The First Sixteen

OH NO! 

I uploaded the following 16 paintings out of order and I can't find a way to change the sequence. Starting over is not an option...  Most important is to know that group "1 — FIRST PAINTINGS" was indeed first!

Sequences 2 - 6 are all 6" x 6" or 6" x 8"

6 — FIGURES

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This is the most recent series. I love painting people, so as I explore subject matter, I will return again and again to figurative work. So far, this is the hardest. My challenge is to paint the subject with accuracy and aliveness and still to not get bogged down in detail. The challenge will continue.

 

5 — THE BLUE BEAD

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Ah. The blue bead. I couldn't figure out why the first two looked like a blue donut and a Life Saver respectively. And then I realized I was putting the hole in the bead, dead center. Duh. Also the translusence (sp?) of the glass bead was challenging. The third try I added a ribbon to see if I could catch the satin, shiny finish and create a dramatic composition. Nice painting, but I didn't accomplish those 2 goals. The fourth version I'm happy with on both counts (yay!) and will definitely be revisiting the blue bead. 

4 — SHOES

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Running out of things I wanted to paint I looked around and decided to paint an old pair of shoes. The painting is ok, but I worked much too hard on the shoe leather.

3 – STILL LIFES

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I enjoyed painting these. 

1- The first is just one of those early "something to paint" works. 

2- The Apple, Creamer and Mug are an experiment in composition, color and imitation of subject matter I've seen in the work of several of the "Daily Painters" crew. I feel it's a very successful painting. I'm happy with the composition, color and some of the technical aspects like reflected color on the creamer and the mug.

3- With the vase and flower I took on several challenges. Painting loosely and appreciating the "juicyness" of the paint, the color and lightness of this painting

2 — RAGGEDY ANN

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Raggedy Ann is out of order. I painted her after the blue bead. I needed to try my hand at different textures. I'd been looking at this doll and avoided it as being to difficult, but then I decided to zoom in and crop some of her out. This made it more doable. She's alright, but definitely deserves another try.

1 - FIRST PAINTINGS

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The following paintings were 10"x 12" or 9"x 12". This is a very comfortable size for me. Like the smaller "Daily Paintings", these were painted somewhere between 2 and 4 hours. 

This painting was the second in the beginning of this journey. The drawing and rendering of the bottle is awkward in places, but otherwise, I like this one. Again, I played with adding more color. I want to keep my paintings high key — unless the subject matter calls for a darker mood.

Wanting to try the bottle again, I did this ambitious painting. It ended up overworked and the color dull and muddy. I learned some things not to do from painting it — like not continuing to mix color from already mixed colors. Stop and clean off the palette from time to time. 

The glasses were challenging, but I like the result. I like to keep pushing myself by trying new things. But then everything is new to me at this point. Again, I tried to keep it colorful by adding color to the background.

I like this painting in the end, but some places, like the top of the jars, I painted before I really looked and decided what to do. Actually the whole painting was approached that way.  The candle holder was over worked, though pretty. I have to find my level of finish vs. looseness. I'm working toward a loose, painterly style. Sort of an impressionist realism.