Two little oil sketches....6x9

OCT 3rd UPDATE: Often, clarity comes the next day. Funny how easily we are tricked into discouragement and tempted to feel defeated. On the Cennini Forum, the moderator, whom I've grown to trust in matters of art and artistic development made some observations that have in my view helped my psychologically. Rob suggested that as artists grow up the plateaus of learning, we are met on a precipice of fear. I will post a new blog and talk about artist temperament.

OCT 2nd UPDATE: Discouragement is not always bad, it makes one think and if your wise, face reality.

I'm painting over these sketches today and probably the roses too .... going to forgetaboutit and start all over with something else or a new approach entirely. Nothing lost here.

I did learn that I have not developed as much as I thought. It takes some effort to admit what every artist fears and be honest with yourself. I'd rather know it. That is me. I've always said, "This world doesn't need any more mediocrity in art and especially painting .... I don't want to add to or spend my time producing it." Maybe, I'll go to sculpting ... maybe there is some natural ability there I should explore...but for some reason...I love paint and I love drawing figures. I'm glad to know how trained artist see my work. So often you can't get honesty.

SEPT 30 UPDATE CENNINI: I'm getting some great responses on the forum.....this is what I wanted but it is a bit daunting to get honest critiques...and find out the truth from my friends and colleagues...I've made more mistakes than I thought.

ORIGINALLY POSTED:

These are two little sketches from a landscape workshop at Will Rogers Park...Next workshop is at Quartz Mountain....hope the trees are turning....Oct 9th.

Figuring it out...need to literally smell the roses for a while.

Sometimes it is important to get away....to think.



It pays to ask and to read a lot.

Okay now I think I am getting an idea of where to go with my next painting of the roses. The secret to getting the luminous petals and range of red is via layers of glazes. I read the whole book on Painting Techniques of the Masters by Cooke (Rob Suggested on Cennini Forum), and also realized what is missing is some composition which means MORE THINKING on my part.

Ya don't just stick it in front the easel, ponder it 30 minutes, and paint it and ever hope to create quality art.

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Also....there has to be some issues with texture .... as well as chroma but I am thinking I need to look at a different red. Pyrillo Red (for the roses below previous post) from Studio Products which is a concentrated pigment and NO FILLERS.

Also, I have been studying GREEN in foliage on this trip...the texture and variety.

I cannot wait to get home and solidify what I was thinking.

Roses in Progress...difficult.

Progress report...
I think this is just not working......but I am determined to finish every piece of art I start. These roses are just not right nor are they artistic....aaaaaaaaargh!!!

After some thought, I decided to add some other items to the piece: the wedding cup, rose pedal and the oriental carved screen in the background (barely visible and not finished on the right of course).

I am not finished with the roses!!! I'm glazing and neutralizing and working on edges. It's far from being finished but I thought I would upload the process...for the heck of it.

When it is finished I'll repaint this and loose the vase...and try painting roses again. Next time, I think I will do a griselle (FR: greza•y) and then apply glazes. I am not doing the beautiful rose any justice.

(This was difficult to photograph so I tilted the picture forward to reduce the glare.)

Below is an earlier version.....and previous comments.

Nearing completion. This is a painting of one bouquet of 38 long stemmed roses given to me on our anniversary. I've been getting one rose for every year of marriage for 38 years. Never in those years did I ever paint my bouquet successfully although I tried once or twice but was met with failure. How difficult to capture the true beauty of a simple rose without it coming off amateurish.

This painting is getting close but I'm not there yet.

John Ruskin, the great art critic said about successful art ... "all art is praise." Does the art do justice in praise of the rose but that is really quite a challenge. My painting is symbolic of my husband's feelings for our relationship and the beauty of our long union.

I'm having difficult with the red highlights. Red chroma/hue goes pink or orange when I try to raise it's value to a highlight. I've taken down and neutralized the shadows and then grayed down. Red is difficult very difficult.

The other part of this is not making art sentimental. Ways to go. I'm not sure this says anything.

Please comment ... what do you think? It seems a bit contrived at this point.

I'll work today and post at the end the progress. ( This photo is from yesterday.)

Not happy.....yet.

Finally ...off to the kiln.

Finished!