A New Easel and a New Painting (WIP)

I started another pear study.  This time in brown.  I'm still using the Holbien paints.  I'm getting spoiled.  I don't think I can go back to the W&Ns.  I didn't get to finish this study in one sitting as we ended up opening our presents and then had to get ready to go over to my sis-in-law's house for dinner.   

I ended up placing my mixed palette and my brushes in a Masterson Air-Tight Palette Seal.  I snapped the blue cover all around and I'm hoping the paints and brushes will remain moist until I'm ready to paint again...hopefully in the next two days or so.   I will report back the results later.  

I think I'm going to call this painting 'Chocolate Pears'.  My palette looks like a range of dark chocolate to milk chocolate.  Yummy!

Chocolate Pears on my new easel

My hubby bought me a floor standing easel for Christmas!  While I was painting upstairs, he was downstairs putting it together.  There was an included leaflet that contained diagrams of the easel, but no instructions.  He mentioned it was a bit tricky.  He did a great job!

Now, I have two places to paint.  Here in the main level, there is plenty of daylight I would like to take advantage of.  So, I think I'll paint here during the weekends (in the corner between two windows).  I'll be able to use my large glass palette (pre-cut glass from Home Depot) for the larger canvas.  

My new Mabef H-frame easel!

I'm looking forward to another long weekend to paint!

My Grisaille Study...Pears & Using New Paints

I've been spending some time doing research on underpaintings.  I've read that beginners should learn to paint the indirect method or grisaille versus the direct method (alla prima).  I haven't been too happy with the results of my direct method painting.  I decided a new adventure was in order.  I do enjoy challenges.

I spent four hours today in painting bliss.  I turned on the radio and dialed into a local classical music station.  I got into my painting zone and had some fun.  Here's the result after four hours and eight paint brushes later:

Pear Study (WIP)

I am quite happy with the results.  At the last minute, I decided to try out my new Holbien Duo Aqua Oils. Out of the tube, the paint was buttery and consistent across the colors.  The Ultramarine blue had some excess oil as it came out of the tube.  No worries.

I started out using my normal W&N Artisan Yellow Ochre mixed with a bit of thinner to create a light wash.  I did a quick sketch on the canvas paper taped to a hard board:

Quick sketch with a yellow ochre wash

I painted in the values for the pears as well as setting up the background:  

Painting the gray values on the pears

I continued painting the values for the background:

Painted background values

I blended the values on the pears:  

Here's my palette of colors.  I used Ceramic White, Ultramarine Blue, and Burnt Umber.  I mixed the Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber to get a dark gray color.  Then I added white for the next two values.

I really enjoy using the artist quality Holbien Duo Aqua Oils.  Used straight out of the tubes, they mixed well.  Consistent creamy/buttery feel.  I noticed I was getting better coverage on my canvas paper with the Holbien versus the W&N Artisan paints I've been using.


Life is good!

Three Pears Pencil Sketch

I thought I was finished with this pencil sketch until a brilliant artist/friend of mine suggested I "up" the contrast a bit.  The more I look at my sketch the more it appears to...not stand out as much as I thought.  The pears are not popping out of the paper.  I'm seeing a pattern here.  This appears to be the same problem I'm having with my paintings.  Not enough contrast.  Not enough "ooompf".

I need to dig out my "soft" pencils or the "B" range and redo parts of my sketch.

I just hope I don't overwork the sketch.  I suppose the worst case scenario...I get to do another one.  Just means more sketching/drawing time for me.  Sweet!

Three Applies Painting

This evening,  I got a chance to sit and paint for a few hours.  I went ahead and finished my apples painting by adding in the shadows and then painting the white paper towel underneath.

Three Apples (close up)

Rough sketch on the left and the final painting

I'm going to leave the painting as is and call it "done".  I've been learning that the more I touch something, the more I overwork it.  Simple and less is better.

Now, I'm off to look for a photo to paint from.  I've got thousands to look at.  Sigh!

Three Apples - WIP

In less than two weeks, I'm on my fifth oil painting which is an apple study.  I used titanium white, lemon yellow, alizarin crimson, cerulean blue and yellow ochre.  The three primary colors represent cool colors.

My palette of mixed colors

Used yellow ochre mixed with thinner to create a light wash for my outline

Still a work in progress...to be completed later this week