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Daily Paintings - Ranch Buildings

Ranch Buildings

 
I had  lot of fun with this one. It's a real challenge to paint scenes like this as such a small scale. I really had to simplify everything in order to not get bogged down in details. One of the things I've notices with doing these smaller paintings is I've really got to work on my brush control. The brush strokes are much less forgiving at this size and I need to always remind myself to make strong, purposeful brush strokes and then leave them alone:)

 I've really  got to work on my names. It seems like the last few have been really uninspired. Usually my wife helps me name them, but we've both been so busy the last few days she hasn't had the time.

Daily Painting - Mountain Mill

Mountain Mill

 
This is painted from a reference photo I tool when I lived in Colorado many years ago. It was, at the time, a operational mill tucked up on the mountain side. I was really drawn to the pattern the trees made behind it as they climbed up the mountain side. This turned out to a be a bigger challenge then I thought it would be to paint. I try to think in terms of the abstract when presented with such things to paint. Sometimes it helps even if it doesn't seem like it is.

 When I was at the Academy of Art (in Chicago) we painted almost exclusively from life every day. For a few years after I graduated I continued this practice and then somewhere along the line I started to paint almost every painting from photos. I'm not sure why this happened. I guess it's because I use to paint a lot at night back then. Now that I'm doing these daily paintings and painting life again when ever I can I really realize how limiting a photograph is. I know I will need to work from photos once in a while just because of my schedule, but I really want to make an effort to paint more landscapes from life. I don't think this will happen in the next few days, but hopefully soon. Stay tuned!

Daily Painting - Tag-A-Long

Tag-A-Long

 
Yesterdays painting was a total waste. I really jumped the gun and got into the details way too soon and then overworked the whole thing to try and make up for it. If I was an oil painter I would have scraped the paint off and started over, but with watercolor you just move on to a clean piece of paper. So, while I don't post everyday, I do paint almost every day. Some of them only get to see the inside of the trash can;)

 
With this painting I felt I was a bit more on track. The painting went very easy. I think one of the reasons for this is because it's in the same style as my larger work. It's the closest I've come to doing that so far with these smaller daily works. This is something I've really struggled with ever since I started daily painting.

 Another one from Gloucester. I though the little boat looked like it was trying to tag-a-long with the larger boat behind it which is where the title came from. I was more interested in painting the shadows and dark areas with this one and really pushed what's in the lighter values and what's in the darker values. It's an effect I like with watercolor and it really makes the light pop.

Daily Painting - Color Ready

I've had a few ideas for paintings with eggs that I've been thinking about for a while now. With Easter right around the corner I thought it was time I tried one of them. Dying Easter eggs was something I looked forward to as a kid. I remember how much fun it was to try and make color patterns on them and how frustrating it was that you could never get the intensity you wanted. It's been a number of years since I've dyed eggs, but now that we have a daughter I don't think it will be too much longer before we start this tradition again.

 I've tried painting this blue bowl a few other times. It's very reflective and for some reason I always struggle painting it.Tonight it seemed to be easier to paint. I think this is my best attempt at it yet. That's really one of the advantages of this daily painting stuff. You get lots of attempts at painting what ever you want so your free to experiment with what works and what doesn't. With this painting I approached the bowl by first painting the reflected colors in it and then going over it with blue. 

Daily Painting - Farmhouse

I've really been in the mood to paint landscapes. It seems like it's been a while since I've done one. I choose what I consider to be a classic watercolor subject, barns. I'm not really sure why barns are so popular with watercolor artists. For me, they are a lot of fun to paint because I can really loosen up with them, suggesting the detail rather then trying to paint it. I really challenge myself to be as loose as possible with subjects like this. It's a great exercise.

 I know, it's a lame title. Call it a brain block or just being lazy, but that's the best I could come up with tonight.

Daily Painting - Loitering

The last time we where on the gulf coast of Texas, I snapped a photo of this Heron standing by the dock. Today I decided that I'd paint it. I really haven't painted that many birds, but in the last few months I've really enjoyed painting them. This is my fourth painting of birds. The others where all sea gulls. They sure are a lot of fun to paint. I've got a few other ideas for some of the other reference I have from that trip. I've noticed if I let those ideas roll around my head for a few days or weeks that I can better paint my thoughts and ideas about them so stay tuned.

Daily Painting - The Apple Ball

Really this painting is more of a mix of watercolor and gouache. After laying in my initial washes with transparent watercolor, I went back in with some gouache (white + watercolor)  for my next wash. Using the gouache to build up color and values over the transparent watercolor. Since the gouache is opaque I can work a more freely and build up the values in any order I wish.

Daily Paintings - Flower Field

It seems like I've been doing a lot of still life's lately so I thought paint a landscape today. I did this from a photograph I took last summer at a park right down the street. For a few weeks every summer this park blooms with wild flowers as far as the eye can see.  The park district doesn't cut the grass in most of the park during this time so they don't disturb the blooming flowers. The whole park just drips with paintings! I really hope to do some more from there this year.

Daily Painting - Sweet,Not Spicy

I had these peppers for a few days and tried a few other paintings of them that I didn't like. I had just about given up on painting them. I finally decided to set up a different still life of some cups and bowls. When I was just about done setting it up I put one of the peppers in front of it and thought I give it one more try. I pushed the cups and bowls to the background and got to painting. I'm really glad I gave it one more try.

 I choose to paint a pepper because I thought they would be a good challenge to paint.The skin is very translucent which really gives them a deep rich color, particullary in the shadows. This is why I positioned the pepper the way I did. With everything else in the scene being mostly white I was very conscious to push the color where I could to keep things interesting. With a white surface, you can really have a lot of fun with the color of the shadows. I thought the blue pattern of the bowl was nice addition to the scene.

Daily Painting - Strong Aroma

In all honesty I used a fake flower for this that I picked up at Goodwill. I'm not sure how much I like painting flowers that are fake. While they look real, the light just doesn't fall right on them. I had to really let the painting tell me how much to do with them. Of course that's favorite blue and white bowl that the flower is in. I painted that one a lot lately. It might be time to look for a new one.

Daily Painting - First Harvest

When I got home today, my wife had a large container of strawberries out on the counter. For so early in the season, these where very ripe. I thought they might be fun to paint, so I set up this little still life. Later in the summer, I look forward to painting the strawberries from our garden. It's still early in the season, but so far this looks like it might be our most promising crop yet. Stay tuned!

Daily Painting - The Hot Plate

I was trying to work on a simple composition. Just a few jalapeno peppers and a plate and some time to see what I could do with them. After arranging the peppers on the plate I set up the light. I really wanted to the shadows to cross other objects, so I set it up low and off to the left side. This gave nice long cast shadows and really helped finish off the whole composition.

Daily Painting - Catch Up

These little tomato's sure where fun to paint. I set this up with a bit more of a dramatic light, low and off to the side. This caused a nice long cast shadows across my set up from the cup. I was immediately draw (no pun) to the way the shadow ran across that tomato in the back. I placed the entire set up on top of a piece of glass to add the reflections. I thought this helped give the forground more interest. Interesting shapes, that what we are always looking for as an artist. Reflections offer a great chance to paint just that, interesting shapes.

Daily Paintings - There's One In Every Crows

One more with my lemons and limes. I was trying to get more dramatic lighting in this one and a little closer to the lemons. This arrangement came pretty easy. I had seen a similar arrangement at a restaurant, which is what inspired this painting. I even went out and bought this blue plate for the painting because that's the way it was at the restaurant.Though I have to admit I really like the blue plate and will use it for a lot more then just this painting.

Daily Painting - Sping Blooms

What a great time of the year it is in Texas right now. Spring has sprung! The days are getting warmer and longer and the trees are all starting to bloom. What could be better after the drab of winter. Now don't get me wrong, winter is one of my favorite times of the year when there's snow. But what could beat those first few spring days when the color comes back to the landscape. Texas is covered with bradford pear trees. The entire tree blooms these white flowers for a few weeks and then they lose them. It looks like it's snowing when they fall.

Daily Painting - Zest Fest

What fun these are to paint. Lots of yellow and green! I really had a great time with this arrangement. I kept envisioning that this was a race between the lemons and limes to get to the bottom of the page first. So, how did I determine who would win? Simple, I had more lemons then limes. They where bound to win:)

 It seems like I never get to use that much yellow in my paintings. I know I do, so  I guess its really that yellow doesn't get to take center stage that often. You almost can't use too much when painting lemons.  The green limes added a nice contrast to the whole scene while adding some much needed dark values.

Daily Paintng - Left, Right and Center - For a special cause

I painted this to benefit, walk MS: Fort Worth Walk 2010 Presented by Subway. Our dear friend Albert was diagnosed with MS in 2008 and we wanted to do everything we can to help. In addition to our own personal pledge, I'm offering up this painting as well. All proceeds from this sale will go towards helping fight MS.

 This is an 8x10 original watercolor on cresent watercolor board. I painted this from a reference photo I took while my wife and I where on vacation in Oklahoma. I really enjoy these types of paintings. I get to use a technique I rarely use. The paint for the rocks is put on very thick and allowed to sit for a minute before I spray it with water. It's then left to mix and mingel for a minute before blotting the surface with a tissue. This creates a woundful pattern of colors and texture. Then I can go back in once everything is dry and define the differnt rocks.

Be sure to go to the auction and bid offten. Not only can you win this painting, but you will be helping a cause my wife and I believe in.

Daily Painting - All Fall Down

While I was breaking down yesterdays still life and trying to figure out what I would do today I sort of stumbled upon this arrangement. It's actually all of the same things I painted yesterday, just re-arranged. I gave the title I did, All Fall Down, because it almost looks like all I did was knock over the container. Of course there was a lot more to it then that and I spent a little while playing around with different arrangements before settling on this one.

Daily Paintings - Blue, White and Oranges

This is another one of the pieces I recently picked up at a second hand store. It's a great little bowl, I think. I'm not really sure what you would use this for. My best guess is it's meant to be a small planter. Either way, I really enjoyed painting it. I'm sure I'll use this one many times.

Daily Painting - Blue and White Cup with Apples

My wife and I went to a second hand store recently and I found a few things that I'm excited to paint. This little cup is one of those things. It sure is fun to paint with it's rich blue design. I added a couple of apples for balance and to add more color to my still life. I'm sure I'll do a few more with this little cup and the other things I picked up. Look for them over the next few days.

Daily Painting - The Last Tomato

When I went to the kitchen today to look for some things to paint my wife had just finished cooking. There laying on the counter was the last tomato on a vine. I immediately grab it and set up this still life. I though the vine added a little something extra to the set up. It's a great way for the eye to travel though the painting.