My Painting Process
My Painting Process presents insights, techniques, materials and behind-the-scenes looks of how my artwork develops and comes to life.
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Special Supper
I choose to paint Special Supper because I felt I needed a challenge! Jeepers! Designing a poured watercolour around lobsters sitting on a lobster platter may not have been my smartest move. Wing and a prayer The thing is, I could see the finished painting in my mind. Which when you start a painting I think you you should be able to do. Breaking the colours out into layers in this case was very complex especially since the painting is basically monochromatic. And red. Once the values started to get deeper, I actually lost my roadmap. I was unable to distinguish between critter and platter. You see, both the real…
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Early wrap to this years challenge
Although this challenge is still ongoing, I am quite done for this year. I managed to complete 17 paintings since it began, but you see a surprise early arrival had me packing up my bags and flying off to Calgary! My beautiful new grandson Henry was born a few weeks early! And so I said to heck with the challenge and hopped on the first available flight. And I do have a few more on the easel waiting for my return. This is the fifth time that I have participated in a 30 Day Challenge. You can see my previous efforts here. With each challenge I like to have a…
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Week 3 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge
I have learned so much with this challenge. It was not enough to commit to a painting a day – I felt the need to add a layer of complexity by adding in a medium that I feel that I am just beginning to understand. I am an oil painter that needs to allow for dry time for glazing. Alla prima is really maybe not my thing – but feel i have been successful with my attempt. Day 11 – Lunch on the Bar The photo does not do this painting justine. The feathers on the bird are quire detailed. What I am finding is that it is difficult to…
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On Watch
It is that time of year when I feel like I disappear. I have secret commissions that I am working on and of course, am unable to share. I can share my most recent acrylic painting of a crow – On Watch From how do I do this – to I got this When exploring in Rockwood Park in Saint John, NB last year, I happened upon this crow perched on a rock framed by two tree trunks. I knew instantly that I planned on painting this scene. I took a few reference photos… until my subject flew away. Only the tree trunks that drew me in felt like brackets…
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Country Garden Favourite
Country Garden Favourite is a traditionally painted watercolour of hollyhocks. Hollyhocks and mallow were a couple of my mother’s favourite flowers. And I guess, seeing them through her eyes as a child helped me to gain an appreciation for them as well. I always associate them with an old fashioned country garden. I truly love these blooms for their beauty and the nostalgia. No wonder I love to paint them. They bring me back to Cape Breton Good memories. Salty air. Sunshine. Wonderful memories of a place that was truly wonderful to be a child in. The beauty of blue There is another flower that takes me back there as…
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Sunshine and Shadows floral painting
This sunshine filled floral painting makes me happy. It’s funny, whenever I think I am finished a painting I will often have self doubt. That was the case with this one. I decided to set it aside for awhile and went upstairs to start supper. When I went back into the studio it stopped me in my tracks. It was glowing as luminous as I had hoped it would be! The yellows so sunny and yummy. Poured or sprayed paintings I approached this painting slightly differently by spraying the paint onto the wet surface. I actually thought that it may be less messy. Boy, was I wrong. The coloured mist…
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The Pond in Mid Summer
Fear factor The Pond in MidSummer may be compete!I feel like I have been working on this for such a long time.. and I have…so challenging. Monochromatic Greens Painting with green in acrylic are also quite the challenge. The colours are never quite what you expect. And then they dry darker. Greens in watercolour are so much easier. There is no standardization in colours between brands. Sap green in one brand may be garish and in another almost olive. What the heck. That brings me to the colour I love to hate. Viridian! It is up there with the ever challenging cerulean (in watercolour) . Vididean is neon, unforgiving…
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Rhodo Rhapsody
I little over a year ago, I was out walking along the seawall in Vancouver when I came across this amazing rhododendron. It literally stopped me in my tracks. And as good fortune would have it, I happened to have my camera with me. Pure rhododendron rhapsody. The Vancouver difference They grow to be quite huge in Vancouver – everything grows to be quite huge in Vancouver and, they have so many varieties. I had never seen this one before ever. It is amazing. I took many photos knowing I would one day be painting it. I have since noticed that the nurseries in the Maritimes are now carrying them.…
