Racer 5 Orange

Acrylic on Panel - 6 x 6 inches - Click Here to Bid

Here's an update on the race car with the orange, as I originally imagined it. Orange and blue to conveniently vibrate nicely. I guess I just knew that intuitively and couldn't help putting that fruit in there. Then again, it's probably the universe acting through me. Or something like that. Right?

Here's an update to the image, with a few tweaks....

Racer 5

Acrylic on Panel - 6 x 6 inches Ω

Just finished my submission to the Daily Paintworks Blue Challenge. And I had all week, but no, I had to wait until Sunday afternoon. I'm really slipping. Like everything else, I'll just blame it on the holidays.

This is a toy car I found lying about the apartment. The cue ball in the background is really an orange, which I may render more faithfully later, but in rereading the instructions for this week, I noticed that we were encouraged to not use large orange shapes to offset the blue. Naturally I totally ignored this suggestion as I photographed the set up, but in painting it today, I left it grey anyway.

Despite that, the oddest thin that struck my was all those little orange highlights in the wheels/tires. Not sure where they were coming from.

Convenience

Acrylic on Panel - 8 x 10 inches - Click Here to Bid

This is a close-up view of the same corner I painted a few days ago, with the tall palm trees.  Trying to get bigger and yet stay loose. The timer is helping. It's not relaxing, but it does help me focus.

here's an update with a little bit of adjustment...

Palace

Acrylic on Panel - 5 x 7 inches - Click Here to Bid

Another timed painting. This time, just twenty minutes. I pulled out yesterday's palette and just dove in. I'm not sure why I take so many askew pictures, but even more puzzling is why I don't correct them before painting them. Something in the subconscious must be hard at work. 

Amy at the Market

Acrylic on Panel - 6 x 6 inches - Click Here to Bid

Just a random candid photo from this summer I never got around to painting.

I'm trying to do timed paintings now. I find if I give myself only 30 minutes to paint, I jump right in and just try to render what is there without over-thinking it or planning what steps I might take. I didn't even do any sketches or preliminary drawing on this one. I just started with the brim of the hat, the shape of the face, the neck, the shirt and I was well on the way.

I'm also still using the Golden Open Acrylics, so things stay wet and messy. I think they keep me focused and in the moment, because in a timed painting I can't wait for an area to dry before going over it, so I just have to deal with my placement of shapes or accept that painting into an area will blend with whatever is already there. I can, however, glob on thicker applications of color toward the end, as in the white on her shirt. (that was still a bit wet the next day – a real surprise for someone used to acrylics).

Zombie

Acrylic on Panel - 4 x 6 inches -  Ω

My entry for the Daily Paintworks Zombie Challenge. I hadn't really even intended to participate in this week's challenge. However, I was touching up some paintings, and had a few blobs of grey paint out. I quickly sketched a figure from a piece of junk mail on the table. Later in the day, I was doing some more touch up work, and had the blues and greens out, so I started adding a few more strokes to the face and realized while I was doing it that the universe had tricked me into creating a zombie portrait.

Grand Avenue

Acrylic on Panel - 5 x 7 inches - Click Here to Bid

I snapped a pic of these tall palms on a recent errand through the East Bay. Decided I needed to do a timed painting, so I dove right in and after a while, I realized I hadn't set the timer. It's those little details that can sink a plan. I'm guessing 30 minutes, but who knows.

... and a bit of an update...

Beach Walk

Acrylic on Panel - 5 x 7 inches - Sold

Trying to squint and keep it real simple. From a photo on my phone. By actually viewing it on my phone instead of the big screen, it was easy to make the reference small and further away. Unfortunately, it kept turning off.

Pants

Acrylic on Card - 4 x 6 inches - Click Here to Bid

This weeks entry into the Daily Paintworks Challenge.



... and the iPad version that got things started (using the Brushes app). I think I like this one better, but wasn't sure it met the criteria for the challenge.

Bus Rider

Acrylic on Panel - 9 x 12 inches - sold

I've worked on this piece on and off over the Summer and it just never seems to get where I want it.
Too much detail, not enough detail, too dark, too light etc.

I'm only posting it to see if it will now leave me alone. We'll see. A casual observer commented "it looks like animee". Ugh.