Squishy Pumpkin Patch

I relaxed and didn't worry too much and just painted. I used a reference photo from the internet this time. I was in the mood to paint something orange, but wanted to avoid citrus fruits again. LOL. I will try lemons again someday.

6x6 Acrylic on Masonite

I like the darks and lights on this one, but I don't think I captured the pumpkin shape very well. Or is it the ridges in the pumpkins. I shall revisit pumpkins again in the future.

Float Like A Butterfly

I painted this tonight at our Monday night painting group. I didn't bring any objects to paint, so I tore a photo out of a gardening magazine and hoped for the best.

5x7 Acrylic on Canvas Board

This is the first painting in a week and a half that I have been happy with. I wonder if it's because I went back to my old 5x7 canvas. It is because the composition is better with a rectangular canvas? I know now that it is easier for me to paint on canvas than a smooth surface. Maybe I was just having a good night!

Check

I painted this yesterday, but I was so unhappy with it that I thought I'd paint another one today to post in it's place. Instead, I tried to fix it up.

6x6 Acrylic on Masonite

The black piece is particularly troublesome. It still doesn't look right because it's not symmetrical. Makes me feel like leaning sideways. Ah well, better luck next time.

Pitcher This

So I mixed a bunch of pastel shades and just painted freely. I had no plans other than to paint a picture of a little jug in front of me and have fun with it.

6x6 Acrylic on Masonite
 

Okay, so it's not exactly a masterpiece. I almost didn't publish it. I've been painting daily for just over 40 days now, and I'm feeling like I'm not going anywhere. I lack focus and my paintings are lacking something. Skill maybe.

Broken Window

A repeat of yesterday's effort. Maybe I'm having a few bad painting days because of this flu. I think I may do a few tutorials to get myself back on track.

6x6 Acrylic on Masonite

I tried painting in a loose carefree manner. I guess I'm not ready for that yet. Back to the drawing board. Literally.

Day 40

Now that I have uploaded this picture, I see how truly awful it is. That's okay, because I wasn't really feeling up to it and kind of rushed through it. Ah well, I said I'd post a painting a day, right? I didn't say they would be good.

6x6 Acrylic on Masonite

White shadows. Weird trees. That's all for today.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

I took this photo last November while canoeing on the Severn River. It had been a mild autumn, unlike this year. We have had snow and freezing temperatures for a over a week now, therefore no canoe trips until next year.

6x6 Acrylic on Masonite

I guess this painting is so-so. I overworked it in a few places. I need more practice with bright areas, especially sunlight.

I've been painting on these little 6x6 masonite panels because our local Peter Street Fine Arts has a Call To All Artists to submit small paintings for December. They gave me a couple of panels, but I made a bunch more just in case. Good thing I did. I'm not crazy about my 6x6 paintings. Hopefully I will come up with two nice pieces before the end of the month.

Follow The Yellow Brick Wall

I'll tell you a secret. I used yesterday's paint tray for today's painting. Oh yes, and I forgot the underpainting. I think this flu has affected my brain.

6x6 Acrylic on Masonite

Luckily, I found a reference photo with similar colours as yesterday's. The wall is actually red brick. The actual painting doesn't look as yellow as this, though I did add yellow to burnt sienna in an attempt to match the colour of the bricks under the bright sun.

The search for the best red brick colour continues. This is very important, as many of the charming older buildings in our city are made of red brick and they will definitely be future painting subjects.

Valuable Lessons Learned Today:

• If you intend to save your sheet of mixed paint until the next day, make sure there is enough moisture in the container to prevent the paints from thickening or hardening.
• Don't forget your underpainting. Little bits of white will show through otherwise.

Cavana House

I am lucky to live a few doors down from the Cavana House, a spa and former inn. It's a beautiful red brick Victorian house with beautifully kept gardens. I have taken many photos and done a couple of watercolours over the years.



6x6 Acrylic on Masonite

I'm getting the hang of the masonite board. This time I sketched the main areas, and instead of a nid toned underpainting, I applied a dark and mid tone to the major areas. This way the white is left white. It worked; I didn't have to paint the lighter areas with multiple coats to cover the paint beneath.

I am feeling a little better, and I like this painting better than the last three. Maybe being sick and feverish really does affect your ability to paint.

Art Therapy

I can't believe it. I'm still as sick as ever. I'm never going to get better. Sorry for my bitching.

6x6 Oil on Masonite

Discouraged by three sucky days of disappointing paintings, I grabbed some oil paints that my son also had kicking around the house. I did a loose, kind of messy bunch of trees and shadows. I've only done a couple of oil paintings in a class many years ago. I just wanted to do something different. I may break out the oils from time to time and learn some more. Besides, I love how they smell. I think it brings me back to my childhood when my father would paint landscapes and ships and such.

Valuable Lessons Learned Today:

• Don't be afraid to try new things.
• Oil paint takes MUCH longer to dry than acrylic.
• Oil has a nice velvety texture, and is more opaque than acrylic.
• Don't dip your oil brush in your acrylic water.

Till The Cows Come Home

I'm still sick. I haven't had anything like this in years. A mix of the cold and flu. I painted today, though I can't believe how bad this piece is. Then again, my eyes and nose are running and I have head and body aches. Surprised I'm still alive.

6x6 Acrylic on Masonite

I haven't been happy with my last 3 paintings. What they have in common is that I painted them while I was very ill, and they were done on masonite. I know my focus is off. It took me twice as long to do this one and I'm not happy with it. But I painted!

Since masonite doesn't grab the paint as well, I have to use 4 coats of white over my underpainting (titanium, burnt sienna and ultramarine) and you can still see the colour underneath. In the future I will not paint my underpainting colour onto any areas that are to remain white or very light.

Valuable Lessons Learned Today:

• Painting acrylics onto a smooth surface is much different than onto canvas.
• Painting when you're sick is a difficult, useless venture.

Red Door

I'm so sick. Still. I didn't finish it till today so I'm SO late. Oh dear.

Early Snow

I took this photo a week ago, after an early snow. The cold temperature made the remaining leaves fall on top of the snow.

6x6 Acrylic on Masonite

I'm so sick tonight. The first cold I've had in two years.This painting took way too long, I played around with the paint too much and it looks like it needs more shadows or something. This was the first time I tried painting on masonite too. Hopefully I will be feeling a bit better tomorrow. Goodnight everybody!

Shoes On A Wire

Keeping it simple today. I'm feeling under the weather, and I thought this was a cool reference photo, so therefore today's painting. Unfortunately I fell asleep before I could post it.

5x7 Acrylic on Canvas Board

It's actually Thursday now, so I must gather my energy to do today's painting and get it posted before going back to bed. My throat is burning and I'm so tired. Must....paint.....

Fall Leaves

Day 31. I took a ton of pictures in the forest last fall.  Unfortunately it was a cloudy day, so most of the photos didn't show the fall colours at their best. Luckily, just before reaching the road, the sun came out for a few minutes and shone on a little area of maple saplings.

5x7 Acrylic on Canvas Board

I tried a blue underpainting this time using leftover sky colour from the other night. I don't think this painting is too bad, but it seems to be lacking something. The colour scheme in the actual photo was similar to this painting, but I think perhaps I could have used some reds and greens. It seems too much brown and yellow, almost monochromatic. A little boring maybe.

Valuable Lessons Learned Today:

• Leaves look a lot more realistic with just a few of the veins painted on.
• The camera doesn't capture all the colour and variety of the actual scene.
• Don't be afraid to use a little more colour.