i was looking for some old works some weeks ago and found there were some i had never uploaded (as most of the things I do) but now I felt like showing these. these are school works, studies of values, colours, and who knows what, in tempera or acrylics.
Really rough, really quick, under huge time constraints. Grape Lemon and a Juice
There are a lot of things on my plate this week - and back to school tomorrow.
Here's a peek at my luxurious end of summer snack, and today's warmup drawing.
A rare day-off for Lincoln's Birthday, the big kids all gone to friends' houses, and a little sunshine on the front patio means that my littlest can have fun playing out front while mom updates things on the laptop.
 |
| Spring flowers have already arrived. |
Anyway, didn't I say I might just tweak the painting a little? Well, that wasn't exactly true. When it came down to it, I think I tweaked it a lot. Of course, it may not look different but, with a little close observation, one might notice differences. Frankly, I became frustrated with the 2 flowers on the right - they became rather muddled by overworking with to many colors - I even completely painted out the bottom one and started over.
 |
| I think it's done - but I'm still not happy with the leaf - I'll just tweak it a little... |
Light was an interesting challenge as I had a changing light source (a south-facing window) to my left which caused moving shadows and a secondary interior light overhead/right which created shadows of its own. I realized that I was giving conflicting information with cast shadows of the flower petals on both sides of the vase/creamer, but I liked the shapes and decided to keep them. And that's what was truly liberating about this project compared with the first one which was much more dependent on observation. For this one, I gave myself permission to use more artistic license and mostly responded to what was happening on the paper. Besides liking the shapes of some of the shadows, I also liked the orange from the flowers reflected on the porcelain surface - it wasn't nearly as pronounced in real life, but I liked it in the painting.
I still have dreams of one do doing a "quick" little still life that captures its essence with a minimum of strokes... (sigh)
On this lovely afternoon, I was able to spend time painting. I realized that the little still life I just painted was OK, but...something about it isn't sitting well with me. I'm happy to be more comfortable working with acrylic paint, but it's still falling flat. That contrast that I like to emphasize just wasn't there once the colors dried. Also, I wanted to try something a little looser now that I'd solved the question of colors and mixing. So, I decided to try it again from a slightly different angle.
 |
| First paint (left) and today's painting (right) |
I definitely like the 2nd one better - it has a greater level of contrast and it is slightly looser (although I think total reckless abandon just isn't how I was created to paint). There's still a little tweaking that I'll do, but it shouldn't change too drastically from this. One thing that I thought about while painting was how much easier color mixing has become. In the early days of painting, color mixing was a little confusing - sort of hit or miss. But now, I have a better sense of whether I should add a blue, a brown, or a black for a shadow; whether I should add a white, a yellow, an ochre, or some other color for a highlight. I'm actually quite happy with my painting now - I want to have one foot in the natural world and one foot in the expressive without swinging too far one way or another...at least for now.
 |
| This doesn't exactly accurately represent the saturation of some of the colors, but it's close... |
I've been watching some art programs on the Ovation channel lately and I had to pause one episode of Art in Progress to write down a quote. The show focused on the artist
Donald Sultan - I was not particularly familiar with his work and I liked it to some degree, although it was a bit to conceptual for my tastes (a topic for another time). But, he said something that really struck a chord in me as I so often "overthink" things.
"One of the mainstays of making art is that you don't think of new ideas - you discover them. So, that's why you have to work all the time. If you go out and just lie around and start thinking and waiting, you know nothing is ever gonna happen. And, the longer you wait, the more you realize that when you come back to it, you're right back where you were. You're not any further along even though you thought and thought and thought - you didn't really go anywhere." Donald Sultan
I appreciated this thought since I often like to spend time - too much time - thinking about what I want to do. And, sometimes it's paralyzing.
I'm sure I mentioned somewhere something about doing quick and loose little paintings to play around with the medium and have a little fun. I have a small space in the corner of my room which has been great for drawing, but lacks the space and storage for painting projects. Normally, it wouldn't take to much time to set up a quick little still life, scoop some paint onto my Sta-Wet palette, and get down to business. But, throw in household duties, homeschooling duties, helping Grandma run some errands, dentist appointments, soccer games...well, a 1-day activity turned into several days.
Day 1 - I managed to put together the still life before I had to run off somewhere. And, a day or so later, I quickly sketched the shapes onto my pre-primed paper (I had primed several pieces of paper weeks ago, so at least I didn't have to do that).
A couple days later, I had to come up with a solution to paint storage - I have no place in my room for the pint and quart size Nova Color containers. So, I grabbed some small Gladware (or whatever brand) containers and transferred the colors I'd be working with. I have a plant stand to set the palette on next to the table. I was able to soak the palette paper and get it set up before having to call it quits.
Finally, yesterday afternoon, I actually got to paint. I had envisioned a quick painting that would have beautiful color and contrast in relatively few strokes - HA! My reality is that I layer and layer, push and pull, building values...maybe now that I've practiced the shapes and colors, I could put something together that's looser without losing the color and contrast that I like. Perhaps I'll do that next.
Anyway, I think this is my first non-illustration project since I don't know when. I'm excited about more exploration - I just hope it doesn't take so many days to do one little painting...but, it probably will!
a school work, using the palette of a known painting
a school work using cold colours
I'm right now in a group still life exhibition at Artists' House Gallery in Philadelphia, PA. The gallery director there, Lorraine Riesenbach, has been wonderful about including me in several group shows despite the fact that I am essentially on leave of absence from most of my other work obligations due to being in graduate school. Although participating in the shows is a bit of a strain, one more flying ball in my very large juggling act, it's probably a very good thing not to lose the showing momentum. Participating in showing work keeps you grounded in reality...and reality sometimes feels a very long way away from graduate school..land of theory! ;-) So I am grateful to her for her persistence and patience with me.
Here are the pieces in Beyond the Ordinary:
 |
| Big Magnolia, o/c, 24 x 20 inches, 2012 |
 |
| Monhegan Island Still Life, o/c, 12 x 16, 2012 |
 |
| Sage and Acorns, o/c, 11 x 14, 2012 |
Beyond the Ordinary Still Life
February 29 through April
 |
| Green and Yellow, oil on gessoed ragboard, 8 x 10 inches, 2011 |
Bottled is this week's prompt at Illustration Friday. I love this little brown bottle which once held a nutritional supplement we were giving my son with autism when he was younger, and I use it over and over again in my work. I think it signifies a simpler time, when we were full of hope and energy. Still have lots of hope, but less energy! ;-) The coreopsis blossom and nasturtium leaves were from my late autumn garden. They lasted a long time in my chilly studio. The apple on the left only went into the compost bin a month or two ago...very long-lasting! This recently completed piece is on the invitation card for my upcoming show:
Nancy Bea Miller: recent workMay 4-29, 2011
Artists' House Galley
57 North 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PAReceptions:
First Friday:
May 6, 5 - 8:30pm
Sunday,
May 8, 1 - 4pm
 |
| Joined, oil on linen, 12 x 9 inches, 2011 |
DUET is this week's prompt at Illustration Friday. This is a painting I completed about a month ago and I think it fits the bill. I am in the Philly area and we sure do love our soft pretzels here! I am originally from NYC and we loved our pretzels there too, but the NYC pretzels are an entirely different configuration. In any shape, soft pretzels are best bought from a street vendor on a cold day, eaten warm with a zigzag of mustard. If you get a blob of mustard on your cheek and someone kisses it off...all the better!
 |
| Pears and a Pot, 11 x 14, oil on linen, 2008 |
Not really sure what to put in for
Illustration Friday this week. The theme is
Déjà Vu, the feeling that you have already experienced a moment which is currently happening. Who hasn't felt this, but it seems a tough concept to handle visually. This comes close, I think, to expressing that feeling that creeps up on you... a concealed memory projected onto the present moment. A little unnerving!
Looking through some old files and saw this little cutie...a birthday party cupcake homemade by me for one of the little boy's birthdays. Cupcakes are so in these days, but they tend to be much larger, with a lavish crown of icing. I don't think anybody uses sprinkles anymore either...a blast from the past! And, in truth, this was probably only five or six years ago...how times change! Still sweet though. ;-)
Greenery-Yallery Apple, oil on linen on wood, 5 x 7 inches, 2010
I had a hard time with this one for unknown reasons. Still not really finished. But I've already spent six times as much time on it as I wanted to (happens!) Scrap-heap bound.
Little Silver Bag with Red Apple, oil on linen, 8 x 10 inches, 2010
Onion Skin, oil on linen on wood, 8 x 10 inches, 2010
This is alla prima, all done in one session, but not exactly speed painting as it took me about an hour and 45 minutes. I might go back and do a little touch-up and glazing: then again I might not.
Attila's Biscuits, oil on gessoed ragboard, 4 x 6 inches
(Thanks to my friend Mary and her dog Attila, for the props!)
Duck in a Box, oil on gessoed ragboard, 6 x 6 inches, 2010
Thyme in a Bottle
oil on linen on wood, 6 x 4 inches, 2010
I might go back and touch up the label a bit more tomorrow or the next day. The paint is too thick and wet for me to get further detail in. BTW, I truly did not even think of the song title till after I'd posted the image! Now I've got it in my head....
Ripe Berry
oil on gessoed cardboard, 3 x 3 inches, 2010
This may have been my fastest one yet. And I can't even see what it really looks like, because it was dusk when I started painting and after only about 15 minutes I dropped my brush and raced out the door to pick up youngest son from his after school activity. When I got home, night had fallen. I've never managed to set up good artificial lighting in my studio, and rely entirely on daylight. I may be in for a huge surprise in the morning! Well, never a dull moment when you are a painter.
EGG TRIO
oil on gessoed cardboard, 5 x 7 inches, 2010
Starfish from Eric, oil on canvas, 3 x 3 inches, 2010
Tangerine with Leaf, oil on canvas on wood, 5 x 7 inches, 2010
Yellow Onion, oil on gilt cardboard, 6 x 8, 2010
View Next 18 Posts
By: martín (dibujandoarte),
on 11/30/2014
By: Shin Kim,
on 10/11/2014
By: Tatjana Mai-Wyss,
on 8/18/2014
.jpg?picon=1621)
By: DIANE SMITH,
on 2/11/2013
.jpg?picon=763)
By: Nancy Bea Miller,
on 3/4/2012
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1493422796593046419-78847512240144
</p>
<div style="clear: right;"></div>
<div class="post-comments">
0 Comments on <em>acrylic paintings</em> as of 10/23/2010 8:49:00 PM
</div> <!-- end post-comments -->
<a name="commentsforpost678529target" id="commentsforpost678529target" style="text-decoration:none;"></a>
<div id="commentsforpost678529" style="display: none;" ></div><a class = "leavecomment" title="Click Here to Add a Comment" href="/redirect.asp?kind=3&value=1139&t=http://dibujosybocetos.blogspot.com/2010/10/acrylic-paintings_1755.html" onclick="window.open(){kind=small}
Add a Comment
Lovely. Nice composition & color!
Beautiful. I especially like how you painted the cellophane!
Great colours!
Lovely. Nice job!
Well done! I really love your style. Very rich and contrasty. The colors are beautiful too.
Beautiful! I love the colours!!
Love this. A great colour combination!
A gorgeous mix of vibrancy and stillness.