New art update...

Some new artwork underway since the last time I posted!  Let me show you!!

This first one is called "Burning Bridges" and i finished it in the fall.  It's based on a picture I took of the sunset while going over a bridge near Newport, RI.  Don't worry...I wasn't driving! I love the vibrancy that came of the colors I used.  I always start very vibrant with my underpaintings.  I do have a step by step picture series to show how this painting came to life and will be posting that soon! It's NuPastel on 9x12 Colourfix paper.

This is my latest creation.  I'm not sure if it's completely done yet.  I love the color and the way the rocks came to life.  It's based on a picture from a couple summers ago of a beach in Clinton, CT.  I really liked the way the landscape framed the umbrella and decided to remove the inhabitants.  I'm not sure if I need to do anything to the far water underneath the trees... it looks a little pale to me, but I don't want to lose the depth of the painting. I don't have a name picked out for this one...but I'm thinking somewhere along the lines of "Summer Soldier".  Please tell me what you think...I'd appreciate any feedback! This is NuPastel on 9x12 Colourfix paper.

Long time no see...

So two years ago after I finished my stethoscope painting, I began nursing school.  This explains the extreme absence in paintings over the last couple years.  I do not have any that I am working on but over the summer of 2013 I did complete the one that I posted an underpainting for and I did two others.  It isn't enough, I have countless pictures that I cannot wait to turn into paintings but I need to finish school and get a job before I really dive into it again.  So as an explanation and brief update I'm putting this post up...
Thanks for your patience and understanding!

It's been a while...

It has been a while.  The school semesters and this summer have been gruelingly busy.  However I have been working here and there on a couple pieces.  Here they are :)

The picture above is a sunset over Lake Travis in Austin, TX  I really had fun with this one because it is on a new surface.  Colourfix paint (black) on gatorboard foam.  An artist friend gave it so me to try.  It has a lot of tooth and I really enjoyed using it.  Here is a picture when I had just started layering colors...

I am going to put the step-by-step pictures of the other painting I've worked on in another post :)

Yoga Series #2 Done!!

Finished my second painting in my Yoga series.  This one is called "Strength" and the pose is the Reverse Warrior.  I didn't mention in my post that my previous Yoga painting, with the orange, yellow, and purple has been named "Tranquility" and a print is now available in my Etsy Shop.

My "Strength" Yoga Painting is a compilation of blues, yellows, and greens in many shades and tones.  I worked on the background first with energy and a combination of strokes.  Then I sketched out a rough drawing of the figure in light blue and added lights and darks in blue and green until the shape took a little more form.  I really like the combination of thin and thick lines helping the figure to take up space in the painting.  I'm posting three pictures in this pose, two are of "Strength" one a progress picture after I first started it (it is a little saturated because it's from my cell phone camera), and the other (top) the finished product.  Last, I'm also listing a picture of "Tranquility" taken in indirect sunlight which shows the vibrancy of color in it.  Enjoy!!!

First Sale on Etsy!!

I made my first sale on Etsy on Friday and dropped the painting off at the post office yesterday!  I am so excited to share my painting with its new owner.  The painting that was sold is my "writer's block" piece. I was experiencing a slump at the time and was unsure of what to paint or how to start it.  I was speaking with another artist that mentioned when he is having the same problem, he'll tape a playing card on his board and paint it life size.  He said he enjoyed the exercise because it's a 2D object and simple in color and components.  So I took a black and white pen and taped it to the wall and painted.  This was a fun little exercise and helped me get back into the swing of things.  I am so happy to sell my first painting and to share my work with someone else.

Antigua Sunset Painting

Hey! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  I did a lot of good eating myself and have plenty of leftovers.  While I was trying to find time the past couple days to finish my most recent sunset painting.  I decided to focus on spending time with family and friends.  Today I spent some time to work on it and am really pleased with the result! I don't think there is too much more I want to do on this one but as always let me know what you think! This is NuPastel on 9x12 Colourfix paper.  I'll also be offering this on my Etsy Shop as a print soon so keep posted.  I'm also offering a special to anyone who'd like to order from my Etsy shop, a refer-a-friend discount on any purchase after someone orders and mentions they were referred providing name and email address.  This is a great way to save on holiday gifts!

I really enjoyed layering this one.  In my previous post, you can see that I started the clouds with burgundy and bright pink. The water has blue, purple, burgundy, grey and black in it.  The sky was the most fun because in order to get the fading of greyish blue from the outside borders, I had to put in purple, orange, blue, grey and gold-yellow.  I'm so happy with how it came out, and that I was able to get the textured effect in the hills that I was aiming for. :)

Slow Month :(

I apologize that this month has been slow in terms of production. With midterms and my friends wedding, I feel like I've been running around nonstop.  My motivation for painting has been low and the time to do it has been low.  The good news is that the semester is over in about a month and with Thanksgiving coming up, I have a couple days off of work that I can use for me time and painting.

In the meantime, I'd like to share a fellow artist with you, who I absolutely adore!  Her work is extremely inspirational and vibrant.  I've bought 3 of her prints (from her citrus series) and hung them in my living room.  Her experience and style is impossible to miss when viewing her work.

Please check out her blog at this link.  She also has an Etsy Shop with beautiful original artwork and affordable prints.  She a wonderful artist and I'm sure you'll enjoy her work as much as I do!!!

Because I hate having posts with no artwork, I'd like to post something old :) Enjoy!

Step by Step Sunset Painting

Now that I've given my very good friend Erica her wedding presents, I can announce it on here and post the second painting in her sunset series.  I never remember to take pictures as I progress through a painting but remembered to take a few on this one. Here are the two finished paintings which I gave her this past Saturday!

Sorry about the glare.  Because the paintings are 9x12 I decided to use floating frames and am very happy with how they came out.  Here is my step by step process of the one on the right.

And one more with a close up of the other sunset painting.  Please let me know what you think.  And check out my facebook fan page!!

Sunset Painting

Finished my sunset painting.  I really like it and have started another one to accompany it.  I am taking pictures of this second one as I do it (when I remember) so that you can see how I layer and when I blend.  I'm very happy with that one too.  Please let me know what you think, and please check out more work on this site as well as my Facebook Fanpage!

And Life Gets Busy...

Sorry for the delay in posting.  It has been a very busy week with school starting and working a lot of extra hours.  Here is my piece that I started last week and will be working on more today.  Please let me know what you think!!

This is another piece in my motion series.  NuPastel on 9x12 colourfix paper.

Update On My Work In Progress

Here is the update of my second bubbles picture, last posted as my work in progress.  I think its done, if I do much more I may end up pushing it to the dark side (not color wise).  Hope you enjoy it and I cannot wait to share more with you soon.  With school starting next week I'm hoping to still dedicate some "me time" to painting at least once a week.

This is 9x12 on Colourfix paper using NuPastel.  I have named it "Wind of Youth".

Current Work in Progress

Started working on another picture in my motion series.  Its another bubble picture and I like where it's going.  This was done in a couple hours, working on and off.  Total work time was probably about an hour.  It is Nupastel on Colourfix paper.  Hopefully I'll finish it soon. :)

Studio Tour

A lot of artists have beautiful big studio with a ton of space and lots of light, room to hang their work, etc.  I am not quite that fortunate as of yet.  But I have made a great space for getting my work done, while watching some tv, right where I can fit.  And I have some art on display. So here it is! My studio!!

Outside My Window

Completed another Daily Paintworks Challenge involving taking a black and white photo and creating a colored work.  It was fun and something I have never done.  I learned a lot from this exercise and am happy with what I've created.  Let me know what you think!  Check out the website, very fun place for artists to network and receive constructive criticism.

Flower Series #4

As a part of daily paintworks challenge to look outside and draw flowers using a specific palate, in less than an hour.  I'm really happy with what I've accomplished!  I think I did pretty well with the restrictions and am happy with the results!  Please let me know what you think.  Also check out my fan page on facebook!

Finished Paintings!!

Okay... so its been a little while.  I've been battling with my beach portrait photo.  I've been looking at it (my easel is in my dining/living room) everyday and thinking about what I want to do with it so that I don't over work it.  I'm happy with how it came out and don't think there is anything else I can do without throwing of the balance and spirit that is there.  Here it is! NuPastel and Pastel Pencil on 11x14 Pastel Paper.

The picture is not as clear as I'd like it to be but you get the drift. :)
Another photo I'm posting is a quite 20 minute 6x8 of a challenge on dailypaintworks.com.  The challenge was to do a piece based on balance.  And I figure, what's a better representation of balance than a pair of 5 inch heels?  Hope you like it.

On another note... I'm starting my first Pastel class tomorrow!!!  Actually, its my first art class since freshman year of high school.  I'm super excited about learning actual techniques and getting feedback.  Not all that excited about the teacher telling us to go get more supplies after the first class but such is life!  So I plan to bring my camera and take photos of my work as it progresses.  That way I can post what I work on and show the stages of it as I go.  Wish me luck!

It's Almost There!!

Another update of the portrait I'm working on.  I got a second wind tonight and decided to work some more.  I also chose not to do the red and white hawaiian print.  There were so many folds in the shirt, between that and the print itself, I was too scared haha.  So I made up a color mixing pinks, purples, maroons, and blues.  I still have the hands to finish and some other things to touch up but it's almost done!!

The vibrancy of the shirt may be taking away from the person...I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that yet....hmm... ideas?

Update

Worked on this some more tonight.  Just wanted to post an update.  I like where it's going, just need to think about what I'm going to do about the shirt... in the picture its a white and red hawaiian print, but that may be too detailed to come out nice.  White shirt? Blue shirt may cool down all the other colors...  Any ideas?

Mini Paintings

Just wanted to post some updates of things I've been working on.  I took one of my 12x16 Pastel Papers and cut it into four 6x8 pieces to do some work on a smaller scale.  I've got about 30 minutes worth of work on both of these pictures done but I'll be putting on more layers and working on the background of the scallions piece.  The pictures aren't the greatest because they're off of my phone, but I found that my phone takes better pictures without the flash if I don't have indirect daylight to take it with my camera.  One is scallion flowers, and the other is just looking down the opening of a wooded area.

The scallions were harder than I anticipated as I wasn't mentally prepared with all of the little petals, but I like it none the less.  The harder part is the background which is an out of focus garden (all green) and a hosta (spelling) that is light in value because of the transparency factor.  But I really like how the woods are going.  I would like to work on leaf detail in the trees more.  The woods picture is more out of focus than I thought it was when I took it... so I apologize.  With more work on them I'll take better pictures of both.

After watching a documentary about Van Gogh, based on letters to his brother, it was reported that he created over 900 paintings in 9 years, averaging a painting a day.  Out of curiosity, I wanted to see what my average production was.  Knowing it wouldn't be nearly as much between just starting pastels a year ago, working two jobs, and attending two colleges the past six month, including finish my Master's and thesis.  I have created 54 pastel paintings in the past year, averaging to one a week.  Posted here are numbers 55 and 56.  I'm going to take this opportunity to challenge myself and my production rate.  Let's see what happens! :)

Bubbles

So I usually visit my parent's on Sundays for dinner and today I decided to head up there earlier than usual with my bag of pastels, which was already packed from my figure session yesterday.  I had printed up pictures that I wanted to work on for my movement series and started one.  I'm really happy with how it turned out.  A photographer that I"m working with had emailed me several pictures to get my input and when I enlarged them online I zoomed in much further than I anticipated.  Well this turned out to be one of those happy errors and I fell in love with the zoomed in pictures more than the photo as a whole. I started one of them and still have to work out some of the composition so that the focus of the picture is where I want it to be.  But I really like it and have impressed myself (don't you love it when that happens?).  Here is the first of two bubble pictures of the series. Please let me know what you think!
 



Here is another picture I took with my phone, without any flash, and in natural light.