Portrait

Hi Everyone,  I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.  I painted this today, it is in oil on a 8 X 10 Raymar panel.  A couple of weeks ago Susan Carlin painted this little girl on her Ustream show.  It is a photo taken from the Wetcanvas photo library.  This is a different photo of the same little girl and I just loved the one Susan did so I wanted to try my hand at it.  I did take on a last minute commission right before Christmas and I am buying myself a studio easel with the money, woo hoo!  Love new art supplies!  Happy New Year to all of you. 

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Another Flapper, Oil 8 X 10

Here is another flapper dressed in her holiday red.  Trying some new things when taking my photos,  this one I shot using a daylight lamp so there is some glare on it.  Have to be good at so many things to be a artist.  Photography, framing,  business and of course be able to paint a bit, and I'm sure I am forgetting some.  I can't believe this year is almost over,  time goes so fast.  It has been a wonderful year and part of that comes from this blog.  I enjoy it so much and I appreciate all of the people that check in on me.  I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday! 

Different Strokes Challenge

Merry Christmas,  Well this is my painting for Karin Jurick's challenge.  I was sent a photo of a sweet looking lady.  I painted her twice actually.  The first time was a 8 X 10 and I didn't quite get the tilt of her head right and it made her face look too wide.  So I thought I would try it again,  why not,  I had time and it's good practice.  So this one is a 6 X 6 masonite panel and I think it is more painterly and a better likeness of her.  I like to thin down my paint and sketch the likeness on,  I get a lot of satisfaction doing it that way.  Well it will be interesting to see her likeness of me,  Karin said we can swap them later on if we want to.  Hope she wants this, lol.  I decided to add the photo reference I worked from,  I like to see what others are working from.  Soooo here it is for your viewing pleasure. 

Different Strokes Challenge

Hi,  I painted this today.  This is for Karin Jurick's different strokes challenge.  She posted a photo of a pair of work boots and wanted us to do whatever we wanted with the image.  When I saw the boots this is what came to mind to paint.  I had  fun painting it. This is in oil on a 8 X 10 canvas panel.  

The Party Dress

Happy Holidays ,  Christmas is almost here,  hard to believe.  As usual I am not ready but I will be, I always am somehow.   I started this on Monday morning and thought it was finished Monday evening,  signed it and everything.  I decided after that it wasn't finished and I re-painted her face.  I think it might be good to not be in such a hurry to post my paintings and make myself look at them for a few days.  I really like to paint wet into wet and try to finish them quickly but quickly isn't always good.  Soooo I may start posting a couple a week instead of one every couple of days and slow down and decide if I am really happy with them.  This is in oil on a 11 X 14 Raymar panel. 

Visit with Santa-re-worked

Hello,  After I posted this last time I just didn't like the way the little boy looked.  So as you can see I painted over his face.   His face was too long and I just didn't like his smug little look, lol.  So I think it's better,  hope you do too.  Hope your Christmas chores are going well. 

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Visit with Santa

Hi Everyone,  I painted this yesterday on a 8 X 10 Raymar panel.  Thought it would be fun to paint Santa,  and it was.  I need to get into the spirit of Christmas,  I haven't decorated,  done cards or even shopped much at all.  This week I pledge to get into the spirit, lol.  Wish me luck. 

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Big Red Hat

Hi All,  I started this little gal yesterday morning and then finished her last night.  She is in oil on a 9 X 12 Raymar panel.  Portraits seem to be all I'm interested in painting lately,  oh well.  Just go with it, right?  Hope you like her. 

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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!

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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

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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

1. Karen Hargett

2. Pat Meyer

3. Laine Lea

4. Sheila Vaughan

5. Jeff Hayes

6. Dean Haven

7. Debra Sepos

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, ...

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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? 

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Slide Show

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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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!

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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

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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. 

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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

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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.

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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?

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Still life

Hi there,  I painted this on Monday morning with my group.  I set up a still life and most of the gals painted or sketched it.  Still lifes are really great practice I think,  good for everyone no matter what your interest is.  This is in oil on a 9 X 12 Raymar panel.  I have started a large canvas,  large for me 24 X 30.  I'm taking progress shots and will post them at some point.  I am painting one of John Singer Sargeant's works, Lady Agnew.  I probably won't try to copy it just use it for inspiration. Happy painting.

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My Grandmother

Hello,  I went from a portrait of a very young girl to a portrait of a very old woman.  This is my 95 year old grandmother.  She lives in a nursing home near by and they have a red hat club there.  I thought this was a cute picture of her and I plan to give her the painting for Christmas.  This is in oil on a 8 X 10 canvas panel. I plan to take a still life set up on Monday for my group to paint,  time for a fall still life with pumpkins, gourds and mums.  My husband and I are going to an outside Halloween party Saturday night.  We are dressing like a couple from the eighties,  he is dressing like Don Johnson from Miami Vice and I am dressing like Madonna.  Not Madonna with cones but how she looked when she started out, lol.  Have a great weekend.

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Girl with hat

Hi there,  I painted this a few days ago,   the image is from Wetcanvas but I did make a few changes.  Really great name,  had to come up with something????  This is in oil on a 8 X 10 canvas panel.  Thanks!

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Landscape

Hello, I painted this landscape in oil on a 8 x 10 canvas panel. I just jump from subject to subject, I just seem to love painting everything and I guess that's ok. I have had a couple of days on my new Mac and so far I like it. I have figured out lots of things but there is more to learn. It even has a camera on it and I can make movies, cool. Think I'll start posting on Ebay again tomorrow night, need to move some paintings. Have a good day! SOLD

Ancestor

Hello, I painted this from a black and white photo from a book on the old west. I thought she was interesting. This is in oil on a 11 X 14 canvas panel. I purchased a new computer yesterday, my old one is a 6 year old Dell. I guess that is old for a computer and it has been driving me crazy. I splurged and bought a Mac, everyone kept saying "buy a mac". So I hope I love it, it is a laptop and that should be handy. Have a great weekend.

Madison, Indiana

Hi, I painted this small painting from a photo I took this summer. We visited a very quaint town called Madison, Indiana. It is full of wonderful houses and lots of great architecture. This is in oil on a 5 X 7 canvas panel and is available for purchase. Yesterday was my birthday and I had a very nice day. Painted in the morning, hung out with my grandson in the afternoon and then out to dinner. Hope you have a wonderful day

Jazz man

Hi, My husband and I attended a jazz festival a few weeks ago. The main reason I went was to try to get some good photos. I just love people watching, this gentleman was on stage and the light was hitting him. I thought I would see lots of cool looking dudes playing horns but this is as close as I got, lol. This is in oil on a 8 X 10 canvas panel.

Girl on the beach

Hi there, Susan Carlin painted live on Ustream last Sunday as she does most Sundays. Anyway she painted this same thing of course in her own style which is fantastic. The reference came from Wetcanvas and several of us decided to paint our version of it too. I think she'll be posting all of the different artist's painting of this same image on her blog this weekend. This is in oil on a 6 X 6 masonite panel. I wanted the image to be loose and impressionistic. The photo we painted from was pretty dark and hard to see details in the shadow. I always find it interesting to see how different artist's handle the same reference photo. This is available for purchase if you are interested let me know. Thanks so much

Sweet Face

Hi, I painted this last week. Susan Carlin used the same reference photo on her live Ustream show a couple of weeks ago. This is a photo from Wetcanvas.com a great resource for uncopyrighted photos. I just loved this sweet little face and wanted to give it a try too. This is in oil on a 8 X 10 canvas panel. See you soon

My Grandson

Hi, I tried my hand at a portrait again. Something about portraits once you try one they keep calling you back. This is in oil on a 8 X 10 Raymar panel. May frame it and give it to my daughter for Christmas, have to look at it for a while to decide if it's just right. Tried to think about the things I have learned about portraits, no hard edges, warm shadows and cool highlights etc. etc......

Still life, blue & white vase

Hi, I set up this still life on Monday morning for my group, I really love blue & white. I think I am pretty happy with this, I had put gesso with red acrylic paint on the canvas and of course it came out pink. Anyway the pink canvas showed through a bit on the vase and I think it gave it a nice glow. It's in oil on a 8 X 10 canvas panel. Quickly turning into fall here in Ohio, I like fall but not the winter weather that follows. brrrr. Happy painting. SOLD

Studio Sale

Hi, As you can see I have several paintings listed here with the buy now option. From time to time I will be doing this trying to clear out my studio a bit. I photographed all of them in a frame so you can see how nice they look that way but they do not come with a frame. This painting is called Reflections, it is in oil on a 5 X 7 canvas panel. It is $10 plus $5 shipping for a total of $15. I only ship within the continental U.S. Thanks so much

Studio Sale continued

Hi, This painting is in oil on a 8 X 10 canvas panel, it does not come framed. This painting is called Sunset in the water and is $15 plus $5 shipping for a total of $20. You can purchase this painting using the buy now button and I only ship within the continental U.S. Thanks so much

Studio Sale continued

This next painting is in oil on a 6 X 8 Raymar panel. It is called Small Floral and is $12 plus $5 shipping for a total of $17. It does not come framed and I ship only within the continental U.S. You can purchase this through paypal with the buy now button. Thanks

Studio Sale continued

This painting is in oil on a 6 X 8 Raymar panel, it does not come framed. You can purchase this through paypal with the buy now button and I only ship within the continental U.S. This painting is called Silver & Grapes and is $15 plus $5 shipping for a total of $20. Thanks

Studio Sale

Hi All, I've decided it is time to clean out the old studio, from time to time I'll be posting a batch of paintings like this. If you like original art at a great price now is the time. I photographed all of the paintings in a frame so you could see how nicely they look framed however they do not come framed. You will need a paypal account to purchase and I only ship within the continental U.S. Thanks so much! The first painting is a 6 X 8 oil painting on a Raymar panel and it is called Tea Time. It is $15 plus $5 shipping for a total of $20.

Tools of the trade

Hi everyone, I thought from time to time I would post some of the tools I use to assist me in painting, tools of the trade so to speak. The first is one I use all of the time, it could possibly be free if you happen to have one around the house. One of my teachers put me on to this, it's a picture frame mat. In the first photo you can see how I cut the mat at the corners so you have one long side and one short side on each piece. The second photo I show you sizing it to match the shape of your canvas. The third photo shows me looking through it at my still life set up to determine how it will look on my canvas as far as composition goes. You can use this outside to narrow down your view and pick a suitable landscape for your canvas. The last photo shows how I use it most, I crop photos with it. Again adjust it to the shape of your canvas and move it around on your photo to crop and get the best composition. Also I'm sure you can see my messy studio in the background. I am planning to have a "cleaning out the studio sale" soon. So check back for that, I'll have original art at very reasonable prices. I hope the mat idea is new for some of you and I'll follow it up with a few others. Barb