Cars and Tracks, Richmond Street, Toronto

11x14 Oil on Stretched Canvas

I recently bought Richard Schmid's book called "Alla Prima, Everything I know about Painting". I haven't taken much time to read it yet, but being disappointed with my tendency to tighten up in my painting method, I thought it was time to try something new. I have been trying some monochrome pictures to work on value. In  his book, I read a method he uses for starting a picture called Monochrome block in.. Starting on a white surface, you draw in the shapes and values using a warm color thinned with turpentine. I chose Transparent Red Iron Oxide (a color I use often).  You do a nearly complete value study. As he puts it, "you can work out all the problems in value, drawing, and edges without worrying about color-then do the finished painting on top of it with opaque paint." He recommends doing the over painting using paint with the consistency as it comes from the tube rather than thinning it. I chose a subject that has strong shapes and values. The small  picture shows some of the value study with some opaque paint added in the cars and some of the road .The top picture shows the finished picture. You do not wait for the value study to dry, but start painting on top while it is wet. I really liked this method, and will certainly do it again.

Value Study, York and Queen Toronto

18x18 Oil on Stretched Canvas

I did this painting using the same color palette as the previous posting. I still find myself looking at details when I'm doing a painting. I want to be able to look at the whole and not the details and colors of the objects in the paintings.Using a limited palette helps me focus on values and edges. I think it takes a lot of "self training" and "looking" to see what is happening in the whole picture. There are times when I am tempted to go back to painting more illustrative and realistic  but I have set a goal for myself, and I need to try to reach it.

The Red Bell

8x10 Oil on Canvas Sold

You never know what will catch your eye. On this dull rainy day, all the colors seemed muted, even with the reflected sidewalk. Then there was one bright spot of color on the bicycle bell. I decided to paint with a limited palette to portray the lack of color in the scene and used transparent earth brown, black, white and cadmium red.

This scene is from Yonge Street in Toronto.

Suits Head Home, Toronto

8x10 oil on stretched canvas Sold

The black stripes across the granite walkway attracted me to this scene in downtown Toronto. These "suits" added another dimension as they walked through the reflected light finding its way through the tall buildings.



 

Streetcar #504, Dundas Street, Toronto

16x20 Oil on Stretched Canvas

I liked the reflective blue in this painting, contrasting with the darkness of the buildings. This is Dundas Street in Toronto. Please excuse the poor photo and glare. Time to do some serious research and find out how to take some quality photos!
Note:I retook this photo using a white sheet draped over the painting on the easel, trying to simulate a "light tent". The results were somewhat better. I was hoping to try and  make a light box/tent, but after pricing fabric and framing in either tubing or wood,  I  broke down and ordered a 60" x 60" light tent from ebay. This will be large enough to photograph a 30x40 painting inside.  Dreama Tolle Perry used one of these to photograph the paintings for her book and was pleased with the results.If you are getting ready to submit paintings for gallery representaion, or art shows, it is important to have good photos. I'm looking forward to not having to struggle with glare and hot spots! If you are looking for them on ebay, search for "light tent" or light box. They are available in various sizes.

Waiting Patiently For Timbits SOLD

6x6 Oil on Board

A week or so ago, we had a lovely snow fall. While walking Bailey in the early evening and stopping for our coffee and Timbits (mini doughnuts made from doughnut holes), I took some photos. I captured this wonderful Golden Retriever waited patiently, no need for a leash.(Unlike Bailey)  All the snow is gone now, and we have rain, but we could still get one more winter blast.

Rainy Day Shopping, Toronto

10x8 Oil on Canvas

This woman has obviously had a very successful shopping day. Here, she passes Union Station on her way to catch the Go Train.

$125.00 plus shipping. Email for information,

Guess,Yonge and Dundas, Toronto

30x40 Oil on wrapped canvas

I must say this again. Painting large is difficult for several reasons. There is so much paint to use and mistakes, when they happen, are large. Photographing is almost impossible. But I like to paint large. I am getting ready to submit to some galleries for representation, and I want to have about 10 to 15 paintings that I am really happy with.

This painting is of a nice busy corner in Toronto Ontario. I was attracted to the "Guess" signs and the reflected light in the street. When painting Toronto downtown, there will always be street car tracks somewhere. Here they dissect the picture, but I tried to make them less obvious. I stopped before I started adding too much detail. I like to let it sit around for a couple of days, and then decide if it needs more work.
(I did a little more work, and re photographed the painting, but the photo is still less than perfect. sigh....)

After the Market

11x14 Oil on Canvas

Hamilton has a Farmer's market downtown that operates year round. This woman heads home in the late afternoon. The fresh snow has been cleared, leaving salty wet streets behind.

Clearing the Way for Coffee

8x10 Oil on Canvas

Back to reality! Sailing is a long way off...probably another three months. It is snowing again today. I noticed several blogsters have been a little "down" due to the lack of blue skies, warm sand, and beach umbrellas. (I won't mention any names, but one artist has a cat named Eddie :) Up here in Canada, we are thankful for the small yet important things in life...coffee!
$125.00 plus shipping. Email for info.

Busy Mark Rounding, Hamilton On

12x16 Oil on Canvas Board

From ice boats to sailboats! Every so often, I enter the International Artist Magazine competition. I haven't had any luck so far, but if you don't try, you can't win!  The present competition is "Seascapes, Rivers, and Lakes". I've had this picture partially started, sitting on the studio floor for about 2 years. There had been a regatta on the Bay and we weren't participating, so I found a great spot near the windward mark and took some photos. It was a wonderful blustery day. The dark boat is in the process of taking down the Spinnaker (the big colorful sail that flies at the front of the boat.)

I'm not sure if I will enter this one. It was a nice change from painting snow scenes, although the colors seem somewhat similar!

Ice Boats on the Bay, Hamilton

8x10 Oil on Canvas

Its rare that we get ice boats on the bay. Often, when the bay freezes, there is too much snow. Last weekend was perfect. We had cold temperatures after a thaw, and lots of wind. These boats were speeding up and down the bay at incredible speeds, dodging snow areas, and having a great time. I wanted to capture the moment, and not labor too much on details.
Also, I would like to thank everyone for their positive comments on my previous post. For us lonely artists, feedback goes a long way!

Heading Up the Mountain, Hamilton On

16x20 Oil on canvas

This was a difficult subject. There was a lot going on, and it was a challenge to portray the "mountain" in the background as well as include the TH&B Railway bridge that crosses James Street at Hunter.

Reminiscence of Summer

8x10 Oil on stretched canvas $125.00

This is a little deviation from what I normally paint. There are no cars or buildings. This photo was taken where I walk Bailey. It is a wonderful path in the woods above Dundas on the Niagara Escarpment. These picnic tables are on the edge of the escarpment, and you can look over the town of Dundas and city of Hamilton from here. This was one of those mornings where there was a fresh snowfall and the morning sun was casting beautiful shadows. If you paint from photos ALWAYS carry a camera. Even if it is just a small one you can tuck into a pocket.

Disappearing Sun, James Street, Hamilton

8x10 Oil on Canvas

I love this row of Victorian homes along James Street. This is still a wonderful neighbourhood, full of great old homes and some spectacular architecture. These homes are overshadowed by the large apartment building in the background. Hamilton is surrounded by the Niagara Escarpment, which we call "the mountain". These cars are headed up the mountain after work on a cold but sunny late afternoon.
Click on image for a larger view

Snow Bank, James Street South, Hamilton

11x14 Oil on Canvas

On Saturday, when I started this painting, it was brilliant sunshine outside and minus 14 Celsius (about 6 Fahrenheit) I liked the abstract quality of the snow bank and the buildings in light and shadow, but as I painted, I realized there were too many other things going on. I simplified it as much as possible, and I think I am happy with it now.
Click on image for a larger view

Snow Plow on King Street, Dundas

8x10 oil on canvas

I have attempted to paint snow storms before, with limited success. I am so captivated by them, they are magical. Snow flakes fly everywhere, colors are all soft and muted. But its these muted colors that make it a challenge, as there are few shadows and colors to delineate things. Last year we had several wonderful snow storms, and I took many photos. (Challenging as well) I ran into the middle of the street for this one. This snow plow lifts up his side blade to avoid hitting parked cars.
Click on image for a larger view

Slivers of light,King and James, Hamilton

13x11 oil on canvas

Once upon a time, the corner of King and James was the center of Hamilton's finest stores, a wonderful cut stone city hall close by and several thriving small businesses. This corner convenience store now dominates the scene and here it is illuminated by slivers of light finding its way through buildings. After snow fall, city crews spread salt everywhere which melts the snow, creating wet streets and dirty snow banks.

Icicles, Jackson Street, Hamilton On

8x10 Oil on Canvas

I would like to thank everyone for their positive and generous comments on my last post. I was really happy with the way the painting turned out, and its great to hear how others feel about it. Sometimes I feel that I am achieving the looser more expressive style and stronger values I set out to learn ....but I am afraid that if I stop painting even for a short time, I will forget the process. Are all artists as neurotic as I feel sometimes?

On another note, we are in the middle of tearing out the inside of our stone cottage, and so I am spending a lot of time moving stuff from one room to another. (Renovating is so much fun when you live in the house at the same time.) As a result, I have been somewhat absent from painting and blog land and haven't visited as much as I like to. I will make the rounds soon to see what everyone has been up to!!

This painting is from a photo I took last year. I don't know if I have ever seen such large icicles. After our recent rain, all of this years snow has melted away. Still lots of time for a snow storm!

Winter Light, King William Street, Hamilton

16x20 Oil on Canvas

It seems like forever since I was able to pick up a paintbrush, but I made up for it today. I was determined to get a painting done. I started this yesterday, and pretty much spent the day today without stopping. (Except to walk Bailey) This is King William Street in Hamilton, with snow piled up on the sides. Snow in the city isn't as idyllic as snow in the countryside. It gets filled with salt and dirt from the streets and isn't always a pretty sight.  The late afternoon sun  created a wonderful glow on the buildings, transforming an ordinary dismal winter street.
Click on image for a larger view