Farm Stand Pumpkins (Digital Woodcut) Originally uploaded by randubnick
This image began as a photo that I took last year at a local farmstand with my trusty phonecam. Today I used a little of Painter's magic to transform it into a digital woodcut, adjusting the controls to get the effect I wanted. Then I cropped it to frame the pumpkins, and here it is. I thought this would make a nice image for October 31.
Autumn Leaves and Train Tracks (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick
This image began as a photograph that I took recently while I was walking by the commuter rail station. I liked the color of the trees in the afternoon sun and the play of the leaves against the shiny train tracks to Boston. I used my phonecam to take the photo, and later I cropped the image, posterized it in Painter IX, and used just a bit of digital airbrush to add some shadows behind the trees.
Night View of Mill and River (Oil Bar Painting Day 7) Originally uploaded by randubnick
This morning I went to Red Brick to work on this painting of the Merrimack River in Manchester, New Hampshire. I didn't have a lot of time today, but I wanted to add more purple to the mill building. I decided to applied paint directly with the oil bar (just like a big crayon) and then used a small brush to blend it in, mixing the color right on the canvas. That worked pretty well, and I am happier with the building color now. Working the same way, I added blue and purple shadows to the foliage, and then mirrored those colors in the river. By then, it was time to go. Next time, I plan to adjust the scale (relative size of windows to foliage); I am going to add height to the foliage, maybe paint in a few trees, and I think I may also move the land/water line down just a bit as well. To be continued. . .
Evening Sky (Originally uploaded by randubnick)
This image began with a photo that I took with my phonecam about ten days ago. It was early evening, and I was in the passenger seat, on the way to the computer store to deal with a hard drive crash on my laptop. I was not in the most optimistic mood, but the western sky was beautiful, so I took a photo with my phonecam. Although the computer issue didn't get resolved that night, taking the photo restored my perspective on things. Tonight I came across the photo again and cropped the image and enlarged it to get the composition I was after. But apart from that, I didn't do anything to it because I didn't need to and couldn't improve on it anyway. Problems, big and small, are part of life. But I have found that when I am looking for art, or beauty, or peace, sometimes it helps to look up.
Yellow Leaves at Long Hill (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick
This image began as a phonecam photo that I took on a recent walk through Long Hill Gardens. Tonight I cropped the photo to frame the beautiful yellow leaves. Then I opened the image in Painter IX and used a little digital airbrush to add blue to the sky, which was looking washed out in the photo. Then I posterized the image and here it is.
Bright Fall Leaves (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick
This image began as a photo that I took yesterday in Beverly Farms. The weather was great and the foliage was beautiful there, so I took a picture with my phonecam. This is the original composition, but tonight I posterized it in Painter IX.
Night View of Mill and River (Oil Bar Painting Day 6) Originally uploaded by randubnick
This morning, I went to the studio at Red Brick and worked on this painting of the Merrimac River in Manchester, New Hampshire. Today I concentrated on the mill building. I mixed up a neutral color with purple tones, and got to work straightening out the windows, using the smallest brush I could find. This might sound easy, but it requires a lot of control and concentration. While I was at it, I made the windows smaller, as in an older building, so the building won't look contemporary. I also used some whites and yellows on the windows. When I was nearly finished, I decided to repaint four columns of windows because the spacing was wrong, so I roughed that in. By then, it was already past time to leave, so I turned the painting upside-down, and added some of the same purple color to the building's reflection in the water, scumbling the color on to keep the reflection looking less precise than the building itself. I am still not sure about this color for the building. I may add still more red-purple to it, to restore it to the color I used on Day 5. To be continued. . . .
Hilltop View of Lisbon (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick
Earlier today I was looking through my photographs of Portugal, taken a few years ago. Mauro showed me the Alfama in Lisbon. This image began as a one of a number of photos taken that day from a hilltop near the Alfama. I loved that view because you could see all the way to the ocean. And you could also see layers of Lisbon's history in the different styles of architecture. Tonight I decided to crop this image from the photo and then I posterized it in Painter IX, changing levels until I got the effect I wanted.
Red Leaves in Afternoon Sun Originally uploaded by randubnick
Yesterday the temperature was in the high seventies, warm enough for a late afternoon ice-cream run. At the ice cream stand (one of the few local stands that stay open year round), I saw a beautiful shrub with bright red leaves. (Some people call this "burning bush".) I loved the colors, so I took a picture with my phonecam. This is the way the color came out of the camera, and I didn't have to do a thing to it. However, I did crop the photo to get this image, which frames what I most wanted to get: the play of the afternoon sunlight on the bright scarlet, pink, and orange leaves.
Night View of Mill and River (Oil Bar Painting Day 5) Originally uploaded by randubnick
This morning I went to Red Brick and worked on this painting of the Merrimac River in Manchester, New Hampshire. I reworked the surface of the water in the foreground, using a T-square to straighten out the perspective. I added more purple tones to the water and to the foliage. I am paying more attention to the colors now. When it was almost time to leave, I decided that I want to change the color of the mill to a color that is closer to magenta. I played with that idea for a few minutes, just to see if would be possible. (Yes, but that will have to wait till next time.) To be continued. . .
Golden Leaves at the Pond (Originally uploaded by randubnick)
This image began as a photo that I took with my phonecam during a walk around the Cummings Center Pond last week. It was early evening and the colors were great, so I took a quick picture with my phonecam. When I tranferred the photo to my computer, I was disappointed in the color. The trees were too dark (almost black) and the leaves were brassy instead of golden. So I made some adjustments to the contrast and to the color, to restore the warm pink and orange tones of the late day light. (They are subtle, but they make a big difference.) Then I cropped the image for the composition, and here it is.
Autumn Leaves in Lexington (Originally uploaded by randubnick)
According to the news, autumn leaves in Massachusetts are less colorful than usual this year because of climate change. That's probably true, but you can still see great fall color around here. Last week, I drove out to Lexington, Massachusetts, and the trees were beautiful all the way. I took a walk downtown to see some of the galleries, and just as I was walking back toward the parking lot, I saw this view. I loved the combination of colorful leaves against the brick, so I looked up and took a picture with my phonecam. This is the image as it came out of the camera. When I got home, I tried cropping the image to improve on the rather quirky composition. But I finally decided that I like the photo best just as it is.
Ocean and Fog from Lynch Park Beach (Originally uploaded by randubnick)
Yesterday it was suddenly warmer, and with higher temperatures came fog that lasted a good part of the day. It was great weather for walking on the beach at Lynch Park. I like fog because it makes you see things differently, so I took a lot of pictures with my phonecam. This is one of the views I liked the best, so tonight I cropped it just a bit to improve the composition, and here it is.
Night View of Mill and River (Oil Bar Painting Day 4) Originally uploaded by randubnick
I went to my studio at Red Brick this morning and worked on this painting, a night view of the Merrimac River in Manchester, New Hampshire. Today I concentrated on the foreground, the surface of the water. I also worked on the windows of the old mill building. Then I cut the sharp green of the foliage. It still needs to be darker. But by the time I had accomplished that much, I had already stayed longer than I had intended. The whole time, I was struggling with mixing and applying colors with the oil bars. But it was a good struggle, because I was also learning the whole time. To be continued. . . .
Vines on Tree Trunk in Autumn Originally uploaded by randubnick
Here is another photo from a recent walk at Long Hill. When I saw these vines against the tree trunk, I liked the pattern and the colors, so I used my phonecam to take a picture. This image is pretty much the way it came out of the camera, with just a tiny adjustment to the contrast.
Roses in Autumn (Originally uploaded by randubnick)
A few days ago, I posted my photo (posterized) of a single rose, still in bloom in mid-October. I thought it would make a good pattern, so I opened the image in Painter IX and created a pattern. Then I used the pattern to make this image of many autumn roses.
Night View of Mill and River (Oil Bar Painting Day 3) Originally uploaded by randubnick
This morning I went to Red Brick to work on this painting of the Merrimac River in Manchester, New Hampshire. This time I remembered to take a copy of my reference photo along, mainly for the colors at this point. Today I tried to get the sky closer to the periwinkle color that it is in the photo, and changed the reflections in the water from turquoise to a purple tone as well. I added more blue shadows at the shoreline. Then I began changing the color of the mill building to a neutral with some purple tones (as in the photo). In the process of applying the new color, I tried to straighten out some of the windows. By then it was time to leave. This is still very much a work in progress. Next time I hope to work on the foreground (surface of the water). I also want to make the windows a bit smaller.
Late Afternoon at Long Hill (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick
This image began with a photo that I took today during a walk at Long Hill Gardens. The late afternoon light was amazing as it came through the golden leaves, so I took some pictures with my phonecam. Tonight I cropped this image out of one of the photos, and posterized it in Painter.
Autumn Rose (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick
It is always a nice surprise to see roses in bloom in October. I saw some today while I was walking, and here is one of them. Tonight I cropped this image out of the original photo, then used Painter's digital pastel to restore some color to a few places that were washed out by the bright sunlight. Then I posterized the image, and here it is. I think this might make a good pattern.
Red Leaves and Stone Wall (Originally uploaded by randubnick)
While I was taking a walk this morning, I saw brightly colored leaves cascading over a stone wall at the edge of a local cemetary. The combination of stone wall and autumn leaves seemed so typically New England that I took some pictures with my phonecam. Tonight I cropped this image out of one of the photos. The phonecam picture didn't quite capture the brightness of the leaves, so I adjusted the contrast and saturation just a bit, and here is the result.
Night View of Mill and River (Oil Bar Painting Day 2) Originally uploaded by randubnick
Tonight we had open studios at Red Brick, so I spent a few hours there, and while I was there, worked on this painting of the Merrimac River and mill buildings in Manchester, New Hampshire. I forgot to bring my reference photo to the studio, so I worked from memory again. My goal tonight was just to make the colors more muted. I was really struggling with the oil bars, trying to remember how to get the effects I wanted, and just basically trying to get the oil bars to behave! I have two different brands, and one is much easier to apply than the other. I used the oil bars directly on the canvas, but also used a palette knife, a brush, and even my hands. At the end of my painting session, I added a suggestion of the reflections on the river. To be continued. . . .
Autumn Leaves and Blue Sky (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick
This is another image from yesterday's walk at Bradley Palmer State Park. I saw some red and orange leaves, and took a few pictures with my phonecam. (There aren't too many red leaves yet, but the nights are getting cooler, so there will be more fall colors soon.) Today I cropped this image from one of the photos, and then posterized it in Painter IX, choosing a level that created some impressionistic effects. Red leaves mean the nights are getting colder, but those hot colors are still something to celebrate!
Road in Autumn (Originally uploaded by randubnick)
I used my phonecam to take this picture today at Bradley Palmer State Park. It's a great place for dog walking. I loved the golden trees and the dappled light on the road. Tonight I cropped the image to get the format that I wanted, but everything else is just as it came out of the camera.
Night View of Mill and River (Oil Bar Painting Day 1) Originally uploaded by randubnick
Today I went to Red Brick to start this painting, a night view of the Merrimac River in Manchester, NH. Before I left home, I looked at my photo of this scene, and then worked from memory and imagination. (I had already worked out the composition in a digital sketch on my PDA.) I began painting right away, without drawing first, just sketching with yellow oil bar. I used a T-square for straight lines. I used the oil bars like giant color crayons, just to establish the composition. For the most part, I wasn't mixing colors, which is why these colors are so strong. I will tone the colors down quite a bit as I work, but I wanted to be able to see the composition quickly. I could only work for a short time, so this is as far as I was able to go today. I want to do six to eight paintings in this series by January, and I plan to have two or three of the paintings in progress at the same time. It's more fun, and it helps to make sure that the paintings are visually related (in technique, color, style, etc.). It is also a practical way to deal with the relatively slow drying time of oil paint.
Merrimac River From Bridge (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick
I have been thinking about possible compositions for the paintings I plan to do of the Merrimac River in Manchester, NH. Today I cropped this image from one of the photos I took recently, using a square format. I used Painter's digital airbrush to get rid of some distracting marks, and then posterized the image.
Bright Orange Berries Closeup (Posterized) Originally uploaded by randubnick
The original version of this image is a photo that I took recently during a visit to Newburyport, MA. In the park near the waterfront, there are many trees that look just like this. While I was walking through the park, I noticed the clusters of bright orange berries, so I took a couple of quick pictures with my phonecam. I have seen this kind of tree before, but have never seen so many of them in one place! I had to do a search to find the name of this kind of tree: European Mountain Ash. Tonight I cropped one of the photos to get this composition, and then posterized it in Painter IX. It's a nice souvenir of a beautiful October day.
Mill and River (Posterized Photo)
This is one of the photos I took recently in Manchester, New Hampshire. The photos are for reference because I am going to do some paintings of the Merrimac River in Manchester. I was looking at my photos today because I am planning to start painting this week, and am trying out some compositions. I plan to use square canvases, so tonight I cropped this image to get a square format. I also cleaned up some distracting marks with Painter's digital pastel, and then posterized it.
Ribbon Roses Collage, Finished Tray (Oct. 4)
Today I went to Red Brick and finally finished this piece, made from ribbons pasted over a styrofoam tray. I added a few pieces to the bronze border around the edges of the tray, and then used acrylic gel medium to seal any apparent gaps, and then I was done. Then I wanted to get one last photo. In this view, the image is visible (three roses in a vase). Of course the design on the back doesn't show in the photo, but is also posted on this site. This piece can be hung on the wall, or used as a decorative tray. I suppose it could even hold mail or some such. But practicality was never the issue. I just loved the ribbons and wanted to make something beautiful out of them. After I finished today, I put away all the ribbons and glue, for the next time, whenever that is. I am glad I finished this project because I need to start painting for a show in January. But I am also a little sad to be finished. Despite the difficulty and occasional tedium of this project, there was also something special about it, using bits of beautiful ribbon to transform a styrofoam tray into art.
Sketch for Mill and River at Night (As of Oct. 3) Originally uploaded by randubnick
This morning I worked a little bit more on this sketch of the Merrimack River in New Hampshire. I made the sketch on my PDA (handheld computer), but am working in Painter on a PC to revise the image. In Painter I can enlarge the image and can even use a grid to try to straighten out my lines. Today I re-worked the reflection of the mill building in the water, trying to make the river look quieter, as it is in my photo (posted a few days ago). I worked on straightening the lines of the building's reflection in the water, without losing the sense that this is a image reflected in a river. I also added some shadows to the water near the shore line, and darkened the foliage. I wanted to re-work the foreground a bit, but I didn't have time today. Maybe I can do that over the next few days.
Sketch for Mill and River at Night (As of Oct. 1) Originally uploaded by randubnick
I really hadn't planned to keep working on this little digital sketch of the Merrimac River in Manchester, N.H. (I was sketching to prepare to paint.) But after looking at my photo of the same scene (posted yesterday), I did want to make some changes in the little sketch. I had made the sketch quickly from memory, without reviewing the photo before I started. I had used my handheld to make the sketch, but had already transferred the file to my computer, so yesterday I opened the image in Painter IX. I changed the color of the building to a brown that is close to purple. Then using a grid and square digital chalk, I straightened up the windows a bit. I noticed other things to fix. (For example, in the photo, there is less movement in the water and the reflection is more stable.) But it was time to stop. So this is how the sketch looked yesterday when I finished working on it.
Modified Photo of Mill and River at Night (Originally uploaded by randubnick)
This is the view that I was thinking about when I made the digital sketch (posted yesterday). I didn't look at the photo before I sketched, so I was curious to see how much I had remembered. This photo was the last one that I took when I was in Manchester a few weeks ago. I am going to use the photos as resources for some paintings I am going to do. It was late and I had finished taking pictures, but saw the mill buildings reflected in the river. So I took this photo through the window blinds. I also caught a lot of reflections of the interior of the building as well. I generally like the play of refections, window blinds, and even screens in photos like this. But there was one troublesome relection that was in the wrong place, so I opened the photo in Painter IX and got rid of it with some cut and paste and digital pastel. Then I adjusted the contrast just a bit, and cropped the image in a square format.
