Counting Brushstrokes...

Last of the Toms, oil on 8 x 8 primed paper

One...Two...Three.....and so on... :)


I've been cleaning out the garden the past two days, ten minutes here, twenty minutes there helps me take breaks and enjoy time outside the studio in the afternoon.  Our limited number of tomatoes made me think of restricting the number of brushstrokes in a tomato study.

So I started Day 1 of Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 painting challenge with the idea of using no more than 50 brushstrokes. These are fun and I learn so much. Limiting my palette and the number of times I move brush or knife across the surface of a painting helps me stay mindful of the economy in painting. I work to make the most of the time I have and take in the broader shapes.

Thanks for looking and enjoy the day all. Visit me at donnashiver.com

Peace and Health -  

Summer Finds from the Garden...

 

Wildflowers with Citrus, 11 x 14 oil on canvas

 The garden blooms have been fading the past weeks so I've tried to take advantage of the last of these with set ups in the morning. I enjoy the exploration of color and shape. I'm looking forward to fall of course, but I'll miss these lovelies.

 Included below are progression shots of a nest study in charcoal. I found this one on the ground last fall. We are fortunate to have so many birds - I love them all over the yard. Their nests fall from the trees later in the year and I bring them inside to study. The weaving of these structures amazes and confounds me. 

Thanks for looking and have a great day.

Peace and Health...
donnashiver.com

Small Blue Vase with Citrus, 9 x 12 oil on canvas

 

Nest block in with vine charcoal - keeping it loose to get the flow and shape

Pushing charcoal around and lifting with eraser, fingertips, side of my hand

Squinting my eyes to pick out light and dark values - darkening values in areas

Getting closer, adding more detail, lifting with eraser

Finished study -

 

Summer Sketches...

The summer months are almost gone now...school is back in session and I'm looking forward to Fall. Already I'm seeing evidence of leaves on the ground due to a less rainy season these past few months. I walk our dogs before seven each morning and fallen leaves are all over areas of the park grounds. Yesterday evening I cut grass and mulched a bunch of dried leaves. We do seem to be catching up here in Woodstock, Georgia as thunderstorms return to the area in greater frequency these days. Although I would not trade my sketch times out for anything, I'm glad to see the rain - we need it and watercolor has always worked for me. :)

Beach Accessories Study 8 x 8, Make A Splash Series

 I worked on these from the beaches around our area. They are great fun and a real learning experience. In the coming weeks I plan to translate these small works, 8 x 8 and
6 x 6 studies, onto 24 x 24 size canvas. I'll include more sand and water, but am looking forward to playing with abstractions and exploring these color palettes on a larger scale.

The small painting of work men was done on a random outing one day. There was a traffic jam so I pulled off the road and painted from my car under the shade of a tree for a half hour or so. The flow of traffic was better afterward and I had a new small work to show for the time....better than the frustration of stand still traffic any day. :)


Lastly I am posting two still life works with fresh produce. We get weekly veg and such from local farmers - always grateful for this - I also enjoy our own garden and the harvest from family now and then. Yes...I am thankful.  
 
Thanks for looking and enjoy the remainder of the summer. I welcome you to visit me at donnashiver.com 

Happy Fall everyone...

Peace and Health...

Perfect Onesie Study 6 x 6, Make A Splash Series

Active Wear Study, 6 x 6 Make A Splash Series

Red Dress and Cap Study, 8 x 8 Make A Splash Series

Work Men, 8 x 8 oil

Produce Day 8 x 10 oil on canvas
- oranges from my mother in law's tree

Vine Ripe with Salt Keeper, 8 x 8 oil on primed paper

It Starts with a Long Look...

Sunday, oil on primed paper

At the start of any drawing or painting, I remind myself to look before I leap.

Those few minutes before laying charcoal to paper or brush to canvas can make all the difference. My eye is able to focus. Patterns become visible and I can better understand what interests me, where the light areas rest by comparison with darker values. I follow lines, run vertical and horizontal guides to help me establish relationships. When painting, I can access notes of color that need to be indicated quickly and I get closer to expressing the spirit felt within the subject matter. Outdoors, the air has personality - it's warm, cool and vibrant enough at times to knock over my small easel set up. :) Contrary to being in studio, no music is necessary. Birds chirp and sing, there is movement in the trees and quite often I can hear the distant voices of local fishermen.

A Walk, oil on primed paper

Fishermen, charcoal on paper

In the Kitchen, oil on primed paper

Boy by Fountain, oil on primed paper

Looking at and embracing objects from life does not necessarily give me perfection - whatever that is - but it yields a way of seeing. I can teach myself; try out and possibly learn new techniques so I work to capture mood and a sense of me in my work. Wonderful therapy for the cost of charcoal or paint on a surface don't you think... :)

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the day. Peace and Health all - 

donnashiver.com

Process of Gathering Information...

Lemon and Asparagus, oil on linen, 16 x 20

I've spent time lately on smaller paintings in preparation for commission works. Studies are great for organizing my thoughts and exploring possibilities. I can let go and get solid ideas. With time...plus time, plus effort I realize at least what doesn't work well. :)

Pictured throughout are a few daily pieces that have helped me get things going.

White Bowl, Blackberry Blossoms, 9 x 12 walnut board

Two of the commission pieces are meant to be
30 x 24 - vertical, so I'm working with ideas
to make the best use of the space within this taller composition. Things like more space at the bottom of the canvas and treatment of the background to add interest and an unfinished look.

These are companion pieces and will be hung together so I want to assemble objects that allow the narration to flow from one painting to the other. Ears of corn in the foreground could move from one work to the other, or a flower stem could easily carry over to help the paintings relate and work together. In White Bowl with Blackberry Blossoms, my thought is to utilize the stem, carrying it over to the second painting and emphasize the connection. 

Buds and Gray Vase, 9 x 12

All the while I keep in mind notes provided by the client, color preferences and objects we discussed using to
convey a story. Simplicity wins the day for me, so less is more...

Time to paint -  :)

Thanks very much for stopping by. I welcome comments and invite you to visit me at donnashiver.com

Peace and Health all

Macintosh with Bowl & Dried Leaves, 8 x 10

Taking Time to Look...

Color Study for Red & White, detail from 18 x 24 oil on canvas

Careful observation makes a difference as we work. For me each time I commit line or mass to blank paper/canvas, it must come from my gut; otherwise, I may never do anything. Whatever our work or process, that first step often requires some degree of courage. This said, a more successful drawing or painting usually begins before my pencil or brush touches the surface.

A full minute or two looking before making that initial mark helps me form a visual opinion. Thoughts come to mind and I work through ideas, color choices, usage of line, volume and composition - maybe not all at once mind you, but I become more aware of what interests me enough to keep moving forward. This is a real advantage because if things need change, I can do this. After all, to realize what doesn't seem to work is just as important to me as understanding what feels right.

I save time by setting up and understanding patterns that may not seem so clear in the very beginning. The structure and true beauty of objects begins to show. In other words, it's like discovery and I learn...for this I'm most grateful. ;)

Study for Gathering, 8 x 10 oil on canvas

Stretch, gesture study - charcoal on paper

I found ten tips featured below at www.FineArtTips.com and thought I'd pass them along...
Thanks for looking and I welcome you to visit me a donnashiver.com. Have a great day and a better weekend. Peace and Health all - 

In the Details...

With Friends, 12 x 12 oil on canvas

For me, details are a matter of how an
individual sees things. This is why I often find it difficult to respond to those who ask if I'm concerned with the specifics of an object. My answer is yes and no because I largely rely upon mass and the space that surrounds objects as direction when I draw or paint. I love line, but it is those patterns of light and shadow, plus volume and form that go such a long way toward helping me figure out the object before me.

In painting, I strive to create accurate color notes over recreating every detail. Although I don't always get there, that is my intent. Plane changes often mean a color change, and if I see a color change, it prompts me to look for a plane change. To my mind, one sort of informs the other; a good thing. :)


This study for Red Bowl was a fun challenge. I had an unexpected interruption about half way through, and it was hard getting back to my original process; one reason, I prefer to work straight through a study if possible. The characteristics of the markings on the bowl were my focus, but as it turned out I really enjoyed those garlic bulbs. All this said, I'll work another study and be more aware of what detail is necessary, and what can be left out because of this practice. After all life happens and that's okay. These daily works are often about bits of my day and include leftover food items from breakfast, or things I'm looking to use for dinner.

Study for Red Bowl, 12 x 16 oil on canvas

From my sketch book; charcoals on paper. I love the form and movement that is dance...

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the day. I welcome you to visit me at donnashiver.com          
Peace and Health all -