Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6"
For purchase info, please email michael@mnaples.com
Simple, right? I know. My goal here was to bring as much interest to this as possible in the painting process. I let more brush strokes drag accross the surface and embellished the reflected lights on both sides of the apple. I am pleased with the end result.
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
This is the first time I set something up on a piece of glass. I really like the whole reflections it shows. Not just the implication of a reflection. It was a nice challenge.
Oil on 3/8" Board. Approx 8"x8" SOLD
I painted this as a gift for a friend I visited in L.A. this past holiday weekend. It was a rockin' time. A lot of laughing and people watching. I saw all of the sites that I have only seen on TV before. My wife actually got me the trip. She planned it all ahead of time for my 30th birthday which was earlier this month. That's why I say she's the best.
Oil on 1/4" Board. Approx 6"x6"
For purchase info email susan.brownlow@artunderamonkey.co.uk.
If you live in the UK you may know this candy. It's called Dolly Mix and from what I hear, it's great (i have to admit I didn't eat any of the candy). It's the last of five requests for an online gallery that is in startup mode right now. If you are interested in purchasing, you may do so direct from the site's creator, Susan.
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
Something a bit different today. In this scene the viewer has the perspective of traveling at the same speed as the train so the background is blurred and the train is crisp.
Oil on 1/4" Board. Approx 8"x10" SOLD
My wife's Dad worked as a switchman for the railroad for about 45 years. These are keys from there. If I'm not mistaken, the small one is the switch key and the long one is a caboose key.
I haven't posted much lately but that does not mean I haven't been painting. I have two more paintings to post but have to wait to post them. I also have another 20x20 painting in the works. I'm trying to expand my portfolio of 'large' work.
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
I have been super busy lately. Yesterday was my daughter's first birthday party. We had about 60 people at our house. It was insanity, but overall a great party. All that and Lucy won't even remember it. I can't believe she is coming up on being one. Time is really flying by. Oh and Happy Mother's Day!!!
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
Not much to say about these apples besides they looked good in the sun. Good enough to eat.
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6"
For purchase info, please email michael@mnaples.com
Sometimes you have to go back to the basics. I wanted to do a value study with general light tones while still keep form and dimension to the object.
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
This orange feels solid and strong. That's why i like it. I focused a lot on edges in this painting - mainly trying to keep them soft.
Graphite on Bristol Board. Approx 8"x11" SOLD
Here's the second portrait. The last for a while. I may take a break from the mountain scapes for some still lifes. Stay tuned for those.
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6"
For purchase info, please email michael@mnaples.com
As we drove through and up the mountains we were pondering the fact that humans may have never stopped foot on the mountains tops we were looking at. That's a deep thought.
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
I wanted to focus on the background more on this painting. Really trying to capture the atmosphere in those mountains.
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
Gatlinburg, TN is filled with spirituality. Churches and Jesus references everywhere. What attracted me to this scene was how the sun seemed to peak through the clouds at the perfect moment. Almost like it was shining only on this church. I took a snap shot while in a moving vehicle.
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
In the mountains, we pulled up to a look out point. One of those views where you can see the entire horizon of gorgeous mountains. As soon as I stepped out of the car I saw this crow standing there and I had to snap a photo. It was the good lighting that caught my eye.
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6"
For purchase info, please email michael@mnaples.com
For the past 10 years or so, I've wanted to paint a ceiling with clouds. I just never had the guts to do it. It certainly would be a 'one sitting' painting. If I did do that it would probably look something like this painting.
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
A couple of weeks ago we went to the smokey mountains. I took a bunch of photos and I started painting the good ones. This is the first.
Graphite on Bristol Board. Approx 8"x11" SOLD
Here is the first of two commissioned portraits. The second one should be posted sometime next week. I wrote yesterday about a blog award. Well two great painters picked my blog to receive this award and I am flattered. Those two artists are Jennifer Phillips and LC Neill. The rules are you list 7 things you love and pick 7 others to pass the award to. So here it goes...
Seven things I love:
1. My wife, daughter, and not yet born baby.
2. My studio
3. Power Tools
4. My iPhone
5. Cheeses of all kinds
6. Doing things myself (as opposed to hiring 'a professional'
7. A pint of good beer
Seven artist who deserve the award (there's many more than seven)
Alvin Richard
Sadie J. Valeri
David Jon Kassan
Mike Barr
Jeremy Geddes
Jason Seiler
Stephen Magsig
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6 SOLD
Here are the third challenge paintings. The subject this month was your favorite shoes. Mine happen to belong to my daughter, Lucy. I can't believe she will be one next month. Time flies.
Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" Sold
Who doesn't love Girl Scout cookies? I think there are 5 seasons; Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring, and Girls Scout Cookie Season. Samoas are one of my favorites along with the peanut butter ones.
I recent have been chosen by a couple fellow daily painters to receive a blog award. When I have more time to type will follow the rules of receiving that award. Stay tuned tomorrow when we post our new challenge paintings for April.
Oil on 3/8" Gesso Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
This is a custom commission for a couple who is about to be engaged. The baseball player and his soon to be bride. I must say the ring is a beauty. I felt a little paranoid having it in my possession.
Oil on 1/8" Gesso Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
I'm back from our road trip '09 and can't wait to paint some of the pics I took. We went to the smokey mountains in Gatlinburg, TN. Great time down there.
I am trying out a new board. It's an 1/8" gesso board that is primed in the same way as my other boards...with black acrylic. It is thinner to work on but I like it.
Oil on Board. Approx 10"x8" SOLD
This is a commission. I can't really find much to say about it. I like the composition and how the glass looks. There, that was something.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
We all post about those paintings that just flow off the brush. Well this is mine. I felt like every stroke I put down was a keeper. A few highlights in the right spots and it was done. I really like how the cast shadow was the color of the bottle. Interesting.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
Here are a couple of corks I recently acquired. I wanted to really focus on the details of them such as the nooks, cracks and textures.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
Well here is a new painting. I just got over a cold a couple weeks ago and then came down with a sinus infection that leveled me all last week. I finally went to the doc for antibiotics because I wasn't getting any better. I guess it's the season. Enough germy blabber, I have a few more paintings this week to finish off the month. Stay tuned...
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6 SOLD
Here are the second challenge paintings. The subject was eggplant...any way you like it. I went more traditional as usual but it was my first time paint this subject.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6"
For purchase info, please email susan.brownlow@artunderamonkey.co.uk.
And this is the commission painting. Actually it's kind of a commission. It was requested to be painted to then put up on an online gallery that is in startup mode right now. If you are interested in purchasing, you may do so direct from the site's creator, Susan.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
I am back in the studio and feeling 100%. I almost forgot how it felt to be sick but it all came back to me really fast. Anyway, this is a candy from the United Kingdom. It was a commission (which I will post tomorrow) but I thought I would do a composition for myself...I mean to offer for sale. I didn't even eat one of these little candies.
Oil on Board. Approx 5.5"x11.5" SOLD
I have painted this key in the past, but this one is by far my favorite. One thing I was concentrating on was getting the 'hanging feel' to this. Showing how the center of gravity shifts when the key hangs to the right.
On another note, I am coming down with a cold (first one in 27 months) and might take a few days off.
Oil on Board. Approx 5"x6" SOLD
What's the saying? Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailors take warning. Well I guess this would fall under the delight category.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
Simple but detailed. There isn't much else to say about this except it was a good beer. Also I can't believe February is just about over. That's nuts!
Oil on Board. Approx 20"x20" SOLD
Here is the reason why i didn't post anything last week. It's 20" square and took a bit longer then I thought it would. Now I have to get to work on a commission that has been sitting around way too long. Coming up in early March (which is next week already) I have a couple more of these 20x20's planned.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
This is the first month of a new challenge I was approached about. Diana Botkin coordinated this and we all get to pick a new subject each month. It's a fun little project to paint what you may not usually paint.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
I love when the sun is setting and the moon gets that glow about it. Also this is my first attempt at a utility pole. I really liked painting the power lines. Implying them but not making them too perfect. It was a good exercise to stay loose yet controlled.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6"
For purchase info email susan.brownlow@artunderamonkey.co.uk.
Here is the different take on the mary janes I promised a few posts back. This one was requested to be painted to then put up on an online gallery that is in startup mode right now. If you are interested in purchasing, you may do so direct from the site's creator, Susan.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
I got this unique bottle from a lady I work with (thanks Cindy). I couldn't resist this topper with the combination of the glass and metal. Last week i started work on a 20"x20" painting that I hope to post this coming week. We'll see, but I can't wait until I can call it done.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6" Commission SOLD
I received this commission based on my other Mary Janes painting. These shoes were actually shipped to me to be specifically used. That made it personal for the collector. Also, I have another Mary Janes painting coming up. It's kind of the opposite of the first 2.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD.
Another new still life item. This looked medieval to me. Also, for whatever reason, when you touch this creamer your skin picks up some sort of funk on it. The silver doesn't have an odor by its self but if you touch it your hand will smell. Weird.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
I just bought this silver bowl last week even though I said to myself that I wasn't going to buy new still life items until I painted more of my current (but not yet painted) stash. I really like how it looks and will definitely use it in the future.
Oil on Board. Approx 4"x7" SOLD
Here is another one of the still life items I purchased quite a while ago that I never got around to painting...until now. I really like how this turned out with the warmth of the subject against the cool background.
Oil on Board. Approx 6"x6" SOLD
It was perfect when I saw the sun hitting the window sill like this. I had to capture the moment with this antique milk bottle.
Oil on Board. Approx 7"x4" SOLD
A little bit of a different take on my favorite subject...the peanut butter and jelly.
Oil on Board. Approx 8"x8" SOLD
I have a large number of still life items in my studio. I have bought a bunch but have yet to paint them. This creamer is one of those that I am finally painting. It a challenging subject because it's so reflective. The color is a bit brown, purple, blue...it all depends on how the light is hitting it.
Oil on Board. Approx 8"x8" SOLD
Well I've said before that I love coffee and the mugs that go with it. My favorite is this thick diner mug. This is a bit larger then my usual daily paintings. I have some boards that are different sizes that I will be painting on in the near future.
Oil on Board. Approx 3.875"x6" SOLD
I tried pulling a Carol Marine today. What does that mean you ask? It means you crank out a painting while your child is napping. I really didn't have much time because I knew it would be a short nap. But I still managed to complete this small study of a clementine.
2008 has been a great year for me. I sold my old house, bought a new (better) house, had my first baby, and did 171 daily paintings. Not too shabby. I have some big goals for the new year to come and when I'm back from holiday break I will get started on those goals. Happy New Year to everyone who's reading this.
Oil on Board. Approx 10"x4" SOLD
I've said in the past that I'm not much of a floral painter but I think this painting could be my all time favorites. It was one of the quickest too, which is always a good thing.
Oil on Board. Approx 8"x6" SOLD
I hope every had a great Christmas. I know we did. Here is the third and final painting of this drink series.
