Changes To The Stargazer Lily Painting

This is the current look of the painting after the knife work.

This was the previous look. The sky had no texture and the color was too cool.

These photos show various stages of re working the sky with lighter, brighter colors reflecting the colors of the flowers. it is adding a lot of energy and life to the painting.

Now, of course I've decided that I want to change the painting again I'm sure that you're sure I've lost my mind but I was loving the look of the lilies up against the grass so much that I decided to pull the viewer back into the yard and work plants over where the sky had been.

I think I'm really going to like it when I get finished with it. What do you think?

I'm much happier with the painting now. It seems to make the flowers stand up better against the background and give the composition a nice contrast and balance.

Teaching Myself Something New - Sailboat Painting From A Book

 As I struggled along with the water lily paintings it occurred to me that I could really use some help so I purchased a book from the Walter Foster Artist in Training program called "You Can Paint Like The Masters" Splatter, splash, and swirl your way through history's greatest art movements - step by easy step! by Amy Runyen and the creative team at Walter Foster.

This Sailboat was the first painting in the section called "Paint Like an Impressionist"

I of course put my own spin on things and added some of my own touches but I highly recommend this book. the instructions were so fast and easy that I started the painting one day and finished it the next.

A energetic and healthy person could probably finish it in just one session.

Still Playing in the Water Lilies

 This canvas has been in the works for several years now but it wasn't until a couple of months ago that I decided to turn it into a water lily painting.

The main problem with this is that I've only seen real ones a few times and never from very close up.

I've tried to remember but it's too many decades ago so I looked at books and videos with varying results.

Yet I kept painting...

This painting was a long process but I really enjoyed it.  So far this is the most heavily textured pieces I've ever done and was quite a challenge.

It never quite turned out the way that I wanted it to but really gave me s chance to try a lot of new things. and the best thing about it is that it gives me something bright and cheerful to look at through the winter.

Winter Lettuce

 

As I checked the tank on the planter this morning i was surprised to see it full of roots! This top picture was taken after I had cut about 2 inches off of the roots so they would stop wandering places that they weren't supposed to go.

Here you can see how lush and long the roots had grown before I trimmed them.

The lettuce just keeps coming. it's at the point now where it needs t o be used or clipped back every day to keep it out of the lights and as you can imagine, I'm VERY happy about that.

Blick Studio Acrylic Paints, Getting Started

 The Road To Water Lilies:

After 40 years of using the same acrylic paints I was unsure about changing brands but when this sample kit brought the price down to less than a dollar per tube I couldn't resist the urge to try it out.

It's been a very pleasant surprise so far.

 

I had started this painting back in 1991 and decided to paint out the large tree that dominated it with the new paints. I was very pleased with both the way the paint went on and the way it really covered the old work.

I don't know which way this painting is going but I know I  have enough paint to get me there. And I'm really enjoying working with these new paints.

            The Painting Takes A Surprising Turn:

Whenever an image starts to appear I'm never sure whether to bring it out or keep on painting until it disappears again. What are your opinions on the subject?

I'm assuming this was the result of all of the chaos going on in the world these days. What do you think?

Whatever it is, I kind of like it and will set it aside until it calls to me again.

It turns out that the painting won't stop calling me:

I took detail photos of each section of the painting  to evaluate what I had and where to go next.

This section of the painting was well on it's way to becoming an abstract expressionist painting in it's own right but then I'd either had to cut the painting or work over the figure in the corner.

 I took my lead from the serenity of the character and have decided to put a water lily pond behind her.

Follow along and discover it with me. Grab your brushes and paint along.

 

First I roughed in the shape and location of the flowers with painting knives and my fingers.

Next I mixed a thinner white paint and refined the shapes of the petals.

After that it was just a matter of adding some pinks and reds to make them stand out.

Here I've begun making changes with the lily pads.

There were too many lily pads and not enough open water so I began painting over some of the flowers and the lily pads.

 

Already you can see a difference from opening up the water area.

I kept removing more flowers and lily pads.

Each step of the way I liked it more and more.

This has been a very long process and may go on for years but it is reassuring to know that I will always have this painting to run away into whenever real life gets to difficult or complicated. It is truly my ''Happy

 Place". THANK YOU MR. MONET. You changed my life.

No matter which way I changed the lily pads and flowers they just didn't feel right so  I took them all out and started over.

Before I did that I went back I watched all the video that I could to see how real waterlilies look and grow. No way to make mistakes then.