725 Lost and Found

Yesterday I found this old girl roaming around our neighborhood, looking for food.  No collar/tag.  She was frightened and looked so sad with those big milky eyes.  Bribing her with treats, she cautiously approached, then ran away again.  Luckily she went to a neighbor's yard with a gated section for their trash cans, so she was cornered.  Our local police came and took her to the station, and luckily she had a microchip, and later he called to say she was reunited with her family.

I should be working on painting people portraits today for my class, but I can't get this pooch out of my mind.  I started wondering if the same principles we are learning in our people portrait class would work with painting animals, and I was so pleasantly surprised.  I have painted many, many dog portraits, but never with this technique.  As instructed, there was no drawing, just painting with the paint, blocking in shapes and values.  Soon she emerged and I was pleasantly surprised.   I hope she is happy at home.

"725 Lost and Found"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/725-lost-and-found/428297

724 Pretty in Pink

The online portrait class is definitely a challenge for me, but I'm enjoying it (most of the time).  These paintings take much longer to complete, and I am hoping with time, I will be more familiar with the process, facial construction, and therefore more comfortable painting portraits.  I am determined.

"724 Pretty in Pink"
acrylic -

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/724-pretty-in-pink/427716

723 Daydreaming

"723 Daydreaming"
acrylic -

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/723-daydreaming/427252

722 So Tired

I need lots of practice with the lessons I have learned so far in my online portrait class.  These exercises are very gratifying but I have far to go.   I may have bitten off more than I could chew with this one.  The angle of the face was challenging for me.  I am still having trouble with the colors---I don't want them to look clown-ish, but I don't want to be so realistic that there is nothing exciting about the painting.  The last portrait is a good example of that.  I tried to be a little looser with this one.  (For some reason, yesterday's painting did not get posted to Daily Paintworks, so please refer to it via my blog if you would like.) 

To get accuracy with the image, I employed a few of the suggested tools to measure size and placement of features.  I also, as recommended, turned the photo and my painting on it's side, at which time glaring errors became evident.  Then I turned both images upside down, and bingo! that's when the greatest improvements were made, especially in shading.

I am very excited about learning something new and am enjoying Chantel's class very much.  She is an excellent instructor!

"722 So Tired"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/722-so-tired/426832

721 Ruby

As I recently mentioned, I am taking an online course on portrait painting.  It is very organized, informative, well taught and includes homework.  Our second assignment is to pick a photo ( with no teeth showing!).  Using a timer, observe it for 2 minutes, then put it away, and paint from memory for a timed 15 minutes.  I can't even consider showing you how horrifying that painting was.  Next we studied the painting for 2 more minutes, followed by 15 more minutes of painting.  We did that for 2 more times until we reached an hour of painting from memory.  It was still still horrible, and I was so unsettled that I spent another hour doctoring up the painting by looking at the reference photo.  I put it aside for a day, and of course, errors were glaring when I returned to it today, so I spent another hour moving features around and adjusting lights and darks.  In the photo, Ruby was a baby, and the child in the painting above looks much older.  Considering I haven't tackled portraits in the past, I feel I am making progress, but there is still much to learn.  I have nowhere to go but "up." 

720 Opportunity

Some days I have a set plan, other days I have no idea what I will paint, hoping something will present itself to me.  Today was one of those days.   I had homework to do for my portrait class, but wasn't sure I would want to post that.  Then an opportunity presented itself.  Oliver and I were taking our morning walk and we passed some guys doing fall cleanup in our neighborhood.  In the pile of leaves were several gorgeous hydrangeas in a variety of colors.  Since my hydrangeas didn't produce a single flower this year (why is that?), I couldn't resist collecting them and bringing them home.  They are so lovely floating in this lovely aqua bowl.  There is opportunity everywhere.  You just have to look for it.

"720 Opportunity"
acrylic - 6x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/720-opportunity/426209

719 End of the Season

We visited Door County this weekend for one last time until Spring invites us back with fresh paintings and vivid spring colors.  Many of the shops and restaurants were closed for the season, giving Door county a sleepy town feeling.  The Gallery was hopping on Saturday night for the artist party with a vivid literature theme, including many very creative costumes depicting favorite books.  Fifty Shades of Grey seemed to be a popular theme, with many people wearing a variety of paint chips in the grey scale.  The people there, artists and their guests/spouses were friendly and the air was festive.  It was a magical ending to my freshman year, and I am so looking forward to what is ahead.

This scene is one I look forward to every time we visit Fish Creek.  As you approach the quaint downtown area, you drive down a steep hill and this is the view you see around the bend.  I don't know what the island is in the background, but it is a beautiful scene.  I hope I have done it justice.

"719 End of the Season"
acrylic - 9x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/719-end-of-the-season/425627

Balanced

Although I have not been posting with my usual regularity, I have been very busy with all things art related.  I am preparing for a show at the Tall Tree Gallery and Studio, my away-from-home happy place, which is where I meet once a week, year round, for lessons.  In addition to the actual painting, there is so much to do to prepare for a show---varnishing, framing, preparing lists for the gallery owner, sending invitations with notes, etc. 

I have been painting on larger formats, this one measuring 24 x 24", which of course is not completed in a day, hence the recent absence of small works for Daily Paintworks.  I just love these bowls, hand made by Jean Smaglik Wells.  I've collected the bowls and her platters for many years.  You can see more of her work here:  http://www.jeansclaystudio.com

I also recently started an online portrait course with Chantel Barber http://www.chantelsoriginals.com/
I have NO experience with portrait work, nor have I ever taken an online course, so this is really scary for me.   So far we have had one homework assignment--to paint a grey scale portrait using 4-5 greys in 45 minutes or less.  It's not that easy, folks!  Finding a suitable reference photo was a real challenge, as it needed to be high contrast, and no toothy smiles!  Chantel critiques our work, but I have not yet had the courage to check for that.  I know I will learn a lot from this very talented artist with a most distinct style, who is very giving in sharing her techniques. 

I am pleased to tell you that I had a successful season in Door County and have been invited back to the Edgewood Orchard Galleries for next year's season.  I am very grateful.

718 Wishful Thinking

After working in the yard all day doing Fall cleanup, and having recently painted many Autumn paintings, it hit me hard that winter is coming, which I dread.  Maybe the subliminal wish for Spring, rather than Winter, moved me to paint this today.

"718 Wishful Thinking"
acrylic - 12x9 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/718-wishful-thinking/424004

717 Rescued

These flowers were in with garden waste at the curb in my neighborhood.  The marigolds were such a beautiful vibrant color---difficult to achieve, but irresistible.  

"717 Rescued"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/717-rescued/423528

716 Drive By Photo Shoot

I am constantly reminded to squint when I am painting so as not to paint harsh lines and fussy details, in fact, I recall with a smile that in one class, our instructor asked us to smear Vaseline on our glasses to blur the image we would see.  It was a fun exercise.  This photo (reference) was very blurry because we were clipping along in Door County.  I just can't resist a photo op when I am in the passenger seat. 

"716 Drive By Photo Shoot"
acrylic - 6x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/716-drive-by-photo-shoot/423300

715 Welcome to the Sunset Trail

This striking maple tree is located at the base of the Sunset Trail of Peninsula State Park.  It was magnificent to look at last weekend, especially on a blue sky Sunday.

"715 Welcome to the Sunset Trail"
acrylic - 8x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/715-welcome-to-the-sunset-trail/423026

714 Changing Seasons

The reference photo for this painting was taken in Door County in late August.  I love the softness of the colors of the leaves.

"714 Changing Seasons"
acrylic - 10x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/714-changing-seasons/422747

713 Somewhere in Door County

We spent the weekend in Door County, where the tourist season is wrapping up.  Many of the stores, restaurants and galleries will be closed by November 1.  The Fall colors were beautiful, even on the grey Friday, and the cold, rainy blustery Saturday.  Sunday was beautiful with blue skies, a perfect day for a walk on the Sunset Trail at the Peninsula State Park.  I took many photos from the car while in motion, otherwise we would have worn out the brakes.

"713 Somewhere in Door County"
acrylic - 6x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/713-somewhere-in-door-county/422406

712 Alone With My Memories

"712 Alone With My Memories"
acrylic - 16x20 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/712-alone-with-my-memories/421392

711 Abundance

On Tuesdays, I look forward to receiving a box of fresh produce from Springdale Farm.  It is fun to see what's in the box, and I really enjoy setting up and photographing several still life possibilities.

"711 Abundance"
acrylic - 11x14 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/711-abundance/420901

710 Stealing the Show

Anyone who lives in my neighborhood knows EXACTLY where this scene is.  I see it every day and approach it head on with this magnificent Ginkgo tree, a real beauty to behold.  The other trees are in full Fall color now, and are so beautiful, but competing with the Ginkgo.

"710 Stealing the Show"
acrylic - 12x18 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/710-stealing-the-show/420568

709 Somewhere (Else) in New Mexico

This scene is somewhere between Taos and the Albuquerque airport.  I was attracted to the bright white stone of the mountain, and on closer look, the two crosses at the top, providing the imagination with endless possibilities.

This painting is on watercolor paper.  I have conferred with another artist who successfully mounts her paper paintings onto hardboard or cradled hardboard, and will include that option if sold. 

"709 Somewhere (Else) in New Mexico"
acrylic - 8x10 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/709-somewhere-else--in-new-mexico/420326

708 Somewhere in New Mexico

The photo reference for this painting was taken during our ride to the airport.  With nearly 800 photos taken during this trip, I think I will have enough painting material for a long time.

"708 Somewhere in New Mexico"
acrylic - 9x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/708-somewhere-in-new-mexico/419816

707 Sisters

There are a lot of things I could write about, but I will keep it short.  This painting started out as something entirely different, though based on a very simple sketch from long ago.  Little Sister had a prettier color dress giving her more importance, Big Sister had no bow, giving her less importance.  Little Sister had red hair and pink complexion.  I am happier with both sisters feeling special with red bows.

It took great restraint to abstain writing about my sister.  It would have been a very different and very  lengthy post.  I could have told you about the time she......   but I won't.

"707 Sisters"
acrylic - 8x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/707-sisters/419565