Beach Grasses

Small study on paper 6" x 8"

This started out approximately 8" x 8".  After completing the painting I looked at it for awhile and I wasn't happy with the foreground so I decided to  cropped it in Photoshop.   Now I like it better - cropped.  In the cropped out foreground I had attempted to put in some wet sand  that was partially in shade and had some of the  grasses, but I couldn't pull it off to make it look realistic.... crop, crop, crop.

So, what do you see?  

• What time of day is it?  
• Whats the overall feeling, mood? 
• Summer, Winter, Fall, Spring?

I'll give you a clue. This doesn't look anything like the photo reference I worked from.

Today, I'll attempt to paint another.  Today, I'll do a value sketch.  Today, I'll put in my shaded areas first.  Today I'll start out with a list of things I must remember as I work.  Todays a new day.

One more time...

I think this will be my last 10 minute sketch photos that  I share with you all for awhile.  I  have really enjoyed these exercises and do see the value in them, but, for the next couple of oils I'm going to work on something besides these exercises.

The top two apples were painted yesterday and this morning I did the last two.  I toned the square in #4  and found I enjoyed seeing the orange some through the paint in different areas.  Also, I think this exercise turned out the best ... even it I did have to cheat and add a minute or so.  I think my green values could have been a little closer to each other than I was able to mix this time.

I found time today to mix some green color charts.  I have it all written down as to how I mixed these and when the oils dry I'll write the color combinations on the canvas.

More 10 minute exercises

Number 1 is starting at the top left, number 8 bottom right.  I'm thinking I like number 7 the best and yet none of them turned out as I had hoped.  I couldn't get the color of the perfume correct.  

It is very pale with hardly any color to it. And my shadows .... huh, what was I thinking?

 I think I would have done better to put it on something colorful instead of something white. 

 Having said all that I enjoy these 10 minute exercises.  You really don't have time to dwell on anything. Think about it and move on.  Things I know I'm having issue with is not thinning my paint when I should then having to stop and thin some, forgetting that dark is usually thin, light paint is usually thicker.

So what do you think, was my first mistake not putting the perfume bottle on something with more color?  Also that I should have thinned my paint before I started the painting?

I have one green apple and before it is eaten or dies a shriveled death I think I will try the 10 minute exercise with it.

Fun times ... I'm enjoying this journey.

The 10 minute challenge

10 (?) minute glass float painting exercise

Hey, I did it.  Well, somewhat did it.  Carol Marine challenged us to set our timer for 10 minutes and paint an object ..... 8 or so small square paintings (I was nervous and thought I'd just attempt painting 4) and choose one item to paint.  I chose a small Japanese glass fishing float.  (I bet you're glad I told you what these were suppose to be, huh?)

I started in the lower left corner.  That was #1 and I forgot to set my timer but it was counting and when I stopped painting I had painted for 13 minutes.   I'm a slow learner and did the same thing with the second painting, the lower right.  I had forgot to set the timer to stop again and when I realized it, I stopped at 12 minutes.  #3 is the upper left hand corner and I finally had set the timer for 10 minutes.  Yeah, I can learn! theres hope after all *giggle.  And, last, but in my case not least is the upper right, #4 10 minute painting.  And I think the best.

I'm not sure there were any rules about pre-mixing your paints, which I did, or if you were to mix as you went.  

It was such a fun challenge.  I can see where it would benefit an artist to warm up for your painting session this way.

Evening Sky ...

Evening Sky ~ 7" x 5"  

I love the paintings I see with a hugh sky showing and just a sliver of land at the bottom of the canvas.  Big billowing clouds.  Wispy clouds.  Threatening thunderous clouds.  They all make for a beautiful painting and I've always wanted to paint a large canvas filled with sky.   This is as far as I got today.  One 7"x 5"   calm and peaceful sky.

Wrapping up the Thomas Kitts workshop ....

As I was leaving the workshop and discussing what I should work on at home to improve, Thomas thought I needed to work on the transition between objects.  He could tell that I stalled when I got to those areas.  

The room we painted in really did not have the best lighting for us to work from, as you can see in the above photo.  We had light from the window as well as overhead florescent lights through out the room.

When I left the workshop the above painting is what I went home with.  I really was having trouble grasping the idea of blocking in my objects ...  ah ha.... finally I understood, but by then the workshop was over and time for me to be going home.  I have let the painting ... the blocked in piece ... set on my easel since the workshop day, wondering if I should just leave it alone (like Thomas suggested) or work to complete it.  Finally today I decided 'nothing ventured, nothing gained'.  An so below is my finished piece.   Now that I'm finished, of coarse, I can see that the folds in my cloth could be improve upon.  I think I've got the idea about the transition areas, though I still need to think about these areas.  I would like to have less detail in my work as I progress.  I could have less hard edges and I'd certainly like to paint in a looser style, but, for now, considering that was my first workshop/class I think I am pretty happy with this one. 

Finished painting from Thomas Jefferson Kitts one day workshop.

Thomas Jefferson Kitts Workshop

Last Friday, February 4th, I attended Thomas Kitts one day workshop in Portland Oregon.  

Being new to oils I had a lot of questions about the medium.  I found it very helpful to watch Thomas paint while standing near-by and being able to ask questions as he demonstrated.

Thomas had about 4 still-lifes set around the large room we were using in the Oregon Society for Artists building and we were able to pick which ever one we wanted to try our hand at.  

He chose the one above to use as his demo.

Below you can see he has most of his painting blocked in.

When it came time for the rest of us to choose our still-lifes I did not choose the one he had used as a demo ... Can you say  intimidating? *grin.  Instead mine had grapes, melon, wine bottle etc.   

It was a very long day for me traveling 3 hours there and 3 back home, but I knew I had made the right choice in attending Thomas's workshop at the end of the day.  We were busy the whole day and I found the time just flew by as I  was busy trying to comprehend all that was being shared and painting my still-life.  Although I wasn't able to complete my painting Thomas was very generous with his critique on my work for the day which was very encouraging.

I've been busy every since the workshop but am looking forward to getting some time in at the easel and put into practice what I've hopefully learned. 

If you are in the Portland area don't hesitate to attend one of Thomas Kitts workshops.  He's a very generous and helpful teacher.