Study of trees

For the last few days I have spent my focus on tree studies in ink.  I am planning a large ink painting for my living room, mainly of pine trees.  But before starting the large painting I wanted to spend some time getting comfortable with my subject.

Amber Fringe,  11 x 14 inches

                                                                            

Although this is not pines it is my favorite of the studies I have done so far.  This painting was completed with shellac based inks, like these they are a bit thicker and also dry faster than acrylic or standard india inks.
   With ink as with most water media paints working in layer is a good plan.  Thought I would share a few of the studies showing 2 layer of each one.
 

These 2 studies I started with walnut ink, a dark brown ink that dries like watercolors, not permanent so it can be lifted until the work is sealed.  Added some acrylic ink washes for the final steps.

For the last one I used acrylic ink and tried to approach the subject in an abstract style.

Mary

Color Study

                                               

12 x 9 inches oil study

I have fallen in love with a new color:)   When resupplying some of my oil paints, I picked a new color,  Rose- Violet by Holbein.  Often when I have a few new colors I will work up color charts.
Using a color, I will make a chart of the color mixed with white, and mixed with the complement, and a mix with black, to see the values and tones I can get.  Having just picked one color the chart seemed boring to do.  So, I took my new color Rose violet, some white oil paint, and a sheet of  Arches oil paper, and did a study.
    I did the study with a video going on my pc from Bright Light Fine Art .   The video was excellent, but long, so painting while watching and listening, helped.  Double the learning, information from the a wonderful artist;  David A. Leffel, and getting to know a new color.  Nice way to spend 90 minutes.

Mary
Schiros_Art

Learning to Paint

Sometimes I have to paint something, so I can paint it.  This is an example.

This set looked interesting to paint, flowers, pottery, and a cup.  I first painted everything.

But it felt a bit busy. 

 

 

So I did the next one simplifying all the objects.

After sitting a bit and look at the first two paintings, I realized the flowers were the most interesting to me.  So with the final painting I focused only on the flowers. 

The last painting I feel like I learned how to paint this subject, in other words, I painted to learn how to paint.

14 x 11 inches, watercolor

                                                    Available at DPWs

Mary

Schiros_Art