Joy 23

 

 

6" X 6" on Gessoboard

 

Oil Sticks

 

I am having a massive painter's block at the moment. Oh, how I want to paint and I go to my art space and then just walk away. I have loads of images of inspiration and not one motivates me enough to paint it. I wake up each day hoping that that would be the day my block would end. It's very depressing as I can't seem to shake it...until I forced myself to paint for love. For the love of my middle child, as I saw her swinging in the playground, with her beautiful curls just swaying in the breeze. So, this was the painting that I made after the long period of nothing. When I mean nothing, I mean nothing good. I have tried but without that feeling of success. It has been one flop after another. My frustration just adding up until a very bright light went off in my head!

I backed myself up into a corner that I can't seem to get out of! I did it all by myself, no one to blame.

So here is what I think has happened.

 

 

In April, I turned forty. Yes, yes, I know, it's just a number. But I kept feeding myself this mumble jumble that by now, I should be a much better artist than what I am. I should have a technique, a style and a name for myself. And if I don't have any of that, then why is a forty year old woman painting anyway. I mean, I am just wasting my time. There are plenty of artists out there, the world does not need another one. Sigh.  So, while these thoughts were swirling in my head, I decided to gift myself two very good art technique books. I devoured them! I loved them! I said that I was going to be them! How wrong I was. I tried to use the techniques in these books. I tried to paint frequently. But I kept failing. I was painting them, their techniques and not me. I got lost. I am lost. Not only did I lose my own desire to paint what I wanted, every single time I tried to paint on this gessobord, the paint kept coming right off! I would put a color down with a paint stick and then the next stroke would just pick up the color I just had put down. I literally began hitting the gessobord with my paint stiks. Beating the board until the colors stayed. Which they didn't. So, I threw in the towel. My stomach turned any time I thought of painting on these boards. Sure, I could have tried another support, like canvas or paper but my mind was stuck on this gessoboard! The two authors of the books used it so why couldn't I?  So, that's what happened. I stopped painting. I moped. I hoped. I did anything else but paint. Then, the light went on in my head! I can google my problem!! So funny. So I searched and searched. It took two days for my answer. Apparently some times, something happens to the chemistry of the gessoboard and the plastic covering that it comes in. This is not factual but an opinion of a person with my similar experience. That person suggested priming the gessoboard with a mixture of alcohol and water before painting. It worked for that person. Oh boy, did I prime the surface!  It worked!! I can't explain why or how, but it worked. I don't know if the alcohol/water mixture will mess with the oils but I don't care. I can paint on this gessoboard that all these artists paint on! I let the mixture dry of course, before I paint but I prime that baby really well. I don't know how I feel about this painting. I kept seeing pink and my daughter togeterhr, so I went with it. I still feel lost, but I will deal with that day by day. Hopefully, I will come back and be proud of what I make again.

Round Robin 2015

My long time art friend and I decided to do a 10 page round robin that will most likely be a two year project! What I love about this round robin is that we both have different styles and we will be challenging each other with each page. This was my first painting. I challengened her to paint the back of the chipboard page with the challenge of painting a window or door. I can't wait to see what she creates. As soon as she posts her page with her challenge, I will link to her blog so you can look at her first page. It's so exciting!
Here is the link to her page, round robin.

Vintage Kitchen 22

 

6" X 6"

 

Oil Sticks on Gessobord

 

 

I have come to the realization that with oil sticks, you need two to three days to finish a painting. Especially, the small details and highlights. The jury is still out on this painting. I wanted the focal point to be the stove and I think I accomplished that. I also worked on perspective and depth. I feel the colors are off but I am done tweaking and adding color. The picture that inspired me was a really dark picture with lots of shadows. I don't like dark. 

 

In other news, I am involved in a round robin that I will be posting the first painting tomorrow. Details coming real soon!

DPW 21

6 X 6 inches 

Oil sticks on gessobord

This was daily paintworks challenge for this week. It was very hard for me!! 

I don't know how I feel about it still. My heart is not singing with delight but there is something about it that peaks my interest in it.

Challenge 20

Sold 

6 X 6 On Gessoboard

 $30 US Currency (email if interested)

R&F oil sticks and Shiva Paintstiks

This painting was done for the Daily Paintworks challenge. I have always been intimidated to do one but I loved the challenge so I decided to take a chance.

I used oil sticks with my small palette knife. This was my second painting using gessoboard and the R&F oil sticks. The first painting, I had a hard time with the smooth surface of the gessoboard. I had very little control. I am used to being rough with the paint and pushing it around so when the paint glided on this surface so easily, I was instantly nervous! But for this painting, I can already feel my comfort level increasing as I was quickly able to glide the paint to where I wanted! What scared me at first, thrilled me later!  The paint also mixed nicely, as well as was able to layer paint easily. So, as I get used to the new surface, I can tell you that I am going to love it! As for the R&F oil sticks, they are amazing. A little bit goes a long way. They mix beautifully with the Shiva paintstiks and glide right under my palette knife. I do have much less control with them as they seem to melt right onto the surface. But like anything, there is a learning curve. 

Beach 19

6 X 6 on gessoboard

R&F and Shiva oil sticks

I painted a photo I took last summer of two of my kids.

I used a few new things. Gessoboard, R&F oil sticks and color shapers. I will paint a second

painting before I post my thoughts. More to follow.

Accomplished 18

6 X 6 inches

OIl stick on paper

I have had a terrible cold so I took a paint-cation! I forced myself to paint finally! 

Rearrange 17

6.5 X 6.5 Inches

Oil on paper

I cleaned the house today. I moved things around, organized, you name It! So I decided why not paint a few dress forms in front of a sofa. I used a photo reference for color guidance and placement. I love dress forms. I always have and now I am giving myself permission to paint them!

This house 16

6.5 X 6.5 inches

Oil Sticks on Art board

Have you heard of the morguefiles?  it's a website that lets you download copyright free images! I search there a lot for inspiration. I found this little barn on there and just wanted to paint it.



This is the actual picture from morguefiles.

I had fun painting it. I used my palette knife to mix the clouds, as well as scratch into the house to add a bit of definition. I like it. Not love it but like it. I would love to take a peak inside.

Magic happens 15

6.5 " X 6.5 "

Oil stick on paper

I don't know what it is about paper that I feel I can paint freely. Perhaps, the oil sticks go on better? Or, that I really always wanted to paint a dress form. Love. Better painting picture to follow.

Hanging out 14

 

 

6.5" X 6.5"

 

Oil Sticks on Art Board

 

 

I love hanging things. These hanging mugs were just perfect! I was mentally struggling with making them look realistic vs. painterly expressive. In the end I just painted. That inner critic has to chime in somehow. 

Learn 13

6.5" X  6.5

 

Oil Sticks on Art Board

 

Some paintings don't always turn out great but you learn a lot from them. This is one of them. As I am not all that happy with it, I learned a few things that are essential to painting with Shiva paintstiks.  I am finding that with oil sticks, blocking in the lights first will yield brighter lights then trying to get them on top of a darker color. So, when I put down a light color, I have to leave it alone, unless I intend to darken it for a shadow. Which also makes me have to think about where I place my colors rather then just diving in. I work mostly intuitively which works most of the time but there is always that sometime that it doesn't. So, thinking about the placement of the paint is worth doing more often. Since they are oil sticks, I mix colors right on the surface, which I love but some colors don't mix well, and don't yield the same color that I am looking for. On that not, I must do color mixing experiments with the shiva paintstiks! I will make a color wheel with them to see which colors mix the best and keep as a reference. Note to self: google that before attempting. The work may have already been done and I won't have to waste paint on it. If not, go and do it.

 

 Have you noticed my last three painting have my initials on them? Yea, baby!

Doctor 12

6.5" X 6.5"

Oil Sticks on Art Board

This is a painting of my doctors hallway.  I really really like this painting! I like the walls and the texture. The sun coming in on the floor. I am happy with it.



It also helped getting through my doctors appointment as I dreamed of painting this. Must do again.

Signature 11

6.5" X 6.5 "

 

Oil Sticks on Art Board

 

 

I always forget to put down my signature. Well, honestly, it's not that I forget but rather I feel that my signature takes away from the painting. I mean, who wants to see my signature, right? I have been reading lately that a signature is actually very important to a painting. It makes the painting official, either it be initials or a full name, it should be included. So I am making a conscious effort to include my initials in my paintings from here on out. I can't believe how hard it was! My initials are in the bottom right hand corner of this painting. Funny, the "s" seems cropped out! I didn't do that on purpose, I swear! Even while posting this picture, I seem to be having trouble with showing my initials. That's telling isn't it? Well, it's there. I am slowly getting used to it. 

 I really like this painting. Even though I live in Florida, I haven't been to the beach since August. I should be ashamed of myself! The beach is calling me. I can hear it in the waves of this painting. I can see myself sitting in the yellow chair under the umbrella. I prefer the shade. I am not a fan of the sun so you will rarely catch me sunbathing but rather under an umbrella people watching. Well, watching my kids is more like it.

 

I will see you soon, beach! 

Reflections 10

 

 

6.5 " X 6.5 "

 

Oil Sticks on Art Board

 

Okay, so I tried a figure finally. I instantly noticed that my hands gripped the oil sticks harder, and my mind wants to make details. I wanted to accomplish so many things with this little painting. That's my problem when it comes to figures. I want it all....color, emotion, detail, vagueness, expression. I quickly became exhausted with the painting and called it done. I like some parts of it. The parts I left alone, like the back of her neck.  I  wish I would've left the painting alone instead of dulling the colors. I have to try this again soon.

On a positive note, this is my tenth post! Yippee for me!!



By the Window 09

 

6.5" X 6.5"

 

Oil Sticks on Art board

 

 

I have this pretty vase on a table in my home that I have been wanting to paint so I finally got a chance too! I allowed myself to change the colors of the walls and floor since my real home colors are boring. I like the picture. I may do it again and work on the table some more as the perspective is off. I did accomplish transparent window curtains by gently adding a white oil stick on top of the bottom paint. I like that part the best and excited that I did it in one sitting. 

Red Flowers 08

Sold

6.5" X 6.5"

Oil Sticks on Art Board

I know. Green again. But I am very pleased with this painting! I used my viewfinder again. Used a copyright free picture as my reference and propped up the viewfinder to the Ipad. It just makes it easier to place objects in relation to each other. I am finding painting scenes of interiors very enjoyable. It's hard for me to find references that I like or find interesting enough to paint though. Always a critic....gotta do something about that.

Daisies 07

Sold
6.5" X 6.5 "

Oil Sticks on Art Board

My husband gave the girls and I these beautiful daisies. I used one of the viewfinders I made to look for a nice composition. I am definitely warming up to the viewfinder. It's actually quite fun!  I love the way they came out! I did have to wait an hour to put down the last whites on the daisies. That's the best part with these Shiva Paintstiks. I usually complete a painting in one sitting but if I need the picture to pop with a little color, I wait about 40 minutes to an hour to add the color I want. The oil paint is still wet but I can go in and mark the painting with the color I want and it stands out. The wait is not long so I don't feel its cheating. 

In Time 06

 

6.5" X 6.5"

Oil Sticks on Art Board

 

I am working on color combos. It's a bit funky but I like it. I used my palette knife to make marks, which I am loving. I have abandoned my brushes but so far I am not missing them...yet.

Pretty in Pink 05

 

6.5 " X 6.5"

Oil Sticks
 

I am stuck on pink for some reason. I have cut some art board down to 6.5 X 6.5". It's pretty hard for me to do with my elbows locking and hurting so much. There has to be an easier way to cut these art boards without a blade. A scissor is horrible too. Anyway, I made my first viewfinder! Trying to get proportion  right but it feels too scientific for me. Something which I am not!  But I love the different views I get! I made several viewfinders in various sizes. I am getting the painting a figure bug again. I am thinking of taping the 6 X 6 viewfinder I made to a reference photo and have a go at it. I haven't done figures in so long, I am quite nervous. I just have to remember that they are shapes, just like this cup above. I like my cup. I feel I want to work on it some more, but I promised myself to stop and not go back to the painting. I want to see my improvements in a year and fiddling with it, is cheating. So, I am wrapping it up and putting it away as it is fully dry. I am finding that these Shiva oil sticks are not drying to the touch for me within 24 hours. It's my fault as I put it on very, very thick! But I like to move the paint around and scrape off with my palette knife.



Plum Orange 04

 

Oil Sticks

 

 

The flowers came easy. But oh, the color of the vase was so hard. I scraped off the color two times before got the color I liked. I find purple a hard color to match. 

Friendship 03

 

 

 

 

3 1/2' X 4" Painted border

 

Oil Sticks

 

After I painted this, I just didn't like it with a plain white border. I painted the border to match the painting. I like it so much better now. The edge of the border shows through, which I like too. It gives it more texture in my humble opinion. Its small enough to place the painting on a small display. I love windows.



Come On In 02

 

 

 

5 X 7 with 1/4 inch border
Paper
Oil Sticks


 

 

 



Beginnings 01

4 3/4" X 6 3/4" with 1/4" border
Oil Sticks on Paper

 These sunflowers in a vase were painted with Shiva Paintstiks. I love the ease of these oil sticks.