on the look out

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$90 - 6x6" original oil painting on 1/8" board

These lemons are working together, with an eye in each direction in case, you know, there's trouble. ; )

Here's the black and white 5 value study that we did in the awesome Sarah Sedwick Online Oil Level 2 Class on Saturday.

It was really helpful to do this! I often do a value sketch with pencil or charcoal first however, doing it in oil first really made a difference. 

Here's my set up, very similar to my iPad view during the Zoom class, so Sarah could see. There were about 18 of us and Sarah shared her screen, so she had her demo and her palette showing. It was really an excellent workshop. Very informative.

And here I am, sneaking into the photo. Cameras love to make one of my eyes wonky. #shrug

Cheers Y'all and Be Well. 

Cinnamon Take the Lead!

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$100 - 8x10" watercolour painting

Watercolour offers everything I need to show the movement (and the splatter!) of horse racing. I love letting the paint blend together, especially from one horse to the next, just as they do at the races. And the jockey's clothes (silks) offer lots of colour choices. Check out the original drawing below.

tennis anyone?

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$80 - 5x7"painting includes 8x10"mat

Dogs are so awesome! This German Shepherd has lots of warm and cool colours in his fur - so fun to paint in watercolour. And the title... was a no-brainer. ; )

Sunday Selection

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$80 - 8x10" original watercolour painting 

Loosey-goosey was at the top of my list of things to accomplish with this colourful still life. I love the splish-splash of watercolour, something oil just doesn't offer. 

Having painted in oil for a while now, I realize how difficult making grey is with watercolour. I think it might be easier with oil. Not easy (!), but  easier. : )

Collie (a.k.a cutie-patootie)

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$80 - 5x7" original watercolour with 8x10"mat. Ready for an 8x10" frame. You may have one already! ; )

Some days, ya just gotta paint a Border Collie. 

with a spring in your step

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$80 - 5x7" original watercolour painting includes 8x10"mat

Well, I decided to work with watercolour again, and see where it takes me. I have missed it so much. I always feel that way when I brush off my watercolour palette. The thing is, watercolour is about drawing. And, although I have tried, I can't seem to make oil painting about drawing. It's about painting, and shape. So, since I loooove drawing so much, I decided to jazz up this piece. A good place to start. Super happy with these colourful friends.
See pics for close ups and painting in mat. 

drinking buds

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$100 - 8x8" original oil painting on professional 1/8" panel

Well, painting pop cans is now at the top of my list of cool things to paint! I painted them years ago, in watercolour, and I crushed them. That may happen again...

in thought

9x12" oil painting on the back of a sketchbook cover. ; )

Today's Two-Colour Portrait was done with Light Magenta and Burnt Umber. I chose a warm and cool colour, thinking the pink was the warm, (since it's in the red category) only to quickly realize the brown is the warmer of the two. #doh I mean, burnt umber is orange right...?! 

I gessoed the board with a white and black gesso mix in order to see my values. 

Next is another picture of the whole piece, (on a black background so you can see it) I love the perforations and I let the orange and yellow, from the original board, show up. (I sanded the gesso off the edges to bring that colour back). I added a little brush mark of my original palette, the two-colours... and white of course, to the bottom right hand corner. ; )

Here's my preliminary sketch in charcoal, also 9x12".

  

And here's my palette. I don't usually mix colours first, but for these two-colour portraits I do, so that I can really get a handle on the three values I'm using.

I take a black and white pic of my palette, before I start painting, to see if the values are right. See how the light values match each other, and the mid values match each other, as well as the grey paper palette I use. 

By the end of it, my three value painting is really five values. I bring in a few mid-lights and mid-darks. I try to keep it to three, since three value paintings are nice and clean, and easy to 'read' from across the room. But sometimes, for portrait structure, a few more values are necessary.

Thank you for stopping by! I appreciate your time. Take care ya'll. : )

patterned

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$90 - 6x6" original oil painting on 1/8" panel

This pretty pattern is actually the top of a hat box. I placed the silver cup and cherries on it and just loved the way the flowers reflected in the cup. Everything swoops up to the side!

Here's a pic of my last painting with it. 

cherry look-see

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$90 - 6x6" original oil painting on 1/8" panel

These cherries are having a little look-see at their reflections in the silver pot. Looking Good!

(I decided to switch up the perspective and go with a high angle today.) 

National Ice Cream Sandwich Day!

 

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$100 - 8x8" original oil painting on 1/8" panel

It's National Ice Cream Sandwich Day! (if it's raining where you are, don't let that stop you). 

sail on over

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$100 - 6x6" original oil painting on 1/8" panel

Reflections look sooo cool in metallic foil balloons. The colour on this dusty rose ballon sure changes with every bounce of light! Thanks again to Teddi Parker (awesome artist) for the #balloonchallenge 

the view from here

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$100 - 6x6" original oil painting on 1/8" panel

The 'flowers in a glass' series continues! Which is a big deal because, my 'series' usually don't make it past number 3, and I'm at number 7 with this one! Today I added a turquoise polka-dotted piece of paper onto the table, just for another element. I had a blast painting them in shadow and in light. Plus, they echo the violet's little yellow centres. Phew!

Mr. Lionfish

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$90 - 6x6" original oil painting on 1/8" panel.

Well! The great thing about being in an art group that has weekly challenges is... when the topic is FISH... this happens! I would never have thought to paint this fella' and I had the most awesome time doing so. I mean, he's even got polka dots!

p.s. I think Mr. Lionfish had this expression on his face well before March 15, 2020.
Be sure to check out my Instagram Page to see my two colour palette and painting process pics for this one - https://www.instagram.com/noramacphailart/

sun-kissed willow buds

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$90 - 6x6" original oil painting on 1/8" panel

In order to capture the little "whispies" of the willow buds, I used a toothpick. 

Sometimes, a brush just doesn't do the job.

Also, I don't normally paint like this but, when painting glass, it can be easier to just fill in the whole background.

Then I started to build up the glass. Normally, I do a drawing with burnt umber and a thin brush and work my way out. It was quite a challenge to take this approach but... always learning! Cheers. 

SOLD

$100 - 6x6" original oil painting on 1/8" board

I've been wanting to paint this scene for a loooooong time. But, I've been too chicken. Well, today I thought "I'm going for it"!! Soooo glad that I did. 

This is my second piece on the professionally gessoed Ampersand boards. As you can see from the pic below, it says 'smooth finish' - boy, they're not kidding. It was like silk!

the storyteller

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6x6" original painting on 1/8" board.

I love the shape of this oil bottle. It's got a kind of confidence about it. The tomatoes are certainly enthralled with what it has to say! 

I used the lovely Ampersand flat (1/8") panel, pre-gessoed, for this piece. They are wonderful to paint on!