Day 7 of 30 day challenge

Now we're ROCK'N!  I feel I need to learn a bit more about painting rocks so the next few paintings will be along that line.  Here's my first two hour extravaganza to capture some rocks.  I must confess that I really struggled with this one and the final image turned out nothing like my reference photo.  But, of course, you would never know that except for me telling you.  Anyway, I'm fairly satisfied with the end result, but as always there are things that could be changed and improved.  As artists I guess we all feel that a painting is never as good as it could be and is never finished.  But for this 30 day challenge I have set a boundary - TWO HOURS AND IT'S DONE!

8" x 8" Acrylic on loose canvas

$80

Day 6 of 30 day challenge

Another Realistic Abstract and again painted on 300# Arches Watercolor paper.  This will be the last of three painted on paper.  I really like the way the paint responds to the damp paper - almost like painting with watercolor!  I'm not sure, though, about the permanency of the painting, whether it will need to be framed under glass, or can it just be varnished and put in a frame?  I have tried to lift some paint off after it is dry but it seems impossible to do.  With watercolor, even after the paint is dry, you can take a damp brush and lift color off.
Anyway, tomorrow I'll "rock" on to something else for a week or so.  Variety is always good and my theme for these thirty days is "you never know!".  You never know what will be tomorrow so stay tuned!

8" x 8" acrylic on 300# Arches Cold Pressed Watercolor paper

$80

Day 5 of 30 day challenge

Today I tried some "negative painting" for something different.

I'm limiting my time to two hours per painting and attempting some 

new techniques and approaches.  It's all a learning experience!

8" x 10" Acrylic on door-skin panel

$100

Day 4 of 30 day challenge

This is another attempt at a Realistic Abstract, but again I think it might be just a bit too realistic.  That's what happens when detailed, logical, straight-line left brain likes to take over.  I may try to paint a similar one later in the month to see if I can't be a little more loose, that is loose in my painting!  Anyway, the whole process is a good learning experience which is part of the purpose of the whole endeavor.  I have determined that I will spend no more than TWO HOURS on each painting and what it is at that point it is and on to the next one.  Just a couple more along the Realistic Abstract line, and then I'll really begin to "rock"!

Day 3 of 30 day challenge

This is another Realistic Abstract that I believe is closer to what I am trying to achieve.  I used acrylic on 300# watercolor paper and am pleased with the way the colors blend and spread.  It's almost like painting with watercolor, the main difference is that the colors are permanent.  They can't be lifted off with water after they have dried as can be done with regular watercolor paint.

8" x 8" acrylic on 300# Arches cold pressed water color paper

$80

Day 2 of 30 day challenge

Here is an excellent example of accountant type, straight line thinker left brain trying to do something that right brain would do with the greatest of ease!

During this 30 day challenge I set as one of my goals some work in abstract paintings.  Kees van Aalst in his book Realistic Abstracts says that this type of painting "is painting in which the subject is recognisable, but is a long way from the photograhic approach; it is work painted with freedom and fluency that stimulates and excites the viewer and forces him or her to use their own imagination".

I said yesterday that if I worked at it I could get paintings that were unrecognizable!  Use your imagination and be excited with this one!

8" x 8" Acrylic on loose canvas

$80

30 Paintings in 30 Days - 2015

Day One

I'm wanting to do some work in abstracts along the lines of what Kees van Aalsat calls Realixtic Abstracts.  This is a little too realistic but I'm sure that future paintings can become almost unrecognizable!

 Acrylic on 8" x 8" loose canvas

$80