brushstrokes, etc.

Pink veined petunia!

2008-08-16T17:42:00.003-05:00

Pretty in Pink, 28 x 18" Oil on canvas

I've finally completed this larger painting. My photography of it is only so-so... it seems a little over-exposed on the left. I'll work at getting a better photo.

I'm pleased with the outcome. The color of the flower is very intense - and I had to keep adding more color in order to try to match that of the actual flower. I wanted to create the wonderful abstract-ish qualities of the veining without looking contrived. It took many layers of glaze to get it, and you (hopefully) can see some undertones of purple in the pink!

QUICK REMINDER! Don't forget about the email/Google Group sign up. The free painting will be given away on Sept. 1st. There is still time to get yourself and/or your friends into the drawing! Details on my website. Click here for more information.

A New Set of Note Cards! Fruits of the Spirit

2008-08-12T08:14:00.010-05:00

The front of one of the note cards - close up!

The set of 4 notecards - featuring the fruit paintings shown and the qualities of
love, joy, kindness, patience

After a lot of work and readjustments, I have finally finished a new set of notecards featuring the 4 fruit paintings seen above and the idea of the Fruits of the Spirit, which are mentioned in scripture. Each of the 9 spiritual fruits are written in the form of a border around the paintings (love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness, self-control, faithfulness, patience, goodness) and the top of the border simply states, "A tree is known by its fruit..."

As I worked on these this summer, I was struck again by the wisdom of scripture! We, like trees, are people known by the way we live our lives. I know I would much prefer to be the kind of person who lives with these qualities, and most people would agree that it is better to live our lives with people who have these qualities as well! Without the presence of a Good God in our lives, it is difficult to do so, though! These are the qualities of God himself!

This set of cards includes the 4 designs seen above (a set of 8 - 2 of each design) with envelopes, for $10.00 (plus shipping $3). (IL residents add 7.75% sales tax).

Its coming along!

2008-08-11T08:51:00.003-05:00

The progress continues!

Hopefully you can see the intensified colors in the flower and how it is progressing. This weekend was filled with the near catastrophe of a crashed computer... so I got much less painting done than I'd hoped. I guess these things happen to everyone, but a major computer crash creates panic and a complete rearrangement of schedule to get things repaired. Fortunately, it was something that could be repaired rather than replaced ... And through it all, I realized how poorly I've backed up all my data! Since its repair, I've been backing things up and also trying to replace some important things which did get lost! Also, this is my last week before school starts next week - so there are plenty of last minute things that are now taking up time.... but I will continue to paint - even if a bit more slowly! I hope to show you the finished painting above in just a few days!

The newest new thing in progress!

2008-08-08T08:59:00.005-05:00

I have a beautiful veined petunia growing in my yard ... and the veining is so visually interesting, I thought that making it into a larger magnified painting would really be interesting! This painting is 20 x 24". The composition is slightly diagonal and in this first image, I'm trying to get the shapes correctly placed and get the relationship of values down.

The earliest stages of this new painting - blocked in with shape and values beginning.

More refining has been done - although much more is still to be done!

Some background color has been added, although it is still quite flat and honestly, very uninteresting. Of course, the background should not overtake the subject of the painting - but - this is a truly boring background! So, more work needs to be done.
Also, the colors of the flower and the values within it need to be intensified too.

I've continued to work on this - so I've already done some of what I'm suggesting here. More is needed still - and I'll post an image soon so that you can watch what happens!

Summer Bouquet

2008-08-07T09:17:00.003-05:00

Bouquet, 6x6" Oil on Canvas with Gold Leaf

This is another experimental piece ... even though the subject matter is similar to what I've been doing. For this one, I applied some small areas of gold leaf after the painting was completed. It is hard to see in the image because my scanner doesn't pick up well the metallic color and the glint it gives. But its there (look in the top corners, and also for details in the flowers at the centers). After applying the gold leaf, I painted a thin layer of liquin over it to secure it and keep it from being so fragile. I think that worked very well.

The continued experimentation with new ideas, new materials, new methods gives the artist an inexhaustible wealth of possibilities! When I work with new ideas or ways of doing things, it makes me realize how I have only scratched the surface (barely) of knowledge and how much room there is to learn and grow!

For Purchase Link, Click Here.

Undulating Leaf

2008-08-04T16:48:00.004-05:00

Undulation (Hosta Leaf), 20 x 18" Oil on canvas

Yesterday, I returned from a few days trip to Texas ... and I couldn't wait to get back to the studio to complete the work I'd started before leaving! I am happy with the results of this one. It is larger - 18 x 20", and it has some very visually interesting shapes and a sense of movement and undulation. The colors are green and more green! But, hopefully you can see that there was a bright and shining sun hitting and penetrating the leaves making the colors very intense and yellow in places. The background is very minimalistic. It is not black! It is a mixture of colors and the undertones are quite visible in person. This painting will join some of the other larger botanical works I've been doing this summer as part of an intended exhibit!

Here's what I've been working on....

2008-07-29T19:04:00.006-05:00

unfinished - Hosta Leaf 18 x 20" Oil on canvas

I have been working along these last 2 days on this new painting. I actually took the reference photo for it and loved the abstract shape of the leaf as it twists - also, the light shining on and through it was beautiful as well. This is a much larger painting that my usual daily paintings... which I've been wanting to get back to! So far, I'm happy with where I'm going on this! Its very O'Keeffe-ish looking in style, don't you think?

Theres' (obviously) more to be done. I'll show you more soon!

The photo is cropped tightly, but is taken of the painting on its easel. Fortunately, I was able to crop most of the studio debris out of the photo - but that is the reason it looks to be not quite square on the corners!

Plums of summer

2008-07-26T08:08:00.005-05:00

Plum, 5x6" acrylic on illustration board

Here is another in my set of summer fruits. (Pear, peach, cherries, plum) Some of the fruits were done earlier this spring. This one was fun - and a little challenging - to work with a sense of reflectivity and layers of color. While many plums are a very dark purple, there is much more than that going on in the color....many undertones, which give it a sense of reflectivity. Also, plums often have a matt area of light blue on the skin.... and then just some spots of actual reflected light. I have tried to see these things with my eyes and not my brain - and faithfully put them down. You might be interested to know I'm not an artist who uses black pigment. I don't even buy it! If I need something that looks like black, I mix it from other colors. I like the results - the brain reads it as black, but there is color happening within the "black". Even though this is a "black plum" as marketed in the store, there is no black ... even in the gray stem, it is all mixed from colors.

There will be an "unveiling" in a few short days (I expect) of what I am planning to do with these small fruit illustrations. I'll keep you informed!

A yellow cat! in a very different style....

2008-07-24T08:44:00.003-05:00

Yellow Cat, 8x8" Acrylic on Canvas

Well, here we are! something just totally different....
I wanted to try something completely different. It seems to be important, as an artist, to explore and experiment. I actually enjoy doing that - and usually end up with something really different than usual. Sometimes I like the results, sometimes I don't! Maybe that is what growth is all about. I'm not sure how this will translate to my more typical work. We'll find out.

What you can't see too well here in the photo is the border, which is sort of a neutral violet color with a metallic bronze added. It is painted around the edge as well. I like this style because it is very free and expressive. Not a lot of attention for details - but the big picture, so to speak.... a sort of emotional response to the subject.

Well, hope you enjoy something a little different. I will have something else to show you soon that is more in the traditional style! (waiting for paint to dry!)

You can find out about the availability of this painting by clicking here.

Its not summer without cherries!

2008-07-22T06:58:00.004-05:00

Cherries, 5 x 6" Acrylic on illustration board

Here is something like some previous paintings I've done a few months ago. My intent is to do another fruit painting and then make the 4 designs into a set of note cards. I'll keep you posted on that!

Working with paint on illustration board is interesting! It isn't really designed for that - so, where you put the paint is where the paint stays. It is much less "forgiving" than watercolor paper. But, it also has such a smooth surface that the finished painting has a very nice result and the detail can be done very precisely!

Seeing the panels upclose

2008-07-21T08:53:00.005-05:00

Left panel - 14 x 14" Oil on canvas

Center panel, 14 x 20" Oil on canvas

Right panel, 14 x 14" Oil on canvas

This allows a little closer view of the 3 paintings. I am not 100% happy with my photography efforts - (I'm still learning digital technology). In person, the colors are a bit more intense and warmer.

However, this gives a better view of things than seeing it as a grouping!

Sunflower Triptych is Done ... or almost done!

2008-07-18T08:33:00.002-05:00

Sunflower Triptych, Oil on 3 canvases measuring 14 x 48"

The set of 3 is finished ... for the most part. It may need a few more touches, but basically, this is it! What I have hoped to accomplish here is a sense of the presence of the flowers (the color is a little more intense in person than you see here). The presence is accomplished, I think largely because of the size of the flowers and the expanse of the 48". But also, I hoped to achieve a sense of light and glow behind the flowers. I had thought of using gold leaf somehow - and have now re-thought that idea.

What you don't see here so clearly is that there is quite a bit of warmth to the yellow in the flowers. I got that through the use of some cadmium reds added to the several colors of yellow that I used for the flowers. I feel that I learned quite a lot as I made this painting. I'm pleased with the outcome.

A Drawing for a FREE original oil painting!!

2008-07-16T08:47:00.009-05:00

Win an original oil painting -- find out how!!

Cockleshells, 5x5" Oil on Canvas

An offer too good to refuse!!!

I'm working to build my email list this summer... and one of the best ways to do this is through personal introductions. I've tried to make this a win, win, win situation.... by creating a drawing for an original oil painting from my studio.
You may enter the drawing now through the first of September!

There's more information about the drawing (image of the painting included) and how to participate on my website, which you can link to here:
Helen's Website

If you have not already subscribed to my Google Group, you may do so at the right side of this site. Please be sure to send me an email to let me know that you did so, and you will be entered into the drawing. Please be sure to check the website (link above) for information about how to enter more than once!
Please be assured that all information entered is completely private and will never be shared!
Helen's address: studio_upstairs@hotmail.com

I look forward to your participation! Maybe there is an original oil painting that will soon be hanging on your wall!

Very Small ...

2008-07-14T13:15:00.003-05:00

Orange Lily, 3.5 x 5" watercolor/acrylic on canvas

Very small watercolor.... shown here with the suggestion of a matting around it. The color of this lily was so vivid. It demanded to be painted!

Dedicated to my son, Travis - who sent me flowers last Thursday ... just because!

Green Grapes

2008-07-12T09:33:00.004-05:00

Green Grapes, 5x7" Oil on canvas

You can tell its summer time! Which means there is a lot of great subject matter for paintings.
This was fun to paint - and went relatively quickly. Green can be tricky though - to get just the right quality of the color where it is needed.

Please click here for information on the availability of this painting.

Finished - Zinnia

2008-07-09T20:18:00.006-05:00

Yellow Halo - 7.5 x 11" Watercolor/acrylic on paper

Yesterday's post was the beginning of this zinnia.... today, I've added the color to the petals and it is finished. What I really like about this is the sense of dimension that is accomplished with the use of values. And.... I also really like the interior detail that is represented here. Did you know that within the center of a zinnia there is this little tiny ring of small flowers that form a type of halo around the center? I don't think I did ... but it is so intriguing that these little surprises wait for the viewer to notice! To me, that is just a little gift of our creator! And, who knows what else we can see when we take a moment to look beyond the surface! The abstract shapes of the shadows still attract my attention as well! Who knew all this could be waiting on a form only 3 inches or so in diameter!?

For more information on the availability of this painting - please click here.

3 Things to mention....

2008-07-08T14:44:00.004-05:00

First .... a watercolor in progress:

This will be a Zinnia - approx 7 x 11" watercolor on paper

Notice the power of value! You can only see a little bit of this flower - more than half the image isn't painted at all yet - but - you can see the shape and form of the flower quite clearly. That all has to do with the lights and darks, really. Also, I love the abstract shapes of the shadows ... to me this is a very intriguing image for its clearly seen, yet often overlooked elements! I'll be posting more as I get more done. (One little aside ... I worked on this last night while the new kitten was prancing around! At one point she jumped on the paint brush of blue right as I was about to apply it.... Didn't notice until this morning that her little white toes are quite blue!)

Second - the Sunflower triptych is nearly done! Yay! It is currently drying - and I'm pleased with what I've gotten so far. I figured out today that it is about 864 sq. inches of painted canvas... no wonder it has taken awhile! Anyway - I hope to be able to post final shots of it soon - one ongoing issue is the need for a digital camera. That would make photographing so much easier ... (yes, my daughter has one - but sadly - the batteries need to be recharged. Before that can happen, she has to find the charger ~ it may be quicker to get my own!)

Lastly - I am also working on another small oil painting. As it is finished within the next few days, and it dries, I'll be posting it too!

Lots going on here! Keep checking in! :)

1 Year Celebration!

2008-07-06T08:57:00.005-05:00

Woods, 22 x 15" Oil on Paper

Today marks 1 year. A year ago, I began my daily painting project... my commitment to paint every day. For the most part, I've been successful in following through and just doing it! But, there has been so much more than the satisfaction of keeping my commitment! My spirit has been renewed in many ways as well! Not just by making art - though that is in itself quite rewarding, but also in getting to know (via this venue) so many of you and reconnecting with old friends.

Its good to look back once in awhile - maybe in preparation for looking ahead! Here is what some of this past year has held for me as I took a leap into the unknown!

* Over 7400 visits have been made to the blog I started on 7/6/07, which you are now reading!
* I've painted 72 small paintings this past year (no, not one a day as some artists do... but several a week!)
* I've painted at least 8 larger paintings (I need to count!)
* There's been a gallery showing of my art.
* I've enjoyed regular email and internet correspondence with many people from around the world!
* Some of my work has been sold as I've learned to market by internet
* I've gained a lot more knowledge about myself, my work, art in general, other artists, marketing ... all of which is so valuable!

Yay!! Thanks so much to all of you who have been so encouraging, who come back again and again to look at what's going on in my studio, and who have become important to me in many ways! I'm looking forward to another great year! Who knows what's in store?? It will be exciting to find out!

Links to the daily paintings of the past year:

July - December 2007

January - July 2008

A change of pace!

2008-07-02T22:34:00.005-05:00

Blue Kitten, 6x6" Acrylic on canvas

OK, I know - this is nothing like you've seen me post before... and the truth of the matter is, this is something completely different than I've done before. I was interested in trying a nearly monochromatic approach to a subject. and also interested in working with values being represented by a color. (My subject is the newest member of our family, a new kitten.)

So, here you have the outcome. Interesting, I think. It was fun to do something entirely different. By the way, my small audience watched her portrait being done - and attacked the canvas a few times. She is now wearing a small dot of paint next to her ear!

Continued progress ...

2008-06-30T20:47:00.004-05:00

Sunflower triptych, still in progress 14 x 48" (collectively), Oil on canvas

Its been a little while since I've updated you on the progress of the sun flowers. Unfortunately, this photo is a bit washed out - but you can see what I've gotten done. I've been working each day - usually several hours a day. And - I'm beginning to see where I need to go with this. The flowers are done for now - I'll begin to work on background and foliage next. No doubt with that done, the flowers may need a bit more tweaking!

Hopefully more to come in the next few days!

FYI - Still Life at Auction

2008-06-26T16:44:00.003-05:00

Traditional Still Life, Red and Green
5x7" Oil on canvas

SOLD

This is an older painting, which I've reposted for auction.
It is starting at 99 cents!
Obviously, this is well below my costs for materials,
but never the less! If this would be perfect for
a need at your house, then this is the perfect time!

Progressing......

2008-06-25T15:11:00.003-05:00

I'm terribly sorry about the quality of the photo..... (I took it.) Its blurry - and the lighting is just weird. But - the point of posting this is so that you can see some of the progress I've made on this set of 3 paintings.

Yesterday, I blocked in darker values, but wasn't too happy with some that I put in - this is where I just feel like I'm flying blind - so those decisions are still out there. I also started working on the petals of the flower and have added most of the greens in a general way. (More refining will be necessary)

The other 2 panels are blocked in with the greens - and that's about it. The bud behind the flower is some distance behind... and I hope to make that more obvious as I lay in additional values.

Its easy to feel overwhelmed as I begin - so I try to focus on just an idea at at time to execute - and then move on. But, with the 3 panels it is important to work on them simultaneously so there is a sense of cohesion between them.

More to come!!

Work has begun!

2008-06-23T18:39:00.003-05:00

The sunflower triptych
The left & right sides measure 14 x 14"
The center measures 14 x 20"

Day 1 - The making of the canvases.
I really like to make my own canvases. For my small paintings, I don't. But for larger ones, I almost never buy ready made ones. I use a very old method, which makes a beautiful stretched surface. These canvases use purchased stretcher bars (although I've done plenty of buying lumber strips, attaching quarter round, and mitering the edges, then gluing and nailing.) I use unprimed cotton duck and attach with staples loosely. I usually staple everything behind so that the edges can be painted.

The next step is to dissolve rabbit skin glue in cold water. When completely dissolved I heat it, to a little bit warmer than warm, but not boiling, and I paint the surface with the glue. (The proportions are available by manufacturer.) As I paint, the canvas begins to shrink and creates a drum-like sized canvas. When it dries, it is ready to prime. I use gesso primer - either clear or white, depending on the look I'm after. Usually 2-3 coats of primer are needed. If necessary, I sand between coats. When the last coat is dry, I'm ready to paint.

Day 2 - As you can see from this photo, I have now sketched in my images. I sketched free hand, using a HB pencil. Then I oil sketched in light layers to lay in values. Depending on my subject matter and size, I may just oil sketch - or it is possible to use charcoal. If using charcoal, I suggest a coating of gel medium so that charcoal is not incorporated into the paint.

One of the reasons to stop and look at what I've done is to make some assessments about shape and proportion and placement. After looking at where I am now, I see that the center panel has some proportional problems. The small folded over flower at the bottom needs to be enlarged considerably. This wasn't readily apparent to me until I stepped away, made a digital photo and looked at it with "new eyes". Sometimes I can see things in a new way just by stepping back or by looking at it upside down or by going away for a bit and returning to it with a new outlook. Regardless of how, its an essential step!

Check back in a day or two for progress!

The full set!

2008-06-21T10:58:00.006-05:00

Sunflower 3, 5x7" Oil on canvas

Here is the 3rd in my series of sunflower studies. This one was a sunflower laying on a surface, which cast a shadow... I showed the shadow in a cool violet blue, which is complimentary in color to the flower colors. Overall, I'm pleased with the results of these 3 paintings. I have now started laying out the larger series I'm working on - which will also be 3 canvases measuring 14 x 14" on the 2 ends and 14 x 20 in the center. These 3 larger canvases will feature larger sunflowers (of course) and a few more than are shown in these bottom 3. I'm off to a good start - and look forward to revealing the end result!

The full set! This week's work in the studio. I really like these as a set of 3, the dimensions of
which are 5 x 17"

I forgot to mention that all 3 of these are painted around the sides of the canvas, so that no framing is necessary. Please check my gallery page for information on the availability of these 3 small sunflowers.

The second of 3

2008-06-20T07:08:00.004-05:00

Sunflower 2, 5x5" Oil on canvas

This is the 2nd in my small series of sunflowers! Also a study of sorts before beginning my larger set. Once again, the background is still in question. Again, I like the way the petals seem to twist and have a sense of motion and fullness. And this time, you can see the dark center. Its a little harder to see here, but the center does have some nuances of shade within it.

Oh, you probably noticed! I made some changes to the way my blog looks.... the content is still the same - just the colors are a little different! Sometimes its good to update!