Spring Challenge

Today was a beautiful spring day.  The air was warm, the sun was shining, people were happy.  And I needed some colour in the house.

While shopping at the supermarket, I was drawn to a pot of orange/yellow tulips.  The intense colour ensured they went home with me and I could see possibilities of photos with the sun at the right angle really lighting up those colours.

I posted one of the photos on my timeline on Facebook and Rose Welty mentioned that it would make a good painting subject.  I suggested she'd be a lot better at it than me, as anyone who knows me knows I hate painting flowers.  But the gauntlet was thrown down as she said she would do it if I would.  I took it a step further and said I'd put it on my blog as a little spring challenge for anyone who wanted to play around with the image.

So here are the guidelines:

Click on the image to view it full size and save to your computer.
Paint, draw, etch, whatever with the image and provide a link to your finished piece on this post.
There is no timeline, simply enjoy and share the process.
Please use the image for this challenge only.

Pea Green again

The previous painting of the pea green boat niggled me a little and Sue Pownall, from Art of a Nomad, put her finger on it in a comment that the end piece didn't read well and she was right.  Its always good to have other eyes skim over work as the artist often can't see what's right in front of them.

So I removed the motor and then changed the colour to a yellower green that fit the description better for the pea green boat.  So here it is again.  I'm hoping it won't morph again, but you never know!  I've put it on Daily Paintworks and hopefully it will find a good home before I have another change of heart.

Backwash II

This piece is pushing towards the completion of a demo that I started at the workshop I delivered on Saturday on painting water.  Weather had postponed the previous workshop this one was placed in a different venue that wasn't the best place in terms of acoustics, equipment and layout.  However, you work with what you have.

The original demo piece was painted a month or so ago. This piece is in a lower key and is a smaller version, measuring 8" x 10" in acrylic.

I painted the beginning shapes and blocked in colour, trying to create some values to give the piece form while I had time.  I never seem to have enough time to really develop a piece at a workshop demo, perhaps because I was created a more detailed painting, so I lay the traditional path on canvas, then encouraged participants to create their own pieces based on that direction.  I continue to circulate to provide feedback and assistance and take more time at various points to develop my demo piece more.

I know participants at workshops like to get down to the business of painting, and theory exercises becomes a bit tedious for them, no matter how valuable.  Finding the balance between providing technical knowledge and putting that into practice on a piece can be a challenge sometimes and may have to do with the level of experience of individuals and where they want to go with their art.

...in a beautiful pea green boat

One of my favourite childhood poems was The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear, written in 1871.  Full of nonsense that makes perfect sense to every child, its appeal lingers on. You can listen to it, if you care to, in the animated clip below.

This little pea green boat looks to be just the ticket for fowl and feline to set sail in.  5" x  7" in oils on canvas panel