Black Vase and Fruit 18 x 18 Oil On Panel

A few weeks ago I purchased a new lighting system to help me take photographs of my paintings indoors. The lighting system is from Victor-Smith and I got it through Amazon.  It comes with to lights with stands, 2 umbrellas and 2 strong light bulbs.  The price was around $130 so I figured that was a good price for all of that.  In fact I will be able to use the light stands when I am painting, but I will change the bulbs.  In case you order this set order extra bulbs.  One blew out after 20 minutes.  So far its going okay.  Hopefully with practice I can get a clear picture.  Time will tell.  The next purchase will probably be Photoshop Elements and maybe a new camera.
Now onto the painting this is a follow- up on the Black Vase with Cantaloupe.  I wanted to try and paint the vase again using the same painting technique as I used before along with the fruit. After seeing the Dutch Paintings From The Mauritshuis at the High Museum I just had to paint more grapes.  The exhibit is a fantastic traveling show and well worth the time to check it out.  There were a  few Rembrandt's with the wonderful brushstrokes and chiaroscuro, Girl with a Pearl Earring by Vermeer, and two paintings I remembered being tested on in Art History by Frans Hals.  It was a great privilege to see this show.  There were still life's, landscapes and genre paintings.  I do think though my grapes are better then ones in the show, ( lol, I just had to say that).  Thanks to David A. Leffel I really learned how to paint grapes.


 

Feather Your Nest 10 x 8 Oil on Panel

I have now posted 4 bird's nest in a row.  Ugh!  I paint more then bird's nests, but there were a few different clients that said they were interested in vertical bird's nests.  I guess if these people don't purchase them the right person will eventually buy them.  Now on to still lifes. 

A Bird's Eye View 10 x 8 Oil On Panel

Tweet Tweet Oil On Panel 12 x 9

Here is another new nest painting. 

A Little Bird Told Me 12 x 9 Oil on Panel

I have painted more birds nests because a few clients were interested in vertical paintings.  This season I have been looking through the bushes and have found a few new nests along with nests that neighbors have given my mother.  Some even had an egg or two.  The eggs were older if you were wondering.  Usually the bird throws them out if there is something wrong with them, but for some reason the ones I have were left in them. 

SOLD PAINTINGS

Satsuma Oranges, Quietude, Georgia Peaches and Lodging.  Thank you so much for your purchases!

Black Vase With Cantaloupe 12 x 16 on Panel

I just took a new photo of this painting.



I painted this painting back in May and took photos.  I wasn't quite happy with the photos so I finally decided just to post the painting.  Finally, I decided to buy some lighting to try and take my photos indoors.  Hopefully this will help get a better quality.  Sometimes the whiter vases get washed out and on dark paintings its hard to get just the right light.  As far as this painting is concerned I felt like I had a breakthrough on technique and atmosphere.  After watching The Artists Guild videos over and over I really tried to paint my backgrounds in the technique I saw and I liked it better.  Funny David taught me how to paint the backgrounds I have been doing for years, but on the videos he does them differently.  I saw up close on the video how he painted the silver dollars and am happy with the way mine turned out with the brushstroke and the way the background comes through.
At this point I have around 5 more paintings to post and will try to post them in a timely fashion.