Afloat in the Flowers

This is the second painting I did this day in Belfast, Maine. Yesterday's post was done in the morning. Then after lunch on the beach, I chose this spot high on a hill in a park to spend the afternoon. You can see the steps in my process below. Click on the images to see them larger and in more detail.

Oil on panel, 6" x 6", $100 + $10 domestic shipping

 
or contact brenda@brendaferguson.com

I began with a wash of burnt umber...

...then used  a paper towel with a bit of turp to remove the stain in some of the flower head areas. 

I worked from the background in cooler colors...

...to the warms of the foreground.

Added the details of the boats in the distance and the foliage up close...

...and it's finished. 

Moored

Here's another plein air painting I did on the coast in nearby Belfast, Maine. It was a beautiful day and I stood on the beach in the shade of some trees...perfect. I've shared some in-progress photos below.

Oil on panel, 6" x 6"

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Zac

This is Zac, the second half of yesterday's commission. He's eagerly holding his training device for hunting. Zac has crossed the Rainbow Bridge and has earned his place on the wall beside Spice.
Oil on panel, 10" x 10"
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Spice

This is Spice. He was commissioned  for a birthday surprise. Those are his "dad's" hunting boots he's lying on. This one is a bit larger than my usual. It's on a 10" x 10" panel. I'll post the other in this pair tomorrow.

10" x 10", Oil on panel

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Whatever Floats Your Boat

Here's another plein air painting I did on the coast in nearby Belfast, Maine. I've discovered I really enjoy painting boats!  I also discovered I really enjoy sharing the steps along the way...so there are more images below.

Oil on panel, 6" x 6"

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I chose three boats to paint and loosely sketched them in with cad red on the prepared black panel.

Here's a closer look.

As I was painting, three friends who just happened to be enjoying Belfast that day stopped by to visit and check out the view. What a delightful surprise!

Here's the finished piece and if you look closely you can maybe see which boats I painted.

And a closer look.

While I was relaxing in the harbor painting all afternoon, my hubby biked the grueling hill-filled  25 miles from our home to Belfast to meet me! So after an afternoon of very different kinds of work for each of us, we chilled at a great outdoor tapas bar and revived ourselves. 

Wind in Her Hair

The summer weather's been so glorious here in Maine, I can't bear to be inside! I painted this en plein air in my backyard. It was a beautiful day...though a tad breezy so the flower was a moving target! Below I've shared the process. 

Oil on panel, 6 x 6"

SOLD

I blocked in the basic placement and shape of the flower in red. That's Rocksie. She's all in when it comes to plein air painting..but she hardly leaves room for me to stand at my easel!  

 I laid the background in and began working on the leaves.

Added more detail to the surrounding foliage.

And finished up with a few details.

I love having her nearby while I paint and Rocksie graciously moved a few centimeters, so I could work. :o)

Light Bearer

I must say, I'm so pleased with this painting! I've wanted to paint candle light for a long time...but was intimidated by it. I learned that you can't be afraid to go dark...really dark. This was during our Cape Breton trip. We often light candles in the camper at night. I'm mesmerized by fire and was holding this jar candle, watching the flame. Decided to snap a few photos and see what I got...if anything...to paint from. The thumbnail glow was a real challenge, but I'm pleased with it. Here's some accompanying inspirational music. 

Oil on panel, 6" x 6"

NFS

Flowers Everywhere

I found this sweet little pitcher at a Goodwill store recently. I loved the simple, sort of primitive hand painted flowers on it.  My neighbors had recently contacted me to say they had way more flowers than they'd pick, so welcomed me to pick as many as I'd like. Aren't they the best?! I photographed lots and picked some to enjoy and paint. Here's some sweet painting music.

Oil on panel, 6" x 6" SOLD

Better Days

This is a recent favorite of mine. The scene is from a reference photo I shot in Cape Breton. I liked the weathered shingles and the roof that's seen better days. It was fun painting the foggy mist in the background.

Oil on panel,6" x 6"

SOLD

Wild Iris

Wild irises grow all through the fields where we camp in Cape Breton. I snapped lots of photos of them while we were there...and painted this when I got home. Here's the musical inspiration.

Oil on panel,6" x 6"

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Beached

These are Cape Breton beach stones. I liked the warm stones against the cooler sand and the rivulets left by the receding waves.

Oil on panel, $100 + $10 domestic shipping

 
or contact brenda@brendaferguson.com
Here are the steps along the way. 
I laid in some background grays.

Wiped some of them out with a paper towel dipped in turp

Worked a bit on the shadows and rivulets

Began working the stones one at a time

Here are a couple of details

Sky High

I am SO enjoying plein air painting! What could be better ...being outside AND painting?! I did this one in my back yard. Every year my husband plants hundreds (literally) of sunflowers. They've begun to bloom everywhere! And will continue to throughout the fall. My process is below.

Oil on panel SOLD

Here's the block in

And the model/subject

Adding color

And shadows

A musical interlude with my son, Lucas (just home from work), on his new bongos...a little dancing, a little singing, a little banging on the bongos...

Thanks Luke! That's just what I needed to finish up!

 

 

Silver and Gold

I enjoy the challenge of painting feathers...such delicate things, sheer in parts and varying textures. 

Oil on panel, 6" x 6", $100 + $10 domestic shipping

 
or contact brenda@brendaferguson.com

Here's the feather I was looking at...

I mixed a few grays before beginning

I used my rubber tipped color shaper to loosely sketch in the placement and shape

 I began with the darker areas

 Built up the background a bit with a thinned wash of Yellow Ochre

Worked on the shadows

Refined the shape and finished with the details