Daily Painting Sept 2017 :: No. 12 of 30

Simplicity in painting is difficult to figure out for me. I see all of the minutia and want to reference all of it. In my studio, the most frustrated I get is when I'm putting in too much and can't make it work.

Daily Painting No. 12 of 30

3x3" oil on 5x7" oil paper

This piece is about simplicity. What color is in the distance? What about the sky? These studies are teeny at 3x3" and I don't have a lot of wiggle room to convey everything. How can I made it work?

Oils, too, are tricky. Imaging painting with smooshes of colored butter. Lines aren't as easy to make. Hard edges get blended. Color ends up in color. It's a joyful medium when you let it do its thing. I love it hate it love it again numerous times in each painting.

Daily Painting No. 12 of 30

3x3" original oil

My struggle here ended in a nice spot. I love the color and light harmonies. Feels like September in my neighborhood field, just like I had wanted.

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Daily Painting Sept 2017 :: No. 9 of 30

Before I get into my painting, FYI: my local art classes are going to start up again the week of September 19th. Zullo Gallery is a fantastic spot and I'd love to have you join us! Thanks! 

Little makes me feel like an artist as much as painting nocturnes. In past 30in30 series, I've painted nocturnes and written about how I find them one of the last things artists have over photographers. 

Daily Painting No. 9 of 30

3x3" oil on 5x7" oil paper

Sure, artists can take photos at night, but it's the artist who can really describe the scene vividly. Again, this is inspired by my neighborhood, but with some dramatic liberties because it's fun to take liberties. 

Daily Painting No. 9 of 30

3x3" original oil

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Pastel to oil

Yesterday I tried to paint with pastels. Oh, I wanted them to work!

Instead the first try went into the trash and the second was scrubbed off with a high-pressured hose. 

As is my usual pattern, I went to the studio, put away all my pastels and took out all my oils. The switch is on! Last week I'd used my oils for an afternoon after oiling out paintings in my 'painting graveyard' and figuring out which I wanted to finish (or attempt to finish) for my upcoming show. 

SUNFLOWERS
original oil, 20x24"
not quite finished but almost...
The scale of this is a bit skewed,
but the colors feel right. 

Pastels are wonderful things. When I use them my color sense gets honed to a great level. "I need to use a middle value, warm yellow green" and I find it. When I venture back to oil the decisions are helpful. Now I can mix whatever color I would search for in pastel stick. And the great thing about oils: There is always the color possibility you were looking for! 

SUNFLOWERS
original oil, 20x24
in progress
The colors in the original are
much cleaner than this photo. 

The pastels I attempted yesterday were unsuccessful because of the nuances of color. One image had too much subtlety in the sky blues. My collection of pastels didn't have the colors I needed. Honest. And then there's green. Never the right one in pastel.

Going back to oil yesterday was thrilling. I mean it - THRILLING! 

And I had every green I needed. 

Thanks for reading! ~kmw