Yvonne's Sketchbook

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 21

Well, I made it on the ferry, it was a bit lumpy and bumpy out there but happily it sailed.

Today's painting is exercise 7 from the Rolina van Vliet book that i'm following and mentioned in previous posts. A4 mixed media paper, acrylic paint.

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 20

Day 20 already! Where is this month disappearing to!

I may not have chance to post for a few days now as I'm heading off to another island for a long weekend, I don't think i'll have much in the way of internet but I'll be taking my art supplies with me so, each day, once my work is done i'll be settling down to a little painting. The weather forecast does not look good and there is every likelihood that either the ferry i'm booked on tomorrow to go will be cancelled or the ferry that i'm booked on to come back on Monday will be cancelled!

Exercise 6, variant 1 from the Rolina van Vliet book "Painting Abstracts: Ideas, Projects and Techniques." A4 size mixed media paper. Acrylic paint.

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 19

The fifth painting of the week, an abstract exercise from the Rolina van Vliet book. This was exercise 5, variant 1. I wasn't too happy with the look of it so decided to paint over the parts that had turned muddy brown with black and then once that was dry I added some splashes of white - see the unfinished version below the finished version. I know it was only an exercise but I just wasn't happy with it in it's unfinished state! 

A4 size mixed media paper. Acrylic paint.

And the unfinished version that I decided to work on a little more:-

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 18

My fourth painting of this week and the 18th of the challenge. Once again trying out the exercises in the Rolina van Vliet book "Painting Abstracts: Ideas, Projects and Techniques." I have to say i'm enjoying the exercises. I cover the example photos in the book and just work from the text as i'm conscious that I don't want to be influenced by them - I want to work from my own imagination and feelings.

This is mixed media (oil pastel, acrylic paint and tombow water-soluble markers) on A4 size mixed media paper.

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 17

Day 17 of this challenge by Leslie Saeta. Continuing my exploration of abstract painting from the Rolina van Vliet book. This is the third exercise in the book, variant number one.

Acrylic on A4 mixed media paper. I was reasonably happy with it, although it probably would have been better to use heavy body acrylic paint rather than the fluid acrylics - the colours I chose were fairly transparent. I'm calling this a sketch painting really as I feel I may be able to do something with this image - it gave me ideas for future work.

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 16

The second exercise from the Rolina van Vliet book "Painting Abstracts: Ideas, Projects and Techniques."

At first, when I first started working on it I hated this painting but as I gradually persevered and progressed with it, I engaged with it more and it grew on me. Once I was finished I was fairly pleased. I liked the colours and the overall look of it - I'll call it "Rock Pool" because that's what it rmeinds me of :-)

Exercise 2, variant 1. A4 mixed media paper. Acrylic paint and Tombow watercolour pens.

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 15

Wow! Half way through this challenge. This week I have a new theme, I'm very interested in abstract art and I've recently read Rolina van Vliet's book "The Art of Abstract Painting" and I then purchased the book "Painting Abstracts: Ideas, Projects and Techniques" by the same author. So I thought that this week I would make a start on the exercises in the book. There are 65 of them, then each exercise has two other variants. I thought I would work my way through the book then start again at the beginning and do the variants - so, 65 x 3 exercises = 195 total abstracts - surely I should improve by the end...

I searched online to see if I could find some sort of group who are also following this book as I would be very interested in seeing other people's interpretations of the exercises. Amazingly in this world of internet and sharing I drew a blank! so, if anyone out there would like a "study buddy" for this van Vliet book let me know! (Contact form here)

Anyway, my painting today is Exercise 1, variant 1 and is acrylic painting on A4 160gsm multi media paper. I feel like it's kind of crude and not really like the examples in the book, but i'm sure that after another 194 exercises I may have refined and improved my style somewhat...

 

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 14

My last day of a weeks bird paintings, this time a Vermillion Flycatcher - an amazing breeding plumage male. From a photo I originally took at Neal's Lodges in hill country in Texas. You just don't get amazing bright red birds here in the UK! I have to say this image is unfinished - I was adding the leaves to the trees and was going to darken parts of the background but a friend called around and we went out, birding and then to a local art event for the rest of the day. Once we'd returned home, eaten, had coffee and chatted it was past 10pm and I didn't have the energy to finish it.

Acrylic on 6" x 6" card

And, for interest, here's my original photo:-

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 13

Well my inner critic is giving me a hard time about this one but I learnt from it so here it is anyway. (European) Goldfinch, acrylic on 6" x 6" card.

30 Paintings in 30 Days - Day 12

Bit rushed today - lots of work to get sorted out before I head off for sunnier climes in three weeks time. This is a mixed media piece (featuring a collaged bird so it does fit with my theme for the week!). 6" x 6" card.