.  I hope that makes sense.  I did use the picture and some of the color suggestions from a Robert Warren's Guide to Painting Water Scenes.  As a matter of fact, some of my other paintings have been based on other Robert Warren picture scenes. 

I've noticed something while painting.  I'm ok in the beginning and middle of painting,...but, when I get down to painting at the end stages, I get restless and agitated and don't want to do what is necessary to make the painting finish out nicely.  For example, in this painting, I quit before making the water pretty and doing some color adding to some of the rocks.  I've noticed this inability to stay focused and finish out the painting before on some other paintings I've done; so, It's not just this one painting or anything rescent...it's just me. 

Hang in there,
Amy

Birch Trees By The Lakeside

I painted this picture yesterday from a Wilson Bickford DVD.  I save my Wilson Bickford DVDs & Packets for special occasions like this.  They give me great joy.   

I'm not sure what to paint next; but, I'm ready to paint some more. 

I still need to look through some images and decide on one to paint.  Something will come to mind soon, I hope. 

Amy

Ending of 2010, & Beginning of 2011 that will be an "awesome" year

I haven't posted on here in quite some time and I do appologize for that.  I took a break from painting, but, now I'm back at it again.  

Today, I finished up a little snow scene by some water.   I painted this 11" X 14" snow scene at home on a stretched canvas.   This snow scene is from a Robert Warren's Guide to Painting Water Scenes.

I think I'd really like to see some snow to get a better feel for it. 

Next is a Christmas painting.   I painted this with the help of Diana and it is on a 16" X 20" stretched canvas.  On this one, the canvas was painted black, except for where the candle & the poinsetta were. 

Finally, a coastal water scene.  This painting has vibrant, strong colors in it & I'm glad that I was able to paint it,...--with Diana's help. 

This is another painting I worked on at home.   It also can be found in Robert Warren's above mentioned book.  I kinda like it.  I do wish that the boats were in a slightly different spot, not right up against the shadow line.  But, I learned. 

I feel like I've painted more, but, I haven't.  I just went and looked to make sure.  Now that the little snow scene is done, I'm ready for another painting at home.  However, I'm not real sure what I will paint next.  

Well,... I'm off to check out other's blogs and hopefully I will get to see some awesome paintings.  "Awesome" is my word for the year, 2011.  Hopefully, this year will be full of positive thoughts and many "awesome" paintings by everyone.  
Amy 



Cabin @ Dusk

I worked on a painting today of a cabin at dusk.  It has been a while since I did a bare tree & I was glad to get to work on that skill again...with the script liner brush. 

On this painting, I first painted the house and the ground with black acrylic gesso, then, taped over that with masking tape.  Next, I painted the sky and the background trees.  Then, I removed the masking tape and did a bit on the house with a rake brush.  After that, all that was left was the foreground.  I painted this from a Wilson Bickford packet.  The packets are so very helpful to learn by.  I prefer DVDs, but, the packets are growing on me.  I needed something to give me the edge to "get going" and this packet did that.  Maybe now I can paint more when I have time near the end of the week.    Painting is GREAT !  

Ocean Sceen 1

I'm still trying to do ocean scenes,..as I need A LOT of practice with them.   Below is my most rescent painting.   It is from an old 2001 calander.  So, there was no instructions on  how to paint it.  It did have rocks along the coast line, but, I left them out.  I need to quit worrying about rocks and just paint them.  I won't ever get better this way, will I? 

I hope you all are doing well.  tc,.......Amy

Deep Ocean Waves, 3rd try

Yesterday, I finished up another ocean wave. It's been nice learning by doing them. Here it is:

Now, I would like to do a painting with ocean waves rolling in at the beach.  How do ya make sand look real?  Hum......  



Deep Ocean Waves, 2nd Try

I've been working on painting some deep ocean waves.  After scrapping the entire first try, I made it through a second painting---with different deep ocean waves.  It doesn't look all that great, but, I am happy with it.  :-)  I was working from an art brochure that was produced back in the late 60's to early 70's that my mother had laying around.  In the brochure, I found a wonderful picture of a painting with blueish, lavender, purple, and turquoise waves.  I know the rest of the photos had lost a lot of their colors over time, but, this particular picture of the deep ocean waves seemed to have survived the hands of time.  Here is my painting of it:

I did find out while painting this that I wasn't observing the original painting well enough and I was missing out on lots of stuff in it that was critical to the outcome.   So, I need to relax and focus better on my subjects.  OK.  I'll definitely try that. 

Now, I think I will go back and try first deep ocean wave painting again.  But, I will be painting it MY way, not the way listed in the book.  I'm not stubborn,...I tried the books way first and that is when I got my disaster.  I just went and looked at it and it is far less complicated than the 2nd one I did, posted above.   I'm excited because now I feel ready to challenge the 1st one again. 

I wanted to do waves and sunsets for a change, and I must say it is challenging.  But, you get much better rewards this way,...than when you already know how to achieve a certain result with the brushes and oil paint. 

Oh, I forgot to mention that this painting is on an 11" X 14" stretched canvas.  I first started out applying Magic White to the canvas, so, this painting was painted using a wet-on-wet technique.  Plus, there were NOT any instructions in the art booklet as to how to paint this particular painting.  I found that kinda nice because it left the freedom up to me as to how to go about painting it all.....no cheating....hehe.   Don't get me wrong, because there are numerous places I love getting directions on how to paint other paintings.   

Take care and I'll post the next painting of deep ocean waves when I tackle it very soon.....................Amy

2nd Sunset Painting

I would love to learn how to draw and paint more birds and incorporate them in my art work.  There is this book that I want to get from Amazon.com.  It features song birds and has the pictures of many birds, including a branch or something of their favorite tree they like to be in.  It includes neat ways of making backgrounds to show off the birds at their best, but, I don't have the $$$ to invest in all the supplies needed for all that.  I think I could  at least make use of the bird pictures, though. 

I also painted another one of the lilly pads --just like I painted a while back.   However, I wasn't up to digging it out from behind what I was working on today in order to photograph it.  I will try and do that tomorrow or the next day for you all.  

Another painting I've been working on is of a mountain scene with a lake in front of it.  I just need to put something on the right side of the painting and it will be all done. 

This is what I painted today ~~~~~>>>>>>  For some reason in the photo, the orange in the water is showing up as more yellow.  So, just know that I did put some orange down there and blend it in. 

This sunset is painted on an 18" X 24" stretched canvas---kind of a big painting for me.   To paint this sunset, I followed a Wilson Bickford DVD.   He makes painting so easy and enjoyable.   I like the techniques he uses. 

For this painting, I had to learn a new brush technique for the tall tree and the grasses up front.  I didn't quite master it, but, it is bearable;  I do need more practice time with it though.   

I really like Wilson Bickford's wet-on-wet technique of painting a sunset.  It just seems to make so much sense and just flow.  I did go through and try a sunset a diff way on my 1st sunset painting last month, but, not only did it not turn out good, but, it was a much harder way to learn to paint a sunset.  

But, we all are so different and what works for me might not work for the next person. 

I hope you all enjoy your art work..........Amy