Oriole

I must be on some kind of bird painting kick.  Here, I've painted an Oriole.  He is sitting on what appears to be a broken branch.

This bird was really fun to paint.  The vibrant orange color is made from a couple of different reds, and a couple of different yellows.  I did use a pre-mixed grey (payne's grey) but I augmented it myself.  I don't usually use the grey right out of the tube.  It's mot a bad color, just a little bit flat.

I've given the bird just a few indications of feathers.  Just enough to enhance the shape of the bird.

He sits on a  stick that has obviously seen better days.  Its got some pitting and dents in it.

The background was originally going to be a bit more mottled, but I think I forgot to mix another color into it.  As it is, the colors are phthalo blue and ultramarine blue.  The green parts are windsor green and viridian.  The blue behind the orange really makes this bird pop off the page.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the painting and the quick read.  If you want to see how I painted it, check out the following video.

Thank you.

Oriole

Here is the latest.  It is, as you can see, an oriole.  Not sure what I liked so much about this picture when I stated painting it, but I think it turned out nice.  A lot of times, it seems when you paint birds, you end up doing them in profile.  Maybe I liked this one because it wasn't in profile.

He's just sitting there checking out his surroundings.

Hope yo enjoy this one.  Thanks for the views.

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

Another Portrait

This painting for sale 9x12 $30

First off, I think this looks a bit odd because I didn't paint quite enough of his neck, but what the hay.  I painted this in the way I am gonna try to do all my paintings from now on.  I got the paper wet, and then let the paint do what it do on the paper.  I actually have about 5 or 6 layers of paint on most of this.  I don't know that I'll be using that many layers all the time, but I'll definitely be using two or three.

I didn't want to overdo the beard and hair for fear of doing too much too it.  I still might go back and draw in some individual hairs with a pen, but basically, what you see is what you are always gonna get.  I might go back and make the eyebrows a bit bigger too.  But again, I might just wanna leave it this way.

Here is the picture that I started with.  Sorry, hat I forgot to take it as just a drawing.  You can see part of the first layer of paint, though.

Here is the picture mostly done.  Interestingly, you can see that I took the picture with his beard just a bit wet. As the paint dries it lightens up, so you can see that it is much darker here.  Also, he looks a bit devilish with no eyeballs.

I had a great time painting this one, hope you have a great time viewing it.

How Now Brown....Door?

Ive painted other doors before, and will paint plenty in the future, I am sure,  but this may be the one where I look back and say that I have kind of changed techniques.  I started by drawing a very (well, at least fairly) good representation of a wooden door in a stone wall.  I didn't draw any of the stones in the wall, but drew everything else.  I had plans to do what I always do, which is to paint this little bit, then move the paper, paint another little bit, then repeat, repeat, repeat until I have what I think is a finished painting.  Well, after I started the door that way, I took a little different turn.  Everything after the wood was done free form and in rapid succession.  While the coloring is a little less than imaginative, I think it made for some really nice bits to the painting.

Painting with the strict way I would have painted in the past, this painting would have taken me an hour or more,  but since I painted the brown of the door, this took me no more than 10 minutes.

For me, the stone really stands out,   I could have used a bit more color, but they really seem to stand out, and the door does look like it is set back just a bit in the jam.

Hope you like it.

Woman on Bench

Ok, here we go.  I think i got the proportions on her a bit better.  She still looks pretty flat, but at least her feet aren't twice the size of her head.  Her arms and legs seems to be about the right size and length.  Her head seems to be about the right size. She just doesn't quite look like there is any depth to her.  Hmmm, back to the drawing board.

buffalo wings

Today the Cal Poly Urban Sketchers met in the Biological Sciences Museum to do a little sketching.  After looking around at all the animal heads on the wall, I settled on this.  It is an African Buffalo.  It is really a dark brindle color, but I didn't want to make it quite that dark for fear of it becoming too dark.  I think this way it gets the point across.

As you can tell, it's really just a head.  It is hanging over the door, which i neglected to put into the picture.  From the size of the head, I have to believe that the beast is enormous with the hind 3/4 attached.  I definitely think our group will be back to paint again really soon.

Cotchett Education Building

This is the Cotchett Education Building on Cal Poly's campus.  In the foreground you can just see the word Design, which is on the Architecture Building.  Expect to see a picture or two of that building in the coming weeks.

I love the way the trees turned out on this picture.  They look like they have movement and life too them.  I also like the purple plants in the planter in front of the word design.  

In judging this one I think I should have made the shadows on the building darker. I think that would have given more definition to the building.  Also, I think I am gonna start to draw in pen so that I can get leaves on the trees.  As you can see I have loose drawings underneath the paint.  Drawing it this way allows me to have a general shape to the tree, but not get bogged down with a "tree" shape so that I can then just put the color on and let the tree become a tree.    Hope you all enjoy this.

Another Clock

Here is the latest clock to come from Dabfly Arts. This one, as you can see, has a microchip where each number on a traditional clock face would be.  There are 12 hard drive controllers around the outside.  A piece of clear plexy holds the hard drive platter in place so it appears to be floating in the center of the clock.

Anyone Recognize This House?

Yes it is the pride of west Michigan.  It is, of course, The Buckeye House.

Back Door to the CM Office

So, I was painting outdoors again today.  Once again I painted building 186.  Some good and some bad.  This is the first floor.  The second and third are of course not represented here.  The very top of this painting is where the railing for the walkway would be attached.  Yes the windows are a bit goofy, the bottom pane is opaque.  There are a few plants in front of the railing that comes from the door.  The lamp post is perhaps a little too thin.  It is close to the bench that I sat at to paint.

Now the good, I've been working on not having solid colors,  I think I got some of that where not all the sections of the wall are the same color.  Not all the panes of the windows are the same, not even all the concrete is the same color.

One more thing.  All but one line and I've got the perspective lines right.  That means my drawing is actually getting better.   Hope you all enjoy.

Fat Capped Chicadee

I hope its really cold and this litte guy has his feathers all ruffled to keep warm.  If not, he is a little portly.  I really feel I'm getting the hang of blending colors and can put them on and take them off as necessary.  I can see improvement in my paintings over the past few weeks.  I just need to keep at it.

Fireflies Again!?

This painting currently for sale.   - 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 - $15
Contact Michael for more details

Here is my entry for the June watercolor challenge: "Images of Summer."  As you can see, the sandals are now gone, the eye and eyebrow look better and there is more shading on the picture.  I think this one is miles ahead of the previous post.

I still reserve the right to go back and monkey with this one a bit.  I may put eyelashes on her, and I may put some more shading on her shorts (or skirt, or skorts, or whatever they are) and perhaps the front of her shirt.  I'm still debating, and won't touch it for a week or so to be sure.

New Birds

Watercolor 9x9 SOLD

Well, I'm working on my blending technique.  I think the first bird here, I did  a good job.  The second, not so much.  The background in the second got out of control a little fast.  But the picture I took it from was pretty similar to that.  I actually think I did justice to the real picture, I just think i neet to not be quit so literal.

House Finch  SOLD

Unique Circuit Board Clock

Here is another clock I have done.  This one is made of old hard drive parts.  It would be easy just to place the clock hands on the round platter and call it good, but I used pieces from 8 different hard drives to build this.  They are all screwed together and the platter affixed to the center.  The clock has a lot of interest when you look at it closely.    I am really proud of this one, I hope you all like it.

As with my other clocks, this one may be purchased at my Etsy store.  Follow this link to find it.

A Return to a Lost Time

This clock currently for sale.

 Well, I think we have been here before, or at least somewhere close.  This is a variation on the other clock that I made.  This one, obviously, has a round frame around a rectangular piece of diamond plate.  The frame and the hour and minute hands are flat black.  The last 1/2 inch of the second hand is bright red, the rest is flat black.  the picture doesn't show that off as well as I would like.

I'm almost out of material, so for those of you who don't like these works, you wont have to endure much more.  For those of you who do, don't worry, I'll be on to similar clocks soon enough.  This clock is currently for sale on Etsy.  Follow the previous link to view it.

A Return To Nature

This painting currently for sale.

Today, I present to you two pictures.  The bluebird was a lot of fun to paint.  I am still trying hard to get the layering on this right.  Did a the whole sheet with wet paint, then set it off to dry.  A second layer added color depth to the paining.  The third is only details.  The details on this painting are all the feathers, the eye and feet.  I'm really happy with the way this one turned out.  I especially like his head. The tail maybe will get a bit better in the next go round.

Painting measures 7 x 9











These frogs were fun. When I saw the picture of them, I wasn't sure if I would be able to do them justice. They were I think right eye of the right frog is a little wonky, but the painting was fun to do, and they look funny.  I really even kind of like the reflection on the water.    Painting measures 4 x 9

This painting currently for sale

Lets Revisit This Clock

This clock currently for sale.  Contact Michael for details.

I think this turned out great.   A nice frame on the diamond plate sets it off just enough.  The clock could be turned to stand on its short side too.  Keeps great time with a quartz movement.