When I started using acrylic paint some 20 years ago, it felt like a medium I can really engage in. Watercolor is beautiful and has its own applications, but acrylic paint allows creating volume and pretty much touchable effect. I love that it doesn’t have smell and I can use acrylic paint in many layers to achieve the magic in my paintings.
The most recent painting has been long in making since it took me almost a year to recover. It can be difficult to return to the mindset and intended painting process I had envisioned that long ago. Nevertheless, the first steps were inviting, and I decided to add more layers and complete this painting. Just like always I have quite many unfinished acrylic paintings. All will be done sooner or later.
When the fall season starts, I do enjoy the bright colors I can apply to my watercolor and acrylic paintings. I had some grey periods and then gold and subtle color period, but eventually I returned to strong, bright colors. To have more magic with acrylic painting, more contrast and volume. As I have mentioned before, I use paint in layers.
Every picture shows more added layers. Like always, the actual painting is better than pictures thereof. Walking into fall season is 20 x 24” acrylic painting on canvas. It is available now, after 2 days I finished it. There are certainly people who appreciate bright and lively colors in a great landscape which also has a fantastic perspective.
I’ve been working on many things, including painting, sketching, drawing, teaching art classes, but most of all, I had to deal with planting the garden. That left me not much time for posting anything anywhere. “Blue sky over summer meadows” painting was started in class. Therefore, it’s really not my personal choice of subject.
This post is just simple and short update since I already skipped April. April was quite nice, but then May brought bad and extremely cold weather, and I had no motivation to paint a lot. I have finished sketches and watercolor paintings, but they’ll have to wait for another time. “Blue sky over summer meadows” is a fairly acceptable acrylic painting, except I struggled abnormally to get realistic pictures.
Every art class also takes preparation; the biggest problem is what to paint. Teaching art classes nowadays is extremely difficult. Most people watch tutorials and speed paintings, and that causes one to believe that any painting is done within an hour or less, even if one is a complete beginner. That also makes one believe that there’s no need to know anything about painting, particular medium or brushstroke.
Anyway, I tried my best getting some images, and I must admit none of them is like the actual painting. I mostly can get very yellow or very blue images and resulting green is also either very blue-green or very yellow-green. The device I have always hated most is the iPhone. Unfortunately, that’s the only thing I can currently use, and it is very upsetting and frustrating to never have a good and decent image.
Therefore, I like very much the black and white version which shows only values and none of the wrong colors.
Regardless of how the “Blue sky over summer meadows” painting looks online, it’s a very uplifting and memorable artwork, and it’s available. The size is 20 x 24” or 51 x 61 cm. I just saw some really bad paintings in size 5 x 5” selling on Etsy at $89. Really? Well, my art is priced very moderately at the moment, but I cannot include free shipping, that’s for the huge companies. So, somebody might like it and keep the memories of summer on their wall.
I intend to completely conclude the green spring and summer paintings, and do instead close-up garden, flower, early fall, fences, mist images and some abstracted landscapes. I don’t have water in my backyard, but I have attractive old trees, even my own house looks very interesting since it has so much character. Painting and sketching plein-air is more rewarding and interesting which is what I am going to do.
Why do I paint what I paint? Why this landscape? I have done commissions when somebody else orders the painting subject and colors. However, when I choose the subject, I look for something which feels like me, and I go for it. I pay no regard to all classic or whatever painting rules. Instead, I usually guide myself with what feels right and suitable to me. That includes deciding when the painting is done.
This particular painting was started last year, around this same time. I did the first layers and left it since other things came up and I had to deal with them. As I have mentioned before, I have quite a lot of paintings which are in their initial stages. I don’t push myself – if I don’t feel like completing some painting, I leave it alone.
Recently, I decided to add some layers and see what I could do with this landscape. It looks good and has lots of appeal in the final version. Each painting undergoes numerous transitions, from the first blocked in layers to final details. I regret that colors are both, more yellow and bluer, and the red tones are sort of missing on photo.
I paint what’s around me and what I know well. That is would be – forests, parks, backyards, creeks, trees, plants, flowers and garden. These subjects are applied in different combinations from still life to landscape and everything in the middle. I am not close to large water, and I absolutely do not have any mountains here. However, nature provides me with endless inspiration, especially trees and plants.
Just like always, I love checking out how the black and white version of this landscape looks. I think it is quite impressive, with all values in correct places, and certainly, it’s possible to see the landscape, barn and daffodils clearly. One can tell it’s spring even without colors.
The situation with art materials and paints is very tough here. I have run out of most good quality paints; there’s no white paint left. I just use what I have, but I will definitely need to get some new art supplies from somewhere soon. I dislike internet shopping a lot, and I always preferred to see in person what exactly I was buying. No such option here right now.
Enjoy my new spring barn landscape with white daffodils and weathered fence. It looks sunny on the wall, indeed. Also, this view takes us to a beautiful day when blooms are out and leaves are opening. Let’s hope we get into the nice spring weather sooner!
All black and white version art prints, as well different size and format art prints are available from Fine Art America
Just like other primary colors, red color can have numerous variations of cool and warm shades. Red color is eye catching and energizing. I won’t try to list all symbolic meanings, but among well-known attributes, red color has a protective aura.
Unfortunately, no camera with all automated settings, can ever much the sensitivity of experienced artist’s application of any color. Therefore, the red color in a painting might be more yellow, as it very often is, more orange, or bluer. The color distortion has a wide range, and it is also difficult to correct because any change affects the entire image.
Creating the still life with red jug from 2012 drawing
It took a lot of guessing what goes where since I didn’t have the actual reference in front of me.
The new still life with red jug, has many red tones. I tried to capture them on images, as well, and I must admit, not always successfully. I know, people say, it doesn’t really matter, but if you see the actual painting and image thereof, you would agree that it matters. I created the drawing on Arches cotton watercolor paper in 2012. When I started feeling better, I decided to finalize all paintings on good paper since it has become extra expensive. Painting on such paper, is a pleasure.
The new painting is large: 24 x 18″ or 61 x 46 cm.
I noticed quite early that direction of light is very important for me. Whether you look at my drawings, pastel or acrylic paintings, or watercolor art, light always comes from the left. It’s just how I see everything. Once you have established your personal perception of light direction, you will notice how easy it is to apply shadows and use the composition effectively.
All still life paintings in this post have red color in them, some more, some less. Some have very warm red, some – rather cool. The same applies to different parts of one and the same image. When people start painting, they rarely think of these things – direction of light, cool and warm colors, volume and contrast and so forth. The subject is not that important, but the before mentioned things are since they are the main principles of painting.
I’ve always loved drawing and painting still life. It is easy to set up using whatever you already have at home. Certainly, some items suit still life settings better than the others. Yet, there is a way to implement anything. It could be your personal items, fruits, vegetables, flowers, books, souvenirs, attractive dishes, plants, bottles, jars and jug, I mean, the choice is endless. I love painting still life because I don’t need any photos for reference.
Any of my still life paintings always start with the pencil sketch or drawing. I draw sometimes straight on watercolor paper, sometimes – on whatever paper I have, and then transfer the drawing onto watercolor paper. Most of still life paintings are done on Arches cotton paper. I don’t use bright white paper, but rough and cold press for sure. I like the texture of paper even though it can make painting process more difficult.
As the seasons change and the fall makes us feel its presence, a new painting season starts. I switch from summer projects to abundance of sparkling colors and more autumnal subjects. For students who take the brush in their hands for the first time and for experienced artists, it is a great moment to submerge oneself into this fantastic experience of creation. The nostalgic feel of something going away, the thoughtfulness of nature preparing for sleep, the dance of leaves in the backyard and harvest on the table: this is an never ending inspiration for poets and artists alike.
Wide choice of medium and subject options
The new painting season is going to be rich in colors and painting subjects. All media capture fall colors well. Watercolor does it with bright washes and brilliance of pure color, like the transparent fall sky and the gold and red of leaves. Acrylic allows for numerous layers, thus polishing the painting to a perfect fall art. We can use pastel and pencil also, why not? I hope I and my current students will create something impressive. We already welcomed the new painting season with the first set of acrylic painting classes.
New season of painting classes
Painting classes have always been popular. I used to have participants who attended my painting classes every week, month after month, and so for quite a few years. That was before the online classes and tutorials started to take over the internet space. The advantage of art class as opposed to tutorial or paint night is very significant: art classes teach you to use tools, explore surfaces, many techniques, as well as painting and drawing subjects. The goal of art classes is to teach you to become independent and to be able to paint or draw anything afterwards.
The story told by trees
During this new painting season, we will allow trees to tell their story, allow the brush to dance on canvas. We will use sponge and fan brush because that’s a very fantastic way to capture fall nature. One just needs to know how to go about that and what colors and in what sequence to use. I love watercolor, I love acrylic painting, and there’s nothing wrong with color sketch or simple ink or pencil drawing. However, the new painting season will be devoted to new type of art which will shine not only through composition, color choices, but also new approaches and techniques.
