Available Paintings

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Another Flapper


I just love looking a photos of flappers on the internet.  They sure wore some wild hats and like this one they tied those huge bows in their hair.  This is in oil on a 9 X 12 Raymar panel.  Happy painting!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Portrait 11 X 14, oil


Happy Thanksgiving Everyone,  I painted this handsome gentleman this week.  It is from a small black and white photo out of a book on the old west.  I am new to portraits but I feel I'm improving with every one.  I'm learning to put more variety of color in the face and spending more time on the eyes. As you can see his one eye is in shadow. Hope you like him. I am thankful for so many things today and among them are the people that visit my blog. Have a wonderful day. Barb

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

I've been tagged

Hi,  I have been tagged by Bill Jones,  the craziest person I know in the blogging world.  He shares a blog with Lisa Towers and they both should write a book, such funny stuff.  Anyway their blog is called onpainting and you need to check it out.  When you are tagged you are supposed to write 7 unusual things about yourself,  give a link to the person that tagged you and then tag seven other painters and let them know. 
1. My husband and I have been married 26 years and in that time we have had 9 homes.
2. I am pretty good at refinishing dry wall and all types of home repairs,  we have remodeled several homes.
3. I married the first time at 16,  unusual or stupid???
4. I can moon walk,  remember when Michael Jackson did that, lol?
5. I have toes like fingers,  I can pick up things I drop and they came in handy to pinch my brothers and sisters with. 
6.  I used to play the organ,  I played in my brother's wedding. 
7.  We lived in a log house for several years,  we lived on top of a hill and could see about 20 miles in several directions. 
Now the 7 people I am tagging

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Flapper


Hi there,  I painted this yesterday in oil on a 8 X 10 canvas panel.  I painted it from a black and white photo taken from Wetcanvas.  I like her look.  Here is a description of a flapper just in case you are not familiar with the term.
Flapper - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The term flapper in the 1920s referred to a "new breed" of young women who wore short skirts, bobbed their hair, listened to the new Jazz music, ...

Friday, November 21, 2008

Sweet Chubby Face


Hi,  I painted this sweet little girl from an image on Wetcanvas.  I have really been enjoying painting little girls lately.  I feel like I haven't accomplished a lot this week.  I started a painting Monday of a man with dredlocks,  my first dreds, lol.   Anyway I worked on that painting two more times after that until last night when I wiped off the canvas.   I know it happens and I just have to move on.  Painting is so challenging and that is part of the draw to it I guess.  I did purchase a new dvd called Classical Portrait Painting with Lajos Markos. I have watched it twice,  he makes painting portraits look easy.  I guess if was it easy to do we wouldn't appreciate the paintings that seem to go right.  I hope you are a happy painter today, have to take it a day at a time don't we? 

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Lady Agnew is finished



Well she is finished. I put her into the frame I bought but I'll take it back out in a bit to varnish it.  I hung it in my bedroom , she is quite impressive because of the size.  It was a good experience, I could have projected the image on the canvas and there isn't anything wrong with that method. However I get some satisfaction knowing that I just sketched it on and made adjustments as I went along.  Again the canvas is 24 X 30, the largest I've painted.  I know she isn't exactly Sargeant's Lady Agnew but she is my version of it and that's ok.  A funny note,  this is the largest face I've painted and as I painted her eyes it was like she was looking at me, lol.  I carried my grandson in my studio to show him the painting and when we got very close to the painting he kind of gasped,  I think he felt she was looking at him too.  Hope you like it. 

Different Strokes


Hi,  I decided to paint Karin Jurick's challenge this week on Different Strokes for Different Folks.  She posted the photo upside down and you are supposed to paint it that way.  I have tried this before,  I think it's a good challenge.  The idea is to look at shapes and colors and not things. This is in oil on a 8 X 10 canvas panel,  the size I paint most often for some reason.  Fun to do and if you are an artist I recommend it. 

Thursday, November 13, 2008

More of Lady Agnew




Hi Everyone,  More work on my gal,  I painted the background and lots of other small things.  I see things that need work yet,  the arm on the chair isn't right and I may need to soften the edges of her face etc. etc.  I think I told you I bought a wonderful frame for it,  looking forward to finishing it.  Of course it will have to dry a while and then I'll put a coat of re-touch varnish on it before I frame it.  The never ending saga of Lady Agnew, lol. 

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Portrait 11 X 14


Good Morning,  I painted this yesterday,  completed most of it while painting with my Monday morning painting group. I normally don't know what I am going to paint until the night before unless of course we are doing a still life together.  This image came out of a book on the old west,  it was a small black and white image.  Have to make up your skin tones when you do this and sometimes there isn't good lights and shadows in the photo either. Anyway I think I'm pretty happy with this,  she has an interesting look I think.  This is in oils on a 11 X 14 canvas panel.  Have a great day!

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Back to Lady Agnew


Hi Everyone,  I just took this photo cleaned up my brushes and here I am,  bad photo as it is night time and bad lighting in my studio.  I have worked on her face,  dress, arms, jewelry and the chair.  The chair has been more challenging than everything else I think.  She sets in the corner of the chair so it's tricky to make it look that way. I bought a beautiful frame for her today,  when I'm finished I plan to hang it in my bedroom.  I know you can copy and sell old masters works as the copyright laws where not in effect then.  I have heard them referred to as safely dead, lol.  Anyone know just how far back you have to go to copy a painting and then be able to sell it?  Just curious as I may try this again.  Wait to judge her until I'm finished,  you know how it is ,you have to get away from it and then go back and play some more.  I'm enjoying the process and enjoying painting large like this.  Maybe I'll finish her this week. Happy painting

Friday, November 7, 2008

Still life


Hi,  My husband and I are heading out of town for a few days so I won't get to work on Lady Agnew for a few days.  I painted this still life a few days ago from a set up, it is in oil on a 8 X 10 panel. 

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

A bit more work




Hi,   I worked on my gal a bit more tonight.  I painted in her hair and worked on her dress some.  Trying hard to see the details in Sargeant's painting,  can't see much of her right hand and I think maybe she has a flower in her hand??? Maybe I'll go to work on the chair next,  still enjoying the process.  Thanks for stopping by

Monday, November 3, 2008

Worked on her dress


Hi,  I worked on her dress last night,  as always I may adjust it a bit.  Her arms are just brushed in,  as you can tell I did bring her left arm way down.  I appreciate all of you supporting me in doing this and I hope I don't disappoint.  See you soon.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Big Project




Hi everyone,  I have taken on a big project for me.  I am painting a 24 X 30 canvas and I am using one of John Singer Sargeant's paintings for inspiration.  The painting is Lady Agnew , I love Sargeant's works as I'm sure most of you do too. In my own defense,  I am painting from the monitor and when I zoom in things aren't quite as clear, excuses, lol.   I thought I would occasionally post a wip photo to let you know where I am,  I will be at this one for a while.  I gessoed the canvas and threw in a little red acrylic paint to give it some color.  I thinned down burnt umber and sketched the image on the canvas.  I can tell that my drawing is a bit off,  her left arm will have to come down a lot so I'll make adjustments as I paint.  So here are two photos, in the first I had started putting paint on her face and then remembered to photograph it.  The second is a close up of her face,  maybe still needs work.  Anyway I am having a great time and that's what counts,  painting should be fun. I'll paint small ones to post as I go along.  Wish me luck,  it's only paint, right?