Betta Fish

   

So, I went fishing and didn't catch anything.  As a consolation, I painted this fish.  Ok, thats not actually how the story goes.  I did go fishing.  I didn't catch anything.  I did have fun fishing with my children.  That fishing trip had nothing to do with this painting.

I've been meaning to paint a betta for quite some time.  My friends over at Doodlewash painted one about the time I was getting started.  I didn't want to post mine close to the time that that one was painted.   So I waited.  Finally, I was kicking around the studio the other day when I came across the reference photo for this.  Finally, I had to paint it.  I will admit that the background needs a bit of work.  I wanted a really mottled background that had a lot of interest.  What I ended up with it s a background that is rather plain.    I will admit that I am a bit disappointed with it.  But no mind.  It is what it is.  I enjoyed the experience painting it.  You can too by viewing the video below.

Thanks for the view.  Hope you enjoy.

If you want to see the video in less than half the time, there is a speed painting of it too.

Goldfish

So I attempted a few fish a week or so ago.  I didn't like the way they came out.  Not that they were bad, but they were kind of stylized and not really like real goldfish.  So, I decided to take another crack at these fish.

The ones I painted here are much more realistic, still with a little Michael style thrown in, but a much better goldfish effort.  The three of them together look like they could be swimming around a fish bowl right now.

I won't tell you the problems I ran into while painting them.   They were fun to paint.  I love painting things like this that as long as you have a basic fish shape, your eye will tell you that they are goldfish and you won't even think about it.  Oh, and I apologize for the yellow in the photo.  I obviously had a really warm light on the paper when I took the picture.  If it were a little harsher, more white, it might look a little more like it does in real life.

Well, anyway, enjoy, I did.

simple fish

Just a few simple goldfish.  Had a great idea of how to paint the fins.  Wanted to be sure to get some big sweeping lines.  Didn't quite make it, but not a bad first attempt.  Oh, and I needed to make background more dramatic.

More Koi

Today, I present for you a few Koi for your viewing pleasure.  I hope it looks like you are looking down onto them through some gentle ripples that the light is just catching.  The water and the bottom of the pool are algae covered.

I'm pretty happy with this one.  I think it turned out just about like I wanted.  The one thing I don't like is the gouache I put on.  I've not really used it before, and it didn't go on quite like I thought it would.  Regardless of that its a nice little painting.

Enjoy

Koi

Given up for your viewing pleasure is a group of koi swimming in a brook. The first wash of the brook bottom had a lot more detail in it.  Then I went over it wish several other washes and it seemed to take away the detail, and I never really got it back.  Also, at this point it looks a lot like about a half a dozen Zeppelins floating through green fog.

I felt i needed to do something to differentiate the fish, and so put a little bit of line aroudn some, and I think that ruined it.  I think someone would have to be beyond my level to make this a good painting.  There just wasn't enough there for me (oh, and it doesn't hurt that my water didn't really turn out.

Hey wait, if I went back an put some light or reflection over the fish that might work.  Hmmm, I'll have to think on that.  For now, it is what it is.  Hope you enjoy.

Vintage Fishing Lures in Wooden Box

Ok, so I painted this one again.  It seems I do that from time to time.  I find an image I like, and I paint it a few times until I paint it close to the way I want it.

My previous painting, I believe, had the floor of the box slightly lighter that the sides.  I thought that it would probably make the lures stand out a bit more if I did the floor a little darker, and the sides lighter.  I hope that it worked.

I was also trying to give the lures a yellow/brown aged look.  That much, I think I have gotten right.  Maybe a little too much.  I think that the lures definitely look like they have been around for a long long time.

There could be a bit more shadowing on the lures, and the box, and there probably should be some highlights in there somewhere.  If it was like half the times I went fishing growing up, it was a really overcast day, and there weren't any shadows or highlight.  lol.

I hope you all like this painting.

Down on the Embarcadero

Ok, here we go again.  This is a second painting of Giovanni's Market and Gallery.  If you don't remember the first one, you can view it here.  This painting is from the opposite direction and some obvious differences.  

The first real differences is that this painting has all the proper colors.  The previous one was taken from a black and white photo, and I was working from memory on the colors. This one was painted from a color picture and so, all the colors are correct(ish).    I got a bit more ambitious with this one too.  Obviously there are people in the painting, but also there is tile and brickwork, among other things.

I used ink to outline and highlight edges on this painting.  My intent was to not to do that.  I wanted to only use paint to edge the painting, but I couldn't quite keep the lines straight enough, so i had to switch over to pen.  I like how the outlining turned out everywhere except around the main awning.  Oh well, that's how it goes sometime.

Anyway, I had a great time painting this, hope you all enjoy it.

Got Fish?

This came out a little redder that I had originally intended, but I still think it is a really great painting.  If you have never been, you need to go. Giovanni's is an institution in Morro Bay.  Great fresh seafood, and there is alway a line for fish tacos.