541 Deer in the Forest

Deer in the Forest

oil on canvas

12x12"

$288

     Getting the black really black for his eyes and nose is a surprising combination of prussian blue and transparent iron oxide red. Alchemical magic I guess. It also works with ultramarine blue.

     I liked the way his face and long throat showed up in contrast against his body as he looked over his shoulder.

On Your Mark

Oil on Canvas

10x8"

$160

     We have Gray Squirrels here in Nevada County, CA, and we also have these adorable Douglas Squirrels. This one visited our bird bath regularly, and here he is getting ready to make the great leap from rock to bath.

Forest 5

Forest 5

7x5"

Oil

$70

DPW $50

     Persistent may be too mild a word. Stubborn probably. Anyway, I got an idea and wanted to try it, so I took the painting from a few days ago and reworked it and now I like it. To me, it is an entirely new painting, still very simple, but at least it does not put me in a bad mood to look at it like the first version did. The old colors were too somber. The emotion was not right. The forest can be "dark and deep" but it does not have to be depressing.

Forest Interior 4

Forest Interior 4

5x7"

Oil

$70

DPW Auction $50

     I think these forest scenes are coming down to a color issue. I am very glad I have embarked on this project because it will force me to address some matters that could otherwise be masked by subject matter. Paint a cute cat and I might overlook that it is a mediocre painting if the cat is cute enough.

     I have color theory education. I am just having a stumbling block in making my body believe and paint what I know. I think this is so important that I am willing to paint some bad paintings in order to learn it.

Forest Interior 3

Forest Interior 3

5x7"

Oil

$70

DPW Auction $50

     I am being diligent in my landscape work. I really believe in it because so much must be dealt with in each little 5x7: color theory, composition, line, shape, and even deeper meaning. If I use color to create the emotion and value to create the drama, in a way, I have a metaphor. With my beautiful forest all around me, I should never be hungry for material. (Those two little daffodils at the forest edge are for real.)

     That being said, tomorrow I am painting my sister's cat.

     

Forest Interior 2

Forest Interior 2

5x7"

Oil

$70

DPW Auction $50.

     I have so much to learn. Landscapes, hm. This got away from me. I was trying to limit the colors and still ended up outside my color scheme. Here is what I wanted: cool, blue-green key color, red-orange secondary color with accents of yellow and violet. It is cool, but the secondary and accent colors are a little confused. And how did cerulean blue get in there?! Incorrigible.