Colourful Birches, Day 12 of the 30 day challenge and an offer

Colourful Birches

Gouache painting on canvas board

17.5x12.5cm (7"x5")

for the duration of the challenge

This painting is available for 35€ 

(it will revert back to the normal price of 55€ in Feb)

This painting has quite a story.

It used to be a gouache painting of birches (I know - it is still a gouache painting of birches!) but it just wasn't working. I hosed it down under the tap to remove the painting. As I was washing the old painting off, I paused and saw the wash of colours that was developing on the canvas. I loved the delicate meld of colours coming out. I decided to keep this wash and paint the trees over it using the same colours that had appeared in the wash.

For the trees, I used undiluted gouache laid on with a flat brush, mostly in a sideways stroke. The background is the untouched remaining wash. I am quite pleased with the painting.

NOTE
One of the benefits of gouache that is watersolouble and can be completely removed with water. If I had constinued washing the paint off I would have eventually got back to the original ground, although there might have been a few patches from the staining colours.

Day 4, 30 paintings in 30 days January 2014 challenge

Morning Light Silver Birches

palette knife painting

oil on canvas panel

18x24cm (approx 7"x10")

Available to purchase US$120 international shipping incl.

I actually got down to painting something new for the fourth day of the challenge.

Theme for the challenge
I have been trying to think of a suitable theme for the challenge. I came up with several ideas but couldn't narrow it down to something I would want to do for 30 days. The one thing I was adamant about, was I wanted to paint smaller than my norm (24x18cm) so that I could paint more quickly and leave time for continuing on a larger painting.

I ordered some super heavy liquitex gesso and had my 6x8" box canvases all stacked up waiting. The gesso arrived today and I found out that it takes a minimum of 24hours to dry! So I have fallen down at the first hurdle and painted this on my usual 18x24cm canvas panel.

So for the theme for my challenge is THERE IS NO THEME! I will just continue to practice and work on my techniques with ideas as they pop into my head, having fun along the way.

Today's Painting
This is a photo I took while out for a walk one morning in an area called Sherwood Pines. The sun was shining and although it was cold, it was a nice morning for a walk. You might ask -

"Where are the pines?"
Sherwood Pines is an old pine plantation right in the middle of Sherwood forest (yes THE Sherwood Forest of Robin Hood fame) where they grew pines for pit props. As the mining industry no longer exists, they are gradually replacing the pines with indigenous trees. The area has been converted for  leisure use with bike and walking trails and an adventure playground for the kids. A great use of the area.

Sherwood Pines revisited
You might remember my previous painting from the September challenge of another walk in the same area, see here

Some close-ups of the knife work

Much of the pink ground is left showing to add 'sparkle'

Some of the initial brush stroke block-in is left untouched

The foreground is left deliberately loose and suggestive

Autumn Silver Birches. oil on canvas panel palette knife painting

Autumn Silver Birches

Oil on canvas MDF canvas panel
Palette knife painting

18x24 cm (approx 7"x10")
SOLI have slightly altered this autumn painting as the right hand tree was bothering me and never looked quite 'right'. I also added more oranges and reds to the central area and using heavy impasto with more colour on the silver birches to reflect those autumn colours.

Tip

For the bark, I used underpainting white for mixing the colours on the trees. This white is very thick and dries quickly and gives a lovely impasto effect.

Collage of some close-ups and previous painting

 Here is a collage showing some closeups of the knife work and the older painting for comparison.

Companion painting
 Autumn Explosion a painting in the same series can be viewed HERE

Autumn Colours Abstract - sale benefitting the American Red Cross

Autumn Colours Abstract by Marion Hedger

Oil on box canvas

20x20 cm (approx 8"x8")

A lively abstract representing the colours autumn. Painted with a palette knife and a cut up plastic lid to give a smoother effect than my normal palette knife paintings.
Proceeds of the auction will be donated to the DPW Hurricane Sandy fundraiser for the American Red Cross, so please bid generously.

BID ON THIS PAINTING HERE

If you like autumn colours, take a look at Autumn Birches palette knife daily painting

If you like this colour combination but would like a larger painting with a similar scheme, please contact me HERE