Last Minute Roses (last painting of 2013)

The last painting of 2013. Not too bad for being up till 2:00 this morning. I had to watch the marathon of Breaking Bad. I painted this so fast--I'm definitely looser when tired. I am so sleepy---i will prob rework this when more awake. (I hope not) HAPPY NEW YEAR

Learning soooo much watching videos from the Bright Light Fine Art and The Artists Guild---I joined and i am watching videos of Sherry McGraw, David Leffel and J. Kamin, Best money I have ever spent. They are all top artists-I am learning so much---I love how they put the highlights on in the beginning  ---I am going to try that--I love how they say painting is HARD--that is how I feel And they refine and refine and refine (I do that!) They use different brushes which i am going to try ---I want to try using my whole arm for strokes and I want to look at blocks of color---oh there is so much that they tell as they are painting--it is amazing to watch them paint!
Here is the link
http://brightlightfineart.com/art/artists-guild-library.html
I am excited ---can  u tell?

Jrs' Tribute

Why can't i see what I should fix before I post . I do need to tweak a few places but sweet Jr is done. I can't see him anymore---I have been doing a painting marathon to have this done before Christmas. I figure he will be dry tomorrow and I can varnish Sunday night, frame him Monday and then deliver  him to Roger Monday--if the weather holds out. Painting a dog is like painting a portrait--they have their own personalities--Jr was a charmer--you can see it as you paint him--I can tell he was very much loved.
Christmas is Wednesday, how did it get here so fast? Merry Christmas and happy painting all you wonderful painters!!!

Jrs' Tribute

I worked on this yesterday and today--Of course I need to remind you this is not close to being done, but I hope you can see with each time I work on it, it is more refined. I
worked all day yesterday on  the cover and surface around Junior--I wanted to get that established before i worked on him today. All those folds in the blanket around him was like painting a puzzle. Then i worked on him today --I could easily adjust the blanket around him as I was painting--it's back and forth back and forth till you really see what you are looking at. I like when I get my paintings to this point--the surface is covered and the adjustments begin,! Happy painting--stay tuned for further posts.

Juniors' Tribute

I'm doing a commission for a good friend at work who also happens to be my boss. This is of his sweet little dog--his name is "Junior".
Sadly he lost this precious dog and he asked me to paint him.  Wow I know I have to do a good job-this means a lot to them--I want to do the best I can.
To tell you the truth, just blocking him in, I am falling in love with this little dog--Roger gave me a couple of pictures to paint from and I chose this one. As usual this is a rough block in, and I have a long way to go--but cross your fingers I can do a good job as this is an important painting.
He would love to have this for Christmas.  No pressure- lol
It is so cold here in Kansas this December and they are calling for snow tomorrow. Good time to stay home and paint and paint and paint! Stay warm and Happy Painting!

ALTAR FLOWERS

I pretty much worked on everything--I balanced the flowers more for a more pleasing composition (I hope) I toned down the cloth below the flowers --I felt it was too bright and took attention away from the flowers. and I repainted the background to calm it down.. so this is where i think I will stop--hope you liked the step by steps and how I get to the finish. Happy painting.
BTW it is Really windy here in the KC area--I will post again if we don't get blown away! lol

Altar Flowers (almost)

hmmmmm This is getting there I think --as always I need to live a while with it--I worked mostly on the front cloth--it still is not what i want it to be but getting closer. I also worked on the vase --it has a better shape. I piddled with the flowers - got them more in shape. That is what painting is---- starting loose, going back refining and refining and refining-till you get something near to what you saw when you first wanted to paint it.   I noticed the beautiful flowers on the altar during church so when it was over, I went up to the altar and took pictures with my phone. I changed the background to this as I wanted it softer than the wood that was behind the actual flowers. 

Altar Flowers (Step 2)

This needs more work,  I was in a very loose mood today--I know i will work more on this --I can see things I want to correct--but I did enjoy what I have done today. I need to wash my brushes--but I will do that after I eat the good meal my son cooked (chicken dumplings with salad and corn )---yum.
Happy Sunday and Happy Happy Painting! xxxxxoo

Altar Flowers (step one)

These flowers were on the alter at my church, Trinity Anglican. I went up and took a picture of them with my phone when church was over.
This is my first block-in, where I place everything loosely. I am using transparent colors for the block-in---no white--this keeps the colors clean while you are feeling your way with placement and it can easily be changed if you need to. This is one way I start--(it depends on my mood with each painting) ( I saw Nancy Medina do this when I took a class from her last summer) Also, I have some videos by Hedi Moran that she teaches the same way of starting. Happy Painting) :-)

CHRISTMAS TIME IS COMING!

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ARTISTS

PAINTINGS MAKE WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS GIFTS

 CONTACT ME AT charannevans@aol.com for inquiries.

 

 How did I forget to post these 3 paintings on my blog??? These were painted in Nancy Medinas' class in June..what joy!!

Day 1 we painted the Hollyhocks
I call this

June Hollyhocks
11x14 unframed
$225

Day 2 (sunflowers)

Blue Vase w/ Sunnies

11x14 (unframed)
$175

Day 3
Geraniums & Me

11x14 (unframed)
$175

Farmers Market Flowers

I painted this a while back and the more I looked at it the more I wanted to change it--The flowers were very dark and rather tightly painted. Soooo--I lightened the colors and painted the flowers looser. I worked a little on the vase also. You can see the darker version on an earlier post--i may leave the old dark version for a while for comparison. Happy painting! I love painting flowers. $350

My Little Babushka

I sat down to paint a little on another painting that I was going to frame and I saw something that I needed to fix---BUT-- she was on my easel and  I realized that she was really washed out so I strengthed some on the darks on her eyes and hair.  You can compare the difference and see if you think it helped. I must leave her alone.
A little side story--my daughters family was over last week and Andrew (the oldest) went in the kitchen (that is where I paint) and said real sarcastically "Oh I see grandmas painting another painting of Alyssa.  It was funny you would have to be there. Happy painting!

My Little Babushka

Ok --all I did was work more on her face --hi-lighted a little on the scarf and top--toned down the bush on the right --also I made the tree on the right taller-Broke up the trees somewhat-it is more pleasing to have things different than lining up in a row--It is so hard to break things up  at times..If I wanted them the same, I wouldn't be able to accomplish that--that is how our minds work. Just noticed that this one is alot brighter than the previous one--colors did not change--just pic taken with 2 different cameras!   I adjusted the color--this one is closer to the painting. I am going to stop on this and not work this to death like I usually do--I want to go on to the next one....
Happy Painting to those that paint and Happy Happy to those that just like to look. :-)

My Little Babushka

Worked more on it--I got way too busy on the background on the first pass--I calmed it down--so I do like this a little better--I can see that I need to bring the trees further up on the right-They are too much the same going across the back--that bugs me. I need to work a little more on her too,
I looked up the word Babushka and it said it meant "old woman", or "grandma" But it also meant Head Scarf--so that works for me.
Wow, I really opened up the background--look at the first post--it was too busy but it had no "air" between her and the background--
i will post again when i do my last fixings. Happy Painting!

Little Babushka (will check spelling later)

This is not nearly done--this was started yesterday (July 4th) and I worked a little on it today. I am not happy yet (may never be)--this is a painting of my granddaughter -I did it from a photo, I loved the little scarf-she reminded me of a little Russian Babushka girl (i have to look up the correct spelling--) I think the next time you see this it will be greatly changed as i am not happy with it --opps repeating myself--lol happy painting!

Angel Baby

After living with her I changed her again! Unbelievable! Everyone said her eyes looked Chinese and did not look like her eyes--I changed her eyes and decided the parasol had to go too--it did look like a sombrero -- ok I am not saying this is the last time--i am just hoping it is!!!! This is the hardest painting I have done in my entire life, I hope it will be loved!!!

Waiting for Spring

Wow, I apologize for the lousy cropping. I promise I will not paint on an oval canvas again. This was an old canvas  that I had painted a long while ago  ( 100 years ago) a very ugly painting---so I wanted to paint over it. Since the temperature  is in the 20's outside --this was painted from my imagination this weekend--I started painting it yesterday and it was horrible, I got up early this morning with this in my mind and I wiped off what I did yesterday  and painted this on it. Now to find a frame. Happy Painting and Happy Life!

Snow Iris

NOT FINISHED YET--SEE BELOW
This was  to this point while I was off work because of our big snow storm here in Kansas so I changed the name in honor of the storm. :-)
It was quite a storm--it was called a "thunder snow storm" as we had thunder and lightening as the snow was falling.
This was a small experiment of mine to see if I would like it if I kept the values close but still have the Iris look white. What do you think?I think I like the glass vase (now tomorrow I will prob change my mind.)

 TA-DA
Latest One!!!
Ok I lived with it and I had to redo---I simply have to post it, look at it a couple of days --then redo. I'm not crazy, just I don't know what--can't see the forrest for the trees till I can see--that makes no sense whatsoever!! :-)
I wanted to add that I enhanced this one as I realized after the top one was posted, the values were too far apart--this bottom version has closer values therefore gives a softer look that I was wanting--sometimes when I take a picture, I don't feel it is mine anymore and can see with fresh eyes--I must keep reminding myself to do this.


HAPPY PAINTING and stay warm (all you who live in a cold climate)

IRIS IN WHITE (WIP)

This is really the first pass--I will probably work one or 2 more times --I see things I want to change already and will prob see more when I look at it tomorrow--This is a small painting 8x10--the colors are not true in this photo--I will get a better picture once I get it closer to finish--Happy Painting!

  

Iris

1. Finished the Poppies on to the Iris...This of course is the first block in--I haven't made up my mind but I think they will be white---however i may decide lavender--who knows what mood I will be in when I can finally get back to my Iris--I was excited to start this but knew I wouldn't have time to finish today..... Happy painting everyone!!!!
Keep in mind this is just the beginning--it hopefully will get better.

2. Oh my goodness, I put the undercoat and it is getting uglier if that is possible---I kept going and will post cause I can't leave you here with this!!

Poppy Fields Forever

Quick fun little painting.
12x12
Love Poppies....
Actually the full story is that I changed this little painting many, many times ( I mean I totally changed colors backround-everything) Then yesterday somehow I got it the way I wanted it! :-) So it was easy, quick  and fun when it came together! lol

Kansas Sunnies

I am posting this again as I totally repainted the flowers and the forground and I am so very much happier. I left the old version on here and will prob delete it later. This is one that i have redone several times  and I finally think this will be the last time. 18x24
$375 Paypal excepted--if interested contact me.
Happy painting

Old Fashioned Roses

Here is the finished version of my painting . I tried to refine the roses after I lived with it (and posted it)--I cannot see my changes until I post for some reason. I tried to post this beside the first one (below) but it did not work so I am posting separately  --not too good on the computer . (I notice the colors are much truer on the background on  this photo, however, the roses are more subtle in real life) Oh well you can't win!

2013--Happy Painting, Happy life.....
Here it is Sept and i redid the roses-AGAIN! shhhh don't tell anyone ! lol