"Orange with Blue"

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"Orange with Blue"

11 x 14 in

Oil on Masonite

This is not an alla prima painting, this is a painting I did some time ago and just pulled out of the closet.  I really do love the color balance the orange and blue create with the dark background, gives a great composition to the painting.  This painting does come framed as well.  I really like finding these paintings after painting so many of the alla prima's.  This painting was a bit of a challenge due to the surface, masonite can be very slippery to paint on.  Usually I like to create a couple of layers of paint to get the look I'm wanting for the final painting, of course when I mean a couple layers its between drying times.  I do prefer painting on more of a textured base so the brush and paints have grip to them, but painting on masonite definitely humbles you as a painter and makes you see your weaknesses right away.  Thanks for stopping by and viewing hope you liked this one!

"Ranunculus 2"

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"Ranunculus 2"

8 x 10 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

I wanted to paint another version of these beautiful flowers, as stated in previous post these guys remind me of peonies thus the reason I like painting them.  I've been so busy lately doing other paintings its always good to come back to these alla prima's and have a fresh eye.  I believe doing alla prima paintings are essential for painters, it keeps you fresh and allows you to experiment with your own technique.  I've been painting flowers for a good while now I have to say its taught me a lot with my own approach to painting.  Flowers have an abstract shape to them to me thats what makes them so beautiful, once you think of them as abstract shapes then it becomes easier to paint.  What I like about these ranunculus it seems as if the lights radiating from the middle of the flower, it's all in the coloring of the flower and how its dispersed through out its body.  It's amazing how mother nature conjured up all these wonderful flowers.

I started with usual dry brush approach using no mediums and a bit of raw umber on the brush, I didn't want to get to detailed since I'll be adding most of the flowers in the later stages.  After the drawing stage is complete I stated the general colors with middle values, I don't want to add highlights or darker values just a a general statement.  The colors I used for this stage is titanium white, quinacridone magenta, naphthol red, viridian, and raw umber.

Then I added the background using yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and titanium white.  Adding the background at this stage allows me to get a general feel of the colors.  I can now start adding darker values and their specific forms with the first batch of flowers.  The colors I used are ivory black, raw umber, and ultramarine blue.

Then I add lighter values and their specific forms, the colors I used for this stage is titanium white, quinacridone magenta, and naphthol red.  Once thats completed I start on the other section of flowers and repeat the same process.  I also use the same colors as I did before, I start adding middle and darker values and their specific forms.

Then I add lighter values and their specific forms.  I'm constantly going back and forth between values and adjusting them to the right look, this always happens when adding a new value.  Once the flowers are taken to a close finish I start on the stems and vase, I start on the middle to darker values and their specific forms.

Then I add the lighter values and their specific forms and take it to a finish, I then go back to the flowers and tweak some highlights and darker values.  Once I've taken the flowers to a finish I take the painting to a completion.  As stated before in the beginning I truly do love painting flowers they teach me so much about painting and its textures, it's great practice overall and enjoy every second of it.  I hope you enjoyed this one as much as I did.  Thanks for stopping by and viewing!

"Leaning Basil"

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"Leaning Basil"

12 x 9 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

This basil I've painted is in recovery mode, my girlfriend got it from her sister and has restored it back to good health.  It sits right in our kitchen next to the window and gets the best lighting in the whole house, I know its in heaven with all the natural light it gets.  Basils are tough to paint due to their leaves they can be grouped up in one area and have a somewhat pattern to their shape, this painting was not easy in no ways from beginning to end.  The colors is another factor they seem simple because they're just green, but they absorb colors that surround them so you get a lot of blues and yellows in the leaves.  I haven't painted basil in a while and glad I did so I hope to revisit these guys more in the future.

One of the benefits of painting all day is not going outside, sometimes thats a benefit at other times when its beautiful outside its not.  Today I must say it wasn't bearable to go outside it got to be 102 degrees fahrenheit, oh did I mention I'm in Minneapolis, Minnesota!  They say on Thursday and Friday the highs are barely even getting into the 70's, I have to say living in this state has shown me the extremes in weather.  Beautiful place to live you just have to be ready when mother nature decides to throw you a curve ball.

I started with the usual dry brush approach using no mediums and a bit of raw umber, after the drawing is complete I state the general colors and the fall of light.  I keep the paints fairly thin at this stage not going to thick.

Then I state the darker values and a bit of middle tones, I work on all the basil leaves at once when completing each stage.  Once the darker values are stated I start to work on the lighter values and highlights and work back and forth between each stage to bring it to a close finish.

Once the basil leaves are taken to a close completion I start on the vase by stating the middle to darker values.  Then I state the lighter values and take it to a finish.

For the finishing I state the background and soften the edges around the basil.  As stated before this was another challenging one to paint in one session glad I did so, I learn from every painting that I do and apply what I learn to the next one.  Thanks for stopping by and viewing hope you enjoyed this one! 

Plein Air Painting

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"Lake of Isles"

4 x 6 in

Oil on Linen Panel

Today was raining for the most part and it cleared up around noon time, I went out with a buddy of mine for a quick plein air painting.  Here's a pic of our set up:

It was a lot of fun doing a landscape painting, completely different than what I usually do.  Landscapes are not my cup of tea for the most part but after today and just diving into this painting, I can say I changed my mind a bit about them.  Since the weather is getting better I plan to do more of these in the near future, thanks for stopping by and viewing. 

"Vase & Peppers"

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"Vase & Peppers"

6 x 6 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

This painting is another version of the first peppers & vase, I wanted to have more of a whimsical feel to the painting.  The composition definitely gives it that with the traditional triangle approach, having a good flow between the objects through composition can strengthen a painting.  I also liked playing with the colors and their subtle values.

I started with the usual dry brush approach using no mediums and just a bit of raw umber on the brush.  After the drawing is complete I stated the background first to get more of the overall value feel for the painting.  

After the background is complete I stated the vase first concentrating on big form modeling, this stage is the most important for me.  Its crucial to get this stage right in order for the rest of the form to work, making the light wrap around the form and believable is important to state first.  I spend the most time at this stage getting it right and turning the form, I keep the paints fairly thin, I can build up on it once I get more of the smaller forms stated.  After the big form modeling is complete I start on the darker values and stating their specific forms.  

I do the same with the lighter forms and take them to a finish.  As you can see stating the smaller forms in the darker and lighter values goes much quicker once the big form modeling is working correctly.  I also start to state the top cover of the vase and working on its big form modeling stage, once thats complete I state the darker values and its specific forms.

Then I state the lighter values and its specific forms.  Once the top is taken to a finish I then start on the wooden base and state its local colors, just stating the basic colors and how light affects it.  I'm not worried about details at this stage just wanna get a general statement of how the light is going across the form.  Then I state the lighter values and its specific forms.

Once the wooden base is completed I start on the first habanero pepper, again stating big form modeling first.  Stating the local colors and making the form turn, not worried about details at this stage just a general statement.  Then I add the darker values and its specific forms.

I do the same with the lighter values and take the first pepper to a finish.  I repeat the same process with the second habanero pepper.

The first pic shows after big form modeling stage I started to state the darker values and its specific forms.  Then I state the lighter values and its specific forms, after doing this the painting is complete.  I hope you enjoyed this one as much as I did, if you guys have any questions just email me or leave a comment.  Thanks for stopping by and viewing!

"Peppers & Vase"

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"Peppers & Vase"

5 x 7 in

Oil on Canvas Panel

I've been wanting to paint this small little vase for such a long time, a friend of mine lend me it to paint and finally was able to.  These strong colors contrast each other so well, the cadmium oranges can be overpowering at times.  This vase is asian themed, the intricate designs which resemble a floral pattern was so much fun to paint.  As mentioned before the cadmium oranges can be overpowering, painting the peppers and keeping subtle value shifts within the oranges was a fun challenge overall.  The composition was also another neat factor to do, I wanted to keep it simple and yet fun.

Just a reminder I'll be giving a portrait painting demo at Blick Art Materials store in Edina, MN. on Wednesday the 27th of April from 1-4pm.  If your around the area stop on by! Here's the link to find out more info.

I started with usual dry brush approach for the drawing stage, just a bit of raw umber on the brush and no mediums.  When the drawing is complete I start on the first pepper just applying the local colors, at this stage I am only applying the middle values not stating any extreme darks or lights.  

Then I apply the darker values and take them to a finish, I do the same when I apply the lighter values too.  Having that base of local colors stated first or big form modeling lets me work out how the light is going to be falling across the form.  When I add the darker and lighter values after or the smaller forms it fits just right with the overall value pattern.

I repeat the same process with the second pepper, first stating the local colors.  When stating the local colors or the bigger form modeling I'm not concerned about details that will come after, I just want the form to turn with the general colors.  I'm also keeping the paints fairly thin at this stage, I like to go thicker when adding the smaller forms.  When the bigger form modeling is complete I state the darker values and its specific forms, I try to take it to a close finish and start with the lighter forms.

I then state the lighter values and state its specific forms, I also take this section to a finish.  When finished with the peppers I then add the local colors to the base and background.  I think filling all this information at this stage helps bring the overall values closer to a finish.  

Then I start on the vase and work on bigger form modeling while adding the local colors.  As you can see this stage I'm only worries about turning the form, making sure its believable on how the light is wrapping around the form.  Then I start on the top part of the vase and start to add darker values and its specific forms, I make sure these forms are working with the overall values. 

Then I add lighter values and its specific forms, I do the same as I did with the darker forms.  I then start on the body of the vase and repeat the same process.  After finishing the vase I go back to the wooden base and start to add the darker values and its specific forms.  

Then I add the lighter value forms and take the painting to a finish.  I hope your able to see that my process is fairly simple and straight forward, I like to concentrate on the shape and making it turn with the lights.  Details are not the answer to make a successful painting, it's the understanding of light and how it effects the form.  Thank you for stopping by and viewing, I hope you enjoyed this one!