Challenge November - December 2009

I wasn't sure about taking on one of these challenges because I prefer to work from my own photos, and then I found this sumac tree while on a walk on Friday. It reminded me a lot of the challenge pic, so I thought why not do it for the challenge? I got a start on it at my painting group today.

You're rite your reference does look very similar to the challenge photo. Looks like a great start! Looking forward to seeing how your painting progresses.

Almost finished, need to go back over the tree trunks after it dries some.
8 x 10 in. on Fredrix watercolor board:



Sofie, I hope you have more patience than me, I about went crazy putting all those branches in. You're off to a good start!

Callie, Your landscape looks great! I love the colors, loose brushwork and the branches. Looking forward to seeing what you do with the tree trunks.

I never thought about having to do the branches until now. Do you need to thin the paint a lot to do the branches?

Since I was working wet on wet, I thinned the paint so it would flow over the sky instead of mixing into it. I used walnut alkyd, but you could use whatever medium you usually paint with (but probably not impasto gel!).

I made myself do this picture, just because I find tree branches to be a pain in the ***. Practice, practice, practice.....

It's looking good, Callie! Way to go on the branches - I know my sanity will be challenged when I get back to my painting too.

Callie, thank you for sharing your process with the branches. I think the practice payed off because they look really geat.

Nice job, Callie. You guys are ahead of me. I just have to finish the foreground of the still life and then I will post it. I want to do the landscape next.

Judy

Judy, can't wait to see your still life. I might wait until you all finish your landscapes and then do mine. Then I can get some ideas from everyone else.

Chicken!

Yup, that's me... landscapes scare the cra* out of me.

Well, I hope you'll just relax and have some fun with it!

Looking forward to seeing your still-life, Janet!

Here is the photo of what I thought was the finished still life. As I was loading it, I realized, that I didn't do the back edge of the opening of the vase. Oh well, you get the idea. Sorry that the picture is a little blurry. I trying to get too many things done todsy.

The background was in acrylics. I had experimented with this using my left hand while the right was in the cast. I figured it would make a good background for this. A very thin layer of walnut oil acted as the bonding agent for the WSO's to adhere to.

Next will be the landscape.

Judy

Nicely done Judy!

I'm still working on the landscape. I've completed another stage and have to wait for this to dry a bit before continuing on.

Judy, I love your still life. Great choice for the background! I really like the colors in the fruit. I especially like the variation of color in that plum.

Sofie, Your landscape is looking great! The shadow has a very dramatic feel that I like. It's a little difficult to see details because of the size of the photo but from what I can see the branches are looking wonderful!

That's so funny Judy! That's happened to me, too.
I love the background, and the vase and bowl are looking good in spite of.. well, you know....
What size is this?
I'm glad to hear the watercolor-fixative-oil process is working out.

Sofie - that's looking good, love the shadow. Post a bigger picture next time!

There you go. I see what I was doing wrong - I am using a photo album at facebook and I took the properties from the thumbnails - this time I clicked on the picture to enlarge it, then took the properties. The photo is not that clear because it was taken indoors with no flash.

Sofie, Wow I love the way you rendered the branches. Thank you for the bigger picture.

So much better! Wow - the branches are very nice, love the patterns they form.

Thanks Janet and Callie. I really like concentrating on the negative spaces created by branchwork in my tree paintings. I'm glad it works for you.

I've tried posting an image before, without success here's hoping.

Hi kopo! Is your photo located on the web somewhere. On a blog, flickr, image hosting site etc. If yes you can provide us with the link and we can post it for you and give you the steps we used for future reference. Judy, has put a document together on uploading an image. Go here to get the steps: https://watersolubleoils.forumotion.com/water-soluble-oils-f5/how-do-i-load-an-image-to-my-post-t16.htm

Hi Janet
Thanks. My url is http://jackpurvisart.blogspot.com

Here's kopos painting: