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

Chickadee Drawing & Painting

Yesterday I drew my chickadee, then used graphite paper to transfer it to a 12" X 16" stretched canvas.  Then, I used black and white gesso to put the shades of greys and blacks on the chickadee.  The chickadee that I drew is on the middle right, and the picture I used as a guide is on the left bottom of the photo below. 

Today, I taped up the chickadee with masking tape, and painted the background of the oil painting.  Then, I removed the masking tape & finished up painting the chickadee.  After that, I finished up the rest of the painting. 

The painting probably could have used more pine needles, & I still need to work on that brush stroke/technique.  But, this is my very first bird painting and I like it.  Thanks goes to Wilson Bickford for creating the "packet" that I followed for this painting.  It also made creating this painting an enjoyable experience. 

I hope you all like it.  I'm happy with this painting................Amy

Late Day Sunset Over The Ocean Waters -- 5 photos showing progress

Well, today I attempted my first late day sunset over the ocean.  It took about 3 1/2 hours.   It is on a 12"  X  16" stretched canvas. 

I have 5 photos of the painting process that I took in various stages.  

This first photo is of the canvas.  The background is all painted in orange acrylic paint,..even though it looks pale yellow here.  After that application dried, I took black acrylic paint and put in the dark and medium places on the canvas.

The 2nd photo is of my grey colored, large paper pallet & paints that are used in this sunset painting.  I do have a wooden pallet, and a plastic pallet, but, they would require me to hold them up with my left hand and paint with my right hand.  If I were standing up and painting, that would work great.  However, I paint sitting down with a table easel.  I just tape a piece of the grey pallet paper to the table cloth, and I'm set.  It is real easy clean up too...just fold it gently and throw the paper pallet in the trash. 

Before these oil paints were applied in this photo, I put clear medium all over the canvas to aid the application of the oil paints.  This is a photo of the stretched canvas with some oil paints actually applied---mostly in the water area and the lower sky area.  

This 4th photo shows the painting after the oil colors were added in the sky area.   Also, the clouds have had other colors added to them too.   Actually, the blueish looking part of the sky is composed of 3 different shades of blue and a little violet.  The lower sky has the red, gold, and yellow in it.  I didn't have one paint I needed to mix up the gold color, so I used something else and it didn't allow the gold color to show up and brilliant as it should have. 

The final photo shows the brighter yellow put in up and around the ball of the sun.  This color is actually lemon yellow and white mixed together.  

Again, I didn't have the exact yellow, so, I substituted the lemon yellow.  In a year, this is the only time I've found a use for the tiny tube of lemon yellow I have.  It came with a starter oil set I got when I first started painting last  year.   

The water also has turquoise and white mixed up and applied to show movement of the water.  That part didn't turn out too well.  I hope I can learn to do that part better or learn a different way to do it.   

All in all, it is fair for a start at a new painting subject.  I don't like it, but, it could have been worse.  I  know you all think I'm hard on myself, but, I just think I'm being honest.  Tomorrow or the next day, I'll try another sunset or a beach scene with water.  There is just a whole lot out there to learn and I'm going for it !!!

Rolling Hills In Front Of Mtns (1st & 2nd try)

I have 2 photographs of the same painting in this blog.  The first photo is of the painting when I first tried to do it, about 4 months ago. ~~~>>>>

At this time, the painting seems sooooo difficult and I just couldn't get it looking right.  Those are supposed to be two mountains in the back, with a greener hill in front of them.  Then, coming from the R side is a hill covered in evergreen trees.  Then, there is the green grass up front.  On the L & R sides are two vacant places where two trees are supposed to go.  In this first attempt, I stopped before painting these trees.

In this attempt of the same painting, four months later, everything just fell in place.  I started it in the morning & by 1:30 pm, I was done and cleaning up.   LOL, I hope that the mountains look like mountains and that the hills look like hills this time around.  BTW, the little white looking trees are dogwoods. 

Today, Grover mentioned that I had painted a lot of trees and mountains.  When I thought about it, he was right.  So, this afternoon, I was looking in some art books and I found a nice sunset picture over the ocean that I'd like to try tomorrow. 

In preparation for that painting tomorrow, I painted a 12"  X  16"  stretched canvas with orange acrylic paint.  Next, I will be putting in the dark black and medium grey colors with black acrylic paint.  I kind of hate that part, but, in this particular painting, I think it will definitely work to my advantage.  The two under-coats in acrylic paint prepare the canvas for oil glazes over the acrylic paints. 

I'm excited about trying to paint a different kind of subject tomorrow.  Since I will be painting my first sunset and first ocean view near dark, painting it will be quite a challenge, but, one I'm ready to face.  I'll have to leave my comfort zone and venture out.   Yay!  So, don't be surprised if the painting tomorrow doesn't turn out too well.  With practice, they will get better!

Mountain Ridges, Water, & Snow Bank

This is another painting I'm happy with.  It is painted with oils, on an 18" X 24" stretched canvas. 




I painted this with help from a Wilson Bickford DVD called:  A Four Color Landscape.    You can find Wilson Bickford all over the Internet, but, his web site address is:  http://www.wilsonbickford.com/ 

On it, you will find lots about Wilson Bickford, plus, bet to see some of his beautiful art work.   Check it out! 

I was afraid about putting in the snowbank wrong and messing up the entire painting. But, I got the guts up and tried it anyway and it came out great. I remembered watching how Wilson Bickford held his knife and listening to his guidance about how to do it. Yay!

Rushing Water With Birch Trees

This is one of my favorite paintings that I've done.  It is on a 16" X 20" stretched canvas.  I painted this while in an art class with Diana White. 

Diana was always good about explaining  how to do something, then, also coming around the room helping those still in need.  I wish I were still able to be taking classes from Diana, but, hopefully soon one day that will happen again.

It was interesting painting this.  I had wanted to do a painting with rushing water and Diana was nice enough to work up this painting on her on and bring it in for us to paint.  I learned a lot doing this painting, which is great.   Diana had an awesome way of painting where the specific darker colors went in the background.  They kind of alternated places in the waterfalls. 

To do the birch trees, we used a Wipe Out tool, which has a rubber end and can remove wet paint.  We took the Wipe Out tool and removed the paint only exactly where the birch trees would be painted at.  Then, the birch trees went in real easy and used some knife work.  But, I had been practicing doing the knife work at home in preparation for occasions like this.  

If you want to see more of Diana's work, here is a link to her web site:  http://dianawhiteoilpainting.blogspot.com/   She has many beautiful paintings posted here. 

You all take care,..........Amy

Barn With Fog

I am excited about finishing this barn painting. Thanks go to Wilson Bickford for teaching me how through the DVD. I have had the How to Paint an Old Barn DVD for about a year I'm guessing. I have probably watched the entire DVD at least 5+ times and took notes all through the DVD--twice.

First, I incorporated a dragon in the painting instead of the barn---with my Niece, Jessi's help. This was a painting that a friend, Gordon, wanted. I made SO MANY MISTAKES in that painting, all the while with Jessi right there. I had gone to her place and forgot my good notes about the DVD from Wilson Bickford. She was good natured about all the mistakes though and I appreciated that. I remember that time we had yellow-white, runny grass...amongst other issues ...LOL I ended up burning that canvas. It was just horrible all around.

Jessi & I tried again on another canvas and the dragon came out beautifully, but, the rest of the painting left much to be desired. I had done my best and shipped it to Gordon anyway. In the package, Grover included an 8" X 10" wave that I had painted from watching a Wilson Bickford How to paint a wave demo. When Gordon got the package, he said he loved the wave and hung it in his bathroom. I don't blame him for not saying much about the dragon painting...

That was my first time painting since the early 70's and I don't remember any of what I might have learned from then. I only painted maybe 4-5 paintings back then anyway.

Now, today, I followed my new notes on the How to Paint an Old Barn DVD and it came out much better. I do wish I could just watch the DVD, stop it, and paint, and continue on like that,...but, I just can't remember something from the time I get from viewing it, to painting it. Ugggggg these meds....or is it just me?

Anyway, I'm so happy about the outcome. I hope you all like it too.

Amy

Beginning of 2010

All of these paintings are done on 12" X 16" stretched canvases.  I found 2 good books on oil painting and they had these paintings in them.  I started out following the directions step by step; but, after learning some of their techniques, I decided to be selective and make my own choices of techniques to achieve the desired result.  When I began learning to paint last  year, I learned a lot from Wilson Bickford over the Internet and I've found I go back to the ways he has taught me to paint a lot of things.  I still learn the new ways, but, it is my choice as to how I go about painting.  I also learned some from Diana White in her art classes in Melrose, FL.  Diana has taught me a lot about moving water.  There  is a lot to learn about moving water and I still have a very, very far way to go with the varying water situations. 

This is my first beach scene and my first palm tree on my own.  Diana helped me with one before in my first art class with her.  This one here looks kind of weeney, without many palm fronds or limbs on it---now that I look at it after the fact. 

This is a Plein Air painting I did while painting with Diana at Gold Head State Park, near Keystone Heights, FL.  Yes, the water has dropped that much--in this lake and all those around the area.  In many places, you can see people's docks and piers way up in the air, hanging out toward a distent looking puddle of water ...way out. 

Mountain Lake & Forest Stream

The mountain stream painting didn't turn out to good at all.  The ROCKS in the midground need much improvement.  Also, the trees and areas in the background need to be faded out more.







The mountain lake needs improvements in the reflections, especially the reflections of the yellowish bushes. Also, you can hardly tell that there is a bank in front of the trees / bushes. I should have used a diff color on the bank there to make it stand out and be visible.