Day #8 Incoming Tide, 5x7, oil

Reference photo and initial sketch.  I am working on an orange toned canvas, which is my usual procedure.  I like the warm underglow.

Goal - Working with blues and correcting the photograph. 

Massing in the blues.

Aerial perspective tells us the sea becomes cooler and lighter as it recedes into the distance. But the sky has different rules.  It is darker, ultramarine blue, at the zenith, warming as it goes to the horizon, cobalt with a touch of permanent green light, or cerulean blue, all mixed with white, continuing to a soft peach at the horizon.

This painting is a little heavy on the right because of the dark land mass.  I could balance the weight with the clouds, as I have done in this step, but the busy sky would detract from the crashing surf which I planned as my focal point.

  

Incoming Tide, 5x7. oil

Here I have lightened the land mass and increased the surf to the left. Adding the sailboats on the left also helped to balance the weight of the painting. I softened the sky so that it wouldn't compete with the focal point - the surf at the little point of land.

It's great to paint from life, but often you have to paint from photographs.  I always remind my students that "Photographs are 99% wrong" - especially when it comes to values, colors, edges and very often, composition.  The camera sees in a mechanical way, putting everything in focus and flattening the perspective. 

The photo is used for reference only and you should work from your own photographs, because you have been there and have an image in your mind that is far better than anything a camera can catch.

This painting is sold.

Thank you for visiting with me.

Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com

Day #7 Blue Jay on Ice, 5x7, oil

Reference Photo

Goal – To paint ice on tree branches.

Blue Jay on Ice 5x7, oil

This photo was taken from my kitchen window after our ice storm in December.  Ice differs from snow because it is translucent with sharp highlights, much like frosted glass. I think my ice looks too much like snow.  But I said I would post my paintings, successful or not.

I reduced the number of tree branches, choosing only those that complemented the blue jay, making sure that the pattern and density of the branches didn't rob the bird of his importance as my focal point.  

This painting is sold.

Thank you for visiting,

Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com  

Day #6 Secret Cove, 5x7, oil

This is my reference photo and initial sketch.  My goal is to simplify the foreground and make the scene more inviting.  Who wants to climb over all these rocks carrying your camera and lunch and maybe a child or two?  I'm not painting this to replicate the scene, that's not my job as an artist.

I have finished the sky and now I am massing in the land, remembering to make the colors darker and warmer as they come forward.

I have finished the distant island and massed in the water.

Now, wouldn't you rather walk on this beach?

Secret Cove, 5x7, oil 

This painting is sold.

Thank you for visiting,

Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com 

Day #5 Show Time, Belted Galloway 5x7, oil

Reference photo and initial sketch.

Massing in the cow.  I always start at the focal point and work out from there.  This helps me judge the surrounding areas so they won't compete with my main subject.  I made sure to add the reflected light hitting the underside of the cow.

Simplifying the background and correcting shapes.

Show Time, 5x7, oil

I had a request to paint a black and white cow.  These are Belted Galloways from the Aldermere Farm in Rockport, Maine.  I enjoyed this painting and I thank you for the suggestion. I simplified the background to give the cow and the girl more importance.  I also straightened the cow's tail.  The curl just didn't work for me.

Digital reproductions on web pages do not accurately reflect the true colors and quality of the paintings.

This painting is sold.

Thank you for visiting,
Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com

Day #3 Dancing Elephant, 5x7, oil - Step by Step

 I thought, on this very cold and dreary day, that my goal would be to have fun and paint one of my favorite figurines and share my painting procedure with you. So here goes. This is my very simple set-up.

My initial drawing and testing of the color for the elephant.

The elephant is now painted and I am placing the leaves in a random pattern. You can see from the set-up that I didn't copy the exact placement of the leaves and flowers.  They are for reference only.

I'm working on the flowers and leaves, the background is in.  The choice of a background color is always a problem.  Sometimes after a painting is finished, I will decide that I don't like the background color and will then change it.  Since I'm not allowing myself to make changes in this series, it will have to stay this cool grey.

The finished painting.  Dancing Elephant, 5x7, oil.

This painting is available on my Ebay page.

Thank you for visiting,   Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com

Day #2 The Piano Lesson, 5x7, oil

The Piano Lesson 5x7, oil, NFS

Reference Scene

Goal - To paint a figure from life within a limited time frame. 

Thoughts – This painting was not done from a photograph.  I had a chance to paint my granddaughter playing the piano in my studio.  This painting was surprisingly easy.  I did a quick sketch and immediately began painting her before she decided to leave.  I checked my angles carefully, then applied paint, piece by piece, and didn’t fiddle.  I think that because I painted this quickly and deliberately, I didn't have time to “over-think” my strokes.  I was totally focused and the painting almost painted itself.  Of the two paintings I have completed so far, I enjoyed this one the most.  I found that my emotional connection to the subject made the process easier and more successful.  This will be an interesting concept to explore in future paintings.  As I am only allowing two hours or less for these paintings, I think of them as artist studies and not finished studio work.  I could then use this study as a reference for a larger, more finished piece.

This painting is not for sale.  Thank you for visiting.

Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com

Day #1 The 30/30 Challenge Has Begun

Winter Farm, 5x7. oil

Day #1 – Winter Farm, 5x7, oil.

Goal - To change the reference photo to a winter scene.

Reference Photo

Thoughts – As you can see in the reference photo, this was an old railroad building near Borestone Mountain, Maine.  It was used as a work camp for The Canadian Pacific Railroad workers.  I decided to make it into an old farm and remove the railroad tracks which were distracting.  I almost overworked this little guy because I started fiddling – trying to make it a little better, adding a bit more, then taking away something else, etc.  I learned that I needed to stay focused, to force myself to stop when I liked what I saw, put down my brush and leave it alone.  Good first day lesson for me.

Thank you for visiting, Celene

www.CeleneFarris.com

This painting is available on my Ebay page – click here to view and purchase.    Fixed-price format. Immediate purchase, no auction, no bidding.  All major credit cards accepted through Paypal Checkout.  Thank you.