Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Serious painting vs. fun painting

"Mac" 8" X 10" acrylic on canvas board

While I am trying to learn how to paint impressionistically, but also realistically, sometimes I need a break just to have fun.  I had taken some photos of our lab mix puppy (now 1 year old) who is all black and decided to have fun with colors.  I based the outside on the painting I had made last year following the Art Sherpa (see my Oct. 24th post)(These are free instructional videos available online).  Then I decided blue and orange (complementary colors) would certainly be more fun than a black dog.  What I learned: Next time I would put the sunflower that is hanging right over the corner of the inset painting. I think overlapping it would look nicer, but this was my first time trying an inset design like this so I'm o.k. with the end result.


Cirrus Clouds over Yellowstone study, 11" X 14", WIP, acrylic on canvas board

Meanwhile I started another landscape, but done more loosely. I like this study and may make a full 16" X 20" painting of it. I'll probably spend some more time on the study as well to finish it off a little.

Glacier National Park, WIP, 16" X 20" on stretch wrapped canvas, oil

I have worked on this painting a little more, but I need to learn how to do shadows on faces before I can call it finished.  Actually, I need a good lesson on painting shadows wherever I see them. I am never happy with the way they come out.  More to study.


Two Jack Lake, 16" x 20" on stretch wrapped canvas, oil

I think this one is done. Two Jack Lake was on our tour of the Canadian Rockies last year (Alberta, Canada). I haven't put it up on my website yet as I'm still thinking about it. Sometimes it is hard to decide if a painting is done or not.