Out of The Trash

                          

Summer Shade #2, oil,  8" x 10" in progress.

The results of my forth session, (two of which you've seen), with this little landscape that I pulled out of the trash.  Not little to most of you, but smaller than I'm comfortable with.  I'm using my smallest brushes and I'm back to my original palette of primaries.  It needs to be grayed down a bit and the tree needs a swipe here and there, but the composition is there and there's hope.

I've learned over the last few days that I have to prep my knee for painting standing up; the way I go about it, painting is like exercise.  That means giving it a ten minute moisturizing massage first to loosen up the scar tissue so I can put in an hour plus moving about. After that, the knee needs icing.  In spite of the care,  I am  learning a lot painting with an eyelash and my little finger and I am glad to be back in the studio--even if it's just for a short time.  :-))  

No Poinsettias on The Hearth

Poinsettias,  oil, 8 x 10"

I stepped into the studio for the first time in a week and almost stepped back out. The amount of clean up needed at the charcoal/pastel station was overwhelming. Pastel dust was everywhere, as were pieces of chalk from this set and that. It took a while and a lot of grumbling to sort things out. But I did. I was determined to knock off an oil painting today. Here it is:  off the top of my head from memory, Poinsettias. I didn't buy any this last holiday season--nor did I the season before. Actually, I can't remember the last time I had poinsettias on the hearth--maybe that's why this winter season was so glum? As Passover approaches, it seems I have passed over my slump.  Happy Holidays!

NOTE:  The oils I used were the oils that were left on my palette from when I finished this little girl on January 22nd.  After being frozen all that time, they were as fresh as when I squeezed them out. Cool.

Hey JD

Hey There Grandson! How've you been? 8 x 10" oil sketch

After weeks away, a get acquainted oil sketch was in order, before hitting the larger canvas. While analyzing the values and making future palette decisions, I decided to leave him in the deep shade that he was in when I took the shot. I  do like how snap shots freeze an imperfect moment--there are so many of them in life.

Honey Hates His Nose...

AS I PAINTED IT. Actually I have to tell you, he has a very nice nose--straight, just wide enough, invisible nostrils, no bumps, and situated on his face where is should be. Indeed, it was his nose that first attracted me to him. It's the angle I shot of his schnoz that he dislikes, but that angle gave me an unusual view of a face--and a challenge.

I think I've did okay with this little painting of an old guy. Aged, sagging skin is as difficult to paint as the soft facial features of a very young child. I suppose to be fair, I should paint my nose--it's no where near as aquiline as his--maybe even a bit bulbous? But my nose is none of your business and enough with noses anyway.

I didn't have any difficulties at my new painting station next to the sink in my studio either-- with the exception of the counter top being too low. I could have perched on my stool as I did at the bar, but standing up, coming forward, backing away and coming forward is the dance I do when painting no matter where I am. And it's this dance that threatened those bar stools and forced me to get real. I would sit for a bit. Then I would stand because I hate to sit. I'd pull the stool back out of my way with the oily hand of someone who is painting in oils. It wasn't a good situation. I had to get back to where I could be myself and not be uptight about spots of white.

It was a great painting day. I started rearranging my storage shelves to free up a shelf to use as a drying rack. I found my very old oil painting rag, and stuck it in my belt for frequent wipes. I found another small flat brush ideal for small places. I found that Reeves oils blend much better when thinned with linseed oil. The mineral spirits evaporated too fast making blending a drag--literally. Would I buy this brand again? Yes--though Windsor Newton squeezes out a bit more fluid.

NOTE

Out of curiosity, I checked out framing one of the little oils I did the last few days: A 6 x 8" little painting takes an 8 x 10 standard size frame when you add a one inch linen liner/with gold bead. I like linen liners on oil paintings. The liner acts like a mat. It gives the painting air to breathe. Eight by ten doesn't occupy much wall space, but it is a cute little picture, a nice gift.

Sort of Happy

SNOW DAY, 6" x 8", oils

The tiniest spot of white oil paint on the upholstered seat of my bar stool cut Snow Day short and prompted me to pack the oils up and move them to the studio where they belong. A bit of mineral spirits restored the stool, but there would be no more flirting with disaster.

Standing in the middle of my space with the Jackson Pollock floor, I wondered what I was going to do with my new medium? Every shelf was filled with acrylic gear and stacks of warm up watercolor paintings. There was no room on the long paint table either. A real over-haul was needed, but who wanted to over-haul when the clump of trees outside my window still needed a dab or two? Not me. Not today. Run away, I thought. And I did.

After polishing off the barbecued potato chips we shouldn't have bought on Sunday, I set up next to my sink. It's not a good spot, but it is a spot where a spot of oil paint can't be spotted by a housemate who doesn't give a damn if the paint is flying and landing where it should, but does make a fuss if it's landing where it shouldn't. Now everybody is happy--sort of. The bar was a great little painting spot.

Honey's Nose

From this angle, "schnoz" is more like it. I took this photo while Honey was napping by the pool in Cancun last December and chose it for another little, tiny painting and more practice with oils. I guess he could call the cops and have me hauled away for spousal abuse--the spouses of all artists probably have the same complaints: "What are you looking at? What are you drawing? Leave me alone. Don't put THAT in your blog or I'm calling my lawyer." Our spouses are our live-in live models. They're around all the time and don't cost anything but dinner and a few patronizing remarks: "But Honey no one has a nose like yours. It SHOULD be immortalized." We are entitled to use them--or why else did we marry?

This isn't done yet of course. I'm still very shy with oils. I'm not exactly ready to be a daily producer of these little gems. I need practice. I'm about to add oils to my portrait of the two kids. Once I do, there's no taking them back. --Oh, BTW, Honey had a sunburn from many naps by the pool, in case you were wondering why he's so red. Push the color. Push the color. Color is what paint is all about. What else did I learn today? Painters of little oils have ample racks--both females and males.