Soft Light

"Lift" 7"x 5" oil on "Gessobord" c. 2012

I have decided to do a series of at least six swan paintings. I had several good reference photos and I was enjoying the subject. I haven't attempted a "series" before, so I thought it would be interesting to try. This painting is the third swan.

The reference photos were taken on a grey day and I wondered if there would be enough contrast to make a good painting. It was exciting getting the photos because the swan came out of the water, walked towards me looking for a hand-out. When I didn't have anything, he flapped his wings in disgust and went back into the water.

The "English Garden" on a sunny day.

I think the overall shape of the swan is beautiful, the colors are a bit subdued because of the overcast day. Even if it doesn't capture all the excitement of that moment, I do like this painting.

Re-Do

Back in November I finished a painting called "Swan Brocade". If you remember my entry back then, I wasn't very happy with the finished painting. After looking at it for a whole month, I decided to paint it closer to reality and forget the fanciful swirls and abstract roses.

My original intent was to have a pattern like a brocade that was intricate and included the swans and roses, to represent the English Garden in Munich.

I liked the second painting results better, but I was unsure of keeping the same title for the painting. I looked up "brocade" in the dictionary, and the description said: "n. a rich fabric woven with a raised pattern, typically with gold or silver thread," I was so thrilled since the painting has gold and silver reflections in the water. I could keep the name! Hurrah for do-overs and happy accidents.

Focus

Canals at Schloss Nymphenburg with all the ducks.

When we had a chance to visit the grounds of Schloss Nymphenburg this fall, I took several pictures of the ducks in the canals. The water was lower for the fall season and the reflections of the trees along the canals in the water was as interesting to me as the ducks.

It was a bit of a challenge to paint, since there was so much detail in the water, and I still wanted to be able to see the duck. I finished it, but I was not happy with the balance between the duck and the tree reflections. I let it sit, then worked on it again two weeks later.

"Ripples With Duck" Detail  5" x 7" oil on gessobord, © 2012

 When I took photos of the finished painting, I thought the close-up detail was better because it focused only on the duck. After letting the painting sit where I can just see it as is, I have gone back to liking the duck a little bit lost in the tree reflections.

"Ripples With Duck" 5" x 7" oil on gessobord, © 2012

 It is a question of focus, and that is something I have to ask myself when I am choosing what to paint. Am I communicating what I intend to say? The painting is split between the tree reflections and the duck because I liked them both equally. I suppose in that respect, it is a success. I probably should have chosen one or the other, but I am leaving it as it is for now.

Swans Revisited

"Duet" 7" x 5" oil on gessobord, ©2011  

When I wrote about trying to find my "style" , I had a success doing an under-painting for the painting I called "Duo".  I hesitated doing the final colors because the water in the photo I took was so muddy and dull looking. I didn't know how I could make it look attractive.

Finally, I just started with the swans because I could just see what colors they needed. Usually in oil paintings, you start with the background first so that the foreground looks like it is over the background, but I did it backwards.

The funny thing is that once I had the swans finished, I could tell what colors I needed to mix for the water. It was a funny, muddy color, but with the right highlights and shadows I think it worked really well and I am very happy with this painting. I think it would make a lovely greeting card. I am renaming it "Duet".

Is it Good or Bad?

photo by Jeff Welter © 2011

When we were hiking through Garmishpartenkirchen in November, Jeff spotted a pair of cats on a balcony of one of the houses. He took the picture for me since my camera was low on power. I was hopeful that I might get a good painting subject.

When he shared the photos with me, I thought the grey cat was particularly interesting and I wanted to do something as a Christmas card.

I didn't use any drawings or underpaintings, I just went straight to work. I had just read a great article by Eric Maisel in the latest "Professional Artist" magazine about developing your own voice. He encouraged artists to take risks and to wait to judge a painting as good or bad. My favorite thing he said was that "if you have never heard your voice, you may not recognize it."

"Bah Humbug" 7" x 5" oil on gessobord, © 2011

 When I finished the painting, I thought it was pretty ugly. Jeff on the other hand thought the cat had personality and was interesting like an illustration from a story. On his advice, I didn't try to change anything on the painting. The cat did remind me of an irritated old man, so I thought of calling the painting "Bah, Humbug."

Good or bad, Happy New Year everyone!

Style

"Duet" 7"x 5" oil on gessobord, © 2011

I have been thinking about my "painting style", the thing that makes it possible to distinguish one artist from another. No one would confuse a Rubens with a Raphael.

The last painting I posted I spent several hours drawing and trying out designs because I wanted to incorporate the idea of a brocade. I didn't end up feeling very pleased with it either, it didn't seem to be quite real, neither did it feel fanciful enough. I would like to develop a distinct style, but frankly, I am not sure how.

Jeff told me to just paint and quit worrying about it. After all, he said, just getting a three dimensional object on a two dimensional surface while interpreting it through paint would be unique enough.

So yesterday, I went back to just doing the underpainting in black and white, straight to the masonite surface, while looking at one of the photos I took last week. It was really fun...no fuss, not trying to convey some extra layer of meaning, just trying to capture what I found beautiful. I am pleased that so far, it doesn't seem so stiff and formal as the last one. If I can maintain that feeling when I add color, that would be an accomplishment.

I am more likely to paint when it is enjoyable. It does bother me that it is "just swans", nothing more or less. I have all kinds of ideas, but getting them on the canvas isn't easy! I do take comfort that Van Gogh went through several styles before he found the one that everyone knows him by. In comparison, I just haven't painted enough yet to really find mine.

Space to Paint

7"x 5" watercolor sketch, ©2011

"Swan Brocade 1"7"x 5" oil on gessobord, ©2011

Well, after seven weeks here in Munich, I managed to get one painting reasonably finished. I am amazed at how much time it has taken for me to get settled. Of course we moved from the first apartment the first of November, so that did put me back some extra time too.

I love the second apartment. It has a south facing balcony and there was room enough for me to set up a small painting space that I can leave out on the desk in the bedroom.

I have seen much that has been inspirational, but I have had a real fascination for the swans in the park. I grew up with grey geese on the canal at home, and charming as they are, I wanted to try painting some swans.

My idea was to incorporate the Bavarian swirls and patterns I see on the buildings here as part of the rippling water. On the watercolor sketch, I added some of the English Garden roses. I couldn't decide if I wanted them on the final piece or not. Honestly, I am not completely happy with the painting right now, but I decided it was best to just post it and move on. I may change it and post it when I figure out what it needs,

The landscapes are changing from fall to winter and I know there will be more ideas to consider. Now that I am started, I want to keep up the momentum!