Artful play painting Colorful Hydrangeas

I painted this patch of Hydrangeas yesterday using the wet on wet technique with no real plan in mind.  Just wanted to relax and have fun. The back ground was already prepared so to speak as I had been painting it with leftover paint from prior paintings.  The background was created with lots of texture as I just spread the paint  on with the palette knife.  Leftover paint can always be salvaged for some use later.  Saved in little seal-able cups is one way, and painting edges of galley wrap canvases is another place, or practice painting strokes as I did in this painting.  The canvas board here was 14x11 inches by .25 inch thick.  You may think I am a crazy old painter as some colors may clash, but most make harmony.  I picked places on the background that seemed to already look like the shape and color of a flower, and from there let the painting evolve.

I hope you enjoy my art and your comments are always welcome.

God Bless You,

jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Blue Iris Painting

One of my early paintings of irises that surprised me with how well the simple composition came out. I painted it freestyle without references or sketch. Very relaxing to paint with freedom. The gold background compliments the blue iris.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Two Paintings in Acrylics Done at the Show

I painted a couple demo studies at our last weekend at The Peddler Show in San Antonio and thought you would like to see these 'off the cuff' paintings.  Our shoppers liked watching the work and several came back to the booth to check my progress.  Both are listed on our web site:  www.thebartlettpair.com should you want to purchase the original or prints.

Let us not forget and pause for remembrance as today is the anniversary of the 9/11 attack on The United States of America.

God Bless America,
jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Blue Bonnet Field, Original Painting

Sold

I finished the Blue Bonnet Field today. The acrylic painting is on 11 x14 inch gallery wrapped canvas with edges painted.  I chose to use a country side scene with a single tree in the field of blue bonnets and wild flowers.  I used only the brush, paint, and imagination to compose and paint the scene at the easel. The back drop of hills and birds compliment the view by increasing the depth/distance.  A simple palette was used in this alla prima acrylic: white, raw umber, raw sienna, yellow ochre, permanent green, yellow light, cad red light, cerelan blue, light blue, cad blue, touch of pink, white, and a tid bit of purple.

I will be showing the painting at the Hallettsville Market Days this Saturaday.

Let us pray before we paint,
jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Lighthouse in Winter

This painting and others of my work, is now offered in print on Fine Art America. They can also print it on canvas, metal, or acrylic.

Jimmie

Mexican Lime Oil Painting

We have two Mexican Lime trees that abundantly provide my wife Carolyn with limes for her tea.  Ours produce nearly all year long.  They have small white blossoms and the bees love them.  The fruit turns to a pale yellow when fully ripe.

I painted the Mexican Lime in oils alla prima on a 10 x 8 gallery wrapped canvas.  I had prepared the canvas a couple of months ago with a blue teal left over mix from another painting and have been thinking about what to paint on it.  Kept it simple and used the lime as it was complimentary.  The palette consisted of: yellow light, sap green, green light permanent, yellow ochre, yellow, burnt umber, white and a tad of burnt sienna.  Check my website and etsy in the above menu should you wish to purchase paintings or prints.  I am also a member of Fine Art America which is a great place to buy art.

I hope you like the painting.

Let us pray before we paint,
jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Check the above Menu or use the search to find other paintings on the site.

Another Butterfly Oil Painting in Progress

If you follow this blog, you probably think I am stuck on painting butterflies.  Yes, I really like painting butterflies!  They are colorful and interesting.  I plan to finish this one soon and move on to other paintings for awhile.  I am considering painting a series of Native Indian series next.  I am researching famous chiefs now.  So intriguing.

This work in progress is on a 14x18 inch canvas.  There is a prior post that discusses the start of this one.  Here, the image on upper left is basically where I stopped on it to finish the other butterfly painting with the exception of showing some sky blue spread on with a palette knife to get it going.  (Using the knife helps spread the paint on faster in large areas of canvas.  The evenly spread and detail with a brush.  You may like the knife effects and want to leave them on your painting)  I also penciled in more of the flowers to help the composition.  I didn't follow the photo for the background and flowers, but used it as a guide to create a less busy and more painterly effect.  His antenna got painted over, but can be put back in later.  The flowers are based in and will get more attention later today.  The greenery is the next step.

You are welcome to use the below comment box to enter comments or questions.  Also, if you see the most recent post, click HOME here or in the above bar menu.

Let us pray before we paint,
jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Monarch Buttlerfly Painting, Work in Progress

Made some progress today on the larger butterfly painting by blocking in the color portions of the wings.  (Scroll down the page to see the previous stage of the painting.)  I did a bit of shading and highlighting which brought the painting into dimension.  Nothing has been done to white portions of the canvas.  Notice how the smaller whites on the wings stand out even though not painted.  I will add shades of white later.  Next step is to add the floral background.  I will work on the other butterfly tomorrow and possibly finish it, but we did talk about going fishing tomorrow.  Your comments are appreciated.

Let us pray before we paint,
jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Second Butterfly Painting in Progress

 For this 11x14 inch oil painting, I have a great picture reference to work from.  Thanks to Janet for the picture.

This post follows the work I talked about in the last post.  I blocked in the black areas and a quick impression of the foliage.  For the foliage, I used sap green, yellow light, white, and some of the black to mix for shady green.

 Amazing how adding the sky background adds so much to the painting.  This was a mix of cerelean blue tinted with titanium white.  I used a small flat brush to block in the sky next to busy spots and a larger flat to cover the rest of the canvas including the edges.

Here the painting is shown with the completed sky hanging from a short wire I put on it for easier handling while it is wet.

The next step will be to add the beautiful color to the wings and body.  I could have done more to this one today, but had a broken chainsaw that also needed fixing.

The other butterfly painting will be more of a challenge as the background has beautiful flowers for him to feed on.  I will work on him tomorrow.  Your comments are welcome.

Let us pray before we paint,
jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Poppies in Blue Vase, Demo/Study

The Poppies in BlueVase painting is a freestyle painting I did for demonstration outdoors at the Burr, Texas Trade Days last weekend.  I paint at shows when possible to pass the time and customers like to see art in progress.

This painting was done without a reference and freely out of my imagination.  I don't mind people looking over my shoulder at the easel, as I can talk and paint at the same time.  After days of painting by myself in the studio, being able to talk with others about art is a real treat.  Especially with people wanting to learn to paint.  Who knows, maybe watching an old guy throw paint on a canvas might inspire them to give it a try.

The palette was:  Yellow ochre, Yellow Medium, Alizeran Crimson, Cad. Red, Prussan Blue, Black, White, Sap Green, Yellow Light, Unbleached White, some tidbit of Purple.

Acrylic paint on 14x11 inch canvas hardboard.


Thanks for looking.

Let us pray before we paint,
jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Rooster Cheesebox, a crafty project

The Rooster Cheesebox is a recyled box I found in an antique store and I can't seem to pass one up as I visualize crafty scenes I like to paint on them.  They make great keepsakes for decor or use.  I would like to think one could put almost anything in it: hot bread/buns, cake, pie, papers, pictures, ~~~I painted this one using acrylics and will be putting it in our booth in the Old Alvin Emporium Monday.

Let us pray before we paint,
jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Red Pot of Daisies Oil Painting

Red Pot of Daisies Oil Painting is on a 14x11 archieval canvas hardboard.  It is painted freestyle using wet on wet technique.  The brush strokes are visible on the flowers but smooth on the vase to create a contrast between the texture of the vase and flowers.  I like to do these as they are fairly fast and relaxing.  Hope you like it. Contact me if you wish to purchase it.

Let us pray before we paint,
Jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Butterfly Painting

I finished a Butterfly acrylic painting today.  It is on an 8x10 stretched canvas.  I will mount it in a floater frame tomorrow.  I hope you like the way it came out.  Contact me if you are interested in purchasing the Butterfly or another one of my paintings.  Each are orginal and make wonderful gifts, especially for Christmas.

Let us pray before we paint,
jimmie@jimmiesart.com



Cabin Painting

I finished "The Cabin" yesterday in one setting and did some correcting today after studying it in my office.  I added the large bush to the scene.  It was very large in the photo, so I made it smaller to not overpower the subject.  My neighbor gave me a picture of a quaint  cabin to paint.  Thanks to Gary for letting me use it.   He took it while on vacation and this is what I do for vacation, paint.   The painting is an acrylic on 8x10 hand stretched canvas.  The canvas is a gallery wrap with edges also painted for hanging without a frame.  The price without frame is $100 plus s/h and tax if applicable.

Let us pray before we paint,
jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Texas Hill Country Barn Oil Painting

Original SOLD, Available in print at www.thebartlettpair.com

This is a small Texas Barn we took pictures of several years ago while on vacation.  Since then, I have painted it several times on glass windows, and now the first time in oils on an 8x10 canvas.  It was painted wet on wet in one setting under a high sky day setting.  If I paint it again, it will be in a larger format with a few more components, but will take longer.

I painted these years ago on glass when we were doing the First Monday Canton Trade Days on windows that were single pane about 14x28 using the permacoat enamels.  Good stuff, but dried fast, so one had to blend and brush it on quickly.   I sold a lot of paintings on glass that I wish I had done on canvas as prints can't be made off the the paintings on glass.  And, that was one of the prime movers to paint in oils on canvas enstead.

We are still needing rain in Texas.  There are burn bans posted and we still have wildfires going.  Many homes have been lost and people displaced.  We are praying for rain and the folks that lost everything to the fires.

Let us pray before we paint,
Jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Crimson Lily, 6x8 inch Oil Painting

This is a crimson lily from my wife's garden that I wanted to paint for two years now.  Finally, got 'roundtuit'.  Hope you like it.

Let us pray before we paint,

jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Butterfly on Bougainvillea Oil Painting, 6x6 Alla Prima

This is my first on a 6x6 surface and it took some getting use to.  Maybe I should have started out with a simplier composition.  But I like watching the butterflies feeding on our bougainvillea so I painted it first.  I prepare my own masonite hardboard to paint from.  I cut out 5 of the 6x6s and triple coated them with gesso yesterday.  The palette for this painting was permanent red, yellow ochre, aliz. crim., yellow lt, yellow med., permanent green lt, burnt sienna, black and white.

The photo has some glare in it as the paint is still wet.  Please visit the Daily Paintworks website and take a look at all the beautiful paintings being auctioned for charity to benifit the childen in africa.  Thanks for visiting.

Let us pray before we paint,
Jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Lighthouse on the Beach, Palette Knife Painting

I painted this small alla prima oil painting using a couple of palette knives.  This type of painting is relaxing and good for exercising the creative side.  I planned it as I went and used the knife to blend color and build texture on the canvas.  It gets a bit wetter as the paint layers are added.  The lighthouse was kept simple and I also scratched in some birds.  The canvas is an 8x10 gallery wrap with edges painted for hanging without a frame.
The heat wave is still pounding us here in Texas.  We need rain badly.

Use the blog search labels to see more of my other lighthouse paintings in this blog.  Contact me if you wish to purchase this painting.  Thanks for visiting.



Join us in praying for rain,

jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Lexi Portrait

This little girl is 2 1/2 years old and very beautiful.  I painted her from a photo in oils on a 14x11 canvas.  The blush came out looking a little stronger in this picture than is in the painting.  I painted this one alla prima (few hours one setting).   This one was for my daughter's best friend which made it special to do.  I sure had fun painting her.

Let us pray before we paint,

Jimmie@jimmiesart.com

Apple Trio

This is a small 9x12 inch acrylic painting on a paper made for acrylic painting.  I thought it would be interesting to try the paper out on an easier subject such as apples.  This surface is rated at 185 lb./400 G and comes 10 count in a pad.  I know nothing about ratings of paper for painting.  This surface is thick, so I figure it must be good.  LOL  Maybe a watercolor painter will help me out with that. 

It seemed to fight back at me by bowing up when I covered the surface with the paint, and moreso when I thinned the paint.  I found I had better results by letting it dry and not thin the paint with water.  After I got the hang of it, it came out pretty fair.  I sketched the apples on with pencil and did an undercoat in burnt umber thinking I could blend and glaze in the background without losing the apple underpainting.  Almost did.  I brought the apples back up with a green then worked on completion with the reds.

I like to do studies by starting with sketches then do small paintings which may lead to painting the scene on a larger format.

I hope you enjoy Easter, our holy day in worship to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

Jimmie@jimmiesart.com