New York Cityscape (Karin Jurick's DSDF challenge) - Day 5

Today I added a few more details and gave it a final touch as follows: Added an imaginary red SUV in the middle to help flow of red. Added a bit more blue tone to the distant buildings to create 'smoky' urban atmosphere. Added another small traffic signal post and a lamppost. And little more details on the buildings. It was a really fun experience and many thanks to Karin Jurick for giving us this great opportunity to participate and share with others. Here is the final painting.

"Madison Avenue, New York City" - oil on canvas, 30 x 24 in

And here are some close-up shots:

New York Cityscape (Karin Jurick's DSDF Challenge) - Day 4

Today I added more details to the painting - windows on the buildings, features on the cars, people on the street, etc. I think I can finish it by tomorrow.
Below is the photo reference from Karin's DSDF blog.

New York Scape - Day 3

Today I started painting in oil. I tried to set the values (a fancy word for light and dark) in the painting. Pretty much blocked in general areas. More detail work will follow tomorrow.

New York Cityscape (Karin Jurick's DSDF Challenge) - Day 2

From Day 1: the reference photo and my sketch on toned canvas


Today I underpainted with acrylic paints. I used two colors - red for warm and dark blue for cool. Basically I applied red to hotspots (the areas to be highlighted later), the sky and taxicabs. Then dark blue (it appears really dark due to the burnt sienna that I used to tone the canvas) to buildings, structures, the ground and cab windows. This is not a science project, and there is no firm rules as to what goes to where. I just kinda followed my intuition. Now it's ready for the oil treatment which will start tomorrow. Good time to take a break.

Happy Mother's Day!

"Feeding Time" - oil on canvas, 24 x 18 in

Thought this painting should be appropriate for a Mother's Day post.

New York cityscape - Day 1

Today I finally decided to try Karin Jurick's Different Strokes from Different Folks (DSDF) challenge. She invites artists to enter their paintings created based on the photo images posted on her blog. For more info on Karin Jurick and her blog, click here and go to May 3rd. posting. The challenge photograph this time is a New York cityscape (see above).

First I toned my canvas with acrylic burnt sienna to generate warm feelings on the overall painting. Although I intend to paint in oil, my underpainting would be in acrylic. As I mentioned on my earlier postings, I'm taking advantage of acrylic's fast drying quality. Then I sketched out rough outlines with my yellow oxide acrylic. Here is what I've got so far. Tomorrow I'll start underpainting blocks - can't wait!

Moonlight Sonata

"Resting Cello" - oil on canvas, 24 X 18 in

Sold

Sometimes I get struck by 'artist's block'. I just simply can't figure out what to paint. Then I lie down, turn on the online radio and tune to my favorite station - KDFC (the classical music station from San Francisco). Moonlight Sonata was filling my studio. And soon I found myself painting ... "Resting Cello".

Italian Flavor

"Tuscan View" - oil on canvas, 30 x 24 in

Wouldn't it be nice to have a glass of wine looking down the vineyards of Tuscany? Or ...

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How about a gondola ride in Venice?

"Venice-scape" - oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in

Sometimes you just want to run.

"Freedom" - Watercolor, 20 x 30 in

Sometimes you just want to run.
Just run and keep on running.
And visualize yourself turning into one of those horses - free and wild - dashing on the vast meadows.

Still Life with a Tea Pot

Tea Pot and Flowers, oil on canvas, 24 x 18 in

Still Life with a Toothbrush (Day 5)

Finally I painted the rest - the toothbrush and toothpaste (almost empty now). Here is the finished painting.

"Squeezed Out One More Time" - oil on canvas, 16 x 20 in

Still Life with a Toothbrush (Day 4)

This is where I left yesterday.


Today I painted the faucet and the sink plug. I struggled all day trying to create that silver, metallic look of the chrome. And here is the result.

Still Life with a Toothbrush (Day 3)

Here is yesterday's painting.


Today I painted the sink as well as shadows cast on it. Also I lightened up the wall little bit. It was quite a challenge to make the porcelain look like porcelain. I think I need to come back and add stronger highlights on it - too wet to do it now. Here is what I've got today.

Still Life with a Toothbrush (Day 2)

Here is the still life from yesterday.


Today I started painting local colors in oil. First I worked on the sink top and the wall around it. I think the underpainting helps keep warm feelings on the cold marble top. For the shadows on the sink top, I applied thin layers of oil making purple underpaint appear through them. Here is the result so far.


Someone asked me why I applied underpainting. I have two main reasons: a functional reason and a psychological one. Functionally it contributes to balance the color temperatures. I usually choose the underpainting color whose temperature is opposite to that of the local color to keep them in balance. Psychologically the underpainting helps me get the "feel" of the overall painting. When underpainted, it seems more manageable and less intimidating, especially for large paintings. Underpainting in acylic works better for me because I don't have patience to wait a week or so before I could start painting in oil.

Still Life with a Toothbrush (Day 1)

Here are models for this week's still life project - my toothbrush and an almost empty toothpaste sitting around my bathroom sink.


First, I sketched out on my 16 x 20 inch canvas with a china marker. I like using the china marker because it gives bold, clear lines and doesn't leave much powdery stuff unlike a charcoal.


Then I applied acrylic underpainting. I chose acrylic for this task because it dries fast allowing multiple layers in one day!


I continued to underpaint warm colors for the sink and the wall.


Then I started underpainting cool colors on the metal faucet, some spots on the toothbrush and the toothpaste.


Finally I added purplish blue on the shadows and some red lines around the objects. Here is the finished underpainting waiting for a "nice oil treatment", which will start mañana.