Kevin’s Painting Blog

Another year went by, I didn’t do squat for painting this year.  Despite that, I did brake a few barriers on the one’s that I did do I think.  I’ve got some I still need to post here.  Anyway, here’s a shot from the annual New Years party from Ash.

I have noticed that the paintings which I end up being most pleased with are those that I was able to paint rapidly.  Take this dog painting I just funished - I whipped it out in 3 hours max.  I spent one hour on the underpainting, let it dry for a day, and then finished the rest the next day in one sitting.  Here’s how it went….

Day one, the under painting:

I did it in a thin wash of ultramarine blue because the dog had a orange/brown coat and wanted to use the complimentary color for it, hoping specs would show through in the final painting (which they did.)  This is where most of the time was taken on this painting.  I have found that if you spend time here getting your drawing correct, etc, it pays off big dividends later.

Day Two, Stage One:

First I laid in the darkest dark’s located under the chin and on top of the head.  Then I went in with the darker browns.  This took me no time at all, probably 20-30 minutes max.

Day Two, Stage Two:

Here, I went in with the lighter colors.  Honestly, from here on the painting went real easy.

Day Two, Stage Three:

From here it was just a matter of putting in the lightest lights, finishing the nose, adding a background, etc.

Probably one of the easiest paintings I have ever done. The blue specks that show through don’t show up well on this photo but I am pleased with how they come out on the finished painting.

Things I could have done - put in some reflected light around the chin in the form shadow using a bit of blue-green mixed with the red-orange.   Won’t change it now though - I already signed it.

Haven’t posted here in a long time, time to do some catching up.

First, did a few paintings and worked really quick on them…here they are.

Just a few bananas and a plum.  However, the goal was to work fast and I accomplished that, finishing this in about 2 hours.  Not the most interesting painting, but I am really getting to like painting fast. (full size)

Some very light roses in a metal can.  The whole thing went real fast except for the roses themselves - there were tough. I still didn’t catch it, but oh well. (full size)

Some limes, a lemon, and garlic.  I like the composition, this went real fast, about 2-3 hours.(full size)

Lastly, I just finished this one today (full size).  A friend of a friend wanted her poodle painted.  This took me 3-4 hours, I like how it turned out.  Did this one from a photo.  I did an under drawing in ultramarine blue and bits of it peak out in places, not bad.  Didn’t charge enough, again.

Everyone hates rejection, but for some reason I think I must hate it worse than most. Damn. Anyway, as I mentioned in the previous entry, there was a city contest held at the local art museum. The problem I had was that the painting I had wanted to enter was too small - they insist on huge painting that are completely unrealistic. What can one do? They make the rules, stupid though they may seem. So I kind of rushed out “Kristy” down below, and entered it.

Turns out there were like, 160 entries and they only had room for 120 (well, there would have been room if only that had not insisted on Louvre sized paintings, duh. ) Regardless, while 40 paintings had to be cut, I wasn’t too worried. While I didn’t expect to win it, I have in the past usually got at least an honorable mention. After entering, a few days later a card came in the mail telling me that my painting, “Kristy, had been one of the 40 dropped. Rejected? Huh?! So I headed over to the museum to pick her up and upon arriving was escorted into a separate room, the one just for the rejects. While searching for Kristy, naturally, I just had to look at what else got rejected and I must say, there were a few good paintings amongst the bunch that really surprised me. “There must be some really high level paintings in this contest”, I thought to myself.

So the next day, I decided I needed to head over there again and see for myself exactly what was making it into the contest and what wasn’t. I’m kind of doubting the artists who’s photos I’m about to show you will ever read this blog (if they can read english at all) but if they do, “sorry.” I only took two photo’s on my cellphone, I could have taken a lot more just like these two. Anyway, these were the first two I came across as I enter the museum and with a few exceptions this is pretty much what the other 120 looked like. These two paintings were not rejected.

( not mine)

(not mine)

I really don’t know what else to say about this, I guess it just comes with the territory.  Call me biased, I’m sure I am, but “puh-lease!!!”

Turns out this contest had one judge who came up from Tokyo. Not sure what he didn’t like about Kristy, hmm.  The next contest in May will be for the entire prefecture and will involve five judges and have normal sized paintings in it so I will focus my energies on that one.

Whatever!

Since there is an upcoming contest, I thought I would enter “The Trainer” but they told me it was too small - the contest is for sizes F10 or larger and “The Trainer is only an F8. What a ridiculous rule, but whatever. With 2 weeks before the entry deadline, I decided to paint something quick and size F15 or larger, which I am sure will still be considered “on the small side.” This town I live in is small and not exactly cosmopolitan, but what can you do?

This is a girl I met in college, we were both in the same Japanese class. She also took photography and gave me a black and white image that I happened to see and like. I immediately painted it, gave her the painting, and stored the image away, only to recently  pull it out again. This took me three sessions, it went rather quick. I think I spent about 8 hours on it total. I can think of a few things I could fix that are not right about it, but I am out of time.

Full Sized Image HERE