Merry Christmas!

Gazebo at our home park. 

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful encouraging blogging buddies.

Myra painted me.

I wonder if Myra knew I was dreaming of walking on the beach?  She's very perceptive.  I did get my feet wet today but it was in the slushy snow, not the warm Caribbean water that filled my thoughts and Myra's most excellent painting.

The shopping is done, the gifts are wrapped and it's time for hot chocolate and catching up with my blogging buddies.  

Hugs from me.

Fat over Lean

Fat over Lean;  a habit I have to get used to. I may have painted my purple daisy wrong.

The principle of painting 'fat over lean' in oil painting is a rule one should follow to reduce the risk of an oil painting cracking. 'Fat over lean' has to do with the varying drying times of oil pigments (which can vary from a couple of days to a month) and ensuring that upper layers of paint don't dry faster than lower ones.

I did my usual.  When I had the basic painting finished, I decided to glaze the background to help bring the pansy forward.  I did this by thinning some pale green mix with some walnut oil.  Now is this mixture fat or lean? I think it depends on whether walnut oil is fat enough.  I'd appreciate any advise.

"White Face Pansy"

Oil,  6" x 6" on high quality deep canvas panel.

$78.00

Only seven days left.

Yikes!  So many things I want to accomplish in the next seven days.  I've made my list and it's not really so bad.  The problem is that I don't feel like doing them.  The electric fireplace and the Christmas tree look so nice and my recliner is so comfortable... I'm so blessed.  

Okay, okay...  I'll get moving.  I'd love to start another painting but I'll resist; it's more important to dust in preparation for my expected guests.  I have to leave in an hour to retrieve my paintings from Little Straw Vineyard before they close for the season.  I appreciate the wonderful venue they provided for my art and look forward to having my paintings there another year. 

I realize that the painting I've included isn't much to look at, at this stage, but I need to let it dry a bit before proceeding.  So far I'm really enjoying my water soluble oils.  I can see that in the new year when I post to my blog I may have to have two pictures per blog... one I've just started and another that is just finished.  Hmmm.... sounds like a resolution.... that means I'll do it for at least a week ;) .

6"x6" oil on gallery wrapped canvas

A new way of painting.

The painting area was all set up with my new water soluble paints and I had a couple of little canvases base-coated and dry.... but I didn't really know where to go from there.  I've been using Genesis oils for a few years but I knew I was using them more like an acrylic than an oil.  Since my wonderful husband gave me three months of Artist Network TV for an early Christmas gift, I eagerly watched some videos on painting with oils.  Boy, did I learn a lot.  

#1... hold the brush like a sword.   Whoa.  Was that ever going to be hard to get used to.  I love bold loose brush strokes in a painting like JanettMarie achieves, but could never quite manage to do it.  This worked!!! Here is my first attempt.

#2... the paint takes d-a-y-s to dry.  Thus this pansy still needs its yellow center and my signature.

6"x6" oil on gallery wrapped canvas

A value scale.

My last blog showed my studio all set up with new paints and a clean pallet.  Oh, how I itched to start a painting but I resisted and started working on my Mastering Color course that I bought online.  Today I just painted a nine value scale so I'd have one that went with my new paints, and the practice doesn't hurt either.  When it's dry I'll put it under the glass on my pallet. 

I'm a fan of online training (downloaded stuff).  I get to work at my pace which is s-l-o-w, and it fits my introverted personality as well.  Oh, I'd love to be a recluse but alas it's not to be.

My nine value scale

All set up and ready to start.

I mentioned in my last blog that I was switching from Genesis to water soluble oils.  I'm also moving back to the diningroom to paint, now that our condo isn't listed anymore.  Having all my stuff right out in the middle of everything isn't very pretty but it's brighter and right under my nose so I'm more inclined to get to it.  Fortunately I have a very patient husband who encourages all my inclinations. 

A few years ago Hugh built me this hide-away drawer that pulls out from under the counter that divides the kitchen from the diningroom. The first drawer pulls out 32", then the drawer under that pulls out another 22" and then another drawer pulls out the front giving me another 16" to store things. When needed the whole thing can be pushed in and hidden away under the cupboard.  

This post is dedicated to my friend, Myra who is always asking to see my studio.  

I'm so excited...not!

I'm so excited....someone wants to buy all my art...NOT!  I received another email scam. I don't know about you but I get annoyed when I get those phishing type emails that are too good to be true.  I'm not worried about getting taken advantage of because I'm very cautious and aware but I do get angry when I see them because I know there a many people out there that do fall for these scams. These trusting but vulnerable folks don't deserve to be taken advantage of. Grrrr... 

Well, that's my rant for this week over with.

Now on to better things.  My pallet is empty and my Genesis paints are put away for the winter.  The fumes from drying the paint has affected my lungs and I can no longer handle it, especially with the windows all closed for the winter. I did love painting with them but drying them was a pain, literally.  I've decided to try water soluble oils. I'm quite excited to try them out.  If you use them at all please let me know what you think. How do I keep the smells to a minimum?