Still Life Exercise and Rebellion

Still Life Watercolor Exercise Rebellion
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is a color exercise from a watercolor class. The class members worked from a still life set-up that was created from objects brought in by class members, with the idea that everything people brought would be included. So depending on the luck of where your easel was, the composition was largely predetermined. I didn't mind as I began to paint, because, well, it was just an exercise, but later I did mind. I was happy with the clarity and strength of the colors, but frustrated with the composition. (And with myself, for not speaking up, for doing the assignment instead of making art.) A few weeks ago, I photographed the work and loaded the image into the computer. I tried cropping the digital image left, right, and center to fix the composition. Nothing worked. So today I staged a little rebellion. I pulled the image into Painter IX and quietly eliminated a votive candle (I am not kidding) that had no business being in my painting and was causing trouble near the corner. I tried to do more (move the pink wineglass, for example) but I couldn't pull it off. But in any case the composition is a little better, but more important, the experience was very satisfying even though the original watercolor is unchanged. I am posting this little rebellion tonight for anyone out there who has ever been frustrated by working on a predetermined still life set-up.

Strawberry Plants in the Rain

Strawberry Plants in the Rain
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

It rained today and cooled things off a bit. I liked the way the raindrops looked on the strawberry plant near the back door, so I took a picture with my phonecam.

House as of June 28

House as of June 28
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is the very latest version of the painting I am doing for my friends. I am in the midst of moving a door on the porch, which was in the wrong position. In addition to that, I have painted in some roses, detail around the windows, and started working on the roof.

Clematis

Clematis
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I have been waiting for the clematis to bloom. It takes this flower a long time to open. I took a picture with my phonecam, then I loaded the image into my computer and cropped it just a bit to improve the composition. I decided that this was worth the wait, so I am posting this image today.

Harvard Gate

Harvard Gate
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Today we drove into Cambridge for coffee at Peets, then on to Harvard and Coop bookstores, beadstore for me, then lunch at Pho Pasteur. Our routine is rather predictable, but where we park is not. Today we found a great parking place right outside of Harvard's gates. I really liked the pattern, so I took a picture with my phonecam. Does anyone know what the eight stands for?

House as of June 25

House as of June 25
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is the latest version of the painting I am doing for my friends. Over the past week, a lot of effort has gone into trying to get the right color for the brick. My friends actually mailed me a piece of the brick, crushed to a powder (by my friends, not by the postal service as I first suspected). It was hilarious, but also useful. I matched some paint to the color of the pulverized brick and set about changing the color of the house, making it lighter at the same time. This seems to have brought us closer to the right color. Today I also started the roses in the background, and put in some brick detail above the window on the front porch. In all of this, I am relying on my friends' feedback to know if I am getting it right. . .

Garden Party

Garden Party
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

On a walk in the neighborhood, I was surprised to see masses of pink roses. I took a picture with my phonecam, and later cropped the image to improve the composition and capitalize on the lattice in the background. It looks like the roses are having a party in the garden. I wonder, what could the roses be celebrating today. . .

Colorado Mountain Peak

Colorado Mountain Peak
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Every so often, I get to thinking about home, and then its time to post another painting inspired by the Colorado mountains. I started this series of mountain paintings after I left Colorado. My memories of the mountains serve as general inspiration rather than specific reference. This is acrylic paint used as watermedia on watercolor paper. Acrylic dries fast, so you can get some interesting effects when you wash it off with a sponge, spray bottle, or even a garden hose (which I have been known to do.) I am never sure exactly what will happen, but I like the effects and the surprises. The vertical format draws the eye upward, which is also what happens when you are in the mountains.

Petunias Are Available

Petunias Are Available
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Today was one of those days filled with too many deadlines, too much to do, too many errands, and on days like that, it is hard to find time to think about art, never mind create it. But rushing into the grocery store, I noticed the beautiful colors of the flowers on display. I stopped and decided to take a picture with my phonecam. The petunias were available, and so, after all, was art.

Vines on Brick

Vines on Brick
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

We went to Starbucks this morning so Mel could re-acclimate (there is a Starbucks in Belfast). While we were there, I used my handheld computer to sketch vines on brick. I will soon be painting vines against the brick of the house in the painting I am working on for my friends. Although my friends have sent me some black and white photos of the vines, I didn't have them with me, so I just worked from what I remembered. I was trying to see how different colors in the leaves might look against brick. Later on, I loaded the image into my computer at home, opened it in Painter IX, and cleaned it up a little bit. Having a painting program in my handheld computer helps me make art every day. Today, I used it to make coffee time into time to make art.

Sketch of Chimneys in Northern Ireland

Sketch of Chimneys in Northern Ireland
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Mel returned from Northern Ireland today with many suitcases. It was nice to be reunited with Mel, and as a bonus, reunited with some art work that I did during my visits to Northern Ireland, which he brought back in his suitcase. This is a little sketch of houses in a row with those wonderful chimneys connecting them. I saw houses like this everywhere, so finally used pastel sticks to sketch this from memory, thinking about a scene in Bangor, Northern Ireland, on a day when it was way too cold to stop and take a decent photograph. Today I took a digital photo of the sketch, and did some minor cropping and editing in Painter IX to repair wear and tear of travel.

Chess Game

Chess Game
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

For Father's Day, I am posting this painting of my dad playing chess with my cousin back in the fifties, when we were kids. I did this painting almost ten years ago as a gift for my cousin. I used acrylics on paper, and worked from a black and white photograph that my cousin selected and sent to me. My Uncle Ike, who was a professional photographer, took the photo of his son and his brother-in-law, and in using my uncle's composition, I felt like we were collaborating. The chess game took place in the house where I grew up, and it was fun to try to reproduce the patterns of the drapery, the crazy lamp, and the reflections in the window. Art can't bring back the past, but sometimes it can let you do a little bit of time travel.

House as of June 18

House as of June 18
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is the latest version of the painting I am doing for my friends. Since the last posting, I have painted the foundation and front step, but concentrated mostly on trying to find the right color for the brick. The color I was using was too red, but what was the right color? So for the past few days, we have all tried to figure it out. My friends tried to find out whether the brick been painted, was it the same color as the back part of the house, and why doesn't mortar show up in the old photos? Meanwhile, I pulled digital photos of the painting into Painter IX and tried modifying the color with digital watercolor, and e-mailed the results to my friends. With my phonecam, I took pictures of brick houses, steps, and sidewalks in Beverly, and e-mailed the pictures to my friends. It was becoming an obsession. Two time zones west, my friends traveled to the old house and took photos of remaining brick inside(the exterior brick is now covered with siding). I have received e-mails of brick walls and even brick fragments. There is even a piece of brick from the house on its way to me by mail right now, no kidding! It's all been lots of fun, and opening my e-mail to find still more brick has sometimes made me laugh so hard I couldn't speak. But a break-through came the other day when one of my friends compared the color of the brick to Red Rocks (we all grew up in Colorado). So today I repainted the brick and we seem to be getting there, but it still needs to be more orange, so tomorrow I will put an orange glaze over the brick (something I tried out digitally). I still need to paint shingles, vines, roses, but I am already wondering what I will do for fun when the painting is finished. . . .

Roses Belfast

Roses Belfast
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I took this picture last summer in Belfast's Botanical Garden . I really liked this image, but noticed some problems with the composition, so I pulled it into Painter IX, and dare I admit, eliminated not only a stray weed, but a gardener. (He's fine, no doubt, on the other side of the hedge.)Today was Mel's farewell party with his colleagues in Belfast, and I was sorry to miss it, but I had the chance to talk to some of them by phone today. When you are new to Belfast, they say, "You are very welcome here", and they let you know that they really mean it. So I am posting this as a little thank you. Roses, for Belfast.

Mount Stewart Surprise

Mount Stewart Surprise
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This tropical scene is not located somewhere in South America, but is found north of Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the gardens at Mount Stewart House. Today I cropped the image to focus on the palm tree, which was one of the many things I hadn't expected to see in Northern Ireland. I was also amazed by the beauty of the manor house and gardens, which seemed to provide a surprise at every turn. One of the best things about travel is that it reminds you that life is full of surprises.

Fifteen Minute Ferry to Northern Ireland

Fifteen Minute Ferry to Northern Ireland
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Here in Boston, it is cold and misty, in mid-June! I decided to continue my Northern Ireland riff with a photo that matches today's weather. This picture of Northern Ireland was taken in January from the fifteen-minute ferry between Greencastle and Magilligan. We had been wandering around County Donegal, admiring the amazing scenery, but had lost our way several times, and in the winter, it gets dark around four in the afternoon, so getting lost on the long drive back to Belfast was a concern. A friendly man in a curiosity shop in County Donegal told us about this ferry, and I was very surprised to be returning to Northern Ireland by boat. It really did take only fifteen minutes, but the view of Northern Ireland was even more impressive than the efficiency of the ride. I nearly froze getting this shot, and really like the composition. But I wanted to clean the image up a little because the wear and tear on the railings was distracting, so today I pulled the image into Painter IX and swabbed the decks with digital bleach. This also created more contrast between rails and water. I also enhanced the color with a touch of digital watercolor, just enough to increase visiblity. Nice picture, nice ride, problem solved. With a little luck and a little friendship, sometimes you find that the solution to a problem is much closer than you had ever thought possible.

Walking to Roast in Belfast

Walking to Roast in Belfast
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is Mel's last week in Belfast, so I thought I would post some pictures that I took in Northern Ireland as souvenirs. I cropped this image out of a photo I took during my first visit to Belfast in December, 2003. This is the street that leads from Mel's flat down to Roast, the neighborhood coffeehouse, and I am surprised Mel hasn't worn out the sidewalk during his two years there. I adjusted the contrast so Mel's favorite hill is visible in the background. Walking down tree-lined streets to drink coffee and have cherry scones: it's a very different picture of Belfast, isn't it?

Uploaded by randubnick on

Japanese Iris and Buttercups

Japanese Iris and Buttercups
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I went outside early this morning to do yard work, trying to beat the heat (it didn't work). I noticed that the Japanese iris had opened, and I liked the way they looked with the buttercups, so I took a picture with my phonecam. Later, when I loaded the image into the computer, I noticed some weeds in the picture, so I did a little digital gardening with Painter IX.

Rhododendron Opening

Rhododendron Opening
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

The rhododendrons opened this week, and they are everywhere. It looks like a celebration all over town. I took some pictures with my digital camera, and decided to post this one because it captures the color of the buds as well as the blossoms.

House as of June 11

House as of June 11
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is the work to date on the painting that I am doing for my friends. I have started to add detail to certain areas, such as the fence, the brickwork, and the spirea in front of the porch. I am trying to keep the overall perspective in mind, no matter how small the brush strokes. In art, as in life, small decisions can make a big difference.

Late Afternoon Bouquet

Late Afternoon Bouquet
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This bouquet arrived yesterday, very late in the afternoon. Today I photographed it with my phonecam in the late afternoon light. The soft light and the gentle focus of the phonecam seemed to work well together, producing the magical green light of the leaves that sets off the brilliant colors of the flowers..

Self-Portrait with Bridal Veil

Self-Portrait with Bridal Veil
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This self-portrait was part of an assignment in a collage class a few years ago. We were to create three self-portraits from materials that reflected our identities. This is the first of the series. (The second is "Self Portrait in Maps," posted on May 3. The third was a my baby picture in a bonnet, stenciled in powdered sugar onto a pan of brownies. The class ate it up, literally, but I will post a photo if I can track it down.) The four images at the bottom are me at different stages of my life, and were the basis of the series. The image under the veil is a sketch I made using using the most recent photo as a reference (me, in my fifties).. The plastic veil actually lifts up. This collage is meant to be funny, but it has its serious side. First: marriage is a decision to go through time with someone. Second: the woman under the veil, the baby in the bonnet, and the woman with gray hair are one and the same. And third, if you are getting married, don't forget the ring, but even more important, don't forget your sense of humor.

Just One Guy at Giant's Causeway

Just One Guy at Giant's Causeway
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Bob and Evan went to Giant's Causeway today, so I am posting a picture I took there during my trip to Northern Ireland last summer. You can see the size of the beautiful rock formations in reference to Mel, who agreed to this special guest appearance on my blog. In the original photo, two other tourists were walking on the path behind him. Today, I pulled the image into Painter IX and through the magic of digital editing, managed to convince them to visit the Causeway some other time so I could have this picture of Mel, hence the title. Their (painless) disappearance makes for a better composition, and makes this a nice souvenir for Mel of his time in Northern Ireland.

House as of June 7

House as of June 7
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Here's another update on the painting for my friends. I have worked on the upstairs windows, the sidewalk, and have added porch steps. I spend a lot of time just looking, trying to find and correct any problems now. In a few days, I will paint flowers around the house, and maybe even some vines. But first, I check the structure. Artists agree with what carpenters say: measure twice, cut once.

Bower in Belfast Botanical Gardens

Bower at Botanical Gardens
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I am posting a Belfast photo because my cousins are there today, touring and visiting Mel. I took this picture at the Botanical Gardens last summer during my trip. Tonight I cropped the image to enlarge the view of the flowers and used a square format to emphasize the repeated pattern of squares made by columns and beams. There are many beautiful places in Belfast and Northern Ireland.

House as of June 5

House as of June 5
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Here is an update on this painting for my friends. I am still concentrating on checking perspective, making sure things are in the right place before moving ahead, so I worked some more on the upstairs window on the rear of the house, and added some detail to the porch. I also lightened the sky, blocked in the sidewalk, and added some shadows to the lawn. It pays to take time now to get things right. Make haste slowly, my father would say.

Spirea in the Morning

Spirea in the Morning
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

On my walk this morning, I saw that the spirea was in bloom -- just when I needed to see it, because there will be spirea in the painting I am working on for my friends. I took a picture with my phonecam for reference. But I liked the soft image of spirea in the morning light, and thought this photo deserved its own moment in the sun, so I am posting it here.

Leuven Fantasy

Leuven Fantasy
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Today, Mel is at a conference in Leuven, a place I have never visited, although this is Mel's second trip. This morning, I was looking through images of Mel's first trip there several years ago, images that were familiar because I recently loaded them into the computer and edited them. When I found the image of this amazing building, I decided to do a collaborative piece using one of Mel's photos. (Don't worry: the photographer has given me permission, carte blanche.) I edited the image to eliminate some problem areas and cropped it to improve the composition. The spires were almost invisible, so I used Painter IX's digital watercolor to add some very pale color to the sky, and added a touch of lilac to the spires and the roofline on the left. The building looks like something out of a fairytale, but I call this a fantasy because it is digitally modified, and because it lets me use my imagination to travel to a place that I have never really been.

House as of June 2

House as of June 2
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This is the latest version of the painting I am doing for friends. It's a lot of fun to share ideas about this project. Over the past few days, I reworked the rear upstairs window, and changed the position of the gate. With most elements of the house in place, today I worked on light and dark values to make sure the house "reads" as an object in space. There are more changes to come and details to add, but in art, as in life, it is important to not to lose sight of the basics.

Manhattan Fantasy in Bryant Park

Manhattan Fantasy in Bryant Park
Originally uploaded by randubnick.

This image is of the fountain in Bryant Park, behind the New York Public Library in Manhattan, an amazing park that is full of surprises. I took this picture two years ago, about this time of year, when we made a weekend trip down to pack up the Newark apartment because Mel would be going to Belfast. Yesterday, I came across the original photo, then cropped it to focus on the curving lines of the fountain and the trees. I noticed that one of the buildings in the background had disappeared into the sunlight, but with a little digital watercolor in Painter IX, the building reappeared. But that's the only fantastic part of the photo; the fountain exists, and although you might not believe your eyes, Bryant Park is real.