Berthoud Pass sketch - day 11

Berthoud Pass, 9x12, oil on panel

The trail is bumpy to this the 11th day of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. I am behind in posting but not so far behind in actual paintings. I had planned to play a bit of catch up today on this blog but our internet was not cooperating so I have given up on that and just going with this one and moving forward from here. My goal for myself was to do at least 15 in the 30 days, and I think I will make it.

Even though these is not technically "finished" according to my definition, I am going to go ahead and post it for today. I like the energy and the movement that is going on. If I decide to "finish" it at some point along the way, I will re-post it. One of the things I want to work on for this challenge is to paint quickly, as if I were actually outdoors painting. I got this done in about 30". I am focusing on keeping it simple, loose and energetic. I tend to tighten up the more finished the painting is. I found a few artists whose work I like and I keep those images in my browser so I can check in from time to time. I want to do a bit more layering too. This canvas was coated in a yellow ocher. As I progress, I have a tendency to not let those prior colors show through as much as I intend. The ocher under painting surface was still slick from the oil gesso I have on it so the paint slides around quite a bit. It makes for interesting brush work.

FASO Featured Artists: Artist Victoria Ekelund | FineArtViews Blog by FASO

FASO Featured Artists: Artist Victoria Ekelund | FineArtViews Blog by FASO

Apples 3 to One

Apples Three to One, oil on panel, 6x8, $150

 Here is the 4th painting for the 30 paintings in 30 day challenge. This may be harder than I expected. Although I did not have high expectations to painting every day, I have been painting every day thus far. What is going to be my downfall is photographing and posting every day. I just don't want to take the time it takes to do that on top of everything else. I mainly use natural lighting for photographing my art work. Being that I currently go to and come home from work in the dark this is going to present a problem. I had anticipated this so what I am thinking is that I just may not post during the week much. I will post when I can and will probably skip those days paintings altogether. I am sure I hear a big sigh of relief that you want be bothered with daily posts for a month!

I had already painted today's painting when I wrote yesterday's post so it has 4 apples. I promise that tomorrow's posting is not fruit or has 5 of any one thing in it! It really was just by serendipity that these past three days worked out this way. I set these little gems onto my laptop stand and did this quick little still life.

http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/2015/01/thirty-paintings-in-30-days-day-four.html

Blue and Orange

Painting 3 in the 30 paintings in 30 days. How fitting to have 3 oranges. This was not intentional! I will be off the fruit soon. Since I am also incorporating painting fast into this exercise I am keeping it simple; although sometimes simple does not mean easy! To make a simple composition interesting can be a challenge. I am not saying that these paintings are fine examples of that, just an exercise to get me thinking more about this without thinking about it, so to speak!

This painting is again painted on top of another.  It is meant to improve on what came before. The original and the new are not all that different on this particular painting. I used the same composition, same bowl but of course, different oranges and lighting conditions, as is to be expected. I did not date the original but I am guessing it was two years old. The color theory is blue and orange or complimentary colors.

http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/2015/01/thirty-paintings-in-30-days-day-three.html

Painting 2, Pear Deux

Pear Deux, 6x8 oil on panel

Another painting painted atop another. The original painting was not too exciting. It was a single pear set atop this same book, a book on Richard Diebenkorn. I was trying to think more abstractly, but this piece still came out more on the realistic side. So be it. It may go through another metamorphosis in the days to come. I am enjoying painting atop not so wonderful paintings of mine. I normally would sand them down and then apply gesso to get back to pure white, but I won't be doing much of that anymore. This process is helping me to understand layering of paint, values and color. I have struggled with that for years. That was what was so magical about the painting yesterday.

As promised, here is the link to the 30 paintings in 30 days event. http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.com/2015/01/thirty-paintings-in-30-days-day-two.html

Day One - Abstract with Pears

Abstract with Pears, 6x6, oil on panel

Ok, so the object of this exercise is to have fun yet paint a painting per day for 30 days. One of my painter friends had posted on Facebook that she had signed on for this event. I decided to check it out and then signed up for it, too. Only because it is not a hard and fast rule that you have to do 30 paintings; the idea is to just get motivated and at your easel more. I don't normally paint during the work week since I still have a day job and I am tired when I get home. But I know I can do it, so I am going to use this as way to at least have a reason to try to paint after dinner. If other obligations get in the way or I am just too tired to think, I will give myself that opt out too. I gathered a bunch of small panels together as I know I can paint a small panel easily.

I painted these pears that were in my refrigerator for day one. The panel I chose had a bad abstract attempt already on it and it just seemed apropos to a quick fun sketch on top of it as I sure had nothing to lose! I am actually quite pleased with it. These paintings will be for sale so if you are interested just let me know.

Apparently over 800 artists have signed up for this challenge from all over the world. I will include the link to that blog on subsequent postings related to this challenge.

In Her Father's Footsteps

In her Father's Footsteps or Budding Artist, 24x18, oil on panel

Happy New Year! A great year has ended and I am excited by what 2015 will reveal. 

You may remember this painting from a post a month ago when it was painted as dark/light pattern. I have since moved it into local tone. So three values as opposed to two. It did not take much to do that and I like it better. Mainly the wall is a darker value so it does not blend in with the paper white edge of the painting on the wall. It helps to carve out her apron more as well. The rug is darker so now the paper towels on the floor read as another value. A bit lighter values are also on the stool and taboret and called it done!

I have signed up  to do 30 paintings in 30 days starting today! It is highly unlikely I will do 30 paintings in 30 days but I figure the chances are better if I sign up for it than if I don't. Even if I get half done I will consider it a success. I will be posting the paintings here and on the blog where over 800 artists from around the world will also be posting.  See you soon!