Mellow Yellow

Some days are bright blues and pinks other days are deep rich tones of browns and reds. Yesterday, out of the garden came a single yellow flower that found its mellow place against a dark background of burnt umber and alizarin crimson. Can you see the dark clouds?

Mellow Yellow 6″ x 6″ Oil on Panel

Who's a Chicken?

This chicken was painted for the Daily Paint Works Challenge. Another predominantly white painting which is always such a mystery to paint. The canvas was tinted a bright red and I tried to keep white-blue for the cool whites and white-yellow for the warm whites. Afterthoughts: a green tinted canvas might have been a better option than red; letting a little more canvas show through would have been a good thing.

Who's a Chicken? 6' x 6' Oil on Panel

Rocky

I had a "rocky" start on this little guy ... having only painted a pet once before (and that was about 5 or 6 years ago) I wasn't sure it was going to work.   Half way through putting the lights and darks I decided to quit.   But ... took a deep breath and dove back into it, kept the course and by the end was happy with the result.

This is the April challenge from the "A Day Not Wasted" http://adaynotwasted.com/2011/04/april-2011-painting-challenge-gallery/  photo by Lee A. Brown of his dog Zoe.   I have renamed this little one Rocky in honor of his rocky start!
Rocky 8" x 8" Oil on Panel

My One and Gnomely

My Artist Collective is painting Gardens and Gnomes as our April challenge.   Having no gnomes of my own, I happened upon this one in the drugstore just a few days before our challenge began.   Unbeknownst to me he leapt into my cart !   Gnomes are very sneaky!   Also, a bit tricky to paint. I will surely be painting gardens and plants this month. But another gnome I can't predict because you never know when a gnome might slip into a painting without the artist even knowing.

My One and Gnomely  6 x 6 Oil on Panel

Scoot Over!

There was simply no more room for this last rose!   Feeling left out, wanting to scream out "Can't you all just scoot over?"This still life set up in my class was painted from every angle.   The light was directed on this transparent blue vase but didn't have the simmering effect as seen from the other side.   The values of this piece are a little too close - too much in the middle and really no darkest dark.   Don't be surprised to see this again with some lighter lights and darker darks screaming SCOOT OVER middle value!  Make room for me!

6" x 6" Scoot Over! Oil on Panel