Painting #38: Abstract Palette

Composition Source:

• Lots of abstract paintings on Pinterest.... some of which looked as they could have been one of the palettes I used to mix my paints.  

• So I decided to use a sheet of actual Mont Mart canvas as a palette and check out the results...
• This is the palette I used while painting the Nasturtiums (painting #35). 
• Quite a bit more paint is used as some of it is absorbed into the palette canvas, and can't be picked up with a brush.

Finished artwork:
Size:  ~ 7" x 10" 

    

Paints: acrylics, student grade by:
by Liquitex Basics, Amsterdam 

 Brushes & Tools:

• plastic palette knife for mixing paint

Surface or Support:  

• Mont Marte brand.  Medium-heavy canvas sheets, cut to size. No buckling or warping.

Painting 37: Exercise 21: Using expressive strokes - Flowers in a glass.

Composition Source:

Exercise 21:  Using expressive strokes - Flowers in a glass.

"Learn to Paint in Acrylics with 50 Small Paintings" by Mark Daniel Nelson; 

5 step-by-step directions with photos to guide you.

"For this exercise, simply create shapes for the flowers by scribbling (hatching) inside a loosely defined space.  The purpose of this technique is to allow a greater degree of freedom in the creation of an imagine."

Finished artwork:
Size:  ~ 6" x 6" 

In Progress work and drawing:

Paints: acrylics, student grade by:
by Liquitex Basics, Amsterdam

Book image of exercise that was to be done:

As you can see, I didn't follow it very closely.


Brushes & Tools:

• #6 & 8 round,  #4 angle bright, 3/4" angle flat brush
• chalk for drawing outline on canvas
  
  
• plastic palette knife for mixing paint
• Materson Sta-Wet Palette  
• Paint brush Cleaner - water tub with brush holder

Surface or Support:  

• Mont Marte brand.  Medium-heavy canvas sheets, cut to size. No buckling or warping.

Painting #36: Peonies in Van Gogh's green vase

Composition Source:

1.  On-line photo of an artwork by Roos Schuring that I really like.   
          -  Floral Still Life Painting - “Coral Peonies”

      https://roosschuring.com/still-life/painting-coral-peonies/ 

In my initial composition I tried & failed to replicate the photo of Schuring's piece.   


I've decided that I should not have painted the new versions over top of the  previous drafts, but should have finished that version, then started anew with the different version.  Had I done so, I would now be able to reference the original and learned more from it.   The elements still aren't right, but I'm finished with this version of the painting.  

2.    GREEN VASE:  Ginger Cook's YouTube video "How to paint a Van Gogh Vase with zinnias and flowers tutorial".   Ms Cook has a number of videos that teach, step-by-step, how to paint various Van Gogh masterpieces.  I'll be doing more in their entirety.  Clear, easy instructions, and the pause button helps me.

             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaQGUkjrvf4

3.  Painting the left peony was accomplished by following a YouTube video by Renjitha Anoop, "Flower painting a simple way using round brush".  Easy, simple... liked this method.  

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UblFh_S2L-s

I'm really impressed with the learning potential of the instructional videos available.  It is so much easier to figure out the method or technique by watching someone else actually do it.  


Finished artwork:
Size:  ~ 6" x 6" 

Repeating this composition is definitely in my plans

In Progress work:

As you can see, I changed the background, table, leaves, and the vase several times.  

Paints: acrylics, student grade by:
by Liquitex Basics, Amsterdam 

 Brushes & Tools: 

• Synthetic nylon - #6 & #2 round,  3/8" deerfoot, #4 flat, #8 bright (shorter flat).
• Economy brushes -   the hairs didn't come out, but the head of the black one came off a few times.  
  
  
• plastic palette knife for mixing paint,
• Materson Sta-Wet Palette  
• Paint brush Cleaner - water tub with brush holder

Surface or Support:  

• Mont Marte brand.  Medium-heavy canvas sheets, cut to size. No buckling or warping.

Painting #35; Nasturtium

Composition Source:

 Fabric Painting by Tharina Odendaal and Anika Pretorius, for flower picture and drawing.

Finished artwork:
Size:  ~ 6" x 6" 

In Progress work and drawing:

Paints - acrylics:

• by Liquitex & Golden brands of heavy body artists' acrylic, 
• Amsterdam Standard Series, Grumbacher Academy.

Brushes & Tools:

• sponge and round stencilling brushes for painting round nasturtium leaves of various sizes
• #6 round, #2 flat for flower
• 1" flat wash for underpainting or background of "Naples Yellow Green" (looks beige) 

• plastic palette knife for mixing paint,
• Materson Sta-Wet Palette, but using a sheet of actual canvas to mix the colours on.  Maybe an abstract painting will result.  
• Paint brush water tubs with brush holder

Surface or Support:  

• 6x6" canvas panel for acrylic or oil, gesso primed, archival; by Artist's Loft

Painting #34: Exercise 20: Using Hatching Strokes: Bird's Nest

Composition Source:

Exercise 20:   Using Hatching Strokes:  Bird's Nest

"Learn to Paint in Acrylics with 50 Small Paintings" by Mark Daniel Nelson; 

5 step-by-step directions with photos to guide you.

Finished artwork: 
Size:  ~ 6" x 6" 

In Progress work and drawing:

Paints: acrylics, student grade by:

by Liquitex Basics, Amsterdam, Grumbacher Academy.

Background:  Colbalt Blue, Titanium White - mixed

Nest: Yellow Orchre, Burnt Sienna Unbleached Titanium, leftover greys, browns

Tree Branches:  Burnt Sienna & touch of Mars Black; for roughage dots of Payne's Grey, Black, greys, dark brown.

Eggs: Turquoise Blue, Sky Blue light, titanium White, adding a speck of Payne's Grey for shadow areas.

 Brushes & Tools:

• #6 round,  #2 round, #1 flat brush
  
  
• plastic palette knife for mixing paint,
• plastic ruler for paint straight edges
• Triangle ruler for squaring
• Materson Sta-Wet Palette  
• Paint brush Cleaner - water tub with brush holder

Surface or Support:  

• Mont Marte brand.  Medium-heavy canvas sheets, cut to size. No buckling or warping.