Orange and Spoon

1/31/10 "Orange and Spoon", Oil, 12" x 8"

I wanted to experiment with this color scheme one more time--high key with predominantly warm colors--pinks, oranges, yellows and violets.  I really saturated the oranges in the foreground to create more movement.  I find it a strange color scheme and wonder what you think about it.

White Bottle with Apple

1/30/10 "White Bottle with Apple", Oil, 12" x 8"
This painting started out as an exercise in close values, but then it got more interesting when it became about color. Warm colors are definitely dominant in this painting.

Greens

1/29/10 "Greens", Oil, 12" x 8"

I am still on the red and green theme, but this time it is more about greens.

Red and Green

1/28/10 "Red and Green", Oil, 10" x 8"

The goal with this painting was to not forget to keep enough paint in the mixing area of my palette in order to load the brush for every stroke, and I mean really load it.  Mostly it's "taking the easy way out" that prevents me from doing this, for example, by not putting enough paint out in the first place, using paint from two days ago that is starting to dry, not stopping to put new paint out when a particular color is used up, substituting one color for another when the color I really want to use is gone.  I saw all these tendencies with this painting, so I'm hoping this confession will have a salutary impact.

White Peony - SOLD

1/27/10 "White Peony", Oil, 10" x 8"

This painting was about values.  I wanted to get the peony to look white, so I had to surround it with mid value gray. 

Study with Yellows

1/26/10 "Study with Yellows", Oil, 12" x 9"
I tortured myself working again on a slick canvas.  A few years ago I painted on this type canvas but used Liquin to fix the darks.  Since I don't use Liquin any longer, its a lot easier to paint on an absorbent ground.

Yellow Roses

1/25/10 "Yellow Roses", Oil, 12" x 8"

A painting on smooth oil primed linen.  I am testing different canvases for a trip.  But I still prefer an absorbent ground.  This painting was a problem in values, since they were close, but in order to get to values that worked, half way through painting it, I had to switch to a limited palette to remove variables.  The palette was Quin Violet, Cad Yellow Light, Cad Yellow Deep, Cad Green, Titanium White and Ivory Black--sort of a split complementary palette.

Study in Grays

1/24/10 "Study in Grays", Oil, 11" x 9"

This was painted on a heavy duty oil primed canvas, unlike the museum board I usually use with an acrylic gesso.  So it was not as absorbent.  Will have to experiment more to get the feel for it.  Without painting every detail and every petal, I am trying to understand how to paint flowers--and it is hard but I am determined to master it.  Its all about warm and cool colors.  Suggestions are welcome!