Pine bough chickadees

My mom wanted to do a painting wi5 me to learn how to do pine branches. The painting below is from that afternoon spent painting with my mom. It’s an 11x14 wrapped canvas. The first picture is the finished product. The second picture is the chickadee underpainting in black and white gesso.

Winter moon oil painting

I wanted to paint a night time winter scene; really working the deep blue hues. Rather than use a white canvas, I painted the entire canvas in black gesso (other than a moon masked with tape). One of the canvases was old and had some stray marks and imperfections. It wouldn’t have been a good foundation for a typical painting, but covering it all in the gesso made it a great starting point. Below are the two examples I did this week. One is 11x14 in lascape orientation while the other is a 9x12 in portrait orientation.

Cardinal on Pine Branch

I had a request for a painting that would be a Christmas present. The request was for a lone cardinal with the following sentiment:

• “When a cardinal appears in your yard, it’s a visitor from heaven.” 

Not sure where the phrase came from, but the request was due to a recent death of a young person very close to this individual. So I wanted to do my best within my amateur-skills. Lettering is tedious with oil paints (at least for me it is) because the paint needs to be thinned just the right amount. So I knew adding words to my canvas was going to be a challenge. It certainly would not look like stenciling or die/laser cut. I wanted a close up of the cardinal sitting on a pine bough. I added some pine cones for extra embellishments. The lettering was held off and done at the very end. It was a bit nerve wracking since a bad slip could mess things up on an otherwise good painting. It’s definitely not perfect, but I’m satisfied  how the lettering looks. Ultimately, I like the results and hope it’s what the recipient wanted.

Winter Fox

I got a little bit of painting time between my “taxi” duties tonight. This one is another variation of the winter scene I did a week ago. This time with a fox instead of the deer. The first pic is the fox in gesso for the underpainting (done yesterday). The second pic is the finished product.

Cast iron skillet

I found one of those novelty cookie cast iron pans at a garage sale this past summer. These are usually sold during the Christmas season with an ingredient kit to bake a single cookie. This one is a heart shape. I taped the edges to retain the black iron, and put in a base using white gesso. There isn’t much space; being all of a diminutive 5” pan plus handle. So I thought a sole Chickadee would be a nice oil painting for this tiny canvas.

Vermont Covered Bridge

i painted a covered bridge a few months ago. It was a winter scene. I had a request from someone to paint another covered bridge. This time I went with a late summer - early autumn scene. The bridge was done in a monocramatic style with black and white gesso. Taped over the bridge and masked off the three foreground trees, and got started with the oils on the sky, distant tree line and then the ground over. I removed the tape from the bridge and highlighted the wood sections with varying tones of red/ivory black. The birch trees were done last, with the close-up leaves being brushed on with a filbert and round brush. The painting is an 11x14 stretched canvas. The painting wraps around the edges.

First Snow

Some of my oil paintings start out as a base acrylic underpainting. This is done on the blank white canvas. It’s then covered with masking tape (cutting ever so carefully with a crafting knife) and the oil paints are applied over it. Eventually the tape is removed and the acrylic underpainting is covered with a thin clear glazing medium, and touched up with oils to add detail and highlights. Below is an underpainting I did with shaded wood (brown) and white gesso, with a bit of black too.

The next day I finished the painting. Below is a little background on why I chose this particular scene.

I was out running in the snow a couple days ago. During the run I had five deer pass in front of me. It was dark, quiet, and overall a very nice moment. The deer all walked by me in not much of a hurry. They checked me over and didn’t find me all too threatening. One of the deer was small; I assume this will be that deer’s first winter. I wonder the struggles that they endure as they press on throughout the winter. Will that little one make it to spring? I’m not sure. But they are equipped for the rigors of a northern New York winter. I sure hope the little deer tastes the fresh green grass of spring. For now, there are months of snow, wind, and darkness to overcome.

This painting, “First Snow”, is just a reflection of that moment. There is a lot of wonder and awe out in the world.

Snowman

I like to repurpose things when I can. Things like old picture frames. Not just any old frames, but ones that are made of real wood or have some character or unique traits. I found this small wood frame in a thrift store. It had a nice matte inside. The matte was a cream color with a sliver of blue trim around it. I thought the blue trim would go great with a winter scene. I was painting snowmen due to the season and figured it would make a nice gift for someone. I added a short string of lights in the “hands” of my snowman as if he/she were getting ready to put it on a tree. This of course is comical in itself. So I added the tiny tree that wouldn’t be able to support the lights anyway. Although not realistic of a scene, it is whimsical and fitting of the winter season. I really like the outcome. My wife will be giving this away to one of her friends who really likes snowmen.

Night Solitude

It was the first day of snow today; at least the first to accumulate on the ground. That provided some inspiration for my painting. I had a random solid black canvas panel that had went unused for a long time. I was aiming for a painting that was going to be a night scene with deep blues fading into nothing. So the black solid background would work. First, I masked off the light post. There was no underpainting; just cutting away the tape from the bare black panel and removing the excess tape. I prepped the canvas with clear glaze. I then painted in layers of blue starting with darker hues and making the value lighter as I worked closer to the light. I blended it all with a scenery brush. I used a fan brush to “spring” some snow into the air. I used cerulean blue and white for the snowflakes further away from the light. The snow closer to the light was straight white. The ground was then painted using various layers of blue, brushed on with the scenery brush using smooth horizontal strokes. I kept the snow closer to actual white under the light. I wanted the painting to really have a sense of a dark winter night, so I used the crisp whites sparingly. These colors worked well for my vision. I then removed the masking tape to reveal the matte black light post. I did not add any clear glaze to the pole. I wanted it to have less gloss than what oil paint usually shows. I did add some grayish tones to the one side of the pole to give a bit of definition. But I mainly left the pole alone. At that point I thought about leaving the painting and calling it done. I was going for a minimalist scene as it was. But I decided to add the wreath and ribbon to the pole. I’m glad I did, as I’m happy with the results. It gave a bit of extra color to a scene rich in blues. This is an 11x14 panel. I put it on a mini-display easel and it looks great. I’ll frame it if I find a nice frame that compliments the painting.

Sunset Loon

The painting below was an experiment with a darker foreground to silhouette elements like the trees against a brighter sky. I wanted a mist to shroud the boarder between shoreline and the water of this little pond. I used vibrant colors for the sunset and kept the ground and water much darker. I really enjoyed painting this one and it turned out pretty close to what I envisioned. It’s a 12x16 wrapped canvas.

Pumpkin Turkey

Well, this post has nothing to do with painting. I wanted to make my Halloween pumpkin last further into the Thanksgiving season. So I didn’t carve it. I found a neat metal decoration kit. I like the fun results.

Chickadee Close Up

The painting below is a 12x12 stretched canvas. It is a close up view of a Chickadee sitting on a branch. The branches and berries are coated in a light snow. I wanted a micro scene instead of the landscapes I normally do. The background is blurred to be non distinctive other than a cloudy backdrop. I masked the perimeter to frame the painting.

Spring and Autumn woods

This pair of painting is basically the same technique but using different colors to change the seasons. The background trees and dark hints of foliage were done in acrylics. Then a clear glaze medium was brushed on (no masking anything). From there, I just used colors that I felt represented each season. The sun beams were added for depth and to give more life to the paintings.

I did mask around the perimeter to give a matted look to the paintings. I could have easily painted right to and around the canvas edge. I do like the contrast the bright white border gives the paintings.

Lighthouse at Night

Something a little different. Aiming for a night scene with this one. Dark sky made from ivory black and dioxazine purple. The beam of light didn’t turn out quite how I wanted. Gained some ideas for next time.

Adirondack Vista

A rainy morning provided me a chance to complete another painting. This one is an Adirondack vista of distant rolling hills fading into the mist of one of the many small lakes here in upstate New York. The “mountains”of the Adirondacks are more rounded than the jagged Rockies. Erosion has softened the peaks. While there are still rugged areas, many appear like camel humps. There are as many of these soft mountains as there are lakes in the Adirondacks. 

This painting is about depth. Hills upon hills. Trees upon trees. Each element getting closer and a bit more detailed. The little lake below is for the most part calm. The painting was all about layering each mass as it approaches the viewer. As with any experimental painting, there are things I would do differently the next time. 

Overall, I’m happy with the result. It looks the way my mind remembers the many hikes I’ve done around Old Forge. It’s quiet and serene. 

Sunset Loon

It was a rainy morning with no place to go for a couple hours. So I painted a loon floating peacefully on a lake. I did a vibrant sunset as the sky and reflected many of the colors into the water. 11x14 stretched canvas.

Flying High

This 16x20 painting is an eagle in flight. An alpine lake and snow capped mountains set the background. The lake is calm, giving attention to the landscape reflection.

Autumn Buck

As autumn comes into season, so do the bucks around our area. The velvet from their antlers comes off to leave behind the bare antler. Bow hunting season has already started up here. Muzzle loader will follow and then the regular rifle season. It's a time to stay out of the woods. If I do venture on a hike, I'll make sure to wear bright orange. I'm not a hunter myself. I certainly like to see deer in the woods and fields though. It's always a thrill to come upon one while out hiking.

My painting for today is a buck drinking from a small lake. I added a slight ripple from where the buck is drinking, to give a little sense of movement. The trees are full and blazing the fall colors. This was done on an 11x14 stretched canvas.

Autumn Birch Forest

I'm still working the autumn scenes. This one is a 16x20 wrapped canvas. The deer was done in acrylics first. Then masked. I masked off Five foreground trees for later. Next came sponging in the dark foliage in acrylic and laying down a dark forest floor in acrylics. Everything to this point was various mixes of shaded wood brown, black, and white. Then I added some distance birch trees with moon blue. With the acrylic base done, I added a clear glaze  medium. The tree leaves were done with a transparent color, using the clear medium and the desired color to tint the sky area. Colors used were cadmium yellow, burnt sienna, and some van dyke brown at the fringe edges. The sun beams were titanium white; brushed on with a fan brush edge and then soften with a mop brush. The ground cover was put on using color harmony. The masking tape was then removed from the foreground birch trees and they were glazed and painted. Finally, the masking was removed from the deer to add clean glaze and various highlights. Overall very happy with how this one turned out. Lots of fun.

Lili Pad Pond

This painting was my attempt at exploring more with painting water reflections. It included some submerged rocks in the foreground shallow shoreline; essentially "pushing" them under the water using blending techniques. The lili pads were a final add-on touch. I questioned whether to add them, as they would mess up the overall painting if the experiment went sour. Next time I would add some shadow under the water of the closer lili pads. I think that would add some needed depth to the painting.

Evening Falls

My painting for today was a small split waterfall; something I envision from our local Beaver River. I went with an evening setting with the sun fading behind the pines. 11x14 wrapped canvas. 

Oil Painting "Watchful Mom"

This painting is a doe and fawn in a summer setting. The canvas is a panelboard 11x14. The frame is a nice deep oak frame that I scored at a garage sale. The matte was already with the frame. I removed the glass plate and backing.

And in the frame...

Canoe oil painting

I wanted to paint an old canoe like the aluminum Grumman canoe I grew up paddling on the Black River. Since we're coming into autumn, I of course needed to throw in those fierce fall colors. I started by painting the canoe in acrylics.

The full painting is a 16x20 wrapped canvas. I definitely learned a few things that I'd do differently the next time around. But that's all part of this experimentation. Below is the final result of the full painting and a close up of that same canoe area. B

Repurposed ceiling fan painting

What do you do with an old ceiling fan? Make a unique canvas from the blades. I was asked by my mother-in-law to paint Five fan blades for decoration in her home. She wanted to hang them by the existing mounting holes. So a thin portrait "canvas" was in order. She also wanted four of the blades to be something representing the four seasons. Below are the results.

Winter Barn --- Spring Thaw --- Summer Birches --- Autumn Goose

And for the non-seasonal scene I did a Lighthouse Sunset

Sailing Into The Sunset

Tonight's painting was practicing a sunset scene. A calm evening sailboat jaunt. I started the painting by sketching in the sailboat and painting it in acrylics for a gray tone silhouette. I then masked the boat with tape, then went to work on the sky. The actual white sun is just the blank canvas. The other sky colors were medium yellow, cadmium red light, and dioxazine purple; blended in a light criss cross movement with a 2" scenery brush. I added some distant shoreline with the dioxazine purple and some van dyke brown. The water was done by scuffing in the same sky colors with a fan brush, then blending laterally with the 2" scenery brush. I remov d the masking tape from the boat and made highlights with the same sky colors.

Vermont Covered Bridge

I skipped two entire seasons and painted a winter scene. Below is a covered bridge. I did the bridge and road in acrylics first. Masked and then did the oils. I added snow at the very end.

Cabin Window

I came upon an used picture frame at a garage sale that was sectioned like an old four pane window. I thought it would make a nice painting foreground; like peering out a cabin window at whatever is outside. I removed the back and g,ass as I didn't need those parts. I cut some foamboard to the frame size and then spray glued on some canvas paper to the foam. From there I went at painting another one of my autumn scenes. Once done, I set the foamboard canvas into the frame and viola...

A beautiful setting outside a cabin window.

Winter deer oil

I'm way jumping the seasons with this painting. This is a deer staring up at the night moon. Some snow is falling in this quiet winter scene. 11x14 stretched canvas.

Canadian Goose Autumn Oil Painting

Today's painting was a Canadian Goose. In not too long the seasons will change and the geese will fly south for the winter. It's a major signal of change here in upstate New York. I continue to practice water and reflection techniques.

Oil Painting on Wood Platter

Just about anything can be a canvas. I typically paint on traditional stretched canvas. But I like experimenting on other surfaces too. One example is today's painting. It's another loon in the water with an autumn scene. But this one is painted on a small wood platter I bought at a thrift store. It's not a big serving tray; only being 13" high and 5.5" at its widest section. Maybe the small platter was meant for something like crackers and cheese. Who knows.

I masked the perimeter so that after I was done that masked section would then be the frame of the painting. I needed to paint the base in white acrylic. It took several coats as the wood was quite dark. Since this was a small surface I needed to take extra care with with details. I'm happy with the end results. I'll eventually put an eye hook on the back so this can be placed on a wall.

Flying South

Another autumn oil painting fresh off the easel tonight. I tried to capture the fall colors in both the trees and reflection in the calm water. Final touches were some geese starting their long journey south. Bird migration is one of those wonderful things that marks the changing of the seasons here in upstate New York. How they manage to do it each year is a mystery to me. This is a 11x14 stretched canvas.

Autumn Loon

Today's  painting was another loon. This time in an autumn scene. I love the autumn in my neck of the woods. The leaves change, birds are migrating, the air becomes crisp. After the first frost the bugs are pretty much absent. The days get shorter and snow starts making it into everyone's minds. It's a very beautiful time of year. Pumpkin pie, apple crisp, and cider. Yum.

This was a rather large 16x20 stretched canvas. I wanted autumn leaves reflecting in the water of a small lake or pond. Loons tend to be solitary. At least I rarely see groups of them when I'm out canoeing, so I assume they are solitary. Their call is unique and echoe across the lake.

 

Winter Moose

It's far from winter, but a winter scene was the subject for my painting today. I haven't done a moose yet and wanted to experiment... so below is the result. The moose was done is a black/white acylic first; then masked. Fast Flo white base medium. Blend in the sky letting is disappear into the base medium. Background fir trees were put in with a script liner and kept blurred to make them feel distant. The snow is just ultramarine blue brushed into the white base medium. I love birch trees so I have to put some of those in. 😀

The moose looks okay, but not quite as I planned. Animals (when keeping them life like) are a challenge for me. The snow is the final item to add. It's done using a fan brush and very thinned down titanium white. I use a finger to pull the bristles back and let them spring forward to "spray" or fleck the paint in little dots across the canvas. Same thing works for stars in a night sky too. Done on a stretched canvas with the painting wrapping around the frame.

Birch Tree Canopy

This oil painting is a landscape perspective of looking up into a canopy of birch leaves. I did another painting similar to this months ago; but that was autumn leaves as opposed to the brighter green and yellow leaves of springtime. A few sun beams are coming through the dense canopy. I tried to give a sense of depth by painting more clarity to a number foreground trees in contrast to the same trees further away. Some leaves directly overhead are a touch more defined. (Although, I would do this part a bit different the next time around). This is on an 11x14 stretched canvas frame with the painting wrapping around the sides.

Banks of the Black River

I grew up on the Van Amber road in Lewis County. The Black River flows along the road. I played along the banks of that river as a child. Not someplace you'd want to swim, but I did swim in it with my cousins and other family on occasion. My painting below is a scene that depicts that meandering river.

Beach Sunset

I wanted to try some sunset colors and came up with the beach scene below. Just experimenting. The center of the sun is blank canvas. The other sunset colors include cadmium yellow and a mix of cad yellow and cadmium red light.

Misty lake loon

I like to repurpose and reuse things; such as this 25 cent frame I found at a garage sale. It's a deep frame. Almost like a narrow shadow box. The back was busted and not worth trying to salvage. No problem... I cut some foam board to size and spray-glued a section of canvas paper to the board. I had the frame and canvas just sitting around the house for quite a few months waiting for an idea. I pretty much  forgot about it until last week. Then I got my idea. Wilson Bickford is a local artist/teacher around here and I keep an eye on his Facebook page. He posts new painting multiple times a week. He recently did a painting of a loon floating on a lake with a great misty scene behind. His painting of course is better than mine. But it gave me the idea and I went with it.

I first painted the loon in acrylics and masked it to temporarily hide it. I then taped the canvas board to a cardboard mat. I prefer this method over using an easel because I like to spin the painting around to get the angle I want. Just my own preference. I used fast flow white as a base and started on the water first. I let the blue fade away into the distant mist by just letting the brush run out of paint as I went up the painting. I did the same with the sky from top down into the mist. I added the hint of the sun penetrating the mist. Next came the distant trees painting in a dull detail to give the feeling of being lost in the mist. I added the hint of a reflection in the water below the loon. I added a bit of the sun colors in the water since there would be some reflection of that despite the mist. Last part was peeling off the masking tape from the loon. I added a clear glaze to the loon and colored in his red eye. I didn't need to do anything else with the loon. If some of the acrylic paint came off with the masking, id need to touch that up. In this case I was satisfied and nothing further was needed.

Below is another similar loon painting I did a week later. This one is a larger stretched canvas.