Friday, July 31, 2009

Health Food ... and the Bella Sinclair Award for Art Inspiration

I'm still running on low energy but feeling better every day.

The weather here has been in the 100 plus range and I really didn't feel like trying to go outside to paint, but didn't want to paint from a photo either, so I was struggling to decide what I might enjoy painting. While shopping one afternoon, I found myself in the vegetable section and I remembered a great painting session that Susan Carlin did one night while I watched her streaming on-line painting program. So I decided to give it a go. I purchased the veggies, snagged a beer from the fridge and set out to paint.

I'm still working on the box set up. This time I had too much light coming in from the front and I'm going to have to figure out how to make the light source more dramatic and clear to the viewer. But for what it was I enjoyed myself. I'm using a board which I gessoed with grey gesso and a bit of acrylic blue added. I think it makes the texture interesting allows enough drag on the brush but also shows the brushwork a bit which I like.

(My husband thinks I should have had a bit of beer to drink then let the foam roll out over the top... - Not sure if he just thought the beer would help the painting aesthetically or perhaps loosen me up to paint better. LOL.. )

I let the painting dry, then the next day looked at it with friends and decided that my shadows were not clear enough. The shadows seemed to indicate light coming from different directions and there wasn't enough dark caste shadow to anchor the veggies down. They were floating a bit. I think I've corrected that now. So here it is...
"HEALTH FOOD" - 11"x14" - oil /wood panel

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On another note, I'd like to thank Laurel Daniel for the wonderfully thoughtful and perfectly timed Bella Sinclair Award for Art Inspiration. Actually SHE is the one who inspires ME, but it was really good to receive this nice nod from her.
In turn I'd like you to enjoy the following bloggers to whom I am sending on this nice award:
Susan Carlin
Johanna Spinks
Karla Nolan
Ruth Housley
R. Garriott
Bonnie Luria

All of these ladies have taught me, inspired me and uplifted me when I needed a boost!
THANKS!





6 comments:

Susan Carlin said...

Thank you, Marian! Now why didn't I think of pairing my vegetables with a nice cold beer? Love your still life! Figuring out the lighting can take quite a while, but it's so satisfying when you get it the way you want it. Thanks you for the kind words, my friend.

Art with Liz said...

I hope you enjoyed that beer when you'd finished! Great painting Marian. And friends are so important with their advice - I know they helped me with mine.

http://www.onpainting.wordpress.com said...

I like the design of this still life, Marian. Everything works, color, shapes, edges.

You did good with the beer. I would have drank it then got another. The next day I would consider starting the painting.

Marian Fortunati said...

Hi Susan!
I enjoyed painting it but still aspire to be able to paint as well as you do!
Be well!

Marian Fortunati said...

Hi Liz...
The beer was too warm by the time I finished,.... but there was a bottle of chilled wine in the fridge!! LOL

Marian Fortunati said...

You're too funny, Bill! (and thanks)

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