Sunday, April 28, 2019

Pear Tree (with Prisma filter)


Here north of Boston, everything is blooming!  The weather is still a bit chilly, but that seems to make the blossoms last longer.  I took this photo of a blossoming pear tree the other day, and then added a Prisma filter.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Sketch for Pearl (Codfish Project)


Today I made a better sketch for Pearl, my codfish project.  Once again, I am participating in the codfish auction for Marblehead Festival of Arts.  This year, I plan to decorate my codfish with strings of pearls, hence her name.  This afternoon, I traced the codfish "blank" onto graph paper and did a quick layout of my idea.  I think this will work, but I need to get crackin' on this because it is due to be turned in mid-May.  

Friday, April 26, 2019

Rough Sketch for Pearl (Codfish Project)


I am going to decorate a wooden codfish form to be auctioned off by Marblehead Festival of Art.  I have participated in this fundraiser for several years and I love it. This year I named my codfish Pearl, and am planning to create a surface design with strings of pearls.  This is a very rough sketch that I made yesterday. (The shape of the fish isn't even accurate.  But still, I think this design will work.   If you want to know where this is headed, here is a link to "Cecelia", the codfish I decorated in 2017: www.flickr.com/photos/randiart/34299794190

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Pearl (Codfish Project as of April 25, 2019)


Next up, the codfish auction for Marblehead Festival of Arts.  Last week I picked up this wooden form in Marblehead.  This year I plan to decorate my codfish with a surface design featuring pearls, hence her name.  If you want to get an idea of where this is headed, here's a link to last year's project, "Shelly": https://www.flickr.com/photos/randiart/42002596091

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Dancers (Painting) Signed, Sealed, and Delivered


Here is my portrait of dancers. I sealed the edges, signed it, and tonight, delivered it to our ballroom dance class and gave it to our instructors.  Although they had seen pictures of it on my phone, this was the first time they saw the painting "in real life".  It was fun to show it to the other dance students as well. I really enjoyed painting this amazing couple who have taught us so much and in their 80s continue to dance circles around us.  I decided to take one last picture. . . .

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Pear Trees in Bloom


Here north of Boston, the weather has turned cool again, and we are back in the 40s and 50s for the rest of the week. But the long, slow rollout of spring continues. Today: pear trees in bloom everywhere.  I liked the contrast of blossoms and brick, so I took this picture.

Monday, April 22, 2019

Just One Planet Earth


This is a painting I decades ago, part of what my husband called my "Star Trek" series.  From time to time, I have reposted it, especially for Earth Day.  Well, Gertrude Stein said that there is no such thing as repetition, only insistence.  So I am posting this again today because it is true, there is "Just One Planet Earth."

Sunday, April 21, 2019

Daffodils (with Prisma filter)


We took a walk after dinner and found daffodils blooming, so I took some pictures.  I decided to add a Prisma filter to this one.

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Forythia Blooming


I took this photo during a walk around the neighborhood.  Temperatures are in the 60s and everything seems to be blooming at once.

Friday, April 19, 2019

Spring Scene (with Prisma filter)


I took this picture in my backyard this afternoon, and then added a Prisma filter.  Sending this out to wish everyone happy times and safe travels over the spring holidays.

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Snowdrops at Long Hill Gardens


This image is from a walk at Long Hill Gardens back on April 7, 2019.  Flowers were just started to poke through the leaves.  Here north of Boston, spring comes slowly, but I have learned to appreciate the pleasures of a cold spring day and brave flowers with promises of more to come.  

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Korean Rhododendron


Seen in my yard: Korean Rhododendron decided to bloom today!  I took some pictures, and cropped one of the best to get this composition.

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Spring Begins


We went for a walk at Long Hill Gardens over a week ago (April 7th), and some of the earliest flowers were starting to bloom.  I liked these brave little guys poking through the leaves.  This is how spring begins.  Tonight I cropped the original photo to get this composition,

Monday, April 15, 2019

Dancers (Painting)


I worked on this project this morning. This is a double portrait of our ballroom dance teachers that I have been painting from one of their favorite photos.  This morning, I finished up some small details, added another coat of purple to the tux, and then had some fun adding some color highlights to the faces and especially to to the lady's dress.  Although of course I will fix any mistakes that I notice, I am ready to say that this painting is finished. 

Sunday, April 14, 2019

Dancers (Painting as of April 14, 2019)


I worked on this painting again today, a double portrait of our ballroom dance teachers that I am painting from one of their favorite photos. Today I tackled a task I have been dreading: revising and repainting the dance floor. It needed to be done to correct problems with the perspective. So I redrew guidelines for the floorboards and then made the corrections. Now this almost done: just another day or two on fine details, and this will be finished.

Saturday, April 13, 2019

Dancers (Painting as of April 13, 2019)


I worked on this project again today. I am painting this double portrait of our ballroom dance teachers, working from one of their favorite photos. Today I worked on the walls, trying to get the color even, though with some variation. Almost done. Just a bit more to do to walls and floor, and then maybe I might add some more highlights and shadows to the figures. Almost done!

Friday, April 12, 2019

Dancers (Painting as of April 12, 2019)


I worked on this painting this afternoon.  This double portrait of our ballroom dance teachers is based on one of their favorite photos.  I worked on the background today. My main goal was to straighten out the lines of the walls. Tomorrow I will even out the color.  Approaching the finish line now, but there are still a few things to fix.

Thursday, April 11, 2019

Dancers (Painting as of April 11, 2019)


I worked on this project again today.  I am painting this double portrait of our ballroom dance teachers, based on one of their favorite photos.  In last night's dance class, they said that they like the painting so far (including the color) and so did the other couples in the class  who saw the image on my phone last night. So I am excited and hope to finish this soon. Today I continued with the background, specifically the dance floor.  I am trying to suggest the texture of a dance floor, with getting too detailed. I also added some shadows to the floor, working from the photo.  (I have changed all the details of the background -- except for the floor!)  

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Dancers (Painting as of April 10, 2019)


This afternoon, I did some more work on this project, a double portrait of our ballroom dance teachers.  I am working from one of their favorite photos.  Today I continued with the background, modifying the wall color a bit. Next up, the floor, so I also painted in some guide lines to help with the perspective on the floor boards.  Those guidelines will disappear into the final painting, but for right now, I need to be able to see them.  

Tuesday, April 09, 2019

Dancers (Painting as of April 9, 2019)


It was after 5 PM by the time I had a chance to paint today.  I knew I was fried and I didn't want to make mistakes, so I just worked on the background, evening out the colors of the two walls.  I want one wall to be darker than the other, but will probably make the difference somewhat more subtle by the time I am finished.  Some days just getting the brush on the canvas is a small victory.

Monday, April 08, 2019

Dancers (Painting as of April 8, 2019)


I returned to this project this afternoon. I am painting this double portrait of our ballroom dance teachers, based on one of their favorite photos.  For the first time in quite a while, I did no work on the faces.  I added a layer of purple to the man's tux, trying to evoke black without actually adding black paint to the canvas. I did a bit of cleanup work on the lady's dress. And then I worked on the walls, trying out a touch of teal green to make the shadows, trying to balance the colors a bit. To be continued. . . .

Sunday, April 07, 2019

Dancers (Painting as of April 7, 2019)


I worked on this double portrait again this morning.  I am using a favorite photo of this couple as a reference.  After making a lot of very small changes to the man's face, I am now ready to say that I have a likeness of both of these people.  What's left: finish up details, solve small problems, and finish the background. . .

Saturday, April 06, 2019

Dancers (Painting as of April 6, 2019)


I continued working on this painting this morning.  I made a few more changes to the man's face.  Then I reworked the position of the lady's right foot, and worked on the hem of her dress.  Getting closer now, just working out small problems, fixing details, and painting the background.  But none of that is as nerve-wracking as trying to get the likeness.

Friday, April 05, 2019

Dancers (Painting as of April 5, 2019)


It's been a busy day and I didn't get a chance to paint until late afternoon. Today I made more very small changes to the man's face and also worked on the background.  To be continued. . . .

Thursday, April 04, 2019

Newlyweds 1943 (with digital color and Prisma filter)


I am posting this in memory of my parents, who were married on April 4, 1943.  This image began with a snapshot taken on their honeymoon in New York. My mother was born in Pueblo, Colorado. In 1943,  my father was briefly stationed at the Pueblo army base, where he met my mother at a USO dance. (So I actually exist because my father decided to do his bit to fight the Nazis and my mother decided to do her bit to support the troops through the USO.)   My parents met in January and married in April, and fit in a trip to New York before my father was shipped out. By the summer, he was overseas in Europe. During the two years he was away, my mother kept a photo album, with small snapshots on black paper, labeled in white ink. The album begins with photos of their first date, their wedding, their honeymoon trip to New York. Then the photo narrative splits into two streams: photos that my dad sent back from the war and photos of my mother's life in Pueblo.  Back in 2006, I found the original 2 x 3 inch black and white snapshot* in my mother's album.  I cleaned it up a bit with basic editing tools and used Painter to add the digital color and posted in on Flickr.  Yesterday I stumbled upon that 2006 digital image again and decided  to try adding a Prisma filter.  After some trial and error, I chose "Golden Hour" and this is the result.  The image is softer, the edges aren't as sharp, but that seems right. As time passes, the  memories soften and fade, but they are still beautiful.  
*I don't know who took the photo, but it is possible that it was my uncle, Ike Fitterman.


Wednesday, April 03, 2019

Dancers (Painting as of April 3, 2019)


I worked on this painting again today, a double portrait of our ballroom dance teachers. I am working from one of their favorite photos. Today I made more  changes to the proportions of the man's face,  and now I am willing to call this a likeness.  There are still small changes to make, but finally, when I go into my studio, I feel like I can recognize both of these faces looking back at me.  Now I can turn my attention to the background. In fact, this morning I already changed the lines of the walls in the background.  

Tuesday, April 02, 2019

Dancers (Detail of Painting as of April 2, 2019)


I worked on this painting again today, a double portrait based on a photo of our ballroom dance teachers.  Today I worked almost exclusively on the man's face, so that is what I am posting today.  Yesterday realized that I wanted the face to be a bit narrower, so that's what I did today.  I am working slowly, making very small changes, so as not to loose the likeness that is emerging. I am not sure of the dimensions of the face, but at full size it fits within my cell phone screen. 

Monday, April 01, 2019

Two Mountain Paintings in Galatea's Artists Alcove


Today I picked up these two mountain paintings which have been on display this month at Galatea's Artist Alcove (as part of the landscape group). I hadn't had a chance to see these paintings on the wall before, so I took a quick picture.