Category: Oil Paintings

Waiting Around, Chapter Two

While waiting around for permission to begin painting two murals in Visalia, I remembered that I needed to finish a small painting. When it rains, it is dark and cold in the painting workshop. So, I haven’t painted in about a month. Good grief, will I remember how??

Do you remember this little painting? It needs work.

Instead of painting in the cold painting workshop, I carried everything outside.

It is too wet to scan and too wet to photograph properly, but you can definitely see that it is improved from the first photo.

What a fine place to paint. I remembered what to do with oil paints, no problemo.

Thus we conclude today’s chapter of What I Did While Waiting Around.

Solds in November and December

Today’s post is a visual list of pencil, colored pencil, and oil paintings, some commissioned, some sold through galleries, some to people getting in touch via email, and from the one show that I didn’t do. You have probably seen all of these, but not in one big whack that makes me feel all puff-headed and successful.

Painting With Gazelle Intensity

Because of missing two weeks of work, the two oil painting commissions became a rush job. I had one week to get them from the sloppy first layer to finished.

The yellow ranch house needed a tiny bit of finessing, a signature, the edges of the canvas painted, and then it needed to dry. I was so focused on that last day of painting that I forgot to take any pictures of the process.

The barn needed another layer of sky, another layer of grass, some cattle, more finessing, a signature, painted edges of the canvas and to dry on the same schedule as the yellow house.

Because the sky was so empty, I supplied it with some clouds. In addition, a tree grew on the left, a shrub on the right, and the barn got a bit of tightening up. I had to resist the urge to draw in every ripple on the corrugated tin. It’s a PAINTING, not a pencil drawing!

Cattle—distant? Yes. Closer? Yes.

More grass with visible details was needed in the foreground, along with a few more cows.

Again, I was so rushed and focused that I didn’t take photos of the process. I had to get this thing into the house so it could dry in time to be shipped.

So, here is the result of a week of painting with gazelle intensity.

DONE ON TIME (dried, varnished, packed and shipped!)

And once again, the gazelle-like painter outpainted the cheetah-like clock.

Happy Boxing Day! Did you box up your extras to give to the needy today? That’s why it is called “Boxing Day” in the UK.

Rescuing A Ranch House Painting

The ranch house painting was stressful. it was a manageable project, but definitely pushing the limits of my abilities.

The Difficulties

Some photos, even though they are clear and have good detail and light, just don’t have the right information. This one had giant up-close tree branches that were making shadows, but looked disproportionate. The deck off to the right was confusing and hidden by trees that didn’t look good enough to paint because they were too big. The customer requested grazing deer. The canvas proportions didn’t match the photo, but cropping would eliminate the important front steps.

On top of that, there was the looming deadline. Trail Guy asked me why I didn’t charge a rush fee, and then I remembered: it wasn’t a rush until 2 weeks of my working time were stolen by a virus.

What’s a Central California painter to do?

The Solutions

Technology to the rescue: I used Photoshop Junior to size and place the deer on top of the painting (on my laptop, not on the actual painting). The result is a little too disturbing to show you, because the deer photos are in sharp contrast to the mushy looking painting and I don’t want you to join Team Doubt (of which I serve as captain).

Those steps, ugh. When in doubt, I resort to drawing with my paintbrush, a big no-no in The Art World, but I am painting for real people, those who “may not know art but know what they like”. (My kind of peeps)

Those steps, better now.

The deer challenge begun, according to my results with Photoshop Junior.

Hey, Bucky!

Those distant deer.

While I was painting distant deer, there were close deer on the other side of the window.

Okay, this will work.

The deer need brighter stronger colors. And there needs to be some grass blades softening the harshness of those all-important front steps.

I think I am going to be able to sign this one without too much future embarrassment. (There is usually embarrassment about earlier work if one is growing in one’s skill.)

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commission oil painting oil paintings

Barn Painting Rescue

This commissioned oil painting was causing undue stress. First it was a dark and murky ranch house, then it became a barn, then the barn was in the wrong place, and pretty soon, I was doubting my ability to do the painting at all. I finally resorted to measuring, comparing my proportions to the photo, and using this neato tool to get the angles exactly right.

Finally, I was able to begin the detailing that I love so much.

The sky needs another layer, there are more trees to put in, the grass needs a bit more detailing, and then there will be grazing cattle.

I’ll show you the yellow ranch house rescue tomorrow.

You might still be able to order a 2023 calendar but they might be gone by now. (There were 3 left yesterday.) Unless I see you in person, it won’t arrive before Christmas. HOWEVER, it will arrive before January. Mineral King HIKES 2023

commission oil painting oil paintings

Fixing and Finessing

The customer requested grazing deer on the lawn. I tried.Placing and sizing the deer was just a guess, and after contemplating things, I decided they were just too small to be that close to the front. So, some grass grew over them. When the grass is dry, I will try again.

I removed the top step in the foreground because they just looked too “heavy” (big, taking too much space, competing with the house), and changed the color of the concrete.

I added more branches on the left and grew the tree on the right.

Then the branches on the left sprouted leaves.

Next, the barn. In order to get the right proportions and angles, I worked on this upside down

I used the sky to shape the barn.

I was mechanically following the photo without thinking about placement, and then I realized that it was too far forward on the canvas. Look at it and you’ll see what I mean.

So, beep-beep, back the barn up.

Now this has to dry so I can recoat the sky, add some clouds, work on the background hills, and start making the barn look as if it is there to stay. Oh, and then add grazing cattle. I hope I can make them the right size in the right locations.

This calendar might be the right size for your location.

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commission oil painting oil paintings

Too Hard to See, Too Hard For Me

I told my customer that with a dark, blurry, murky photo that was lacking in detail, I would have to make a dark, blurry murky painting that is lacking in detail, and that’s not a technique I have mastered.

So she sent me a photo of a barn and asked if I could paint it instead.

YES I CAN!

Excuse me for shouting. What a relief!

She also asked if I could add some grazing deer to the house painting. I was so relieved and happy about the barn that I said yes, in spite of not knowing what size they should be. People don’t know that artists don’t automatically know these things. The size is based on where they are placed, and now that I look at the beginnings here on the screen, I can see that these are looking small, like Little Bucky.

I also started adding in the branches that frame the house. It’s a shame to cover up those perfect clouds, but without those leafy limbs, the shadows don’t make sense. Those deer will need to be completely redone. At least the messed up deck on the right of the house is coming together, as are the details on the doors and windows. I don’t like the stairs or the rocks, but it could be the distorted colors on the screen that makes them look like periwinkle slabs.

This dark and murky mess is going to become a barn.

Pippin doesn’t understand all the commotion.

Never mind, he’ll just perch in the window and keep hoping that treats appear soon.

The paint was wet on the canvas and I had a bit of difficulty covering over the previous day’s mess.

So, I got it this far, then carried it into the house to dry more so I can continue. There will be cattle grazing in this one.

I think this will turn out okay. Eventually.

And eventually, nay, SOON, I will run out of 2023 calendars.

Very few 2023 Calendars Available Here, $20 inc. tax.

commission oil painting oil paintings

Inching Toward Order (I Think I Can)

The process of oil painting begins in a total mess, and each successive layer is I more inch toward order.

I had two 10×20″ commissioned oil paintings of ranch houses, one from a fairly clear photo, and the other from a dark photo of murky edges and shapes. Unfortunately, that second ranch house is no longer in existence, so I had to just work with what has been provided.

It was a little bit too hard, so I began with the easier one.

First, you can see the beginning mess, along with my reference photo on the laptop (although it isn’t clear, and since I didn’t take the photo, I don’t feel free to show it here).

It was a cold wet day, so all the doors were closed to the painting workshop. This was upsetting to Jackson and to Tucker, who is very nervous about the fan which blows heat up to the easels. Jackson asked to come in, and then he kept biting me on the backside. I finally sat with him on my lap for a bit, explaining to him that I wasn’t in the workshop to feed him treats. This was hard for him to understand, so eventually he asked to go outside. AGAIN.

Sky first, because it is the farthest piece and also the easiest. I have to ease into these giant difficult paintings, reminding myself that an elephant gets eaten just one bite at a time.

For some reason, I was struggling with window placement and size, so I flipped the painting upside down to help me see the proportions more accurately.

Right side up helps me see if I got things right. That light and shadow on the house is what makes this a good subject to paint.

Those front steps are quite interesting, very custom to this basic house. The big lawn is also important.

Now it needs to go into the house to dry so that the next layer of detail doesn’t just smear all to kingdom come. (How’s that for a weird saying?)

This needs a leafy branch shading the upper left side, another leafy tree shading the upper right side, details on the windows, the door, the steps leading to the door, the planting bed on the front of the house, and an almost indiscernible mess of a pergola and patio area to the right of the house.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. . .

What I CAN DO FOR SURE, is send you a 2023 calendar.

Five 2023 Calendars Left, Available Here, $20 inc. tax.

commission oil painting oil paintings

Painted Flowers To Give, Sell, and Keep

On a rainy afternoon, I set up at the dining table in the house. I would rather work in the house when it is cold and dark in the painting workshop. That’s kind of a “Duh” statement, no?

I felt like painting but the two large commissions are just too much for painting at the dining table. There was still time to sell more small pieces at the Courthouse Gallery. But wait! Maybe I’d like to keep a painting of a poinsettia.

I do this every year—paint a few poinsettias thinking to keep them for my own use. Then I change my mind and sell them, figuring I can always paint one any time. And then, the cycle repeats.

I’ve painted enough of these red flowers to not really follow the photos.

See that 2″ square canvas? It is a pomegranate becoming a poinsettia.

This time instead of using 2 yellows, 2 blues, 2 reds, and white, I used 1 yellow, 1 blue, 2 reds, and white.

Here it is, shiny wet, ready to go on top of the armoire for drying.

And what is this?

It used to be a painting of orange blossoms, but apparently no one except me liked it. So, it is becoming Matilija poppies for a friend’s upcoming birthday. She doesn’t read my blog – most of my closest friends don’t. Kind of weird, but true.

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Juried Show Coming Soon

After my post called “Juried Or Judged?”, one might have gotten the idea that I don’t participate in such shows. In general, I don’t. Lots of artists develop a following by entering shows all over the country, paying entry fees, shipping art, paying to have it boxed and shipped back, hoping for prizes, hoping for sales, and likely, ending up discouraged and poor.

I don’t enter shows that are far away. I am a Central California artist, specifically a Tulare County artist who takes great pleasure and pride in finding the best things of this place I’ve called home for 63 years. (We may not qualify for a Trader Joe’s or a university or even for litter-free pothole-patched roads, but we feed the world and don’t you forget it!)

When there are local shows with nominal or no entry fees, shows that aren’t too much trouble to enter, shows that will keep my work and name in the public eye (where old and new customers can find me, because I came here to earn a living), shows that seek the type of work that I do (realistic subjects based in Tulare County), then I might be interested.

Such a show is coming soon. Artists are allowed to enter 3 pieces. It is juried because they have both standards and limited space.

The last time I entered this show, my work was small and placed in a dark corner, which did not do it any justice. Many years later, my work is larger, brightly colored, and I have 7 pieces that I want to enter. I don’t know how to decide which 3 to submit.