End of the Season

This painting was done as a painting challenge with my Creative Path art group. Deb sent us this picture taken from her garden and we were to paint it in any medium and any size. Oil and water colour were the choices that day. I am really happy with this one and it was extremely fun and freeing to paint. I also enjoyed painting something small. I think I will put this one on a plate stand and enjoy it unframed.

8" x 10" oil on board

click on picture for a larger view.

Still Life class #5 - Brass and Fur

This class was focusing on brush strokes - to make the smooth look of brass and feathery look of fur. I was not enamoured with this set up and had no idea where to start. Ingrid once again did a demo in the beginning of class and then continued around the class offering her expertise and suggestions. She also leaves her demo open for anyone to try what they need on it or to explain something. It is so much easier to learn with a "hands on" approach when you are a visual learner like myself. She wipes it all off at the end of the class.

This is a picture of the still life from my easel and my work in progress. It was a really good challenge and learning experience.

This is the final picture 12"x16"

oil on board

click on the picture for a larger view

Ingrid Christensen's still life class #4 - layering

Ingrid did a demo again to show her layering technique. A thumbnail sketch was done first then we did a rough painting to repeat the demo. Some of us in the class are new so this was very helpful. I learn something different at every class, the only problem is to get what my eyes see down onto canvas, there seems to be a disconnect!

Here is the rough learning sketch:

I found this very diffictult from the angle I was at. The teapot spout was almost the same angle as the handle attachment. Ingrid helped show me how to add the darks and lights so it looks round not flat. I certainly learn better from showing than just hearing.

We worked on the same still life (this time on canvas) during a second class as well. I still don't consider it finished so hopefully I can post the finished one later. Looking at this photograph, I am not happy with how the cup is coming out so light. Another reason to photograph art, it is a new view.

Teapot still life 11" x 14" on canvas, Click on picture for a closer view.

Ingrid's still life class #3 - Value

This week's lesson was on value (light to dark). Ingrid set this still life for half the class to paint and a similar one for the other half. This is the view I had of the still life and my work in progress in front. It gives you a sense of the view I had. Ingrid had us do thumb nail sketches first of the scene with basically just the values, white, mid tone and black to find the size and placement we want. I was the only one that chose to turn my canvas this way. I liked it better in my thumbnail sketch which is a very good reason to do thumb nails instead of trying to correct on the canvas. She also made us aware of the darks and how they need to connect.

Once again, I am happy with the progress I made and really had to paint fast to get this far. It is interesting I took this view from this angle as my painting view was from the other side of the easel so everything looks slightly off in placement.

Nectarines and canned cherries still life

16" x 20" oil on canvas

This picture was taken outside in the sunny afternoon. Quite a difference in the colouring, the true color is somewhere in between the two. I am still trying to figure out how to take better pictures to try and get a truer sense of the colour.

Ingrid's class #2

This class lesson was based on colour. Ingrid set up 2 still life's with apples picked from her yard and paint brushes. The goal was to really try and capture the colours, high lights, back ground colours etc. She makes it look so easy as she demos how to start and get to the half way point then we start painting! I wish I could take pictures of the other artists pictures as they are all so different! This one is not signed as I still want to go back in and add some final details when this class is over. "When you know better, you do better"!

Apples and paint brush still life

11" x 14" oil on birch board