Tag Archives: oil

February Landscape Abstract

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14"X11" oil on canvas

It is fun to work on a slightly larger scale, still not very big but four times the size of my usual. I also worked entirely from memory here. I tried to soak up the colours as I was driving and remember them.

I am not sure that this one is finished yet. I got a lot more texture into this than I am usually able to. I wanted to add texture into the foreground but it was getting too muddy, that's why I think I will come back later, when it has had a chance to dry. As usual, this was a lot more abstract to start with, but I found myself adding detail.
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Snow Day

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5"X7" Oil on card

Well the "blizzard" wasn't nearly as bad around here as forecast, but I decided that I didn't want to risk the rural roads to work anyway. I did some work at home and spent about an hour shovelling. I got off lightly because my sainted neighbour wanted to try out her new snow-blower and my sidewalk (150') provided ample practice! It is still snowing so I will have to get out there again shortly.

These orchids aren't quite in bloom yet, any day now. I did something I have never done before and painted on plain card, I am not sure of the archival quality so I probably won't offer this one for sale. It just started out as a sketch but I rather liked the composition.
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Annual Peach Challenge

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7"X5" Oil on board

Every year I seem to need to torture myself by trying to paint peaches. Maybe if I painted them every day for a week or two, like Julian Merrow-Smith, I would eventually get it right. As it is, I fuss and worry at it for an hour or two and finally give up and call it done. The one in the background gave me the most trouble, for some reason I couldn't seem to maintain the volume.

Anyway, as usual I spent most of the day painting the house. It was the porch floors this weekend. I really am almost done. Maybe I will get some gardening done tomorrow, thank goodness for civic holidays. one of these weekends maybe I will actually take a day off.
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Tomatoes

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8"X6" Oil on board

Another glorious day. I sat out on the porch again but this time attempted a still life. I used to do a lot of these food paintings but they have lost their flavour for me :-).

We don't have any local tomatoes yet, these are the hot-house variety. My plants are big and very healthy, so I should have some of my own before long.
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Canada Day

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5"X7" Oil on board



I finally finished painting my porch so I can actually use it as a porch and sit outside to paint!



I have day-lilies all along the front fence and they are very jolly at this time of year. This is the first actual "plein air" oil I have done in a long time. I really must try to do more.


Blossom

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7"X5" Oil on board

I spent most of the day painting doors and digging dandelions. It isn't nearly as much fun as painting blossom but the weather was good and we have to strike while the iron is hot, make hay while the sun shines etc.

This image of the tractor almost obscured by the fruit trees caught my eye. The blossom is early this year I think, we had some unseasonably warm weather a couple of weeks ago and everything was excelerated. It did get cold again but at least there was no frost
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The Birds

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7"X5" Oil on board As the lakers pass through the canal they are followed by a flock of hungry gulls. The trees are at that point where they look just as if they have had a dry brush of yellow green dragged across them, only a few more days and they will be in full leaf. I switched back to oils for this one. No particular reason really, just wanted a change. It would probably have been easier with acrylics as there was no blending required to speak of, and quite a lot of light over dark and dark over light. It might be a good idea to use a little more logic in my decision making
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Friends

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12"X12" Oil on canvas I delivered this commission a few days ago but forgot to take a final photo before I let it go. I went over tonight and took a picture, not a very good reproduction because I had to adjust for the tungsten light. They say that they like it but it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I am not keen on commissions anyway, I tend to agonize too much. This one was especially hard because I had no good reference photos, just a bunch of snapshots, none of them showing the animals together. These are also the only "children" of a childless couple, so the pressure was really on. I already see lots of things I shold have done differently, but it is done now, thank heavens! To see WIP go here and here
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