Artistic License

One of the great things about painting, as opposed to photography, is the ability to easily change a subject from "how it is" to "how it should be" (or at least how my mind thinks it should be!)  Here are two paintings -- oldies but goodies -- that show what I mean.

This scene has wonderful shadows, but the strong sun washes out the colors and makes the grey look particularly, well, grey.  My artistic license allowed me to paint the lively colors of reflected light that I wanted to see on the planter.  Much more fun this way!  

Planter in Spring, 12x12 Oil, Sold

I was painting this scene on location during an unusually hot Spring day when all of the flowers that should have graced the terraced stairway were long past their prime.  No matter.  I pulled out my artistic landscaping license and the flowers bloomed anew!

High Noon at Lynda's, 9x12 Oil, Sold

Azalea Glow VI

In honor of the white blossoms that are currently covering my azalea bushes (yay, Spring!), here is the process that I used to create one of my azalea paintings.  

I particularly loved this photo because the buds are like wrapped presents pointing to the lovely gift they contain.

I started with a paint sketch of the basic shapes on an 18x24 canvas...

First layer of transparent paint...

Second layer of transparent paint...

Beginning the leaves, painting dark parts first, then light...

Beginning of thicker paint on the blossoms and buds...

Finished the leaves and tweaked a few things.  Happy Spring! :)

Azalea Glow VI, 18x24 oil, available

Here's the reference photo again for comparison:

Dressed for Spring

After a week filled with snow and sleet, I am definitely ready for Spring!  My head knows that somewhere under the slush and muck a transformation is on its way, but my heart could really use a reminder.  Here it is...

I pass by this home on my morning run and when the azaleas bloom I am in awe.

 I chose a cropped, square format to minimize the house and emphasize the sunlit coat of blossoms.

There's surely no better garment with which to be dressed for Spring than a sunlit coat of blossoms :)

Dressed for Spring, 6x6 Oil, (available)

Framed:

Curb Appeal

In honor of the last few days of Spring, today I am featuring one of the many Spring-inspired scenes that have found their way to my easel.  

"Curb Appeal" celebrates my favorite time of year.  The hope of new life is everywhere, the colors are vibrant, the shadows seem to dance with newly emerged leaves, the thick yellow-green pine pollen coats our patio furniture (oh wait, that's the part I try to forget!)

I love walking through my neighborhood, camera in hand, eyes seeing as if for the first time.  This particular scene caught my eye because of the way the foreground shadow spilled across the street and then the gentle curve of the street drew my eye to the distant sunlit azaleas.

The photo doesn't capture the intensity of the purple-red azaleas in the shadow of the foreground trees.  In fact, the color was so intense that it seemed to reflect right in to the shadowed street!  The fun I had as an artist was remembering those colors and bringing them to life.  I also had fun with the composition, making sure that the dark and light values worked to lead the viewers eye around the scene and back again.

Here's my 8x10 version of "Curb Appeal":

Curb Appeal, SOLD

8x10 oil

And here's a larger, 16x20 version:

Curb Appeal, SOLD

16x20 oil

Spring at Homewood Nursery

This small painting is one of my personal favorites (though I have many!)  Begun on location at Homewood Nursery in Raleigh, I loved painting the glow of the reflected light and colors in the shadows on the planter and the many layers of blossoms and greenery along the pathway.

Since my center of interest was the reflected light on the planter, I chose to contrast the warm orange-y glow by making the foreground flower a blue iris rather than yellow and then repeated this color in the background irises.  I also darkened the value of that flower so that it would blend in with the shadow and not draw attention to itself.  Another change I made was to continue the pink flowers all the way to the planter in order to lead your eye there and not have the pink flowers be so isolated.  One final change was to give more depth to the scene by using a blue haze to make the background recede behind the planter.  Happy Spring!

Spring at Homewood Nursery
6x8 oil, SOLD

Azalea Glow

Happy Easter!!  

Today's post seemed to me to be the right one for this day that celebrates new life.  The white azalea bushes in my yard haven't bloomed yet, 
but I am definitely ready to see them again! 

This photograph from a past Spring was one of dozens that I took to capture the sun shining through the translucent petals.  The purity of this white azalea, with light that almost appears to come from within, reminds me of the One who we honor as pure light on this day.

For my painting, I cropped the scene in a way that keeps the glowing azalea as the "star" of the show while moving it out of center stage.  This encourages the eye to explore and also creates some interesting shapes around the flowers.  Enjoy!

Azalea Glow, not available

12x16 Oil

House Hunting

 To warm your soul and remind you that the winter chill will soon be replaced by the hope of new life, I am posting the "house hunting" of nature that is about to begin in earnest.   

This little bluebird visited my yard a few years ago and was so much fun to watch as he clearly was trying to attract his future mate to this lovely home.  She accepted his proposal and before long their family began :) 

I loved everything about this composition: the verticals of the background trees that mimicked the house, the dynamic lines of the roof and plants that lead your eye to the entrance of the little home and, especially, the way the sun and shadow drape across the entrance in welcome.

But here's my little secret:  the amorous blue bird would not stay still long enough for me to take his portrait on the roof!  So I took a picture of him on a branch and did a little photo manipulation (click on the image and you can see).  The trick was to catch him with the lighting the same as the house.

My artistic vision of this scene was much warmer than the camera captured, adding a glow to the cozy home that would soon be brimming with life.  Happy Spring!

House Hunting,  SOLD

5x7 Oil