Daily Painting Practice - Painting Sunsets aren't for the Timid

You shouldn't try to paint a sunset if you get weak in the knees at the thought of laying down an orange sky. Claude Monet certainly wasn't one to shy away from the sunset as a subject.

Sunset on the Seine in Winter by Claude Monet

Monet is a great one to follow into the sunset.

click on the image to enlarge the painting

Loon's Lullaby 

Work in Progress

20"x24"

oil on canvas

I still have more to do with the foreground water but I'm enjoying the "Impressionistic" approach to the subject. I really don't like using that word but I can't think of another to replace it yet.

Daily Painting Practice - Progress with Still Life

Change  is a good thing. I believe that holds true in  life (still or not), painting and for blogs. So I have changed the layout of the blog ( I think my third in 5 years). Speaking of changes, I have changed the design on the plate in this still life 4 times. I am close to calling it the final design but nowhere near the final phase of painting. Much to do yet.

Work in Progress- Still Life with Orange

20"x20"

oil on canvas

This has been a week of changes in the studio. I changed the music website I use to listen to music while painting. My daughter-in-law suggested I try( Pandora Radio). I must say it is  excellent. I highly recommend it for any artist in need of   a change to the studio routine. You choose the artist or song and they custom build a radio station for you.  I have my Micheal Buble/ Frank Sinatra station, my Randy Travis/George Jones station, of course the Ella Fitzgerald station and  my newest, a classical  Joshua Bell station.

This is not me juggling oranges...  just  using  this one  to get a better feel for the texture. Frank Sinatra singing "Come Fly with Me" in the background.... Life (still or not) is good.

Daily Painting Practice - Beginning to Finish Something, I think

Hello, my name is Peter,  and I am a recovering beginner...
( to understand what that means, refer to last week's post). I have been on the wagon for one week in a row. Here is my  finished piece.

click on the image to enlarge the painting

Summer Light

(that's the working title I use until my official title giver/wife signs off on it)

24"x30"

oil on canvas

I made a first step, I signed it. (though I do see a few  places that bug me. I may sneak into the studio for a few quick  fix tonight.)

I enjoyed a lot of the  comments last week. Some  were closet beginners and some recovering beginners. Mostly I enjoyed the enablers all tempting encouraging me to go out and start something new, like the peonies.  I must admit to having thoughts of jumping into something new but  I held on and kept repeating to myself , " one day, one step, one painting at a time."

The road to recovery  is long.  I may need to supply the studio with donuts and coffee)... or tea.