041017 S 24x30 Morning Glories, Hollyhocks, and Poppies by the Creek, PART THREE

This is PART THREE of a three part blog about the creations for a recent commission project.  This is the second of two paintings I created for the project.  You can see the design process in the PART ONE blog. You can see the first painting HERE in PART TWO.   

To summarize, Beth and Andy wanted a flower scene with lots of purple:  blue-purples, red-violets, blues.  The water needed to be a darker cobalt blue, not a turquoise or cerulean blue.  They liked certain elements in various paintings that they saw in my studio/gallery during a visit.  So I took notes and then pulled out the paintings and/or printouts of what they liked.  

I started with a sketch that includes writing out what I what where and what colors and flowers I want to emphasize.

Then I sketch out the idea on a prepared panel using a brush dipped in cold pressed linseed oil and magenta mixed with cerulean blue pigment.  

I mix up a dark value using Cadmium Red Medium and Ultramarine Blue and use that on the edges of the creek.  I mix up a dark green for the background trees using Ultra Blue, Cadmium Yellow Light, and a touch of Cad. Red Med. and/or Primary Red-Magenta.  

I use Ultramarine Blue with a touch of Titanium White for the water in the creek. I also add in some dark, rusty ochers in the water where the earth and rocks underneath color the water. I start painting in the morning glories with dark purples mixed from various combinations of Ultra. Blue or Cerulean Blue with Magenta gradually adding lighter values mixed with white. 

The green foliage in the middle ground space is mixed using primarily Cerulean Blue(a warmer blue than Ultramarine) and Cadmium Yellow Light.  More blue is used in the background greens to help the space recede.  Magenta and Cadmium Red are also mixed in sparingly for shadows and dips in the topography.

More dark background foliage in the trees is added.  Leaves are added to the Morning Glories.

The sky, mixed with Cerulean Blue and Titanium White, is popped in the negative space around the trees.

Bright zinnias are added to the background, dancing across the trees.  The zinnias are mixed from various combinations of magenta, cadmium red, yellow, and blue.  Bright poppies from pure Cadmium Red Medium and Light are added to their complementary color, green.  Using complementary colors next to each other cause them to vibrate optically and create visual excitement.

More flowers are added throughout the painting.  A pale violet color is mixed using lots white with purple.  Yellow is used sparingly.  Hollyhocks are painted in.  Goldfish are added to the creek and a waterfall is painted in.  Final details are added to the foreground flowers.  And the final painting(below):

"Morning Glories, Hollyhocks, and Poppies by the Creek", Code #031017 24x30, oil on panel, 24" x 30", c. 2017, by Charlene Marsh. SOLD

And so which painting did Andy and Beth select?  While they loved both paintings, they selected this one, the second one!  I thought they might because it made the purples and blue-purples the stars of the painting more than the first one(which is fabulous in it's own right).
 

You can see the design process in PART ONE and the creation of the first painting in PART TWO.  

Thanks for following along.

Happy Trails!

Cheers,

Charlene

040717 S 24x30 Happy Dancing Flowers, PART TWO

This is PART TWO of a three part blog about the creation of a commissioned oil painting for a couple for their bedroom and shows the creation of the first of two paintings created for them to choose from.  Please visit PART ONE to see the evolution of the foundation of the project and PART THREE to see the second painting created and find out which one Andy and Beth selected. 

Beth and Andy visited the studio/gallery and looked over the paintings I had in stock.  We discussed what they liked and the size of the space.  In particular, Beth loves purple.  Blue-purple is her favorite.  This was a fun challenge to integrate what they liked -- the colors, the waterfall, the flowers -- into a painting to fit their space.

After making some sketches, I started with a drawing on the panel using cold pressed linseed oil and a bit of pigment.

I mix the darkest values using Ultramarine Blue and Cadmium Red Medium.  I put in the dark values wherever I see them on the painting.

For the darker, background trees, I mixed Ultra Blue with a small amount of Cadmium Yellow Light.  I mix up a small batch of color and apply it throughout.  Then i mix up another small batch of color and use that until it is gone.  Some batches I mix in more yellow, some more blue.  Some, I add Cerulean Blue and/or a touch of Titanium White to get a lighter value.

For the brighter greens in the foreground space, I mix up small batches of green the same way but, instead of Ultramarine Blue, use a warmer Cerulean Blue with Cadmium Yellow in varying ratios.  I also would add a touch of Cadmium Red Medium and Primary Red-Magenta to tone it down.

I blocked in the water on the creek using Ultramarine Blue since my clients liked the cobalt color more than a turquoise color.  I also worked in some of the earth tones from the land mixed from predominately Cadmium Red Medium with Ultra Blue and Cadmium Yellow.

Next, I mixed a light blue for the sky using both Ultramarine Blue and Cerulean Blue plus Titanium White and blocked in the sky in the negative space around the trees.  

I then scratched into the surface all over with a rubber tipped implement to create the branches and twigs and sense of movement.

Finally, time to start adding the flowers!  I start with the hollyhocks in the background using various mixes of magenta with a touch of yellow, magenta and white, magenta and ultra blue, magenta and cerulean blue.

More flowers are painted in.  The waterfall in the creek is painted in.  Goldfish are added and then ripples swept over them.  I even go back and add some dark green from the background when I think there may be too many flowers. 

The surface of the painting is alive with the flowers pulsating across the landscape.  Hollyhocks, magic lilies, marigolds, poppies, Queen Anne's Lace are all dancing across the painting.  

The finished painting.  "Happy Dancing Flowers", Code #040717 S 24x30, oil on panel, 24" x 30", c. 2017 by Charlene Marsh.

I ended up painting a second piece to give Beth and Andy a choice.  I also wanted to better integrate what they wanted with the emphasis on purples and violets and blues.  Although I absolutely love the vibrancy and excitement of this painting, I felt like maybe it didn't have enough purple to really meet their expectations.  Also, I just feel better giving clients a choice and then I can add the second piece back into my inventory.  Win win for everyone!  

PART THREE of this blog features the creation of the second painting.  I'll let you know at the end of that blog which painting Andy and Beth selected.  
 
Thanks for following along! 

Happy Trails!

Charlene

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032417 Commission Project, PART ONE

This is PART ONE of a three part blog about a recent commission project.  PART ONE discusses the evolution and inspiration of the project.  PART TWO covers how the first oil painting was created and PART THREE shows the creation of the second painting.  My clients were then shown both paintings and given a choice of their favorite between the two paintings.  I'll let you know which one they selected in PART THREE so stay tuned.

While visiting the studio/gallery, Andy and Beth looked through the paintings I had in my inventory and picked out various ones they liked.  But they needed a specific size for their bedroom and nothing I had on hand fit what they wanted.  I told them I could paint a painting as a commission project and take into consideration and incorporate exactly what they wanted.

"Poppies and Hollyhocks by the Creek", Code #032416 24x36, oil on panel, 24" x 36", c. 2016 by Charlene Marsh 

Beth really loves purples.  All kinds of purple!  Especially blue-purple.  But she also loves red-violets and blues.  She wanted a flower painting with these colors highlighted.  Pinks and magentas were fine, too.

Beth not only loved the flowers in this painting(above) but the waterfall in it so we wanted to incorporate a waterfall in the final painting for their home.

"Zinnias, Marigolds, & Mums by the Goldfish Pool", Code #091116 12x16, plein air oil on panel, 12" x 16", c. 2016 by Charlene Marsh 

She loved the dark water in the goldfish pool(above) as well as the color of the flowers and the habenero hot pepper plant on the right side although purples had to predominate.

"Lilies by the Goldfish Pool with Glass Bird Bath", Code #070214 12x16, plein air oil on panel, 12" x 16", c. 2014 by Charlene Marsh 

Beth liked the very pale yellow flowers in the lower left of the painting (above) as well as a few poppies.

"Morning Glories", Code #081215 12x12, plein air oil on panel, 12" x 12", c. 2015 by Charlene Marsh  SOLD

After they left the studio, I looked through printouts of past, sold paintings and pulled a few other images that I thought met their criteria and would be good inspiration.  The blue and blue-purple morning glories (above) would be perfect for the painting.  
 

"Purple Ironweed", Code #082316 9x12 no2, plein air oil on panel, 12" x 16", c. 2016 by Charlene Marsh  SOLD

All this purple ironweed(above) definitely fit the bill! 

"Magic Lilies and Hollyhocks", Code #112415 12x12, oil on panel, 12" x 12", c. 2015 by Charlene Marsh  SOLD

I love the Magic Lilies and Hollyhocks in this painting(above) especially vibrating against the green foliage.

So I arranged a couple original paintings to the left of my easel and made a bulletin board of six printouts of past paintings to use for inspiration and reference while working on the commission piece.  You can see the set up in my studio in the photo above.  My palette is on the right side with extra palette knives, paint, and paper towels on the left.

So, with a firm foundation of what my clients want and what direction I want to take the painting, I am ready to get started.  

Please visit PART TWO to see how the first painting in this project was created.  PART THREE with the second painting is now up and you can see which painting Andy and Beth selected.

Thanks for following along!

Happy Trails!

Cheers,

Charlene 

070516 S 24x36 Flower Garden at Dusk

Here is how I painted this lovely scene of garden flowers at twilight.

I created an "inspiration board" (can be seen on the right in the picture below) made up with several printouts of past paintings including plein air paintings. I can pick and choose the various elements that I like to include in the new painting.

I sketch out the basic design of the painting using a brush dipped in linseed oil and picking up a little pigment.

I start by blocking in the dark greens mixing them with ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow light and a touch of magenta to create a black green.  I work over the entire surface popping in the dark value for the background trees and along the creek bed.

I mix up a brighter green using cerulean blue, a warmer blue than ultramarine, and cadmium yellow light.  To tone down to bright green, I add a touch of cadmium red light or medium or magenta.  Violets are also used to tone down the bright greens.  I mixed up a light pink for the Magic Lilies from the magenta and Titanium White.

 I add gold, yellows, and oranges for various flowers.

After most of the surface of the painting is covered, I mix the sky color with Titanium White and Cerulean Blue.  Starting at the top of the panel I put in the blue sky.  I mix the twilight colors with white, cadmium red light and yellow to make a peachy sunset color.  For the transition between the blue sky at the top to the peachy dusk color at the horizon line, I mix the two colors that create a gorgeous neutral color that makes the colors glow.

Using a curricular motion with the palette knife, I start popping in the hollyhocks and poppies. 

I use a different motion with the palette knife to paint in the tops of the hollyhocks.

More detail is added throughout the painting.  Fish and ripples are added to the creek.

I decided to add some hollyhocks to the mound of earth between the two sides of the creek.  I continued  adding details throughout the painting until it felt like it was done.

Here is the completed painting, "Flower Garden at Dusk", oil on panel, 24" x 36", Inventory Code #070516 S 24x36, by Charlene Marsh, c. 2016.

Happy Trails!

 Charlene 
 
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Enchanted Valley

Just finished a new triptych, "Enchanted Valley", I want to share with you.   
This painting has a nice balance of Yin and Yang elements making it a wonderful feature suitable for the bedroom or the family/living room.  The blue water in the painting is both refreshing and rejuvenating while still creating a calm and relaxing environment.  Water symbolizes money and wealth and moving water and waterfalls, in particular, stimulate good fortune.  The fish in the creek symbolically ward off evil and bring good luck.  

Balancing the relaxing, lucky blue waters are the fiery, red poppies that bring an auspicious, active, passionate yang energy to your living space.  Flowers stimulate good fortune and wealth which is enhanced by the invigorating, brilliant, red color.  An eagle represents healing, creativity, and far sighted vision.  This painting will help create a harmonious, lively, happy environment for entertaining family and friends or for intimate moments of quiet and reflection.

This is an oil painting on stretched, wrapped canvas.  The overall finished size is 30" h x 50" w.  Please follow along to see how it was painted.  

I had started a preliminary painting on these canvases that I ended up abandoning.   So I sanded down the old paint and applied the magenta tint back over it.  You can see the shadow of the old painting coming through.  I made a few sketches in my notebook until I found a scene I liked.  

On the canvas, I started with an initial sketch by dipping my brush in cold pressed linseed oil and using alizarin crimson.

Once I start to block in the darks of the creek, the old painting is much less distracting. I mix Cerulean Blue with Cadmium Red Medium and Light to mix the dark shale colors.

 

I add the turquoise of the creek mixing Cerulean Blue and a touch of Cadmium Yellow Light with Titanium White.

A dark green is mixed with Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow Light, and Cerulean Blue, with a touch of red and used to start to delineate the valleys and shadows of the hills.

The distant, background hills are painted in using a mix of light greens and violets with lots of white so they sit back into the distance.  Brighter greens for the foreground are mixed with Cerulean Blue and Cadmium Yellow Light. 

A variety of greens are mixed with various combos of yellow and blue with violets used to cut down the brightness and create a whole tapestry of rich colors.  I like to keep some green bright so the red and magenta flowers, being complementary colors, visually sparkle against the green.

I added the falls on the creek and the ripples on top of the water.  I am working wet into wet over the entire painting and since blues dry the fastest, I wanted to make sure I got the ripples on the water before the paint dried.

Here, I have started to add the trees and branches and limbs that lace the forest.

Finally, I started adding the flowers.  The red poppies and pink hollyhocks.  I started experimenting with a palette knife that has been in my arsenal for awhile but hasn't really been used.  This palette knife is round and I thought it might be perfect for the poppies -- and I was right!

Here's a picture of the round knife alongside my usual favorite.

 My kitty, Henry, napping by the painting in progress.

 More flowers and leaves and details are added.

I continue working the entire surface adding more details.

I think the valley needs something more -- like an eagle in flight.  I tried painting the eagle first up higher in the sky but ended up bringing him down so he is sailing through the valley with the hills behind him.

Here's a shot of my work space.  You can see past paintings that I print out to create the "inspiration" boards. 

Here's a detail that shows the heavy impasto paint and the red edges.  The final triptych is ready to hang, NO frame needed! 

As the painting emerged while I worked on it, I was reminded of my favorite book as a child about a young girl who discovered a secret portal in the woods that led to an enchanted land.  I must have read that book a dozen times.  This painting seems to embody that magical place. 

"Enchanted Valley",  oil on wrapped canvas, 30" x 50" triptych, c. 2016, by Charlene Marsh.  Inventory Code #080516 S 30x50. 

Thanks for following along!

Happy Trails!

Charlene 

P.S.  Be sure to sign up for THE ART BRUSH newsletter where you can receive news, tips, special pricing, exhibitions, and more!  As a bonus, when you subscribe, you will immediately receive a FREE one page report on How to Create Health, Wealth, and Harmony Using Fine Art!

Thanks!