Friday, January 31, 2014

30 in 30 collage

Here is a collage of all 30 paintings, it was suggested by the challenger that we do this.

#30! Hot off the easel!

Just completed #30 15 minutes ago! Thanking God for having had this opportunity and for all the wonderful encouragement I've received all this month! God has been faithful thru pulled tendons, a burned finger, and nearly cutting off the tip of my right index finger. Thankful, especially, for
my husband, Mitsuo, who has taken up the slack for many things I was not able or did not have the time to do to keep this household going and myself physically to do things. This has been a great learning experience and I plan to add a few of the things I've learned through these quick paintings(ha! did I write "quick"?! most paintings took 4 to 6 hours to complete, not counting the pre-drawings and lettering)into my realistic portraits. Again thank you everyone and I am so thankful for your prayers on my behalf. Joy in Jesus
 
#30

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

#28 & #29 completed for 30 in 30 challenge

Here are #28 & #29: Media: #28 is cray-pas and markers  #29 is gouache acryl and pencil. 1 more to go!
#28
#29
 

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Composite photo of the 4 part of Koi-no-bori paintings

Here is the resource photo I used for painting the 4 part series of the Koi-no-bori paintings:
 and here is the 4 paintings composite:
If you look really close you can tell I didn't match a couple of areas but it sure is close! As you can see I also used a lot of artistic license!

#26 & #27 for 30 paintings in 30 days!

3 more to go! Here are #26 & #27 both media gouache acryl. New post coming up next of the composite of the Koi-no-bori(Flying Fish) composite of 4 paintings.

#26
#27



Sunday, January 26, 2014

#24 Part 4 and #25 completed for 30 in 30

#24
Completed Part 4. When I have more time I will put a composite of the 4 together so you can get the full complete view and an explanation of what it is.

#25 Completed:

Friday, January 24, 2014

#23 Part 3 for 30 paintings in 30 days

Here is #23 Part 3. Little late and falling behind a bit, got lots to do preparing for art classes at New Life Academy. Praise report: my finger that I nearly sliced off the tip is healing, it is almost completely healed. The tendonitis is almost gone too! God is good. Thank you to all who have been praying for me during this challenge and for my healing I know that God the Father is answering our prayers because I could not have been able to even gotten this far in this challenge with out His healing, strength and the grace to do what I can not do on my own.


Wednesday, January 22, 2014

#22 Part 2 of 30 paintings in 30 days

#22 Part 2, medium: Gouache acryl  Interesting I used the same paints and same colors but it scanned a bit different than Part 1. The actual paintings do match in real time. Thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

#21 painting 30 in 30 Part 1

Decided to do something a little different. I've wanted to paint a particular picture but I wanted it to be a larger size but I wouldn't be able to paint it in 1 day so I decided to divide it into 4 sections. Each section is the same size as all the other paintings I have already completed and I am working on each section as an individual painting in its own right. It will be a little difficult getting each section to match lines and colors but that will be part of the challenge. Some of you will figure out what the subject matter is right away while others may not know what it is even when it is completed. I'm calling this 4 section painting a painting puzzle. So here is Part 1:




Monday, January 20, 2014

#19 & #20 of 30 paintings in 30 days challenge

#19 took longer than I planned, I used only acrylics and water this time so took more time to do the layers. Requires more layers and more creating the colors myself with colors I have to get close to what the gouache acryl do.  Also the acrylics do not scan up the colors correctly as well as they do for the gouache acryl. Red and blues are darker in the painting and the yellow is more a true yellow than this scanned view. I'm thinking of trying water based oils to see how they work, but they take 6 months to dry before they can be varnished. Anyway I'm learning many things thru this challenge.

#20 I did a free hand cray-pas still life I set up in the studio. Too grainy for my taste but it was quick to do since I wanted to get in #20 on this Jan 20th day.

#19
 
 
#20
 
 


Sunday, January 19, 2014

An answer to a question & a day of rest

Today I am taking a day of rest so I will answer a question I was asked by Pattie Wall about how I get the colors in the background to sing: I think it is the paint itself, I'm using gouache acryl in just the main colors they make, usually for the background I just use it straight out of the tube with water, sometimes it takes 2 to 3 coats to make it even. I think it is also using just mainly color crayon colors too. I'm really gravitating more and more to this style. I'm enjoying just basic color crayon colors, which I have always loved using. I do add some white to some of the other colors, to lighten them and some black to the darken the blues. I think I may plan on trying this with straight acrylics to see how they go. Back to painting tomorrow!

Saturday, January 18, 2014

#18 of 30 paintings in 30 days

Thank you to everyone who has posted a comment here and on facebook. I also appreciate the prayers you have prayed for me for my healing and that I can continue in this challenge too.

#18 media: gouache acryl & pencil
 

Friday, January 17, 2014

#16 & #17 for 30 paintings in 30 days

Media: Gouache acryl, pencil & color pencil #16 did not scan very well. When I use the primary colors, like in #17, it always scans very well, anything between I have difficulties getting it to scan correctly. I had the most relaxing time making #17.

My finger is healing great but still having extreme difficulty with this tendonitis, need to continue using a sling and praying for a good nights rest. Each day it is a tiny bit better so I know I'm on the mend. Thank God giving me what I need to do all that He wants me to be and do.
 
#16

#17



Wednesday, January 15, 2014

I'm caught up! #14 & #15!

Thank my Lord God I am caught up! #14 is similar to #13 but I left the lower section in pencil with out paint and painted only the upper section in gouache acryl.

Now #15 is my messy painting, I decided to not draw in any thing but the lettering then change the lettering freely afterwards, not very readable, I know but I learned some interesting things in this process. Also I decided to paint directly from the still life I set up in my studio and painted the main colors and shapes. Used lots of water in this one, interesting experiment, not something I'm too pleased with but I learned some interesting things along the way.

Thanks for sharing my journey! 1/2 there!
#14
#15


Tuesday, January 14, 2014

#12 & #13 of 30 in 30

Well, I'm still behind by one, I keep trying to catch up but it seems something always happens. I've been dealing with tendonitis in my left arm, hand and shoulder since Dec 23,2013. It got better then worse then much better but now it is much worse. I'm having to wear a sling now, which is helping relieve the strain and the pain but it really is slowing me down. Got to take care of this old body if I want to be available for what all God has prepared for me.

Anyway back to the paintings: #12 I drew last year for an assignment for my upper grade art students last year and decided to do a painting of it for this challenge. Had fun playing with just 2 colors on to white. Very red, white and blue, wasn't trying to be US patriotic but it came out looking that way anyway, lol. #13 was fun again playing with color and shapes.

Used only gouache acryl for #12 and gouache acryl and acrylic paint for #13, pencil and color pencil for lettering.
 #12
#13


Saturday, January 11, 2014

#10 & #11

Today was a rough day, esp with #10 I never thought something so simple would be so complicated!

Then I nearly cut my right hand index finger off with a paper cutter! Thank God I didn't! I misjudged how close I was to the blade when I lifted up the paper guard! Cut the tip back side pretty deep but it flapped back in place but tons of blood. Of course the artist in me got fascinated by the red color from my bleeding, thinking if only I could get that vivid color of red in my paintings. Got the bleeding to stop and peroxide it. It is all bandaged up and disinfected now and hurts only when I press on it like this typing, most of all I am so thankful I did not cut the whole finger off! God was definitely protecting me.

Anyway after that I did #11, it was not easy painting with a big old Band-Aid on my finger, the brush kept sliding away. But got it finished! Both were painted with gouache acryl paints. The lettering doesn't show up very well in the scanned versions but this is part of what I am working on as I do this 30 day project. I am learning a lot about what I really want to keep doing and what I don't want to do. Realizing no matter what medium or style I use I like to take more time on my paintings than just 1 day. Actually, because of my other obligations it is turning out that I paint 2 a day more than 1 a day so far. Interesting...
#10
#11
 

Friday, January 10, 2014

#9 something different for 30 paintings in 30 days

Decided to do something very different today so here is #9: Medium gouache acryl paint and pencil and color pencil.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

#7 & #8 Jan 30 paintings in 30 days

#7 Medium: pencil, black acrylic and color pencil
Uploading didn't come out as well as the actual painting, this was the best I could get it.
 
#8 Medium: gouache acryls
Had fun just playing this one.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

#5 & #6

Here are #5 & #6, not feeling too well today so decided to do these using cray-pas(oil pastels) and do simple subjects. Have got 2 pictures prepared to paint tomorrow so I can get ahead or really so I can be caught up, lol. #5 didn't upload like it looks in my photo file, there are not that many white dots on the fruits. #6 transferred very close to the original. Since I am working on a size format to fit on my scanner, I scan them instead of taking photos. When I use my camera they really come out different than the originals. Thanks to all those who have been sending me such encouraging comments here and on Facebook! You all are a blessing from God to me!
#5
#6


Saturday, January 4, 2014

#3 & #4 of 30 paintings in 30 days

Here are my 3rd and 4th paintings. I will not be able to have the time to paint for the next 2 days so this post and my next painting day Jan 7th will be doubles to keep up.

#3 This is in honor of my granddaughter who is 6 years old today Jan 4! Happy Birthday Chiyo-Marie!! Love you!!!
 
#4 This is the model I used from a copyright free photo. This is what I traditionally do with my portraits, I do an undervalue painting in Van Dyke Brown acrylic paint after I draw an outline sketch of it which will help me keep in line with the realistic look of the person. I've been stuck recently getting going again in my portrait painting but doing this challenge has helped me get unstuck. I am so thankful to God for helping me be free in Jesus!

Friday, January 3, 2014

#2 of 30 paintings in 30 days

Decided to do a still life painting today. It was a challenge, took me longer than I expected. I also wanted the lettering to be more muted and faded but didn't work out this time. This is a learning process for me. Used different colors than the photo source I was using and changed the table line to a diagonal instead of a straight parallel line. It was interesting doing something different than the usual painting of children for me.

Take a look at the other challengers art at: http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.jp/

Thursday, January 2, 2014

#1 painting for 30 paintings in 30 days

Had fun doing this one! I will have to reduce the size from A4 since my scanner crops off the ends too much. Media: pencil drawing, Acryl Gouache paint, color pencil and permanent marker for lettering on watercolor paper.
Showing:10 29/32" x 8 5/16" Actual size is an A4 size same width but longer. Model: Chiyo-Marie, my granddaughter

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Joined January 2014 Challenge 30 paintings in 30 days


Joined the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge(can go to the link listed below to see what it is all about)starting Jan 2014. Will start my first painting Jan 2 here in Japan. Some days will be 2 at a time some days will not have any uploads. Will be playing with different media, themes and processes. This is a learning and playing process for me and a way to jump start some things I've been putting off. I'm #315 it is going to be interesting viewing others work too. Hope you can come along on my journey. http://lesliesaeta.blogspot.jp/2013/12/get-ready-for-january-2014-30-painintgs.html