Abstract "Mindless Spiral"

After my last painting,"Autumn Bliss", I needed to change things up! I wanted to clear my thoughts of the previous painting and take on a project that I call mindless, with very little thought or prep. In this painting, I began with flowers which quickly turned into spirals because I did not like the shape of the blooms. So I swirled the colors around and liked what was happening to the painting. Painting was done in oils.

After I swirled the colors together I was not sure where to go next with this painting. I just kept adding deeper reds, oranges, and continued playing with different colors.

"Mindless Spiral"

 
 
 
 
 
 
Finished! What I love about this painting is that it can be placed on the wall in any direction!

"Autumn Bliss" Completed!

Autumn Bliss

Finally finished! Actually, I really wanted to keep finding things to change but every time I did the painting changed. And it was not always for the better! One of my favorite things about this painting is the tree lined pathway of light. I wanted the painting to have an alluring effect! In order to do this I used the variations of the two colors orange and blue. It was a difficult task finding the right colors that coordinated with the actual photograph I used for this painting. In the photograph, the leaves on the trees appeared to be more yellowish in color with the ground leaves a rust or orange color. I played with many different colors for the path, tree trunks, and leaf colors. All of which were changed several times before I finished. The background also changed from being a soft pink to gray then finished with the white. I really did not want white as the final background but I was not sure which color offered the best contrast to the foreground. As I was nearing the end I found my changes were not making a great impact on the painting. Typically, when I'm at the final stage of the painting it is those fine details that can make or break a painting...that's my opinion...in this case those details did not add much. So I called it, DONE! Like with all of my paintings, it is a learning process I find the most valuable. With each painting I am always learning and discovering more about the artist in me. I am not sure what I enjoy most the painting or the lessons I learn along the way, maybe both.

Autumn Is Golden

Fall is my favorite time of year. The warm golden colors spark an emotional serenity that only this season can fulfill. I'm posting pictures of the beginning of my newest painting "Autumn Bliss"! More pictures will follow as I progress.

 

"Autumn Bliss" is a 24 X 30 canvas using acrylic paints. I wanted to do this painting in oil but after my last painting of my son's portrait I decided to go back to acrylic. I prefer oils but do not have the patience to wait for each layer to dry. I may paint this on a smaller canvas using oil after I finish this project.

Graduation Gift Received

Collin's graduation party was a great success. He loves the portrait I painted of him but I know he really liked the flat screen TV the most. I ask Collin if he wanted to hang the portrait of him in his dorm but he told me, "He wanted me to hang onto it so nothing happens to it!" I had to giggle because I was hoping he would say that. I didn't want one of his new room mates throwing darts or doing something mischievous to ruin it. Here's a picture of Collin with his portrait!

Completing My Son's Portrait

My son's portrait is complete, however, I still have this urge to make some minor adjustments. Since I consider myself a novice artist I fear those adjustments could make the painting worse than before. On the other hand, since I am still learning I need to force myself to experiment. My son graduated from high school recently and I plan to give him this portrait as a gift. However, I'm sure he'll love the flat screen tv I plan on getting him for his dorm at college much more!

It's Getting There!

I have been waiting patiently for this painting to dry (which is the most difficult part of this process) before moving to the next layer of paint. I have been reading how glazing can greatly enhance a painting. Since this is a learning process for me I'm not quite sure where, how much, or color selection to glaze with so I will keep posting my process. I am happy with how this painting is progressing. My wish is that it would look more realistic, however, I can certainly say it is way better than my acylic portrait I did a year ago. Practice does make a difference!

A Bite Of Information!

I have been reading online how to avoid painting teeth because of how difficult they are to paint...boy, how right they were. However, I actually prefer a smiling face rather than a somber one. I am sure with lots of practice it will become easier. Another thing that caught my eye while I was weeding through "The do's and don't's of painting" some artist think painting from a picture isn't art because you cannot capture the essence of the person you're painting. I can see their point of view but since I am still learning I feel a photo is as good of a place to start. I will say this I constantly strive to do better and to learn as much as I can through reading, watching, and practice. I feel art is ever evolving in tools and resources and some individuals implement what is preferred, comfortable, or what they know how to do. For example, I have had no art education and I feel that limits me because of the lack of knowledge and know how but I am not letting that cripple me because I have a deep desire to learn more and want to strive to get better. What I don't like about art critics or people that criticize your works of art is the negativity they spread. In my opinion, if you love to paint DO IT whether people like what you do or not... Do it for YOURSELF! One of the reasons I want to paint is to have something to give to my kids and future generations of grandchildren. Hopefully, it will inspire one them to become an amazing artist one day! I feel Art is an important part of our culture and it is a shame that most schools do not recognize it as a major part of student core curriculm as with Math, Science, and English. Ok...I'll step down from my soap box now!