Ipad Painting

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Since I have a cold, and didn’t feel like standing up to an easel, I decided it was time to give IPad painting a try from my comfy couch. I have tried out other paint programs, but was never completely content. I was inspired by the work of Janette Leeds of http://artandwordsjanetteleeds.com to try “Art Set Pro” on the iPad.

This painting is the same subject as one I did with real paint, except this time I did it from memory. It was the first thing that popped in my head. Clouds are one of my test subjects for new media. I use to make apples.

I found it was much like the real painting experience. I can paint somewhat like I do with real paint. I even picked some of the colors off a photograph of one of my paintings to get just the colors I use.

In many cases it’s nice to have the original painting, but I can see a real advantage for illustration, like a picture book. It comes out much better than a scan of a painting. Keeping consistency in colors through many pages would be easier. A print quality at 8×10″ 300 dpi can be achieved. I think I could go a little bigger.

There is also the advantage of spontaneous play and doodling, and knowing that you aren’t wasting materials. I could use it like an oil sketch for planning big paintings too. It’s just good fun!

Thanks Janette!

Painting Makeover 01

THE AFTER
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I was looking through my shelf of rejected canvas boards, and saw one I thought I could rework over the top of the existing painting. I believe it was done in Watersoluble Oils. I used those oils just to be on safe side. I don’t really have medium to mix with it that I like to make it tackier. The strokes blend together much too easily. It was a struggle.

Above is the After, Below is the Before. 6″x 8″.

THE BEFORE
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THE SHELF OF REJECTS
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Shouldn’t be too surprising that I have a shelf of rejects! Do you have a painting that could use a makeover? I would enjoy seeing and hearing about yours!

Sunlight Through Tree (Finished)

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Where to put leaves is kind of like a puzzle. The fight against my brain to not make a repeated pattern and keep it random. I enjoy painting trees, almost as much as I do clouds. 😊

6×6″ gallery edge stretched canvas.

Sunlight Through Tree WIP1

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I thought I would keep working on trees now and then. It’s similar to studying the figure, except they vary more, and have a more random element added to them, but they do have limbs. This is the first step of the underpainting.

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Now I’ve added the clumps of leaves. The underpainting helps me work out the shapes, and negitive space.

A Kind of Palette Knife

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I played with a new tool today! It falls between a palette knife and a brush. They are most similar to painting with a spatchella. They are called Mini Blades. They have a little bit of a lighter touch than a palette knife.

I’m satisfied with the outcome, but look forward to practicing with them more and doing a bigger painting. A nice heavy bodied paint is best.

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They’re used like a palette knife, but have more give. Apply or move paint from the top, side, and back of the blade. The edge is not actually like a blade it’s very blunt and flexible.

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The full name of the product is Princeton Catalyst Mini Blades. Dick Blick sells them.
If you are interested in palette knife painting, I highly reccomend them.

Light Through Trees

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Oil on Stretched Canvas 16″x20″

This is another painting I did with light through the trees. They are more translucent, and sparse. It’s challenging, I had to do it a couple times before I was satisfied. It’s all about the negitive space, the holes, trying not to create patterns, and making it random. I think it would be beneficial to do more of these in the near future.

“School Under the Trees” Final



I finished “School Under the Trees” this afternoon. 12″x16″ acrylic on stretched canvas. Will be auctioned to help raise money to build a school in South Sudan.



Detail of foreground.

“School Under the Trees” WIP3

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Blocked out where there was too many leaves. Put in some of the background elements. Reworked the sketch in of the people. Might have to do more with all of that. Then I will work on the ground, and the picture has gallery edges.

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Close up of detail

“School Under the Trees” WIP2

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I painted the tree, the most challenging part of the painting. Painting the holes to shape the negitive space of the light coming through the trees is the final step of this part.

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Here is part of the detail.

“School Under the Trees” WIP1

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An underpainting for “School Under the Trees.” I illustrated a book about the “Lost Boys of Sudan,” used to raise enough funds to a build school in South Sudan. Construction will begin soon. 🙂

This is a painting I’m creating for their annual auction. Underpainting made with fluid acrylics, 12″x16″x1.5″ stretched canvas.