Number 74 - 'Poo Collection - Progress Sequence

'Poo Collection - 5x7, Oil on Canvas Panel

Have you ever traveled, stayed at a bunch of hotels and ended up with a collection of little shampoo bottles from each hotel you've stayed at? My job takes me to a lot of different places and to a lot of different hotels. Today's project - a small sampling of my ever-growing shampoo bottle collection!! I even took some progress shots for your entertainment!

The Subjects

My Start...

For my starts, I like to sketch in where everything should go to see if it fits. And since I'm working towards my holy grail of plein air, I put the shadows in during my start as well. (Just getting into the habit!!) I also color the base and the background to get an idea of the value ranges I'm going to work with.

 First Object

Next, I paint the object that stands out the most. In this case, it's the little gold shampoo bottle with the burgundy cap. Not only does this one stand out, it's probably going to be the easiest to paint using a limited palette. I'm currently using French Ultramarine, Cadmium Yellow Lemon, Permanent Red Medium, and Titanium White.

I usually only hint at the lettering on something I'm painting, but in this case the lettering was big enough that it warranted real letters.  Not the case with the rest of the bottles as you'll see next.

Next, More Difficult Colors

I tackle the more difficult colors next. In this group, I was really eyeing the caps of the two left bottles as they are kind of a hint of brownish-gray neutral. It's always fun trying to mix colors to match odd colors from life! I think I pretty much nailed this one, though! The green shampoo, er, mouthwash bottle on the left could be a little brighter and deeper green, but this was as far as my limited palette would take it...

The Grand Finale!

Finally, I knock out the blue bottle on the right, touch on the shadows and highlights a bit, smooth out edges, and color up the base and background for a little added visual effect. Voila! All finished!

Notice that just the hint of writing or lettering on these bottles is enough. Your mind 'sees' the letters that are supposed to be there. Just don't try to read them!!

Enjoy!

Number 75 - Gettin' Dark at Bacon Creek Lake...

Gettin' Dark at Bacon Creek Lake

5x7, Oil on Canvas Panel

I took my newly organized kit out to a local park for a test drive late this afternoon. It's been overcast and misting all day, so my expectations weren't very high. But at the very end of the day, as the sun set, there was light!! And it ended up on my canvas... This one was done VERY quickly and I was worried that the colors were SO off, but the values at the end seemed to work so I went with it. Enjoy!

And after returning from the park I snapped this shot of my newly organized kit. This is my 12x16 Open Box M, six most used brushes - 4s and 6s in brights, filberts, and rounds, along with paints, roll of additional brushes, and a paper towel roll. Not shown are my tripod bag and garbage sack. All together, it's extremely light considering how much equipment there is!

Number 76 - Backyard Pine Tree...

Backyard Pine Tree - 5x7, Oil on Canvas Panel

"What would you like me to paint?", I asked Jen who would like to see me paint one from beginning to end. "Paint that tree. I would like to know how to paint a tree.", she replied pointing to a pine tree in the back yard.

So, this one is a study of how to put the supporting cast in after you paint the main character - I painted the tree first and then put everything else around it. As I was starting the background all I could think of was 'all roads lead to Rome'! I made a conscious effort to make most of the lines intersect or point to the pine tree. It worked! This is one of the best plein air pieces that I've done!

Number 77 - Me, Lazy? A Pine Cone Revisited

A Pine Cone Revisited

5x7, Oil on Canvas Board

So, after posting First Impression (see previous post - Number 78) I got an e-mail wondering why I got so lazy with that one. Well, I didn't think that I got lazy with it - I was simply experimenting with being painterly and laying down the fewest strokes for an impressionistic representation of a pine cone. I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't the happiest with the result, but it was what I set out to do.

I really do appreciate the feedback, though, and I didn't know that I had established a style of my own that is recognizable. After revisiting the pine cone, though, I've noticed that I HAVE developed somewhat of a style of my own! I'll try to stick closer to this style and not deviate so dramatically next time I try something new.

But I DO intend to improve on this new-found style! Continuing on...

Just for the record, I do like Revisited MUCH better than First Impression!  ;-)

Number 78 - First Impression, A Pine Cone...

First Impression, A Pine Cone

5x7, Oil on Canvas Board

Believe it or not, I was going for an impressionistic feel for this quick painting of a pine cone from my back yard. Being a detail-oriented person, this was extremely difficult for me to do without killing the whole thing by making mud. But, standing back and taking a couple of quick glances at it, I think I accomplished what I was aiming for - an impressionistic pine cone!

Number 79 - Fiery Guardian of the Garden Gate...

Fiery Guardian of the Garden Gate

5x7, Oil on Canvas Panel

I spent this afternoon cleaning out the garden - cutting down and pulling out, piling up and mulching. After the garden was cleared out I had time to do a quickie painting of the thorny bush outside the garden gate. The colors are just amazing autumn reds and yellows contrasting with the still green grass. It reminded me of a sentinel or guard of sorts. I kinda cheated on the sticks and twigs - Bob Ross style!! Hehe!! Oh well, it achieved the desired effect!

Starting with the Pumpkin Trio this morning, I began using a different group of paints - Utrecht French Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow Lemon, Titanium White, and Rembrandt Permanent Red Medium. All are much creamier that the paints that I've been using in the past and mix much easier and quicker! These colors also seem to create a more unified feeling - more like they belong together instead of fighting with each other for attention. I like this group so far!!

I've also noticed with today's two exercises that what I've read in Kevin Macpherson's books is definitely noticeable and a very welcome change to my painting. It's amazing what a different way of looking at a process can do for the end result!!

21 down, learning and improving!!

Number 80 - Pumpkin Trio...

Pumpkin Trio - 5x7, Oil on Canvas Panel

I would be completely remiss if I didn't do something 'Halloweenish'!! Even though they weren't metamorphed into Jack-o-lanterns, they still do the job of  'screaming' Halloween!!

I'm Back - In More Ways Than One!!

I'm back from the beautiful country of Singapore! I had a wonderful time and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone there for their hospitality and generosity. It was greatly appreciated and I look forward to visiting again.

I would have been back here to the blog sooner, but life kept me on my toes as it doesn't stop when you take a trip half way around the world! And I could have done without the jet lag in such a major way!! It just saps every ounce of energy from you!

I'm back to painting this weekend, but I just wanted to share some photos from my trip first - since it's still dark outside (daylight savings time!!) and I have a few minutes...

Swissotel - Merchand Road

I stayed at the Swissotel, Merchant Road, which is right on the Singapore River and the riverwalk. The riverwalk is just a beautiful walkway with color and activity everywhere!

One of the many bridges over the Singapore River

The Lotus Grill Restaurant - On the River!

Amazing as it may seem, almost everything is within walking distance in Singapore. I walked everywhere including Chinatown, Little India, and countless eating establishments. I even made it down to the harbor for the shot that everyone who visits Singapore has to have...

The Merlion - Singapore Harbor

Many, MANY times I wished I had brought my painting gear along - there were just so many things that I would like to have painted! I could have spent the entire time just along the riverwalk!! But I got a lot of great reference shots and I even got some sketch time in! And I read two awesome books by Kevin MacPherson, Fill Your Oil Paintings with Light & Color and Landscape Painting Inside & Out, which are most likely two of the best guides to plein air painting - at least I think so!! Look for some of the influence from these books in my future works!!

Well, the sun's finally coming up so I'm off to paint!!