Recent Paintings

I thought I should publish a few of my recent paintings to show that I just don't paint tomatoes. I am doing this tomato exercise to make me a better painter and to learn how to use color more successfully. If you compare these to paintings from 2 years ago, I think it had been a valuable exercise. In the back of my mind, I think I hoped that these exercises could generate some discussion and possibly help others who are hoping to improve their understanding of color.

Aquinnah Sentinel
11" x 14"
This is such an intriguing house situated high above the ocean
on Martha's Vineyard overlooking Nantucket Sound

Rosie
NFS
This was painted for my friend Joyce,
Rosie died recently, she was 16 and my dogs
best friend, and one of mine too.

Butterfly Show
8" x 10"
This was painted for the Cincinnati Art Club
Exhibition coordinated with the Kron Conservatory
Butterfly Show

Tomato #161

Cadmium Orange, Sap Green, Dioxazine Purple and Titanium White

The last of this series, emphasizing the green yielded a really green tomato. I used more colors that you can see but without a yellow I had to rely on white to produce the light and keep it green. When adding the orange you get a nice warm brown and when adding purple the result is the background in #160. When I just added medium to straight Sap Green the result was a warmer green than when I added white, which turned the green cool. I tried to make the shadows warm to counter this. When comparing this tomato to the other two in the series, this one appears very different, which demonstrates just how versatile three colors can be.

Tomato #160

Cadmium Orange, Sap green, Dioxazine Purple and Titanium White

A tomato that reads purple-I was hesitant to try-but my favorite variety that I grow is Cherokee Purple-and it is purple and orangish-burgundy. This is as purple focused as I could get without it looking like a Disney Princess. It also amazingly looks like my real tomatoes. There is not much evidence of green and I did not use a lot-mostly in the background and the cast shadow. The background changed from warm brown (purple and orange) to intense purple to a muted purplish-brown in the finished product. The final result is much more convincing than I expected-I love using Cadmium Orange. It can be subtle without being muddy or very intense and can add so much life.

Painted August 30, 2010

Tomato #159

Cadmium Orange, Sap Green, Dioxazine Purple and White

This is the first in the series, focusing on the orange and it nearly drove me crazy. I had it early on and then tried to add a little more highlight and ruined it-ended up wiping it all off and started again-standing in the kitchen. I like the result-especially the background and the shadows. The background started out dioxazine purple with a small amount of the other colors but in time it overwhelmed the tomato-once I cooled it with green and white the tomato popped. I would have liked more color on the shadow side but I was happy enough and had spent too much time to mess it up. Sometimes you have to know when to stop-one of the hardest lessons to learn when painting.

Painted August 29, 2010

Tomato #158

Cadmium Lemon, Cadmium Red Light, Viridian Green and white

The last of the series, focusing on the Cadmium Lemon, this one was effortless. Again, I started with an olive mixed from all three colors and just kept adding lemon and white to shape the tomato. The background was the same olive with more red and the shadow side was more viridian. I think I would be happier if I could have gotten more warm color into it but it seemed to escape me on this one. As I've stated before, Cad. Lemon has such a tendency to green it is difficult to get it to be warm-but the whole idea is pushing and pulling warms and cools to accomplish this.

Painted August 28, 2010

Tomato #157

Cadmium Lemon, Cadmium Red Light, Viridian Green and white

This one almost sent me over the edge, several times I thought I had it and then one stroke and it was gone. I wiped it all off and mixed an olive green with all three colors and that seemed to work. I added lemon and white for the lights and viridian for the shadows. I ended up with that green cast shadow and I'm not sure if I like it. Again, much less intense than I anticipated. Viridian is so transparent it is easily taken over be whatever is added.

Painted August 27, 2010

Tomato #156

Cadmium Lemon, Cadmium Red Light, Viridian Green and white.

I think I must have a  mental block against Cad. Red Lt. as it took me two attempts to get an acceptable result. I seem to have trouble getting the right light without also getting mud. I think I finally got there but it is much less intense than I expected.This is another first in a series of three, using the red as my dominant color. The light area seems cooler and the shadow side seems warmer, but it seems to work. I especially like the cast shadow and how it changes from warm to cool. I had to paint this at night because I painted with the plein air group today at Alms Park. Great Location!

Painted August 26, 2010