Oil painting
A few days ago I painted this corner of the Loire in oil. Unfortunately I fiddled with it afterwards while it was standing on the easel in the atelier to dry, resulting in losing some great first strokes and giving the water this almost “swimming pool” colour. Knowing well I have this addiction, I normally hang a painting immediately on the wall when done and then I don’t touch it…on the easel however, I always see something that needs fixing!
…ombre et lumiére..
oil on canvas, 30×30 cm (11.8×11.8 in)
I am leaving for Coin Perdu in Correze for about three weeks, which will be sort of a solitary retreat. And since I’m leaning towards oil painting for now, I’ve decided to pack all my oil stuff for some plein air painting for which the opportunities and subjects there are boundless. So I had a stack of boards, in different sizes, cut at my hardware store, and prepared them at home with first a coat of acrylic primer, then a coat of mixed gesso and modeling paste and lastly a coat of gesso. (after the method by David Curtis).
Some years ago I played around with modeling paste on canvases and several other surfaces, as can be seen in the next two paintings. Given a coat of gesso or acrylic primer, it provides a nice textured surface for some expressive work in oil and other mixed media.
…urn 1, mixed media on canvas…
…detail of texture(with modeling paste)..
…urn 2, mixed media on paper…
…detail of texture(with modeling paste)
…pineapples…
oil on canvas, 30×30 cm.
…detail of texture(with modeling paste)…
I saw your Loire oil on Watermarks and meant to comment, but got behind with everything… I just love the spontaneous freedom of it, and that juicy wet shadow in the water. Your oil paintings retain the fresh looseness of your sketches (in spite of your addiction) something I really admire, if not downright envy!
Have a wonderful retreat – I hope painting there is a joyful meditation and growth for you – look forward to what results.
April 28, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Great! have nice days and just do what you wish to do
April 28, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Hello
Thank you for visiting my blog and your welcomed comments. I am pleased you did so I could visit your site also. I to prepare my oils the same way. David Curtis is a wonderful artist. Your work is very good too.
I hope we continue to communicate via the blog.
Regards
April 28, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Your Loire oil is fabulous!!! Yes, isn’t life strange? you paint France, and I paint South Africa! But I think it can only be fascinating to see the way you see my country and the way I see yours – too bad for those who are lost, I’m sure you know what I mean!
Enjoy your retreat, … how I wish i could do it too!
April 28, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Wow, Ronell! These are scrumptious! I love your oils, and I’m always so fascinated to see peoples’ different styles in different media. I love these. You have a wonderful style in watercolors AND in oils. Have a fabulous trip, and I’ll look forward to seeing what you paint on your trip. Bon voyage!
April 29, 2009 at 4:14 am
Gorgeous work – and just as juicy as your watercolors – how do you do it?! Wishing you a nice retreat!
April 29, 2009 at 3:39 pm
what fun Ronell!
Keep that watery painting on the wall — It doesn’t need fixin — I love it.
nice composition and contrast in your urn painting — modeling clay- hmmmm….- makes for quite nice texture!
April 29, 2009 at 4:02 pm
You’ve done a great job with using the modeling paste to create texture. It’s just right for the urn and the pineapple and fits well with your unique painting style.
April 29, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Lovely rich colour!
April 29, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Wow – when you break through a block everything comes pouring out. Wonderful work, and I’m looking forward to seeing what you do during your ‘retreat’.
April 29, 2009 at 5:23 pm
These are absolutely stunning! Not only are they beautiful but your style is really unique. It’s really exciting seeing your oil paintings. I hope your trip is great.
April 30, 2009 at 7:11 am
Hi Ronell,
I rather like that blue! This is a very tranquil painting – I really like it I do know what you mean about fiddling though. I find it terribly difficult to know when to leave something alone. On the one hand I fear I’m being lazy if I don’t fiddle; on the other I know that there is power and interest in those first spontaneous marks. Just another one of those endless struggles that we battle with in painting!
April 30, 2009 at 11:22 am
This painting has a great sense of space. I know what you mean about leaving a painting alone when you get home. I’ve ruined many that way.
I hope you have a restful retreat and look forward to seeing more plein air work from you.
May 2, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Beautiful painting. Not stopping is so hard! Just yesterday, my oil painting teacher told me this is one of my top faults. The modeling paste gives very interesting texture.
May 3, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Wowzer, your landscape is incredible! I don’t see any problems whatsoever from not putting the brush down.
May 19, 2009 at 1:50 pm
love the loire oil. the colours are gorgeous. hope you’re have a great holiday.
May 26, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Great paintings, keep up the good work!
July 1, 2010 at 5:11 pm
I live in france near Paris for being exactly in Fresnes 94260 I love your work your colour are splendid and you style is very spontané (in french)
So long
véronique
July 2, 2010 at 2:21 pm
the good thing about oil paintings is that they last very long, they can even last for generations ‘”"
December 2, 2010 at 6:29 pm