Tag Archives: landscape

Rolling Up the Carpet #9 (Actual Final)

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

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Veil of humidity in “Rolling Up the Carpet #9”

At the horizon this picture needed something. It is commonly accepted that at the horizon there should be a fall off of colors, a veil of humidity to some degree, whether it is really there or not to add perspective and mood. I didn’t subdue the trees in the shelter belt enough. Here in the Northern Midwest, we don’t see it very often, and it was not present here, but I feel the effect should be added. The whole picture shouldn’t have the same intensity.
Just about everytime I’ve done Plein Air Painting, I’ve had to improvise on this effect. Our air is very clear! If I went southeast this wouldn’t be a problem.

Rolling Up the Carpet #9 (WIP 2)

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

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Today I put the foreground in on this painting. Slopped on as much paint as I could!

8×10″ stretched canvas with gallery edges.

Rolling Up the Carpet #9 (WIP 1)

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

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“Rolling Up the Carpet” is the name I give for paintings of hay bails, although the sky is always of big interest to me in pictures of the plains. From our house we have a wide open view of the Southern sky. I’m especially watchful when thunderheads are developing.
8×10″ stretched canvas with gallery edges.

Ipad Painting

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

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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!

Fresh Landscape Palette 003

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

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It’s time to start fresh with a new palette. Since I have two of theses Mijello palettes now. I’m keeping this one just for landscape. I may never have to clean it again! We’ll see how that works out. I mixed the major colors I use. Then I will grab as needed and let it mix together on painting, or grab two colors at a time.

Here is a list of my preferences:

Essential palette colors- Colbalt Blue, Sap Green, Green Gold, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Quinacridone Magenta

Extras- Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Teal, Green Medium, Cadmium Yellow Primrose, Naples Yellow Lt, Red Oxide, Van Dyke Brown

I’m not one of those limited palette kind of people! 😀 To each his own!

Donated Paintings

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

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Our local Art Center http://brookingsartscouncil.org/home hosts an exhibit to raise funds by asking local artists to create up to 4 of 6×6″ works of art of any media. Patrons buy as many chances for a drawing as they like. At the time of the sale, they draw tickets, and each person comes up as their ticket is drawn, and has 30 seconds to pick a painting. The paintings are only signed on the back, so you have to pick by taste, instead of by name.

Here are two paintings I picked out at the last sale, painted by my friends. I can recognize their work, but I picked them because I liked the pictures.

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Painting on left by John Rycharik, and on right by Steve Randall. Thanks guys, I’m proud to own art by your hand!

Painting Makeover 01

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

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)

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

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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

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

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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

Posted on by Tracy Bezesky

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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.