Sneak Preview - 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

Untitled (after Harley Brown), Acrylic on Gessoed Mat Board, 10"x7"

Theme for 30 Paintings in 30 Days - Painting People

Sunday the new 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge begins. I have decided to make my theme people, or perhaps more accurately, faces. I'm not calling them portraits for now because I have never painted people's faces before and don't expect to be able to get a good likeness right out of the chute.

Goals:

Before beginning, I wanted to define what my goals are with respect to painting people. I came up with the following:

1. Get the proportions, shapes, and values right.
2. Get a sense of life - I want them to look like real, living, breathing people.
3. Make it painterly and expressive.
4. Look for and paint variety and diversity - black and white, men and women, old and young, fat and thin.
5. With luck and practice, sneak up on likeness.

Strategy:

Since I am just beginning, I thought I would start by copying the paintings of someone who knows what they are doing. To that end, I pulled out a pile of my old International Artist magazines and turned to Harley Brown's wonderful articles on painting people. Many of his paintings are done in a way that makes the individual shapes that make up the face and their values easy to see.

Once I have done a few, I plan to switch to photographs for subjects. One thing I have already discovered as I search through my files for photos is that I can use Photoshop to increase the contrast on a photo to make the individual shapes easier to see.

Techniques:

Since one of my main goals is to make expressive paintings, I decided to forego drawing entirely. I am starting with black and white paint on a colored ground and roughly blocking in the big shapes that define the face, taking time to make sure the shapes and values are good and placed properly. Once that's done, I finish with whatever palette I choose for that piece. In the painting above, I used only black and white paint to create the face. It was my very first try - it doesn't look exactly like Harley Brown's portrait, but it does have life and energy. I am happy with it.

Materials:

Because I am learning I decided to use scrap mat board gessoed on both sides to paint on. I make lots of repro prints and the cut outs from the mats generally get thrown out. I decided that using them to paint studies would be a good use for them (they're archival - Bainbridge Alphamat Artcare). Unless I decide to get crazy and play with collage, the paintings are done with Golden Acrylics.

January 2017 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

Hot Rides, Collage/Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", $175

It's hard to believe that the end of 2016 is almost here already. I just signed up for the January 2017 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge. The idea for the challenge was dreamed up by artist Leslie Saeta as a way to jump start the new year. I have been participating in the challenge (January and September) for several years now. For me, having to finish and post a new painting every day forces me to work a bit more quickly, think in series, and put a work aside after several hours rather than picking at it for a week or two. I don't want to do that for every painting (some work just needs more time and effort), but it is a good way to work out some new ideas or try out a new technique. I haven't come up with a theme yet - that's what December is for.

Note: The painting above is currently at the Bryan Gallery as part of their holiday small picture exhibition/sale called GEMS. You can call them at (802) 644-5100 or e-mail at info@bryangallery.org. My painting, "All the News...," (shown below) is also in the show.

All the News..., Collage/Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", $175

Crossword

Crossword, Acrylic and Collage on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 29

Another collage. This one ties into my love of crossword puzzles. I tore up one of my crossword puzzle books and then added lots of crossword symbolism - lines, squares, grids, etc. This painting is less nuanced than the last few but it is still fun and cheerful. Learning and trying things out.

All The News...

All the News..., Collage and Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 28

The idea for today's painting started with the quote that appears on the New York Times' masthead, "All the news that's fit to print." I tore out a bunch of bits of print from my local newspaper and glued them on with gel gloss medium. Once that was dry, I started adding paint. I don't think this painting is quite as strong as yesterday's, but it has an interesting rhythm and pop. I'm enjoying this exploration of collage and abstraction, and the jumping off points are a hoot. I see a word or quote and I'm off - what fun!

Hot Rides

Hot Rides, Collage and Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 27

Another collage. This started with a bunch of photos of old cars in the local newspaper that ran with the title, "Hot Day for Hot Rides." I used parts of the car photos and the Hot Rides header and went from there. In the end, the cars were less important than the wonderful colors and shapes. I like it.

Calendar

Calendar, Acrylic and Collage on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 26

Something totally different today. This is a collage. I used bits of newspaper for the some of the words and numbers. I added the black lines to form the grid we are all familiar with when we think of calendars. Then splattering and areas of color, then more lines on top of that. Lots of fun. I can see where more time to think through the elements would result in a stronger composition, but I also like the spontaneity and randomness that results from not over-thinking things.

Geranium in the Spotlight

Geranium in the Spotlight, Acrylic on Crescent Board, 10"x10", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 24

Another attempt at making this idea work. I love splattering and stamping (I took a workshop earlier this year that used these techniques), and generally letting the paint make interesting and unexpected passages and shapes. I am still figuring out what to do with this beyond just creating a silhouette to define the subject. So, in my mind, this painting is unfinished until I figure out what else I want to do. My guess is that there is a lot more that I can do to increase the impact of this painting. But for now, this is as far as I've gotten.

Whimsical Cyclamens

Whimsical Cyclamens, Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 23

Play day today! Random paint and splashes, then a fine brush with black paint to make the drawing, then a neutral background. Lots of fun.

Wetland Trees

Wetland Trees, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 22

Trying something a bit different here. We live close to Lake Champlain in northern Vermont. As with many large lakes, there are significant expanses of swamps and wetlands along the edges of the lake. So you can see through clumps of trees and grasses to areas of open water and, frequently, a line of islands or the far shore beyond - it is visually complex and endlessly fascinating. This painting is a very, very simplified view of this landscape.

Autumn Trees

Autumn Trees, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 20

Fall foliage - it's almost here. A tree or two, here and there, has started to turn, but mostly we're still enjoying the last of summer. This is not one of my favorite paintings - I noticed that I appear to have ranked the trees by size after I was done and had taken the photo. It's amazing how different a painting looks on the computer screen. So I may revisit this one after the challenge is over, or I may just sand it down and start over. Anyway, we're two thirds of the way through the 30 Day Challenge, and I'm still happy with my decision to go for it once again.

Winter Trio

Winter Trio, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", $125

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 19

I took another go at the clump of trees. I left out a couple of the small background trees that I thought detracted from the overall composition. The colors in the bark of the trees is a bit more muted in this painting - another day, a different mix on the palette knife.

Snowy Trees

Snowy Trees, Acrylilc on Gessoboard, 6"x6", $100

30 paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 18

Back to landscapes today - and a preview of winter. When the leaves have fallen and with snow as a backdrop, the textures and colors of the tree trunks are on full display.

Cyclamen

Cyclamen, Acryllic on Watercolor paper, 6.5"x6.5", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 17

I engaged in a little cheating today - I made this painting a few weeks ago when I was experimenting with stamping and splattering, and negative space. A few of the lines are a bit heavy here, but otherwise a fun piece.

Pear - Autumn Colors

Pear in Autumn Colors, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 16

I am ambivalent about this painting - I like the pear, I think, but I'm not crazy about the foreground and background. Still, this is it for today - Fridays are errand days and I didn't have much time for painting today.

Cantaloupe on Green

Cantaloupe on Green, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", $100

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 15

Half way there! In this painting, I wanted to try a different color combination to see how well the orange slices would pop. These greens and blues make a really good contrast to the oranges in the melon slices, in both temperature and value.

To purchase this painting, please click on the Buy with PayPal button below.

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", $100

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 14

Now we're making progress! I did this painting with my trusty palette knife and I like what I got a lot better than the previous attempts. For such simple shapes, painting this amazingly difficult. I expect to try another one with the intention of making it more impressionistic - we'll see how that goes.

To purchase this painting, click on the Buy with PayPal button below.

Cantaloupe for Two

Cantaloupe for Two, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 13

Another stab at the cantaloupe. I think I got the idea of the melon, but the plate with its shadows and edges is a bit harder. Also, I'm not in love with the paint application  - too flat. I obviously have more work to do if I want to be proficient at this sort of painting. Maybe I'll go back in with a palette knife after the challenge is done  - it will be interesting to see what happens if I add texture and lost edges.

This is a melon that grew in my garden. It is actually a volunteer that came up among the types I chose to plant and, amazingly, it tasted really good. Maybe the commercial melons are planted in such large single crop plantings that their seeds actually produce good melons rather than melon-squash-cucumber mixes with tough flesh and no flavor. Anyway, this one was excellent.

Cantaloupe Slices

Cantaloupe Slices, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 12

Something different today. After waiting all summer, my cantaloupe melons decided to ripen this week - all at once. We went from buying them at the farmer's market to having six in our refrigerator overnight. Obviously, I had to paint one. I haven't figured out how to do that yet, though, so this is the "figuring out what they look like" painting (and therefore, not for sale.)

Change of Season

Change of Season, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", $125

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 10

A change of pace - and season - today. I am still exploring trees, using a palette knife, and generally trying to allow myself the latitude to play with the paint to see what happens. I love the way the trees change color here in the Fall. The impact is actually higher when there are fewer leaves so sometimes the biggest "wow!" moments are when you come upon a single branch or small group of trees in full color when all around them is gray. This painting, although about the foliage, is also about the patterns of the trunks and the "feel" of the bark.

To purchase this painting, please click on the Daily Paintworks icon at right.

Lily Pond

Lily Pond, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", NFS

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 9

It's late and I'm behind. I started this painting this morning and only just finished it. I have to admit that I really don't like it. I didn't get the sense of depth and light that I wanted. Tomorrow's another day.

Moonlit Trees

Moonlit Trees, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", $125

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 8

As promised, I added trees to this moonlit scene. I like the effect. The bare foreground trees push the spruce stands back and help create a visual path around the painting. As a note, the spruces and reflections on the left have a bit more green in them than is apparent in the photo. I have a really hard time getting the truly dark greens to look green instead of just blue.

To purchase this painting, please go to Daily Paintworks (icon at right.)

Moonlit Pond

Moonlit Pond, Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", $75

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge - Day 7

This is a quick study of nighttime reflections on a still pond. I used two rows of spruces to create the background. I like the effect. I may try this one again with some ghostly snags standing in the water to see how that changes the perception of distance and light.

To purchase this painting, please click on the Daily Paintworks icon at right.

Late Day Reflections

Late Day Reflections, Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", $125

Day 6 of the 30 paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I love this painting! I used the one from the other day as a starting point. And, actually, I made some changes to that one which I am showing below (it is much better now that the ambiguity in the tree trunks has been resolved.) This painting is darker but the reflections are richer and the dead trees have more pizzazz.

Here's the other painting:

Autumn Pond, Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", $75

To purchase either of these paintings, please click on the Daily Paintworks icon at right.

Party Line

Party Line, Acrylic on Crescent Board, 4"x6.5", NFS

Day 5 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

Just a quick study today. I wanted to capture the flying party that the barn swallows engage in just before they migrate. With their young grown and gone, they have the time to catch up with what's been happening in the 'hood. They sit on the wires in small groups and chitter and preen. In another week or two, they will be gone until next year.

Autumn Pond

Autumn Pond, Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", $75

Day 4 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I have always been fascinated by the reflections in beaver ponds and other partially overgrown bodies of water. I like the way shapes are broken up and the colors become deeper and richer viewed in the water. In the autumn, this effect is enhanced by the colors of the foliage and grasses. So here's a first attempt at capturing that magic. I am sure to revisit this.

To purchase this painting, please click on the Daily Paintworks icon at right.

Swamp Spruce

Swamp Spruce, Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", NFS

Day 3 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

I am trying to push the envelope (for me) on the level of abstraction to find the point between representational and abstraction that gives enough information about the scene without totally defining it. I have been playing with this idea for a while, making progress in fits and starts.

Tomato Sauce

Tomato Sauce, Acrylic on Crescent Board, 6"x10", $125

Day 2 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

This painting is one I started quite a while ago and never figured out how to finish. This time, I looked at it and saw a possibility, so I went for it. When I began I envisioned canning jars with an assortment of fresh vegies arrayed in front of them. I think I was trying to do too many things and it didn't really work. I decided that I really just liked the jars, so I eliminated all of the extraneous stuff and just let the painting be about the jars.  The foreground and the jar lids are a bit greener than the photo shows.

To purchase this painting, please click on the Daily Paintworks icon at right.

Late Summer Sunflower

Late Summer Sunflower, Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", $75

Day 1 - 30 paintings in 30 Days Challenge

Time for another 30 Day Challenge. I have been playing hookey for most of the summer, so this painting is a little rough around the edges. I also haven't gotten my act together on the theme question, so I am winging it until I think of something.

This painting started out as a random pattern of colors on a piece of gessoed watercolor paper. Once it was dry, I drew the sunflower using black paint. Then I painted using a palette knife and a squeegee. I basically like how it came out - it is interesting and not too stiff.

To purchase this painting, please click on the Daily Paintworks icon at right.

Maple at the Edge of the Swamp

Maple at the Edge of the Swamp, Acrylic on Canvas, 10"x8", $275

In this painting, I went for a more abstract representation of the trees, especially those that are in the background. I also wanted to capture the more open nature of trees in the autumn - since there is less foliage, there are usually far more and larger sky holes than in the summer when the foliage is thick and dark.

To purchase this painting, please click here. You will find yourself on my web site where you can make your purchase.

Industrial Patterns

Industrial Patterns, Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", $75

More fun with paint. I started this painting in the same way I started yesterday's pears. I made a conscious decision to make the patterns more man-made, less organic using lines, rectangles, grids and such. I was planning on making it into something, but in the end, I decided I like it the way it is. One small note - although dark, the upper right corner rectangle is not black; it is a deep reddish-purple.

To purchase this painting, please click here. You will be transported to my website where you can make your purchase or browse other options.

Funky Pears

Funky Pears, Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 6.5"x6.5", $50

Now for something a little crazy and a lot of fun. I started this painting by applying colors randomly watercolor style on a piece of watercolor paper. Then I stenciled, splattered, and stamped shapes in various colors over the lighter wash. Finally, I drew in the pears shapes using black acrylic paint, and added the opaque top layer over the background areas. My inner kid is very happy.

To purchase this painting, please click here. You will find yourself on my website where you can make your purchase.

Maple Reflections

Maple Reflections, Acrylic on Crescent Board, 10"x8", $275 (framed)

Sunny day, sunny colors. I had a lot of fun with this one. I love bright colors and I really went to town here. Autumn in Vermont is a beautiful time of year with lots of days like this one (usually.)

To purchase this painting, please contact Frog Hollow in Burlington, VT by e-mail (sales@froghollow.org) or by phone at (802) 863-6458.

Gray Day Reflections

Gray Day Reflections, Acrylic on Crescent Board, 6"x6", $125 (framed)

Another autumn foliage painting. In this painting, I tried to capture the electric quality of the colors on a gray day. I am always amazed at the how the foliage seems to be lit from within on gloomy days.

To purchase this painting, please contact Frog Hollow in Burlington, VT by e-mail (sales@froghollow.org) or phone at (802) 863-6458.

Ice Out

Ice Out, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", $125

A change of season. This one sort of evolved from a mass of evergreen and yellow paint. I like the feel of it. The photo doesn't catch the warmth of the yellow in the water and sky but otherwise is pretty good.I like the texture of the paint and the transitions between the various shades of green.

To purchase this painting, please click here. You will be transported to my website which is set up to handle on-line purchases.

Hint of Color

Hint of Color, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", $125 (framed)

In this painting, I went for a softer look. Early in the autumn, the colors are a bit more subtle and there is a real mix of trees that are changing and those that are still green. We will start to see this in another month or so. Also, as summer winds down, we will start to see bunches of "leaf peepers" - all the wonderful folks that come to see the autumn foliage and visit our farmer's markets, galleries, country fairs, and more.

This is another painting that was sent to Frog Hollow in Burlington, VT. To purchase, please contact them at sales@froghollow.org or call them at (802) 863-6458.

A Splash of Color

Splash of Color, Acrylic on Gessoboard, 6"x6", $125 (framed)

Nope. Our foliage hasn't started to do this yet - except for a few trees in the swampier areas of the state - but it is coming soon. It is hard to believe that summer is already almost over. I am slowly making my way back to my studio. It's time to get back to work after a couple of months of gardening, bicycling, grilling, and beaches. My first priority is to make sure I get some paintings ready for my gallery, Frog Hollow, in Burlington, Vt.

One aspect of summer's end that I am looking forward to is the September 2016 Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days Challenge. It starts on September 1. This will be my sixth time doing the Challenge which occurs each year in January and September. It is sponsored by Leslie Saeta. I haven't figured out what my theme will be yet - I have a couple more weeks to decide. I believe having a theme in mind makes it easier to complete the challenge, so I will definitely spend some time on this.

Notes on this painting: This painting was painted using a palette knife and squeegee. I am slowly learning to let the paint direct the painting to some extent. That means I apply acrylic paint and move it around with the squeegee and knife.  Then I decide what needs to be done to make sense of the shapes and colors that result. This painting is available through Frog Hollow (contact: sales@FrogHollow.org or (802) 863-6458.)

Playing with Yupo #4

Untitled, Watercolor on Yupo, 20"x26", NFS

This is my first experiment since arriving home. I started with a bunch of color, stamped out two more "starts" (they are waiting for me), and then started to create shapes by lifting,stamping, and painting over areas. The black is a bit stark - it is gouache that was put on with a roller. I like the white and blue lines and small white squares - my husband thinks they look like the nodes and wires in an illustration of  communications equipment. I'm not sure where I am going with this but, for now, it is fun to do.

Make it with Gesso

Apple Branch, Watercolor on Gessoed Watercolor Paper, 15"x11", NFS

This painting was also created during my workshop with Mark Mehaffey. It was painted using watercolor on gessoed watercolor paper. The idea was to create an interim surface before attempting Yupo so this painting was actually done before the Yupo pieces I posted in the last several days. When doing this piece, I made the mistake of using staining pigments to create the background color. That means I didn't get a complete lift when I went in to create the shapes for the apple branch. I decided to use that to create "ghost" branches and leaves, then used gouache to pop the foreground elements. I think it worked pretty well.

Playing with Yupo #3

Untitled, Watercolor and Gouache on Yupo, 13"x20", NFS

Yet another piece from my workshop with Mark Mehaffey. Although unfinished, the objective in this painting is to use representational shapes along with the non-representational patterns and colors we started with. The method involves creating an overall pattern of shapes, stamping, patterns, and colors, then using gouache to define representational shapes - this works best if the shapes read as silhouettes. I started with three pears but decided I really didn't like two of them - I ended up with just one pear that I really like. Now I have to figure out how to finish it. I suspect the solution will jump out at me at some point - they say patience is a virtue.

One thing I did learn (it took a couple of repetitions to sink in) was to go one step at a time. I'm one of those people that plans 12 steps ahead. With a painting, that is a recipe for either a disaster or barring that, a boring painting. After every step, especially as you make changes to a mostly done painting, it is important to evaluate the effect of the change before making another one. Quite often, if I want to evaluate a change that will be irreversible, I will photograph the painting, print it out on card stock, and try out the changes on the print. That way I can try several different options to see which is the best before I apply paint to my work in progress.

Playing with Yupo #2

Untitled Abstract #2, Watercolor and Gouache on Yupo, 26"x20", NFS

Another piece from my workshop with Mark Mehaffey. This piece started out just as busy as the last one, but in this case, I decided to cover most of it up, creating a place to rest the eyes while allowing the boldness of the selected area to stand out. This technique was introduced to us after we had spent several days trying to find some way to tame the chaos we had created in our paintings. It's hard to see in this photo, but I used some watercolor crayons to add calligraphic lines around the large shape and the lower red rectangle. I immediately loved the power that this kind of composition projects - I plan to experiment heavily with this to see how best to use it in my work.