"Humble Blush," Daily Painting # 49

"Humble Blush," Available (click here)

8" by 8"

Oils on Panel

Pink Pumpkin (Well, sort of...)

When I was told there was a pink pumpkin variety I have to admit I wasn't sure I'd like the looks of it. I was imaging a sort of Cinderella Barbie pale fuchsia perfectly round pumpkin, what I found seems much more suitable to an earthy version where Cinderella might have to carve a door for herself and sit below dangling pumpkin seed ornaments. 'Tis my kind of pink pumpkin.

Now the reason I actually bought this was because I have been told it is the best pumpkin eats around. I actually bought another pumpkin to paint and a colorful squash. But the longer I had this pumpkin the more it's pink blush spread over it's lumpy-cream surface and I saw it's imperfect shape from different angles the more it was drawing me in. So I painted it first. :P (There is a jack-o-lantern painting waiting to be posted.)

Composing

I chose to closely crop the composition around the pumpkin to emphasize it's uneven base and allow our eyes to scan the color shifts across the surface of the pumpkin. Enjoying it's imperfection, even glorifying it seems very much in keeping with Halloween where we can try out oddity and villainy with no regrets.

Next

My favorite jack-o-lantern ever painted up. I've got a new pet portrait to share and I'm antsy to start up on the Whole Piece series again. I'm hoping to get many more daily paintings in soon. That's the scoop for now.

"Light Sliver," Daily Painting # 32

"Light Sliver," Available (click here)

Oils on Panel

8" by 8"

Process

Today is a day when I had to accept that the process is important to go through to a finish even if the outcome is less than in our control. I've been feeling out of it all day. Perhaps I'm coming down with something. I was determined to work this painting out and so I did rather slowly. I'm most happy with the contrast between the mostly shadowed cooler space and the glory of warm last light on autumn leaves, which often stick around in CA into early winter. I think ultimately this painting could use simplification from the point of view of a clear head. Perhaps I'll be tempted to tweak it tomorrow. ;)

(Hopefully I can put up a better photo tomorrow too!)

Place

This is another painting from a photo I took on a hike on the Julian end of the Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve. We went on a short hike there on a nippy early winter day. We were determined to go out even if we could only make it right before dark. It was still and sharply cold. We ventured off the path to explore an enormous oak tree. It was a moment that brought me clarity. The graphic quality of the clean line of color through the muted shadows fit that mood perfectly for me.

Next

An animal, I think. I'm hoping tomorrow will be a focused day. I'm excited that more panels in different sizes and shapes are arriving! I've only had 8" by 8" panels left for a little while now and I've been itching for a rectangular composition.