Horsing Around with Color

I've been wanting to try an abstract equine painting for sometime. Horses are one of my favorite subjects. When they are moving they have instant energy. If you like to draw or paint horses, you know they are a fascinating and complex shape. As much as I love to paint them, they can be challenging.

My other goal in this painting was to keep it fairly high key and chromatic. In particular, I wanted to try painting each horse a different color without losing the cohesiveness of the shape. Not a bad start, but I look forward to working on it more tomorrow.

Happy painting, Beth

Work in Progress: Skull & Hydrangeas

This week am working on oil painting makeover, of sorts.

I found this tattered oil painting at a tag sale a few years ago and honestly just bought it for a few dollars for the canvas to re-paint on. But the more I looked at it, I decided to give it a "makeover."

Not a true original painting, of course, but it's been an interesting creative challenge. First I decided to simplify the palette and brighten the colors, then I strengthened the composition, and now I'm working on toning down the busy knife texture. Finally, I'll make it my more my own by adding some signature painting touches like red accent lines.

When it's complete, it will live happily ever after, saved from the dumpster, in my studio.

Today's Painting: Field of Dreams

Medium: Golden liquid acrylics on Yupo (a recycled Japanese paper orig. designed for printing applications)

About the work: Yupo is a fun and un-predicable surface for painting on. You can play with patterns, stamping, spraying etc. As you can see the colors stay bright and vibrant.

Price: $450

Awards: This painting was juried into a local show.