What's On Your Easel, January 2012

[!becca]

Welcome to What's on Your Easel for the month of January 2012!

If needed, please remember to place the butt icon.

Please post your oil paintings that you are currently working on or have just finished.

Everyone is welcome to post in this thread - Newbies and experts, as long as the work is in oil paint!

For the most part, this is a “show and tell” thread, if you would like more detailed help or critiques, the main oil forum would be the place to post and ask

[mke112]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/01-Jan-2012/217308-P1030963.JPG




This is titled "The Colosseum" Oil on canvas 11x14.

MichaelLeKitesArt (http://michaellekites.blogspot.com/)

[!becca]

Mike, congrats on the first post 2012 in WOYE. Great title, beautiful work!

[punkmuppet]

Here's a dolphin I've just painted, still really wet and I keep going back and tweaking things, but it's pretty much complete. The paint strokes really stand out in the photo, not sure why as they are a lot more blended looking on the canvas...

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/01-Jan-2012/984123-Dolphin_01Jan2012.JPG

It's my third completed oil painting. Still got a lot to learn. I've started plenty others but they're all still in progress. This took around 2-3 hours. :)

[!becca]

pm, your dolphin is great! I love the light shining through the water. Sometimes I have the same issues with photos and edges...it can be frustrating.

[chatfieldstudios]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/01-Jan-2012/23570-1-1-12small.jpg

"Orange Slices and Crock" 6 x 6 Oil on Gessobord. My first daily painting of 2012 and of the "Occupy Studio" movement :thumbsup:

[mke112]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/01-Jan-2012/23570-1-1-12small.jpg

"Orange Slices and Crock" 6 x 6 Oil on Gessobord. My first daily painting of 2012 and of the "Occupy Studio" movement :thumbsup:

Love this! Very nice!

[chatfieldstudios]

Thanks Michael! I was just looking at yours again and it looks like an ancient site....love it.

[!becca]

Cindy, lovely work with the textures!

[chatfieldstudios]

Thank you Becca!

[NancyMP]

Cindy, that looks terrific! And I'm tempted to join your "Occupy Studio" movement, just after I get my first resolutions taken care of!

[DuanexArts]

Looking good.

[DuanexArts]

I'll post one of mine up in a couple of minutes.

[DuanexArts]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/02-Jan-2012/983759-375548_289960451041836_100000836495266_758231_1228226584_n1.jpg

Hey guys sorry if this is too big, but this is on my easel January 2012. I haven't taken another photo but i've gotten far in it. I'll take a picture and share it with you guys later.

[Georg J.P. Wowk]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/02-Jan-2012/152088-January_1_2012-2.jpg Good Morning..!!

Duane: Great start to this.
Michael: You Coloseum is Very interesting
Cindy: Great Still Life
Punkmuppet: Love these underwater scenes

This is my latest Clear Fog 24 X36

[!becca]

Duane, lovely colors!

Jaro, this has a wow factor.

[DuanexArts]

thanks alot guys.

[stapeliad]

Just finished up a copy of Pavonia (after Leighton)... She has been sitting around since last spring.

14x18 on canvas.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/02-Jan-2012/53789-pavonia_1.jpg

[!becca]

Jessica, you should be so pleased with this, lovely work all around, and that background is truely amazing. All on a good sized canvas too!

[chatfieldstudios]

Cindy, that looks terrific! And I'm tempted to join your "Occupy Studio" movement, just after I get my first resolutions taken care of!

Just think, Nancy, we could change the world :crossfingers:

[chatfieldstudios]

Thanks all!

Duane...looking good so far!
Jaro...very interesting concept..
Well done Jessica! Very difficult textures and you did a great job.

[chatfieldstudios]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/02-Jan-2012/23570-1-2-12LImecrans.jpg

The second painting of my "Occupy Studio" movement ;)

"Lime and Three Cranberries" 4 x 4 Oil on Gessobord

[!becca]

Cindy, seasonal, and very smart color choice.

[llawrence]

Mike and punkmuppet, way to get us started off!

Cindy, more great work - do you put these on ebay as you finish them? If not you should!

Duane, nice start. The character on the right is expressive.

Jaro, those color notes are standing right up off the canvas.

Jessica, great finish!

Many thanks for any comments I missed at the end of last month. I hope all y'all had a great New Year. Here's a new figure painting I've started on. Big one, 24 x 48 - I swear I've used up an entire tube of paint already. I'm calling him Adam, since he'll be my first completed (I hope) male figure painting:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/02-Jan-2012/132386-adam2.jpg

[chatfieldstudios]

Thanks llawrence! I actually sell them on etsy. I had a good year last year.
Great start on your figure...one day I must tackle a figure but so far it's only still life!

Thank you Becca! I love red!

[!becca]

llawrence, you are right, those large canvas use the paint fast! Nice start on this one!

[dollardays]

A tiny painting of the last few pieces of Christmas candy... now gone... not much time for painting as I had to restore Christmas to its place in the attic. :)

But now that it is all done I have my resolution to live up to: paint better--market smarter! I love Windows 7 because it can order the pictures by day so I spent the last few days tracking down all my paintings: 160 paintings in 2011 and only 48 have been sold! But this is my fault too as I tend to like to paint more than I like marketing, packaging and shipping.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/02-Jan-2012/3589-Christmas-bells-in-a-bowl-small.jpg

[!becca]

Nora, congrats on getting your Christmas put away, and on the vibrant candy painting. You are right marketing is not as much fun as painting, much success to you with both in 2012...160 paintings is a lot in one year! that is twice what I painted.

[K.Henderson Fine Art]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/02-Jan-2012/300751-I_see_by_Your_Outfit_by_K_Henderson.jpg

I See by Your Outfit, 30 x 20, oil on canvas

The title of this painting comes from a line in the song "Cowboy's Lament": I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy

This Trompe L'Oeil painting has everything you need to be a cowboy (or cowgirl). First, you have your fringed shirt with a sheriff's badge. Add your boots, gloves and a scarf signed by the King of the Cowboys, Roy Rogers. You can't go anywhere without your horse,your six shooter and favorite Dime Novel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dime_novel). Take along your pardner, Howdy Doody, and you're ready to hit the trail. Yee Haw!
http://khendersonart.blogspot.com

[!becca]

K, how cute. I like the vibrant colors and the theme is so nostalgic.

[tommie]

khenderson


amazing work! Too cute!

[Alan P. in OC]

Just finished this yesterday and photographed it this AM. It's in the WIP thread here:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=960403

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/03-Jan-2012/158772-final.jpg

[!becca]

Alan, this is stunning!

[Alan P. in OC]

Alan, this is stunning!

Thank you, !becca. My 5th complete oil painting, done with 3 layers of grisaille and multiple color layers, a la WFMartin.

[!becca]

Here is a 24x36 I painted today. I have tweaked the area on the left side of her hat, but this photo was taken prior to the tweaking.:)

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/03-Jan-2012/100116-snowbound.jpg

[!becca]

Alan, it is very good by any measure.

[mtpalms]

Is it really only the 3rd? So much great painting! I haven't posted much lately because of busyness and other things which have taken my attention, but I needed to have 3 finished paintings by saturday. One has been done by popular opinion (leave it alone, it looks fine as it is), and these two I just needed to put finishing touches on.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/03-Jan-2012/208394-Alan.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/03-Jan-2012/208394-Tim.jpg

[Graham T]

Lots of people getting 2012 off to a good start! I finally managed to do an hour or so on this one earlier this evening; aspens in northern Arizona, 20 x 12 oil on gesso board. Colour reproduction is not great in the photo, will get some better shots tomorrow if I have time.

C&C welcomed, as ever!

[larubia]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/03-Jan-2012/75590-521.jpg ...........http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/03-Jan-2012/75590-297a.jpg been ao both for a while..fini.

[!becca]

Marcia, I agree with the masses, they are finished.

Graham, have missed you lately, looks very dramatic!

Larubia, they are both very beautfiul!

[armparas]

Hi to all!
Amazing work everyone.
WIP This is my latest work, 20"x30" oil painting-dry brush technique on watercolor paper.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/03-Jan-2012/43594-P1020149.JPG
Harvesting banana is fun.

[!becca]

armparas, this is a delightful scene! Nicely done.

[chatfieldstudios]

Wowsers...some amazing work. Howdy Doody is soooo nostalgic..impeccable painting. Bird of paradise...amazing WIP...such depth created using that method.

[mke112]

Here is a 24x36 I painted today. I have tweaked the area on the left side of her hat, but this photo was taken prior to the tweaking.:)

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/03-Jan-2012/100116-snowbound.jpg

This is really gorgeous! Love it! Love the theme and love the end result!

[!becca]

Mike, thank you, that is so good to hear.:)

[MonteroArt]

Something essential to offer, something real to ponder...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6H5GQBqqL0

[!becca]

Montero, interesting video and lovely presentation of your art...

[chatfieldstudios]

Work in progress, started today....hope to finish tomorrow or Wednesday.
6 x 6 Oil on Gessobord. "Apples and Crock"
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jan-2012/23570-1-8-12wip1.jpg

[!becca]

Cindy, what a nice little painting..I am partial to crocks, and it looks good to me now, so I look forward to seeing what you call finished.

[chatfieldstudios]

Thanks Becca...I need to finish the cloth along the right side as it comes around and I need to warm up the crock a bit. Thanks so much!!

[crafor]

Hello,
and a pleasant and prosperous 2012 to all. I enjoyed seeing your paintings.
The clouds in "The Colosseum" are wonderful, so soft, so ethereal to me, Cindy's paintings are little jewels.
Pavonia is impressive: the pearls, the face, the coloring, just, impressive. So well done.
llawrence, your male nude is striking.
K, that outfit looks like it's ready to be put on by a favorite child. I used to have a fringed shirt, a six shooter w/holster, and a Princess SummerFallWinterSpring string puppet.
Alan, somebody already said it, but it bears repeating: Stunning!
Becca, your little girl looks so cold. I wonder who she is waiting for--will he show up?
Wonderful work everyone.

Below(the first) is the photo reference, my daughter at 4 years old at SeaWorld San Diego. I got back into painting and am working at learning to do this one portrait. Years ago I did only her face. Now I want to do the entire thing with a few edits, including more starfish. The second is the painting so far, with still a long way to go. A couple of earlier photos were on the Dec 2011 easel thread.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jan-2012/978289-IMG_0004.JPG http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jan-2012/978289-20120108_105907.jpg

Crafor
C&C welcomed. Help me improve this. Thanks for looking.

[!becca]

crafor, thank you! That is a precious photo and I can see you are well on the way with your painting.

[dollardays]

Well, I see one of my paintings disappeared and a post also. Oh well, maybe it will appear again later. I am trying to fix old paintings this month. Here are two efforts. Don't know if these posts will stick around or not but I will give it a try.

6x6 oil on masonite:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jan-2012/3589-Fair-days7-dairy-barn-small.jpg

A new one:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jan-2012/3589-Fair-days4-small.jpg

16x20 oil on linen---And a fixer-upper...I think her chin is too green and I see a few other things now she is up here. lol

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/08-Jan-2012/3589-Julie-small.jpg

[!becca]

Nora, nice paintings...the fair scenes really put me in mind of summer..great paint work on them...your portriat is beautiful!

I hope some of these posts reappear too!

[crafor]

Your portrait is lovely. That stray hair gives her a bit of "life"--realism. Makes it more appealing.
Crafor

[PunkJohnnyCash]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/09-Jan-2012/981335-Girl_on_eisel.jpg

[zbarrister]

Wow ! Everyone is off to such a great start this year !

This is how the area immediately surrounding my primary easel looks at the moment... with several things in progess.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/09-Jan-2012/228978-in_progress_january_12_a.jpg

I generally have avoided painting flowers & foilage (I haven't a clue why), and the open roses are a first for me. :)

The portrait in early stages is also a first... first attempt at a portrait, and from life at that. But... the model appears to have flaked out & her first sitting was also her last. (sigh)

Z... trying to stretch my wings and grow as an artist

[!becca]

PunkJC, very emotional painting.

Z, nice composition of paintings..they all look great and for first time roses, i think they look grand.

[!becca]

A little 9x12 from this morning...

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/09-Jan-2012/100116-my_paintings_008copy4.jpg

[PunkJohnnyCash]

PunkJC, very emotional painting.



Thank you. I am working on a few ones right now focusing on violence that is accepted in our society.

[zbarrister]

Thanks, Becca.

That 9x12 of yours from this morning may be small, but it certainly has a lot of energy behind it. I'm definitely jumping out of the way of that steer ! :)

Z

[!becca]

Thanks, Z.

[crafor]

Today I worked on Nancy's face.
The reference photo is on the left, painting on the right.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/09-Jan-2012/978289-Nan_WIP.jpg
I had thought to do an ultramarine blue glaze on some of the water, but want to do a few more starfish. Looking at it now, I'm thinking a green glaze might be better for starters. What do you think? And what color green? I have sap, terre verte, viridian, thalo green (blue shade) permanent green light. I have blues: Prussian, Fr Ultramarine, thalo, cobalt, cerulean. And where?
All comments, suggestions, crits, welcome. Thanks.
Crafor

[!becca]

Crafor, I think you have a good start on the face. Green in the water would be good I think..maybe you need to experiment with which green..or even mix your own.

[crafor]

Thanks, Becca. I think I'll make a small canvas to experiment with. The darks in the photo appear to be a dark gray-green. I had put that in in the first place and painted it out, I was so dissatisfied. I would do much less this time, if I have the courage to do it at all.
Crafor

[chatfieldstudios]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/09-Jan-2012/23570-1-9-12egg.jpg

Today's painting 4 x 4 Oil on Gessobord, "Incredible Inedible Egg"

This egg is from our studio fridge...the expiration date was last February...thus the title of "inedible". Eggs are not easy to paint by the way.

[!becca]

Cindy, appropriate title! Nice work on the egg, which you are right, is not easy to paint.

[crafor]

Cindy, well done. The color, the shadows and highlights, the gloss, is realistic. That you picked up the red from the middle berry and carried it up and around the egg helps give the egg it's shape. But YOU knew that!
Crafor

[NancyMP]

Nora, that's my problem; I have posted Cyndal twice now. The first time it was zapped by the "upgrade" Saturday morning. I gave up believing it would magically reappear, and posted it again. Somehow, I can't see how you can improve on your work above! It's lovely!

Now, I don't want to bring down the whole WYOE thread by posting her here, but like you, just posting my image helps me see how to improve it, plus the C & C I can get on it.

So here's Cyndal in her latest version:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/10-Jan-2012/203830-Cyndal_5.jpg

[!becca]

Nancy, like I said in the main forum, fabulous! Also i will add, i like the warm touches you have...

[NancyMP]

And I thank you again, Becca! I have been thinking of doing a rare thing and asking my husband to critique it, since nobody else has been doing it. He sees things I don't at times.

[!becca]

Honestly, Nancy, it looks done to me...:heart:

[dollardays]

Thank you Nancy and Becca.... very appreciated to receive any feedback.

Nancy-- Don't you think under Julie's chin (my red dress girl) it is too green? I really could use any and all suggestions to improve her. I do not like her lips either.

I like your version of Cyndal. I have seen a few others. Without looking at the reference the only thing I can say honestly is that the lines around her mouth appear a bit too pronounced. Maybe think in terms of tone and and temperature change instead of lines. What did Sargent say? A portrait is a painting of a person with something wrong with her mouth.

I don't know if the lost posts will ever show up.... they SAY they will but I somehow doubt it.

[Edgah]

Nice to see that the year has gone off to a productive start. Great work everyone! Here is one I began last night. It's Les Gold from the TV show Hardcore Pawn. I told myself that I would paint his leathery face one day.

A4 canvas paper

[NancyMP]

Thank you Nancy and Becca.... very appreciated to receive any feedback.

Nancy-- Don't you think under Julie's chin (my red dress girl) it is too green? I really could use any and all suggestions to improve her. I do not like her lips either.
Nora, the only spot of green under her chin that is a little too intense is right under the point of her jaw. The profile is a little too hard-edged: the forehead looks flat, and the lips are defined by a hard straight line both on the top of the upper and the bottom of the lower. One of the ways to fix the lips is to break some of those edges so they're less smooth - it almost looks like half of a front view. The hard edges on the profile edge just need a wee little turning into the background with a slightly cooler flesh tone.

The ear is almost too carefully crafted as well, and could lose an edge or two. Overall, I think it needs edge softening...
I like your version of Cyndal. I have seen a few others. Without looking at the reference the only thing I can say honestly is that the lines around her mouth appear a bit too pronounced. Maybe think in terms of tone and and temperature change instead of lines. What did Sargent say? A portrait is a painting of a person with something wrong with her mouth.
Thank you, Nora! I will soften those lines! My husband's suggestion is to add a cat to the top of the couch right behind her shoulder, and I think a tabby would be a purr-fect complement! I'm going over my tabby refs from my daughter's cats...

I don't know if the lost posts will ever show up.... they SAY they will but I somehow doubt it.

[dollardays]

Thanks Nancy-- I will try your suggestions... nothing else is working. I wish she didn't have that dark lipstick on. I think a cat is the purrfect thing! :)

[!becca]

Edgah, he seems to be sculpted from the background.

Nancy and Nora, I look forward to seeing these changes to your paintings.

[NancyMP]

I meant to get back and fix the lines around Cyndal's mouth, but I got so excited, because I think I found the right cat! It's one of my daughter's tabbies, named Danté, at about four months old, and I think he goes with her perfectly!

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/10-Jan-2012/203830-Cyndal_6.jpg

[!becca]

Nancy, the kitty is very, very cute..but it does change the painting...he sort of steals the show.

[NancyMP]

Nancy, the kitty is very, very cute..but it does change the painting...he sort of steals the show.

I just told Himself you said this because she was supposed to be the show, not him!:eek: Then he came in, looked at it again, and said, "Well, of course he does; didn't you want him to? All cats are scene stealers, and he's about to climb onto her shoulder to get down to her lap!" And he thinks that is quite all right because it makes a relationship happen instead of this just being a portrait.:p

Now I don't know how to think about it, but I'll call it "Danté and Cyndal."

[!becca]

Nancy, let it set a bit and decide what you think about it. Like I said, he is cute, just changes the atmosphere. I like your title!:heart:

[stapeliad]

Nance I agree with Becc on the cat. He steals the whole painting. Cyndal cannot be sultry (you said you were going for sultry with the face) with a kitten, it completely changes the atmosphere.

[dollardays]

Now if the cat were sleeping, as they usually are, and just a bump on the top of the sofa that would add some variety.

[Georg J.P. Wowk]

Good Morning..!!

Here are a two painting that I just finnished
Tree of Life and Thru The Lens.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/11-Jan-2012/152088-January_8_2012-1.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/11-Jan-2012/152088-January_8_2012-2.jpg

Both painting are 24 X 36

[!becca]

Jaro, great color and energy in these.

[oldwomanpainting]

Here is one I've been working on...I'm still not sure its done. 16x20 oil on canvas great grey owl

Any c&c appreciated

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/11-Jan-2012/156856-Great_Grey_Owl_____Oil_On_Canvas__16_x_20.JPG

[!becca]

Janet, I think owls are nearly as tempting as people to paint...lovely work with the nocturnal theme.

[Graham T]

Posted this one a few days ago but it became one of the 'disappeared' :-)

[dollardays]

I like it Graham. Your sky is lovely and the greens delightfully muted.

I also like your owl Oldwomanpainting. It seems very realistic to me and quite moody.

Jaro: I love the second painting- one of the finest abstracts I have seen in awhile. The first one seems to have too may dots of white- not sure what all is going on with it.

[dollardays]

Here is a cat commission. The people had no good photos of their cat but they said she looked just like some paintings of MY cat that I had on my web site so I just used my tabby cat, Cocoa for the model. She is always ready with a smile. :)

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/11-Jan-2012/3589-tabby-small.jpg

[midwest]

I'm so glad you got her back. I kept looking for her to see your progress.

[!becca]

Graham, glad you reposted, this is one of your best!

Nora, how lucky your were to have a double model in your home.:)

[NancyMP]

Graham, that painting really strikes a lovely mood - the softness of the sky clouds almost make it appear that the trees are having that nimbus around them that appears each spring before they blossom!

[NancyMP]

Here's another pic of Dante asleep added to the original photo; do you think this one steals the scene? (Of course in the painting only the right edge of his face would be light).

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/11-Jan-2012/203830-Cyndal_copy.jpg

[!becca]

Nancy, in my honest opinion, I think it does distract. Dante is just so cute in his own right, he deserves his own painting...let Cyndal shine in this...

[crafor]

I agree, the cat is a huge distraction. Not only does it take the spotlight off the woman, it completely changes the mood.
Crafor

[mke112]

Something I've been working on. Decided I'm going to try to change the river in the middle a bit. Turn it back into a deep lake, with some rocks and a larger fall that cuts over the cliff into the water at the bottom. I'll give this a try tonight and see what it looks like. Title is "Castle Trinity" http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-Jan-2012/217308-P1040007.JPG

[oldwomanpainting]

Becca - Thank you. :)

Nora - Thank you :) I love your cat painting,and what luck that you have such a convient double!

Nancy - For me, the cat does steal the show. Now weather that is because of the white on her face (I know you said it wont be that white) or the fact I prefer looking animals over humans,I just dont know. :lol:

[!becca]

Mike, stunning landscape!

[K.Henderson Fine Art]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-Jan-2012/300751-ChocolateTart_by_K_Henderson.jpg

Reflections of a Chocolate Tart, 24 x 12, oil on cradled board

I wanted to do a simple painting and since I haven't painted Food in awhile I chose to set up this little chocolate still life.

The curved shape of the cherry stem really complemented the almost symmetrical shape of the chocolate tart.
http://khendersonart.blogspot.com/

[cem]

I know it needs lots of work, but any C & C welcome. Waiting to put in waterfall.
12"x16" oil, stretched cotton canvas 696972

[cem]

I'll try this again. Posted this earlier and it's not here.
12"x16" oil on cotton canvas. I know it still need a lot of work. C & C welcome and encouraged. Waiting to add waterfall. 697022

[oompa11]

My work in progress. The photo is a bit blurry on the left side. I'm hoping to finish it this weekend!

[oompa11]

stunning! I love the colors and clarity in this piece!

[Graham T]

Third time lucky. If it disappears again - it's gone for good

[Graham T]

Okay, this thread is becoming very confusing. Either I've been taking some very powerful drugs - which I don't remember doing - or posts seem to keep vanishing and then coming back again!

[oompa11]

stunning! I love the colors and clarity in this piece!
This message is meant for Alan's bird of paradise painting - sorry still trying to get the hang of this!

[!becca]

Graham, it isn't you...the maintenance started last weekend is continuing in an effort to restore all the posts...strange things are happening.

[chatfieldstudios]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-Jan-2012/23570-1-12-12Lemongrapes.jpg

"Fruit Stand" 6 x 6 Thursday's oil painting from life in the studio.

[Picon26]

ya... i'm new to this website, and oil painting

[jules34]

Picon, welcome. Very unique style, I like it!
Well Emma is done ( pending client approval) as lways, don't mind the bad photography haha.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-Jan-2012/975939-emma_1.jpg

[Edgah]

Jules this is great. I've been watching your progress and even if the painting doesn't match the photo exactly, my hope is that your client will be very pleased with your efforts. Emma certainly has calm and grace about her. Well done!

Here is the latest on Les. I think I will call him done before I do something stupid. Remember people, IF IT AIN'T BROKEN, DON'T FIX IT!

[jules34]

Thanks Edgah. I agree, the hardest thing for an artist to do is to put down the brush! I love your use of varying shades of gray in this.

[!becca]

Cindy, I like the subtleties of this..

Picon, welcome to the forum.

Jules, she looks so sad.

Edgah, good point to put down your brush.

[jules34]

Becca, I think that is because you can't see the fine detail on her forehead in the photo. In the painting, she looks more alert, and suprised like someone just called her name.

[dollardays]

This thread has become very confusing to follow! I know a few of my posts have disappeared but I will just post what I am working on now.

I had to make some changes to the cat- THEIRS never wore collars, THEIRS had bigger eyes etc. Now they are happy with it.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-Jan-2012/3589-tabby-small.jpg


I finished this large painting of some Icelandic sheep today and I painted the hot dog because it was left over from our dinner. YES, after working all day and then coming home and painting I just didn't have a lot of energy to cook so we had hotdogs and french fries.

16x20

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-Jan-2012/3589-Winter-coats-small.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/12-Jan-2012/3589-All-American-small.jpg

[!becca]

Jules, sometimes things do look different in real life..

Nora, I sympathize with your cat issues...it looks great! The goats are amazing, and honestly the hot dog looks very good.

[jules34]

Dollar:These are all wonderful. I love the sheep, incredible job with the fur on both animal pictures and the hot dog is too realistic, it's making me hungry!

[NancyMP]

Yum. I could use a hot dog right now...

Nora, I'm blown away by those sheep! What a tremendous job you did on them, I love it!

[!becca]

Nora, my appoligies for calling your sheep goats!

[tracee]

:clap: Edgah, Les is a very interesting looking guy, isn't he? You've done a great job capturing him and his leather face! Thank you for posting the painting.

[NancyMP]

Here's my latest version of Cyndal (which is now "Danté and Cyndal"!). I softened the kitten and added some contrast to her so that she definitely is the focal point. Sorry, people, but the cat stays. If it were just a portrait, I would still keep him, because it adds psychological depth to the painting. Also, the contrast between a cat who looks ready to move into her lap, and her relaxed feeling, has a dynamic tension that I like.

I need to work on the clothing a bit more to make it look more realistic, but I can see, finally, that I'm getting there!

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/13-Jan-2012/203830-Cyndal_7.jpg

[jules34]

Nancy, I for one don't mind the cat, the whole painting is beautiful. I am wondering though if the cats tail came a little bit down onto the couch instead of curled tightly up around the cat, maybe it would blend a little more with the entire painting and the eye would not be drawn directly to it. just a thought

[NancyMP]

I think you're right, Jules, and thanks! I had been thinking of that, since it makes an arrow directionally, while I'm trying to encourage the flow of forms throughout the painting.

[crafor]

12"x16" oil on cotton canvas. I know it still need a lot of work. C & C welcome and encouraged. Waiting to add waterfall. 697022
Hi,
I'm new at critting so take what I have to say with a grain of salt.
I like the colors of the trees and river, not so much the mountains. I think there would be more variation of tree heights and colors--a few highlights, lighter color, on one side of the river or the other. You have a few trunks standing out is good. Personally, I'd like to see more warmth by way of a lighter area on the ground maybe just behind the trunk of the forward tree. The mountains need, IMO, more variation in both darks and lights.
With all those trees around, seems to me there'd be deadfalls and trunks along the riverbanks and in the middle of the river, causing eddies, ripples, and even falls.
Excellent start! Keep up the good work.
Crafor

[crafor]

Here's the most recent version of Nancy. I think the colors are finally adjusted, thanks to some earlier camera and photo editing suggestions. The reference photo is in post 51, page 4 of this thread.
Hard crits and comments welcome.
Crafor
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/13-Jan-2012/978289-Nan_5__20120113_19.JPG

[!becca]

Crafor, this is looking very nice...if you want more views and opinions you might consider posting it in the main forum as a WIP.

[crafor]

Thanks, Becca. I put it in the open critique forum, because I think it's done now. I want hard crits for it, and here is good, too.
Crafor

[dollardays]

Crafor:

Just some random thoughts about the painting process and how you can make it easier.

1) Establish your lightest light and your darkest dark EARLY.
The area under the child's chin appear very dark here and her nose and cheek have soem very light color. If you got those values down first it would be easier to judge everything else.

2) Put the background color in early too and it will help you judge the values of the rest of the painting. Here I see it is much lighter than the ohoto and I personally do nto think you should change the background VALUES in a painting until you are a very confident painter.

3) Look at features as shapes and pobserve closely the relationship these shapes have to EACH OTHER. I see chubby cheeks and a delightful smile here. The eyes are almost closed because the smile is so big. The edge of the eyes are very close to the edge of the face. The shadows on the face contrast greatly with the lights. This helps define the child's face and without those values being dark enough the face cannot hold a shaoe.

Hope this helps. I don't do in-depth critiques too often because people usually are not serious when they ask for them but you really want one so I am glad to offer some observatons. You will get there. Painting is a journey-- and a wonderful one. It is a new learnign experience every day and that's why it is so much fun. Your painting reminds me of a watercolor. I always tell my students if you want to paint in oils do not be afraid to use the paint. Put it on thick in the light areas and become used to wet in wet blending. This is what makes realistic tones and colors.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/13-Jan-2012/3589-corrected-values.jpg

[dollardays]

Nancy: I think your cat blends in enough with the overall tones to make it a nice addition. SHe doesn't seem to be screaming: Look at me!

That fabric looks like it would be a challenge to paint.

[!becca]

Nancy, Nora is right, you have helped the conflict with the cat a great deal..funny, to me the cat has the same expression as Cyndal. Like I said..I am so glad you are enjoying this one.

Crafor, good, I am glad you have posted it, I like seeing it here too.

[cem]

Dollar-all very nice works!

[NancyMP]

Thanks, Nora, that's what I intended to do...and I am going to change the tail.

Becca, they both have feline expressions!

[crafor]

from dollardays http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?p=14352732#post14352732
Crafor:

Just some random thoughts about the painting process and how you can make it easier.
Thanks for the crit and your help.
1) Establish your lightest light and your darkest dark EARLY.
The area under the child's chin appear very dark here and her nose and cheek have some very light color. If you got those values down first it would be easier to judge everything else.

2) Put the background color in early too and it will help you judge the values of the rest of the painting. Here I see it is much lighter than the photo and I personally do not think you should change the background VALUES in a painting until you are a very confident painter.
I had the dark background in, but it was not well done. In fact, it was a disaster, so I painted it out, except for some of the rocks at her back. I'm not satisfied with this, either, but it's better than what I had first. I'm working to learn how to do the entire (photo)background correctly.. I know this painting would be better with it, but only if it's well done. I agree, this isn't great. It's the best I can do now.
Look at features as shapes and observe closely the relationship these shapes have to EACH OTHER. I see chubby cheeks and a delightful smile here. The eyes are almost closed because the smile is so big. The edge of the eyes are very close to the edge of the face. The shadows on the face contrast greatly with the lights. This helps define the child's face and without those values being dark enough the face cannot hold a shape.
You describe it perfectly. This morning I realized I lost her “apple” cheeks, but hadn't yet taken that information as far as the eyes. I knew that area was not right, that I had lost her beautiful smile, and I couldn't see why. Thanks. I'll see what facial corrections I might be able to make on this one. I thought I was keeping track of the various measurements, but her right—our left—cheek line is wrong. Maybe I can adjust it without destroying the face. Maybe I can even get a bit more of that smile portrayed correctly. This painting is 16x20. The next may be smaller, haven't decided yet. Since the goal is to portray the child, she will be a larger part of it.

Hope this helps. I don't do in-depth critiques too often because people usually are not serious when they ask for them but you really want one so I am glad to offer some observations.
Oh, my. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help. These are excellent points to check now and to remember when doing the next painting of this scene. I want to capture that glow, that smile. She's mid-30's now, and still has her beautiful smile.

You will get there. Painting is a journey-- and a wonderful one. It is a new learning experience every day and that's why it is so much fun. Your painting reminds me of a watercolor. I always tell my students if you want to paint in oils do not be afraid to use the paint. Put it on thick in the light areas and become used to wet in wet blending. This is what makes realistic tones and colors.
Fun? Wonderful journey? HAH! Not for me! It's always been frustrating, a love/hate thing. The time speeds by, I get lost and don't want to quit till I realize I'm too tired to go on. No matter where I stop, I'm not satisfied, because I haven't accomplished what I wanted, and I KNOW I could do so much better. That there is a level of satisfaction is what keeps me going in it. I think I'm improving along the way.
Again, Dollardays, thank you. If you see anything else, please do not hesitate to call it to my attention.
Crafor

[Oilybloke]

Started my first serious landscape study today , this is gonna be about learning sky effects , this one is gonna be called storm http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/14-Jan-2012/185744-IMG_0438.jpg

[!becca]

Liegh, nice stormy start!

[dollardays]

Again, Dollardays, thank you. If you see anything else, please do not hesitate to call it to my attention.
Crafor

You're welcome!

Crafor! Painting CAN be LOTS of fun, but you need to do it often so that it becomes an automatic thought process instead of an intensive one. Your painting shows how much love you have for the girl. It will translate through. The best thing I can recommend is to use clear, well lit photos. It is hard enough to paint clear photos - it is almost impossible to come up with a good painting from a less than clear image.

Best wishes on your painting journey! :cat:

Nora

[dollardays]

My resolution: clean all those crappy old paintings out of my closet and either fix them or burn them. Here is Nicole, from a few years ago. I saved a picture of her and tried to repair some uglies. She looks a bit better now than she did-- still not 100 percent though.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/14-Jan-2012/3589-Nicole-small.jpg

[!becca]

Nora, that is a good resolution to have. I don't remember how this one started, I will wait and see how she finishes.

Nice point you made about painting often to make it feel more natural...

[VickiB]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/14-Jan-2012/461161-Garfish_1.jpg

I have been avoiding painting this all day. I've uploaded photos to RIL, opened a new thread in the Marine forum, played on the internet...

I think because it's so early in the painting and it is so big :eek: 180cm x 90cm

[!becca]

Vicki, sometimes it is hard to start a painting..seems you have a good start now though.

[dandelion6]

The very beginning of a Bougereau. It will probably take me weeks just to get the grisaille done - lots of work demands right now.(Isn't that always the way when all you want to do is paint! I need to win the lottery or something:) )

Nancy - I know I'm a little late joining in the cat discussion - but I think the cat really adds to the painting. My eye was so drawn to the gorgeous yellows of the skirt, that I wasn't really looking at the girl's face. The cat, being similar colours, drew my eye up and then over to the face. I think it ties everything together really well and actually makes the face more of a focal point than it was without the cat. Beautiful painting by the way.:clap:

[!becca]

dandelion, lovely start!

[mtpalms]

Dandelion, that is a beautiful start! I like the looseness.

[EdithsArt]

Currently working on this painting. I'm terribly slow this time since I've been working on it since September last year (only in weekends though), but well, there's no rush.

Happy painting everyone!
Edith

http://edithsart.nl/images/wetcanvas/auto-15-jan-2012.jpg

[!becca]

Edith, this type painting can be very powerful! Nice that you are taking your time.

[crafor]

Nora,
I'm working on your suggestions this morning. I remeasured
her cheek, decided to plug on and actually put in the apple
cheeks and strengthened some shadows. I plan to start on
her eyes in a bit. I'm writing this now because I want to thank
you again. My work on your suggestions are improving this
portrait to the point that that smile is almost back. Gotta tell
you, I'm a bit afraid to do the eyes!:o
She looks much better to me, and I was afraid to do more.
Crafor

[Graham T]

Finished this one today, oil on board, 12 x 20. I think the greens may be a little vivid but c'est la vie.

Comments and criticism very welcome - let me know what I can do to improve!

[Graham T]

I also made a start on this one. Oils on stretched canvas, 18 x 14. This will be a bit of an experiment again, lots of knife work and the plan is to paint complementary colours over each other (where I can get away with it and still stay somewhere near to representing the real world). For example the upper levels of the sky are going to be a deep purple colour. Be interesting to see how this goes...

As ever, comments and criticism most welcome - indeed encouraged!

[!becca]

Graham, I do think you captured the grace of the aspen. And I am looking forward to seeing how your experiment goes.

[chatfieldstudios]

Wonderful work all!

[crafor]

Graham,
Your work on the trees is appealing. I especially like the sky, the softness of it all. The thing that stands out for me is that the purply sky area behind the trees on the right side above the back tree line to the lower leaves of the foreground trees is too reminiscient of the shape, color, and size of the central cloud formation. Right now I don't have a suggestion other than perhaps to alter it's shape a bit, and/or the color. The two blocks of purple sort of jump out at me.
Hope that helps.
Crafor

[mke112]

I've been working on this for the past 2 weeks. I still have more work to do on the lower falls, rocks and water. Taking a break from it for awhile to work on something else. Title is "Castle Trinity" Oil on canvas, 11x14
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/15-Jan-2012/217308-P1040024.JPG

[VladK]

Great works everyone!

This idea came to my mind a couple of weeks ago and with more details transformed into this painting, oil on 16x20" canvas.

Whole cloth means a complete fabrication, a lie with no basis in the truth, please see below for more detailed explanation. A beautiful red cloth covers emptiness. I put scissors and measure tape on a table used for different purpose, in fact not used on this cloth. The not-intended-to-work sand clock means timelessness.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/15-Jan-2012/204616-IMG_9127_s.jpg


"Literally, the phrase refers to a complete piece of cloth as it is first made, as opposed to one which has been cut up to make garments. It goes back at least to the fifteenth century in that sense. Down the years, it has been used in a variety of figurative senses, but in the early nineteenth century it began to be employed in the US in the way that we now know, of something that is wholly fabricated or a complete lie. The implication seems to be that a thing made from whole cloth has no previous history or associations, that it is created from a blank sheet in the same way that a total lie is invented."

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-who1.htm

Thank you for all your comments.

[!becca]

Mike nice progress with this, it has taken on a new air since you last posted.

Vlad, this is an interesting concept, and I think it works well. Nicely done.

[Graham T]

Crafor, thanks for the feedback - I appreciate it.

[chatfieldstudios]

Painted from life in the studio this morning...a quickie..I love to painthttp://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/16-Jan-2012/23570-1-16-12crans.jpg these little cranberries.

"Me and My Shadow" 4 x 4 Oil on Gessobord.

[!becca]

Cindy, they are cute...nice brush work.

[donn_granros]

finally starting to free up some time. This is a 16 x 20 on canvas panel entitled 'stream-a'. Decided to start loosening up a bit and I have always liked working with moving water.

[!becca]

Donn, nice to see you here...you have an amazing way with that water. Looks great!

[dollardays]

Wow, lots of great pieces here....

Donn: I love this one exactly as it is- not sure why- I recognize the water but the things in it are a mystery and therefor very intriguing. One of your best IMHO.

Chatfield: Those are luscious cranberries! Very nice.


Vladk: This is such an interesting composition, especially when you explain what it all means!

I think I am done with Nocole.... I lightened the background, added more highlights to her hair, found a top on line that I liked better and dressed he in it, and fixed a few other things. Calling it done.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/16-Jan-2012/3589-Nicole-small.jpg

[donn_granros]

nora, Nicole is lovely. Can't imagine how it could be made better..

'becca. came upon your cow painting a little ways back. like it a lot!!

[!becca]

Nora, good call..she is done as best I can see...nice work!

Donn, thank you, glad you like it.:)

[VladK]

Thank you Becca and Nora.

Nora, beautiful portrait, you feel the mood:wink2:

chatfieldstudios, great colors on cranberries

mke112, very good idea and nice start

Donn, I like your stream very much

[shadwell]

progress so far , work and xmass have made this a realy slow one !!

time i concentrated on getting it off the easel as i have so many more planned and about 4 people asking for comissions

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/17-Jan-2012/208070-2007_0206disco0001_edited-1.jpg

[!becca]

Paul, looking good! Congrats on the commissions.

[MarkMark]

Large abstracted landscape
c&c welcome


http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/17-Jan-2012/46674-lANDSCAPEABS.jpg

[oldwomanpainting]

Hi all,

This one is currently on my easle as I am trying to decide if I want to move the stem or not. Is it too close to the edge? Any other c&c most welcome


http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/17-Jan-2012/156856-A_Single_One_____Oil_On_Canvas____12x16.JPG

[MarkMark]

Another abstracted landscape, this time of a frozen lake
c&c welcome

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/17-Jan-2012/46674-SAM_1355.jpg

[!becca]

Janet, beautiful work on the rose. The stem looks a little large, I think I would work with that.

Mark, nice paint handling on both of these.

[cem]

Janet, I agree with Becca. The stem is too wide. Any plans on adding leaves?

[dollardays]

Janet: I think you could look at this wallpaper image of red roses and see how trimming yours, perhaps angling the stem a bit so it isn't straight and adding a few leaves might help. Your rose is VERY well painted BTW.

http://www.kriyayoga.com/wallpapers/widescreen_wallpapers/rose/red_rose-dsc01772-a4.jpg

[NancyMP]

The very beginning of a Bougereau. It will probably take me weeks just to get the grisaille done - lots of work demands right now.(Isn't that always the way when all you want to do is paint! I need to win the lottery or something:) )

Nancy - I know I'm a little late joining in the cat discussion - but I think the cat really adds to the painting. My eye was so drawn to the gorgeous yellows of the skirt, that I wasn't really looking at the girl's face. The cat, being similar colours, drew my eye up and then over to the face. I think it ties everything together really well and actually makes the face more of a focal point than it was without the cat. Beautiful painting by the way.:clap:

Dandelion, I'm a few pages behind so I just now caught this - thank you so much!:D I also wanted to tell you that this is one of Bouguereau's paintings that I have on my to-do list, and I think you're doing splendidly!:thumbsup:

[NancyMP]

Currently working on this painting. I'm terribly slow this time since I've been working on it since September last year (only in weekends though), but well, there's no rush.

Happy painting everyone!
Edith

http://edithsart.nl/images/wetcanvas/auto-15-jan-2012.jpg
Edith, this is such an emotional rendition of loss, something that all of us feel from time to time. I'm enjoying the softness of it as it is right now!:wink2:

[NancyMP]

Nora, I think the ruffled top clinches the portrait of Nicole beautifully! Good save, and good creative thinking!

Paul, I had been hoping to see this complete. It is so dynamic! No wonder people want to commissionyou!

[NancyMP]

Donn, your stream is almost hypnotic; I keep wanting to see deeper and deeper into it - are there a couple of carp in the water? Nora is right, it is one of the best things I've seen you do - evocative with beautiful composition and colors!

Mark, I like both of your abstracted landscapes, but the latter one the best. I think your light spot in the first one is too central horizontally and could be moved to the right or left with better effect.

Janet, your rose is exquisite! I agree with Nora's advice on the stem and adding leaves. It seems a little thick but may be realistic according to what size leaves you make. At this point the rose looks very large, but if the leaves are large, too, that would give a point of reference saying, "No, the stem isn't thick; the rose is small!"

I would add a few lighter colors on the rose petals as well, to give it a bit more realistic chiaroscuro.

[MarkMark]

Love the old car Edith
Thanks Nancy for the input

[Keith Russell]

White Widow (detail)
24x36 oils on aluminum panel

This is probably four-fifths done...

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Jan-2012/1401-white_widow_airbrushing.jpg

[!becca]

Keith, that is one big, colorful spider. Why aluminum?

[Keith Russell]

Keith, that is one big, colorful spider. Why aluminum?

A friend of mine received several of these panels from a friend of hers (they're scraps, apparently, that her friend gets from work, free, and uses them for some sort of art-making).

The panels arrived with a plastic coating on both sides, which oils don't stick to. In exchange for sanding the coating off of two panels so she could paint on them, my friend gave me two panels for me to use.

We're hoping her friend sends more of them...

[mtpalms]

I feel like I have missed half the posts this month, but so far, what I have seen has been great!

[donn_granros]

Nancy.. thanks. The stream was based on a photo I took of part of a river not too far from home. I was worried that I was getting too controlled and decided to switch gears too a much looser execution. It might matter too that water and movement have always been a strong interest of mine. The toughest thing about painting I think is to find a balance between too much control at the expense of being I guess what is termed 'painterly' and too sloppy. Looseness for it's own sake I think usually leads to a bad end if there is not some element of control. In the end I subscribe to the Typing Monkey Theory which states more or less that if one works long enough eventually something good will come out.

Thanks again..

[WFMartin]

I always keep several oil paintings in progress at any given time, and I never need to wait for oil paint to dry in order to apply further paint. I actually do have the following pieces on my easel:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Jan-2012/13079-In_The_Beginning_Final.jpg
"In the Beginning"...16" x 20" oil on canvas.....My entry for the Peoria, AZ, Centennial, via my PFAA art club. (First structure in Peoria, AZ) I just varnished this.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Jan-2012/13079-Italian_Repose_01.jpg
"Italian Repose"..16" x 20" oil on canvas.
Canvas not quite completely covered with the first layer.
I'm using this as a demonstration piece for the oil painting class that I teach.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Jan-2012/13079-Tennessee_03.jpg
"Tennessee"...16" x 20" oil on board.
In the first stages. A view from the backyard of a friend who lives in Tennessee.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Jan-2012/13079-Visitor_06.jpg
"Visitor"...16" x 20" oil on linen
In my final stages of glazing.


http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Jan-2012/13079-Spring_Burst_05.jpg
"Spring Burst"...12" x 16" oil on canvas.
In the beginning stage of applying my first color glaze.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Jan-2012/13079-Water_Lily_12.jpg
"Water Lily"...16" x 20" oil on canvas.
In the middle stages of applying color glazes. Using this as a demo piece on a different art site.

I am also prepping a canvas for a portrait of my granddaughter. I have no photo of that, as yet.

[dollardays]

Bill has been busy! They're all wonderful- even the ones in progress. :clap: :clap:

My favorite will be the water lillies- I can tell already. There is a beautiful softness to the flower and the reflections in the water. Almost like a watercolor.

[K.Henderson Fine Art]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/18-Jan-2012/300751-Day_1.jpg

Porcelain Pigs, work in progress
I had a Need to create a painting with bone china or porcelain. My first thought was 'Teacups'. But as I browsed through my Cabinet of Curiosities I came across this sounder of pigs.

I draw the still life on a piece of tracing paper first then transfer the drawing onto the canvas or board.

Sometimes I do detailed monochromatic or Grisaille underpaintings and then build up the colors. This is a fairly monochromatic painting so I'm starting by blocking in the colors and the lights and darks.

This is how the painting looks at the end of Day 1. More tomorrow
http://khendersonart.blogspot.com (http://khendersonart.blogspot.com/)

[!becca]

Bill, you do have busy brushes, all are great, but you have a special way with those flowers.

K, the blocks are a clever addition.

[crafor]

Bill, all your paintings are wonderful. Thanks.
Crafor

[MarkMark]

Lovely work as always Bill

K great start

[lwatson74]

So I started this last night.. Pretty rough right now, and I had trouble getting an image without all the shinyness, sorry about that. Any suggestions at this early stage of the process?:cat:

[!becca]

latson, I like the boldness.

[jules34]

Bill- beautiful work!!
So here I am waiting on certain things before I can continue my commissions, so I grabbed one that I dabble on when I have nothin else. I am to a point now though that I would like to put in a focal point. I just can't decide where and what. there is a glare in the middle from the camera and the sky has more richness in person.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/19-Jan-2012/975939-landscape.jpg

[!becca]

Jules, this has a lot of drama.

[jules34]

thanks Becca, I was thinking of adding a larger, closer tree, but I may just add more detail to the grassy areas

[dollardays]

thanks Becca, I was thinking of adding a larger, closer tree, but I may just add more detail to the grassy areas

I would go with a tree definitely. Maybe an oak. Everything is so much the same-it is asking for a clear focal point. Maybe use the rule of thirds and add it one third in from the left where your path disappear behind the hill?

[dollardays]

I think I am finished with Julie now. That is FOUR unfinished paintings that I have tackled this month so far and managed to bring up to a point where if I don't exactly love them I at least do not hate them any more.

I have given her some attitude and also an earring! lol

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/19-Jan-2012/3589-Julie-small.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/19-Jan-2012/3589-Julie-detail2.jpg

[K.Henderson Fine Art]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/19-Jan-2012/300751-Day_3.jpg

Porcelain Pigs, work in progress

I skipped showing the image for day 2 because I think only I could tell that any progress was made. Day 2 was spent adding shape and form, darks and lights to the porcelain.

Here, at the end of Day 3, you can see that everything has started to solidify. The shapes are taking on more character.

More tomorrow
http://khendersonart.blogspot.com/

[!becca]

K, this will be a cute one.

Nora, I need to see your post at another time...i am having internet issues right now and just can't get it to load right now.

[kadon]

I love studying the old masters, and this is one of The Madonna and Child. I do not know who painted it...it was on a calendar that was given to me. The photograph is a bit lighter than the original. Critiques are most welcome.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jan-2012/118422-2.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jan-2012/118422-one.jpg

[!becca]

Nora, I like it!

Kadon, you have achieved a nice delicacy here.

[Doobi]

Hi ,

Please suggest some improvements .

:-)

[MarkMark]

Lovely Dollar

[llawrence]

This just seems to be a fallow time of year for me. Struggling to get back into it...

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jan-2012/132386-adam4.jpg

Gotten out of the habit of using cad red, skin tones are getting too hot. Forms aren't rolling yet. Get back to the easel!

[crafor]

Nora, the earring--is that garnet?--is a nice touch. Makes her more aloof, remote. I especially like the hair.
Crafor

[gbarce]

finishing this one after about a year in storage
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jan-2012/974046-DSC_0557.JPG

[jules34]

Thanks dollar for the advice, I ended up adding the tree because I had that in my head also and you confirmed it for me. Here it is now
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jan-2012/975939-landscape2.jpg

[dollardays]

Thanks dollar for the advice, I ended up adding the tree because I had that in my head also and you confirmed it for me. Here it is now
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jan-2012/975939-landscape2.jpg

It is totally awesome now.Jules! :clap: :clap:

Thanks Mark. Crafor and Becca! :)

I don't know what kind of earring it is Crafow-- I just went on the web and searched for a red earring image and one came up on etsy that matched her dress!

[jules34]

Thanks Dollar, I also meant to mention I love the earring!!

[llawrence]

From last night and today, an underpainting in brown ochre and lead white:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jan-2012/132386-2012-01-20.jpg

Think I'll try glazes and scumbles over, see how it works out. Photo ref Steve McCurry (as usual - what a fantastic source of reference for studies he has been!).

[Judy Manuche]

Here is my latest Still Life a la Larry Seiler. I had to do it in 2 sessions...sometimes kids ruin a good painting day! 8x10

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jan-2012/143584-DSC01645.JPG

[kadon]

From last night and today, an underpainting in brown ochre and lead white:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jan-2012/132386-2012-01-20.jpg

Think I'll try glazes and scumbles over, see how it works out. Photo ref Steve McCurry (as usual - what a fantastic source of reference for studies he has been!).
I will follow this with great interest.

[K.Henderson Fine Art]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jan-2012/300751-Day_4.jpg

Porcelain pigs, work in process

I decided to dull down the background a bit.I spent most of the day blending and smoothing the porcelain.
http://khendersonart.blogspot.com/

[!becca]

Doobi, lovely lily!

llawrence, the skin is looking luminous! Love the underpainting too.

Jules, love the addition of the tree...you did nice work with it.

Judy, nice lettering around those corks..it is difficult when there are intruptions.

K, I can see the forms emerging now.

[kadon]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jan-2012/300751-Day_4.jpg

Porcelain pigs, work in process

I decided to dull down the background a bit.I spent most of the day blending and smoothing the porcelain.
http://khendersonart.blogspot.com/

Your work is beautiful.

[Graham T]

Am only managing to make time to paint at the weekends at the moment, so had another crack at this one today. As mentioned previously it's a bit of an experiment. I need to wait now for the dark paint and the foreground to dry out before I can go any further.

As ever, C&C most welcome. Thanks.

[!becca]

Graham, i am liking it so far..nice paint handling.

[llawrence]

Thanks a bunch kadon and Becca! Here's today's Spirit Day painting, off to post it there...

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/21-Jan-2012/132386-2012-1-21.jpg

[chatfieldstudios]

From last night and today, an underpainting in brown ochre and lead white:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jan-2012/132386-2012-01-20.jpg

Think I'll try glazes and scumbles over, see how it works out. Photo ref Steve McCurry (as usual - what a fantastic source of reference for studies he has been!).

Wonderful start! Can't wait to see how it progresses...

[chatfieldstudios]

Thanks a bunch kadon and Becca! Here's today's Spirit Day painting, off to post it there...

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/21-Jan-2012/132386-2012-1-21.jpg

Love the brush work and juicy paint! Very nice...

[chatfieldstudios]

WF Martin...the iris painting is totally stunning!
Dollar days.....beautiful!!!
So many others are also wonderful....paint on!

[chatfieldstudios]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/21-Jan-2012/23570-1-21-12nectarines.jpg

Today's work..painted from life in the studio. 5 x 5 on Gessobord, "Nectarines"

[!becca]

Cindy, love your edges.

[mke112]

"Castle Trinity" finally finished. Oil on canvas, 11x14.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/21-Jan-2012/217308-P1040031.JPG



Michael LeKites Art Blog (http://michaellekites.blogspot.com/)

[!becca]

Mike this is amazing, it has grand impact!

[sabine2027]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/22-Jan-2012/213651-DSC_0005.JPG http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/22-Jan-2012/213651-DSC_0007.JPG http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/22-Jan-2012/213651-DSC_0008.JPG

For the last 6 months this is what i'm working on, my two granddaughters.
Worked from photo, size is 70/50cm.
CC is very welcom.
Thank you for watching..:wave:

[!becca]

Sabine, this is truely adorable, and very well done!

[dollardays]

Thanks a bunch kadon and Becca! Here's today's Spirit Day painting, off to post it there...

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/21-Jan-2012/132386-2012-1-21.jpg


Oh my this is lovely! Painterly and sweet. I would finish the lower left hand corner a bit more.

[dollardays]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/21-Jan-2012/23570-1-21-12nectarines.jpg

Today's work..painted from life in the studio. 5 x 5 on Gessobord, "Nectarines"

Yummy, Chatfield! Love the simplicity of your little paintings!

[MarkMark]

Nice work Lawrence, Chatfields, Sabine

[llawrence]

Cindy, Nora, Mark, thank you! Nora, thank you so much - I will finish the bottom of the painting, especially that troublesome left corner - I was rushing to finish yesterday so I could photograph it in the failing light and get it in to Spirit Day.

Cindy, I agree with Becca, your edgework is outstanding, those forms are just emerging from the shadows...

Michael, great finish on that scene. The atmospheric perspective is really working.

Sabine, that's a sweet scene.

[dollardays]

Painted this one last night while I half watched a movie my husband had on, so I was really using the "intuitive" side of my brain because I know I was not paying too close attention. I love painting peppers and tomatoes but you have to be quick because they don't last long under the spotlight. When I photographed it this morning I was surprised to find it wasn't as bad as I thought.

I may try to go in and clean up the type and make it readable after it dries. Or do you think it's just as good suggested? c& c always appreciated.

I see one of my tomatoes is lopsided-- that will need to be fixed too.

14" x 18" oil on canvas 'Italian Dinner Tonight'

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/22-Jan-2012/3589-Italian-Dinner.jpg

[!becca]

Nora, for painting intutively you did beautiful work. I especially like the bottle and glass...nice!

[oldwomanpainting]

Still working on the rose... I've thinned the stem out quite a bit, added some leaves and thorns.. still working on it.. any C&C most welcome.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/23-Jan-2012/156856-paintings_004.JPG

[!becca]

Janet, your rose is looking awesome! I like it just as it is.

[crafor]

I finished Nancy, now I hope the photo transfers correctly.
All comments and suggestions, hard crits, welcome.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/23-Jan-2012/978289-P1230049.JPG
reference photo:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/23-Jan-2012/978289-IMG_0004.JPG
Thanks for looking.
Crafor

[crafor]

This is the first drawing for my next portrait. It's on recycled bond paper. The two horizontal marks are where the paper was folded to fit an envelope.
The reference photo is clipped to it. The painting will be oil on canvas, 11X14
All comments, suggestions, and crits welcome. What's WAY off, what's a little off? What's right?
Crafor
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/23-Jan-2012/978289-P1230050.JPG

[dollardays]

Hi Crafor- I think you painting of Nancy is much better! Nice job.

I see some drawing problems in the new one. I made the photo a bit transparent and laid it over your drawing so you can see the eyes are too high and wide.

Nora

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/23-Jan-2012/3589-crafor.jpg

[crafor]

HOW do you do that?
Thanks for the comment. Wow, those eyes are OFF!
The photo is 8x10. I'll be making the next drawing a bit larger to better fit the 11x14 canvas. I tried to do a little of that here, but managed to not. :o
I plan to draw her about 1/2" larger all the way around. I see I need to look more carefully, measure more accurately.
Thanks, Nora.
Crafor

[Jacqui Durrett]

This is a very touching portrait of your grand daughters.

[dollardays]

HOW do you do that?
Thanks for the comment. Wow, those eyes are OFF!
The photo is 8x10. I'll be making the next drawing a bit larger to better fit the 11x14 canvas. I tried to do a little of that here, but managed to not. :o
I plan to draw her about 1/2" larger all the way around. I see I need to look more carefully, measure more accurately.
Thanks, Nora.
Crafor

You're welcome. Have you thought of trying a grid? It really helps you get things in the right place if you're not used to drawing.

Here's a link that explains it very well.

http://www.art-is-fun.com/grid-method.html

[dollardays]

Here is what I did yesterday morning. It started as a fun way to use up some globs of paint I had left on my palette from the previous painting. Turned into a really fun project.

Maris 11" x 14"
oil on canvas

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-Jan-2012/3589-palette-knife-small.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-Jan-2012/3589-Palette-knife-detail.jpg

[!becca]

Nora, she looks vibrant...all knife painting?

[MarkMark]

Will update the landscapes shortly, here are two small still life paintings I am working on

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-Jan-2012/46674-pearswip2.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-Jan-2012/46674-stonemirror.jpg

[sabine2027]

Thank you for the comments, have a nice day :grouphug:

[!becca]

Mark, nice start on both of these.

[crafor]

You're welcome. Have you thought of trying a grid? It really helps you get things in the right place if you're not used to drawing.

Here's a link that explains it very well.

http://www.art-is-fun.com/grid-method.html
Yes. Thanks for the link. I did consider using a (full) grid, but rejected that for now, as a goal is more accurate drawing. I started out with crosshairs marks, and used my eye, ruler, and compass for measuring. The next drawing will be on 11x14 paper. I didn't think of that yesterday. As I want to make her a bit larger on the larger canvas, I'll do it freehand first, probably with crosshairs, then may try it with a full grid. End goal is good life portraits, so doing this without a grid is important to me--to train my eye and hand and brain. I don't want to be limited to using photographs. Please bear with me. Thanks.
Crafor

[crafor]

Nora, you have that roundness of form down pat. Nicely done.
Crafor

[MarkMark]

Lovely paintng as always Dollar

[Georg J.P. Wowk]

Good Morning..!!

Great painting by all. These are the last two painting that I finnished before the fire. I had 30 painting in my apppartment and to this date do not know if they have survived. I may know sometime in the next two weeks.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-Jan-2012/152088-January_15_2012-1.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-Jan-2012/152088-January_15_2012-2.jpg

This is a photo of the fire.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-Jan-2012/152088-fire-1.jpg

[crafor]

So sorry for your losses. I hope no one was injured, and that your paintings survived. Your colors are appealing. The second is luminous--very nice. You have a nice touch.
Crafor

[!becca]

Jaro, so sorry about the fire! At least you are ok, but I guess in a new appartment...Lovely paintings you posted! The second is jewel like.