Perched

Its not that I haven't been painting this week... I just haven't had a chance to post anything yet. I felt like painting another chickadee last night (I think this is chickadee number 35) hence the glare spots in the photograph. I was trying to be a little bit looser with the brush strokes in this one... but, I will probably go back and add some white detail to the feathers yet when it dries a bit more.



"Perched"
3.5" x 2.5" oil on gessoed matboard
© 2007

Fire in the Sky

Something a little different for me today... I saw this sunrise sometime ago and I just had to paint it. Now that the sun is rising later in the morning it is easier to catch the sunrise. This is the view from my window looking towards Coquitlam and Simon Fraser University.



"Fire in the Sky"
3.5" x 2.5" oil on canvas paper
© 2007


Technorati Tags: art, aceo, miniature, painting, oil+painting, sunrise

Fall Lookout

This is the third bluebird in this series. I'm really happy with the way the branches turned out. I was trying to get a feel for distance behind the bird and I do believe the couple of branches in the background really do help with that.



"Fall Lookout"
3.5" x 2.5" oil on canvas paper
© 2007


After much pondering I've decided to start selling these miniature (ACEO) painting pre-matted ready for framing into a standard 8" x 10" frame. I'm really impressed with the way the paintings look in a simple frame with ivory matting. Originally these little paintings started out as a way to practice painting. But now, I am spending much more time on them that I wanted to present them in a different way that is more appropriate for these little paintings.

Technorati Tags: art, miniature, oil+painting, bluebird, oil

At Rest

This is the second of three bluebirds that I have finished recently. Now that I have the colour combinations figured out for these birds, they really are quite fun to paint!



"At Rest"
2.5" x 3.5" oil on canvas paper
© 2007


I've finished matting and framing all my show submissions and now it is just a matter of driving over to the gallery and handing them over to the jury. I'm am so excited and nervous as this will be my first submission to a juried show.

Technorati Tags: art, artist, oil+painting, bluebird, etsy, wwao, painting

Pit Stop

I've been working on this little guy during lunch at work lately. Since I don't usually have too much to do during lunch (and my watercolours are very portable) I decided to bring a small field watercolour kit to work and paint at my desk. I saw the reference image of this guy on Wetcanvas and I couldn't resist the pose. It looks like he is taking a quick pit stop on the side of tree to check things out.



"Pit Stop"
2.5" x 3.5" watercolour on paper
© 2007


Technorati Tags: art, aceo, watercolor, chickadee, painting, wwao, etsy

Bluebird of Happiness

More experimenting with blues (and reds in this case). I've been experimenting on how to create more subtle 'natural' colours in my paintings. Compared to my first oil bluebird several months ago I've come a longs ways to mixing more natural colours.



"Bluebird of Happiness"
2.5" x 3.5" oil on gessoed matboard
© 2007


Technorati Tags: art, aceo, etsy, wwao, oil+painting, bluebird, mini, miniature

Fading Magnolia

Arrgg... photographing wet oil paintings in the evening is got to be impossible. I tried about 20 shots of this one and this was the best of the bunch. This is another (and possibly the last) painting that I am going to enter into the upcoming art show. Though, this might not be the final version of this one. I am thinking that once it is dry in a couple days I will go in and tweak some of the highlights and deep shadows in the center of the flower.




"Fading Magnolia"
4" x 3" oil on canvas paper
© 2007


I only have two more paintings to mat and frame and I can see myself in the very near future making a trip to the gallery to drop off my submissions. Once I have these little paintings done, I am going to return to work on my somewhat abandoned lighthouse and my apple still life.

Technorati Tags: art, miniature, flower, magnolia, oil+painting, wwao, etsy

Beginnings of Change

Just finished another oil painting destined for my entry later this fall. I am particularly pleased with this one... especially the way the leaf turned out. I kept my palette simple are really tried to emphasize the contrast between the highlights and shadows. I think I am going to have to do another one of these fall paintings.



"Beginnings of Change"
4" x 3" oil on canvas paper
© 2007


Technorati Tags: art, miniature, oil+painting, fall, etsy, wwao

Where I Paint

I don't have a finished painting to share tonight, so I thought I would share a quick picture of where I paint. This is my main working area... I got the best little desk from Ikea (cheapish... so I don't have to worry about ruining the desktop) with tonnes of shelf space. I typically paint in front of the computer and when I paint larger paintings I use an easel just to the side of the desk (can't see it in this picture).



"My Work Area"

On the keyboard is my newest painting (still lots of layers to go... I can paint birds in one go, but flowers seem to take a few more layers for me to complete. To the right is my apple painting and to the left is a recently sold painting waiting to be packaged up.

I hope to be finished the painting on the keyboard in the next day or two and I'll post it when its done.

The countdown has begun for the art show I want to enter with only 25 days left to finish several more paintings, get a few more matted up, and to purchase 8 new frames to put them in. I'm super excited about the prospect of showing in my first local gallery!

Ducky Time

Just a quick little still life for me today. I've been busy with more matting and other life's distractions. I painted this one in watercolour some time ago and thought I would try it again but this time in oil. Same reference, but two totally different looking paintings.



"Ducky Time"
3.5" x 2.5" oil on gessoed matboard
© 2007


One thing in this painting that I am rather proud of is the blues. Normally, blues give me the most headaches when it comes to painting. But not in this one. I used cerulean and indigo and I think I achieved just the perfect blue for this painting.

Technorati Tags: art, aceo, etsy, wwao, oil+painting

Salt Shaker

I wanted to try my had at another glassy still life and this salt shaker caught my eye. I kept the colours simple in this one... focusing more on the values than worrying about colours. The only colours used were mars black, paynes grey, and titanium-zinc white.



"Salt Shaker"
2.5" x 3.5" oil on gessoed matboard
© 2007


This weekend was a busy one for me. I have my eyes on an upcoming petite art show and I have been busy cutting mats for a whole slew of little paintings. I've also been busy sketching out several more miniature paintings that I am hoping to be done in time for the entry deadline. This will be my first juried art show and I got my fingers cross! Entry isn't for another month, but if I do get accepted I will be making an announcement in this blog.