SOLD Monastery Gardens at Cimiez

Happy Dance!

This painting is on the way to a new home in Dubai. Thank you Serene.

Perfect Start skyscape, palette knife painting

Perfect Start skyscape

Palette knife painting in oils

40x50 (18"x20") on narrow gallery wrapped canvas

Available for purchase

Another beautiful start to the day.

We have had such a lot of rain this month, and several grey days with severe flooding in many areas. November is the rainiest month, but we've had more than our fair share. This painting reminds me what it was like before the rain set in!

Some close-ups

 


What it would look like framed

Tree grouping study

 I am planning to paint a larger landscape painting. Two recent attempts were not too successful, so before diving straight in, I plan to do some studies of the various elements in the paintings. In my eagerness to put paint to canvas, I confess that I often miss out these steps. As an insight into the way I think preparing for a painting should work I am sharing some of the process with you, including the bad and the ugly.

I am starting with a study of a group of trees, so typical in the landscape of Provence.



STUDY 1

Using a black chisel-end marker, I painted the negative space around the group of trees. A black marker is an ideal way to figure out the overall shape. In this instance I used the negative space (space around the object) but it also works using the positive (actual) shape of the object. I normally use a marker with a 1½" tip, but it had run dry, so I made do with a normal sharpie marker.

Good points about the sketch

• Good negative abstract shapes between the tree trunks which are all different.

Bad points

• The tree group fits into a square shape (using the left hand side of my brain instead of the right)
• Right hand side is very round

STUDY 2
Again using a black marker and trying to make a better overall shape

 Good Points

• Better shape
• Negative space between trunks still good.

Bad Points

• Dips in the top of the trees almost the same
• Two similar shapes appearing on the lhs of the tree - Just when you think you have sorted it, the left hand brain kicks in again.

To fuhter improve the shape, white acrylic can be used to work back into the ink. In this case I used pastel as it was a quicker than getting out my acrylics.

Study 3 - Tonal study
I used a dark grey, light grey and off white pastel for this study, acrylic is also good. This shows how the form starts to come through without using much detail.

Study 4 - Tonal study on coloured paper
Using the same pastels as above, a fourth study. Getting better but still not spot on.

Two things need improving:

• I need to remove the first dip at the top of the tree which will give the left hand side of the grouping more height
• I need to extend part of the right side outwards.
  

 I imported this into photoshop and made a few rough changes

much better.

These studies took me about half an hour to do. It's a great way of working out the shape of trees and keeping it loose.

What do you do to prepare for larger paintings or practice different elements of the landscape? Let me know in the comments (also leave a link) and I will include a summary in a future blog.

Wildflowers again - Provence Meadow palette knife painting

Provence Meadow palette knife painting

15x15cm (6x6inch) oil on box canvas 1.5cm deep

Purchase information

Can you guess I love painting this meadow. This is my third painting, and probably not my last. I cheated (sorry, I mean used my artistic license)  a little with this one by replacing the distant vineyard with an olive grove.

 For comparison I am showing the previous two

Field of flowers

Palette knife painting

Oil on box canvas/6"x6"

15x15cm
SOLD

Willdflower Confetti

Palette knife painting

15x20cm (6x8inch) on 1.5cm deep box canvas

The edges have been painted black so a frame is unnecessary.

Purchase information

I've been asked to show the original reference for these paintings, and here it is

Wildflower Confetti palette knife painting in oil

Willdflower Confetti

Palette knife painting

15x20cm (6x8inch) on 1.5cm deep box canvas

The edges have been painted black so a frame is unnecessary.

Purchase information

This is another painting of the wildflowers that we came across last July (see here) from a different view point and different treatment.

Some close-ups

Guarding the Lavender palette knife painting

Guarding the Lavender

Oil, Palette knife painting

18x24cm on Italian canvas panel

Available for Purchase

About this painting
This is another of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge paintings that needed a few more touches to finish it off.

Some close-ups of the knife work

And how it would look framed

Blog Hopping across the world - Introducing artists I admire

I'm participating in a Blog Hop. I can hear you say "What's a Blog Hop?". It is a way to get to know about other artists you may not be aware of. 

And, to show that art is truly international and artists work in a world-wide community, I was introduced by Sea Dean who lives in Canada, I live in France and my spotlight artist live in New Mexico and Scotland.  Pop over to see the wonderful art produced by all three artists, all different and unique.


SEA DEAN - ARTIST
When I completed Art School I always intended to pursue a career in art and literature, but I had migrated to small town Canada, where there was little opportunity in my chosen field. I allowed life to get in the way, until a series of catastrophic events brought me back into alignment. Since then I’ve approached my art with the same passion and determination that I have applied to all my past achievements.

Art is not easy; it takes a special type of courage to make it your profession, but I’m no stranger to that. For me, it is important, to keep growing as an artist, keep pushing the boundaries and discovering new techniques. And paramount to my experience is the opportunity to pass on my knowledge to others, which I do in my PAINT A MASTERPIECE classes and through my Facebook group GET YOUR ART OUT THERE.

If in my journey, I create something which brings joy to another human being, or if I help a person rediscover their passion, I have truly achieved.

www.paintamasterpiece.blogspot.comhttp://seadean.weebly.com/
www.facebook.com/groups/GetYourArtOutThere/

MY INTRODUCTIONS

CAROL HOPPER

I have admired Carol handling of light and colour for a long time, and I am pleased to introduce her.

 

Born and raised in Minnesota, Carol moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico following earning degrees in both Minnesota and Iowa.  She later studied Interior Design through the New York School of Interior Design, and Fine Art under the tutelage of professional artists including Dreama Tolle Perry, Ramon Kelley and Carolyn Anderson.  Carol’s earliest influence in art was her creative mother through whom Carol became a “child artist” using “Paint by Number”.  Carol thought her “paintings” were so beautiful she continue her exploration of art in many forms.

Carol’s love for travel and art is reflected in her superb landscape paintings.  She captures the mood of her subject whether it is the dramatic light of southern France, the quaint towns in Italy and Mexico, or the brilliance of dappled light in the fjords of Norway.  Those many trips have inspired exquisite flower paintings, paintings of charming buildings as well as pairings of the rugged beauty of the coast and crashing ocean waves.

Carol’s style continue to evolve as she grows as an artist.  She  enjoys taking workshops from the best painters.  Carol doesn’t feel she can be limited in subject matter or a particular color palette.  She uses palette knives as well as brushes.  She is both a plein air and studio artist.

Carol exhibits her work in some of the finest shows.  She works in oils.

www.carolhopper.com

www.carolhopper.blogspot.com

www.dailypaintworks.com

carol@carolhopper.com

 

MARGARET MILLIGAN   

I've admired Margaret's work for a long time. Her use of tone is fantastic. I'm hoping to make my way up to Scotland on one of my trips to the UK to see her work in person.

"I am an oil and pastel painter. I love still life, portraits and life drawing is a passion. I work and teach in the beautiful "Artist's Town" of Kirkcudbright in Galloway, Scotland.
Like most artists I am attracted to the play of light. I work in Winsor and Newton Artisan, water mixable oils to avoid as many nasty chemicals as possible.

Blog - http://margaretsmilligan.blogspot.com
Facebook -MargaretSMilliganFineArt
Website - www.margaretsmilligan.co.uk

And MY ANSWERS to  the blog hop questions:

 
1. What are you working on?
I've just been working on some autumn paintings. I love using those rich yellows, reds and oranges. I have also recently finished a 30 paintings in 30 challenge hosted by Leslie Saeta. The main challenge is thinking of something different to paint everyday. 


What will I be painting next? Not sure, but I am off on a trip to Catalonia for a few days, so maybe I'll be inspired to paint something from that trip. I am always full of ideas when I return from a trip.

I also plan to start painting larger Provence scenes and really hone my landscape skills.

2. How does my work differ from others in its genre?
 I use a lot of colour and my paintings are quite colourful. I paint mostly with a palette knife, as I like the texture and the way the colours stay clear and bright. I like to 'chase the light'  which livens up the paintings.

3. Why do I create what I do?
Because I love it. The joy of creating something from nothing can't be beaten. Painting also colours my life, wherever I am, I am thinking of suitable ideas for paintings and on trips it has added another dimension to life.  When on trips, I am always searching out the local artists and appreciate other peoples work much more.

4. How does my creative process work?
It goes in fits and starts. I get enthusiastic about a subject and can't wait to start painting. At other times it takes a little longer! My inspiration comes from photos I have taken or my garden. I am a keen gardener and grow many of the subjects in my paintings. My studio is my house, and although I have nominally turned one of the bed rooms into a studio, I am rarely in it, preferring to paint outside whenever the sun is shining, on the balcony when it is not so good and even in the lounge during the winter. My completed paintings are all around the living room drying giving us a constantly changing gallery.