I have some epiphyte cactus flower photos I want to paint so I decided to try out copying a similar painting by Teddi Parker. This was done on an 8×8 gessoed wood panel.
“Almost Home”… a Nocturne after Aimee Erickson
This painting is from yet another mini challenge at Acrylic University, and this one is based off a work by an artist named Aimee Erickson.
I did this on a 6×6 birch panel, and I did the complete sky — orange to red-orange to purple gray to black. Then I added the tree, the light posts, the buildings and the cars.
Red Onions… After Vicki McGrath
I discovered Vicki McGrath on a “Learn to Paint” podcast, and then followed her on Instagram. After my first attempt at the red onion from my Acrylic University lesson, I attempted to copy Vicki’s work, although I changed the background from green stripes to a solid mint green via phthalo green yellow shade. She paints in gouache on watercolor paper; I used acrylic on an 8×8 canvas. Her version is available as a print here.
AU: Simple Shapes… Week #4
A few weeks ago I signed up for an 8 week class at Acrylic University called “Simple Shapes” taught by Dianna Shyne. I wasn’t overly interested in painting the still lifes for the first 3 weeks, despite watching the videos and downloading the reference photos, but I did want to try painting the red onion.
This was on 6×6 acrylic paper (SoHo brand). The first time, I put too many of the colors Dianna used, and the result didn’t look much like an onion! (Hers did, mine didn’t.) So the next day I painted over what I had before, and tried again. I think the second attempt is much improved. I also used smaller brushes, especially for the onion roots.
Goldfinch.. After Dianna Shyne
This painting of a bird came from a bonus class at Acrylic University. While I’ve drawn or sketched birds, I’ve never tried painting a bird so I decided to give it a shot, after watching the 25 minute video. This was done on a 6×6 panel with only the primaries, and white as my colors.
Cherry Tree… After Dianna Shyne
Last week, the instructor Dianna Shyne led a workshop on the “Colors of Spring”, which included her painting four small studies of flowering trees and spring flowers. I was struck most by her field of daffodils, and this flowering tree. (I’m guessing it’s a cherry tree.) I did my own version of the reference photo, and here is my result. (I took a photo at a distance, because in some ways, the painting looks better from afar.) 8×10 stretched canvas.
Colors used: Titanium White, Quinacridone Magenta (PR122), Naphthol Red (PR112), Cad-Free Yellow Medium, Ultramarine Blue and Raw Umber. I toned the canvas a few months ago with Raw Umber and Titanium White.
Field of Daffodils… After Dianna Shyne
One of the perks of Acrylic University membership is weekly classes/workshops livestreamed on YouTube. Last Friday, the instructor Dianna Shyne led a workshop on the “Colors of Spring”, which included her painting four small studies of flowering trees and spring flowers. One was of a field of daffodils, and since daffs are my favorite flower, I tried my own version of the reference photo she used.
This was done on an 8×10 stretched canvas, and the yellow used is (mostly) Liquitex Cad-Free Yellow Light (Lemon), with some Cad-Free Yellow Medium in the foreground. All the various shades of green were mixed from Cad-Free Yellow Light and Mars Black.
Espresso Coffee with Spoon
This painting was done on a 6×8 canvas panel, based on a photo by Jeremy Ricketts on Unsplash.
Cups of Coffee.. After Teddi Parker
I discovered Teddi Parker after listening to a podcast at Learn to Paint Podcast. And then I found her Instagram, and her website. In looking at her work, I was struck by one with 4 cups of coffee: black and bubbly, mildly creamy and one quite milky. I believe hers was done using acrylic house paint. In any case, I wanted to copy her different coffee colors, the bubbles, the shadows in the mugs, and the highlights.
This was done strictly as a study, on an 8×8 canvas.
BetterLateThanNeverArt 