Yellowstone Park Landscape in Oil

It doesn't have a title yet...this is done from my photo along the Gibbon River near Virginia Cascades in the Norris area of Yellowstone National Park.  I have really enjoyed painting this one!  Each day (5 days worth) I would bring it into the house and prop it up in the kitchen so I could evaluate it with that day's progress.  The reason being it is LARGE - 24" x 30".  When painting this big, it's so much about the background, midground and foreground.  Each area has a little different treatment and focus.  As you saw in my last post on Day 2 (click here to see it quickly), was getting the canvas covered with midvalues.  From there I worked up and down the value scale and color temperature.  There is a few spots I see that I might rework a little, but overall, I am pleased with the results.  I have tried different frames on it..at the Frames by Mail website you can 'try on' different frames.

I need to keep looking.  There hasn't been the perfect one found yet.

Where I Stand WIP

I often paint fairly small paintings.  I have large canvas that get painted on and then wiped off or painted over. This one is 24" x 30" - very large for me...but I am determined.  Took so many photos on our trip West in Aug/Sept of 2010, I am trying one out.  Many more to come.  There is that saying, "So many paintings..so little time"... (or is that 'so many books, so little time') - oh well - works for me! 

FYI this one will look very different the next time you see it.

Just about everywhere you take photos in the forest,  you will find 'downed' trees in Yellowstone.  They are a part of the landscape and help to make it perfectly Yellowstone.

(P.S. Tired of the gray on this blog..thinking Spring - so livening up the color a little on the blog design.)

An Artist's Dilemma

A few more places to work on this one. This is Chester - from the Critter Farm - permission to use the photo was given by the owner.  I painted a larger painting of Chester and Beau here.  What I am writing about today is 'this' happens every once in awhile.  I have painted his mouth too close to the edge of the bottom of the panel.  My thought is to try one of those 'cradle' kind of frames, where you build a wooden frame the same outside dimensions as the panel and glue it to the back of the panel and paint it black.  Once I put it in a frame to see how it looked, that little 1/8" or 1/4" covers the bottom of his muzzle.  Measures 5" x 7" - done in acrylic on another claybord panel.  Lovin' it!
I found that painting with black acrylic on this surface does nothing to darken..so I have this great dark purple that I mix with the black and it comes out even darker than black. 

An Acrylic Painting on Claybord

BFF's

5" x 7"

acrylic on black Ampersand claybord

Working from a pile that is stacked to be filed in the studio, in my genre folders, these past several days.  Something about each of them spoke to me at that moment of sifting through them.  I LOVE the way the paint reacted on the surface of this painting. 

It was an experiment, but I think I will search for some more claybord and do some larger pieces on it.  I got this source photo from Morguefile - a website where you can use photos with permission by virtue of their posting. 

I moved these two closer together, loved the sunlight in their hair and on the edge of their skin.  So each of these last three paintings are considered 'daily paintings'. 

An Acrylic Painting of a Siamese Cat

JACQUES

8" x 8"

acrylic on stretched canvas

This Siamese belongs to some friends in KC.  They have two of these lovies..and I remember when they got them as kittens - so sweet.  I couldn't resist doing this one, as I wanted to capture those awesome cat eyes. 

He looks a little more serious here, than in the photo I have - like he knew his photo was being taken or he was intrigued by the camera in his face. 

The pose reminds me of Pop-Art, hence the solid purple background.

It also reminds me of a driver's license photo. 

Go kitty go!

An Acrylic Painting of a Rooster for Today

Barnyard Sentinel

6" x 6"

acrylic on wrapped canvas

This is Roopert, who lives on the Critter Farm in Oregon. 

I think he is a Barred Rock or Plymouth I have been corrected - silver-laced Wyandotte! (I know nothing about chickens except I would like to know more and have some.)

I usually don't have this much fun with acrylic..it dries too fast and eventually I wish I had used oil paint instead...but not today! 

I appreciated the quick drying time.  (And a rockin' photo always inspires me.)  

This is the '3rd canvas' to come across the easel in several days and the '1st one' in three, to make it off the easel and in front of the camera lens. 

This guy is so handsome, he would make a great main character in a children's book.  Roosters often have an interesting life.  They manage the hens and strut around looking (and sometimes being) tough.  I think this guy is just as handsome as they get!

Where I Stand Sunday

Just that 'look of love and trust' from critters always makes my day.

Am I here today?  NO, I am in KC with my family - headin' home tomorrow. 

This is a leftover photo from the farm across the road a few weeks ago. 

Where did YOU stand today?

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing. Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on. There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.

What You Missed This Morning

Way in the treetops of those farthest trees, you can see lots of blackbirds - they are singing away.... (click on the photo and maybe you can see them)

OK - it's snow, but it's SPRING snow!!  It will be gone by afternoon!  I just couldn't resist the light that was coming through the trees and that low lying fog mixed with the sunlight.  The colors are fantastic!

(I just realized ~ it looks like the grain bin is in the back of the truck - however, it isn't.)

Where I Stand Sunday

Well, this is going to be interesting.  Here I am in my neighbors chicken yard as a stranger.

"Well, WHO is SHE and what does she want?"

"Danger, danger - run for your lives - she doesn't belong here!!"

Ok, already, I was just gathering the eggs I was given permission for. 

But while I am here, wouldn't you like to star in my next blogpost??

"Are you kidding?  Just try and take our pictures near you - it won't happen we tell you -

IT WON'T HAPPEN!!!"

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing. Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on. There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.

Happy "Daylight Savings Time"...

Blogger is not cooperating today - can't seem to get these two side by side...oh well.

Just a Beautiful Day - Anyway You Look at It

Today, was the first day in a VERY, VERY long time, that we could be outside and enjoy the acreage we live on in Kansas.  I got some important varnishing done in the studio today.   We worked on the 1950 'ton and a half' truck's brake system (got a new hydrovac), took a ride down country roads in the said truck, went to the farm across our road to see some of the animals...collect some eggs...

and just sit in the sun and take a walk in the woods! What a wonderful and lovely day! 

Ahhh...but look out some more weather is due this weekend. 

Darned!  I am so done with winter - aren't you????

This is Doc, who belongs to Natasha my neighbor.  We like to visit him - he is a gentle guy. 

This is one of the three current farm cats - we don't have cats, but love 'em all the same.



A Portrait of Lincoln for a Warm-Up

"Abe"

charcoal/pastel on Velour paper

8" x 10"

Check it out - over at DPW - the challenge (first one I have done with them).  
If not there now, it will be soon. 

Have you ever seen so many Lincolns?  I needed a warm-up for today as I get back to the studio - to me it's kind of like lap swimming...getting pumped back up to do larger and more involved things, of which I have a looong list.

Snow and more snow today...saw a gazillion blackbirds migrating in. I remember them from last year about this time.  Their raucous sound annoys me when there are so many. It's absolutely deafening!

Where I Stand Sunday

Hooking up technology is usually frustrating.  Today we spent time hooking up a 'surround sound' system to the OLD big screen we have. Still in the market for a new 'thin and lightweight' TV - some day soon.

Many wires are abound - next job to put them ALL in a bundle.

Spent the last week in Fort Collins, Co, seeing my daughter and her family.

Had great weather and a fun time visiting! Being away slows that 'progress' reflected in the last post...back at it tomorrow!
Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.
Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on.
There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.