Seascape Painting on Cardboard . . . 5 years in the making

"Stormy Sea"  

acrylic on 10x10 cardboard

 Continuing on with my love of cardboard I gesso a piece of 10x10 board.  Using only a palette knife and sponge brush I completed the above piece.  The key to landscape painting for me is to really not think as I go along.  Once the thinking starts, analyzing begins and its over.  I try to get into the moment and let the paint lead me.  Not an easy task for me at all.  Probably why you dont see too much landscape on my blog.  

I wanted to share a painting I found the other day of my very first attempt at landscape painting from way back in 2010.  It is actually what inspired me to try a new one.  I was curious to see how far I have come as an artist.  

I like both however I can see how much looser my work is in the new painting.  I am hoping to continue with some landscape and see where I take it.  

If you are interested in landscape painting check out David Dunlop.  He is an amazing landscape painter and has some free videos on youtube.  His approach is very loose and free.  His work is stunning!  

I have been loving Instagram lately.  Too see what I am up to follow me over there just click the link below or look me up @cathybueti

Instagram 

Till  next time!  

xo

Landscape . . . Trying to Loosen Up

"field of longing"

acrylic on paper

I don't know what made me do it but the other night I decided to try a landscape.  It has probably been over a year since I dabbled in it.  Mostly because I have been on an abstract and digital art super highway but probably out of fear.  

Landscape always seemed to have too many rules for me.  Those that have been following my blog know that I don't vibe with that!  However after discovering an amazing artist named David Dunlop that all seemed to change.  He is a landscape painter, using primarily oils but his approach is one of looseness and freedom.  I found him so very inspiring.  I felt encouraged to try even knowing I would make mistakes.  It became more about the moment of fun in creating rather than creating the perfect horizon line.  

For this piece I used a limited palette of cerulean blue, cadmium red light, and titanium white.  I chose those colors knowing that as complimentary's it would create a nice effect.  I used chip brushes from home depot (similar to those David uses) and found them to be great for texture and just plain old fun to swoosh around.  I approached the paper with speed knowing that I had to keep my mind quiet to be loose.  I didn't use a reference photo, just an image that popped up in my mind's eye.  

I have to say that I enjoyed the process for the first time in all my attempts at landscape painting.  I am nervous about painting another but I know that I will go at it in the same manner which should help me be more successful.  

For more info on David Dunlop check out his website HERE! 

Sharing today at Paint Party Friday :)

Landscape Painting . . . I've Missed You

I have always loved landscapes, in photography, and in paintings.  Despite the fact that I have had a difficult time being loose when I paint them I still love it.  When I discovered art just under 3 years ago I started out with landscapes.  But often I found that I tried too hard to be perfect.  All that did was kink my neck up much like portrait painting does.  

I had the idea for this piece a few days ago and decided to give it a try.  I have been getting looser and more abstract with my art as of late so I wondered how that would affect my landscape attempt.  Well, I happily discovered that it enhanced it.  I don't like to use paintbrushes anymore so I was able to paint this with just my hands.  Not easy but fun!  I picked some non typical colors but some of my favorites.  I used payne's gray, alizarin crimson, raw umber, and titanium white.  

Linking up with Paint Party Friday.  Click HERE to join us!

Looking forward to seeing what you all have been up to!

xo

Arm Update and A Landscape . . .

I don't know about you but things out in the universe feel unsettled to me.  I have always been very intuitive and more so lately.  The energy feels weird.  And when I feel this way it makes me anxious.  It seems like alot of people around me are going through tough stuff and I know that kind of stuff happens all the time but lately it seems as though its all at once.  I am having lots of trouble keeping myself in the moment.  

My arm saga continues.  I went to the doctor yesterday to have her check my incision site.  For the past few days it has been getting red and I felt a lump forming.  I have never been a good healer from scars but this redness worried me.  Its not looking as good as it had last week.  So she said it was ok, just a bit inflamed.  The lump apparently is scar tissue.  I was shocked to hear that it would be forming so fast.  The stitches just came out 2 weeks ago.  I am now 4 weeks post surgery.  Anyway she said if there is any pain that develops to come in otherwise I will go back in 3 weeks for her to see how it is progressing.  So needless to say my anxiety is increasing with regards to that situation.  

In the meanwhile I have been watching a new DVD by artist David Dunlop.  He is an amazing landscape painter and I love the technique he uses.  Very different than how I have painted landscape before. He does mostly oil painting but he had a lesson dvd on acrylics.   I am following along with the lesson painting the same scene as he in the same color palette.  I feel like it is the best way for me to learn.  This piece started out with a textured background using alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue.  A new color for me is cerulean blue which I have used for the sky.  I really am liking the color and see me using in in other abstract pieces.  

I was reminded how much more difficult it is for me to paint something this structured after doing so much abstract mixed media.  I am not sure how far I will go with this as I got pretty frustrated.  lol  The perfectionist in me goes to town and it isn't good!  If I continue with this piece I will be sure to post its progress. 

Hope you have been up to lots of good things!

xo

WIP . . . Urban Landscape

I have been itching to do another landscape since I finished the one for my friend. So I started this canvas last weekend. This is just the under painting where I am trying to sketch out some perspective. I wasn't even going to share it at this early stage but figured what the heck! I haven't done anymore to it I think out of fear! lol I am not sure where to go next. I think I need to just not think and slap some paint on!

This is the photo that I am using for inspiration. I took this photo in NYC a couple of years ago. When I looked at it again I saw it with different eyes. I right away noticed the composition and perspective. I wondered if I could paint it.

I will using a monochrome palette in shades of payne's gray. I don't know who I think I am even considering this image but lets see if I can pull it off!

Progression of a Landscape Painting

I am excited to share the landscape I spoke of in Tuesday's post that I had been working on a for a good friend of mine. It was a special photo of his that I was so struck by when I saw it that I wanted to paint it for him. I hadn't done a landscape in quite awhile but this has renewed my love for the process of landscape painting! It is where I began before discovering mixed media.

The above photo shows the first layer of color that I put down pretty quickly. I did an initial sketch so I would know where to add the lights and darks. I used a combo of ultramarine blue and burnt sienna for a neutral grayish tone along with some acrylic glaze medium to keep the paint moving. I tried to mimic some of the texture of the landscape as I laid down the color. And then I used a rag to wipe out the tiny bit of sky at the top, the path and the sidewall area on the left. You can probably still see some of my sketch with the tree limbs and a person on the path.

Then I began adding another layer of color this time with lots of green, yellows, and orange. I am now also going from dark to light to establish perspective. I must admit I had difficulty with the curved wall on the right side! I tried to work with shades of light and dark to bump it up.

Here is the finished painting! I really like what the yellow does for the gray of the path. It is a nice contrast and the yellow just pops! The person I didn't like initially and almost took it out at the end! But it is a crucial piece to the initial photo that I needed to leave it in.

I saw him Tuesday nite for dinner and surprised him with the painting. He loved it! And it made my heart so happy that I was able to recreate this scene for him in a painting that will hang on a wall in his home!

Scratching and Ripping Up the Brooklyn Bridge!

Many thanks for all of your comments on my last post! I am very excited that you are liking these latest paintings with my altered photography!

I did this one this morning. It is on an 8x10 canvas board that I covered with black gesso. This time in addition to scratching and inking the photo I also ripped the edges. So fun! I love this picture I took of the Brooklyn Bridge and pictured in my mind how I could extend the landscape of the photo into this painting. I am really becoming a fan of the black and white palette!

Working on this piece reminded me of my love of landscape painting!

Getting Back To The Landscape

This painting was inspired by a photo. It is acrylic on 9x12 canvas paper. I love using shades of orange and purple together in a painting. I have fun painting trees. I don't know what it is about them but I especially enjoy painting the leaves. And of course as always I want to rush and see the finished piece! I try to add the leaves before I finish the rest of the painting!

I would like to get back to painting more landscapes. I haven't done one in a while. There are just too many things dancing in my head. But sometimes I feel like I should just stick to one thing and master it. And yet I don't want to limit myself. There is so much to learn and I want to experience as much of it as I can!

Ever feel that way?

Painting The Beach

The water has always brought me solace and comfort. One of my favorite places to go is the beach. Of course being blue eyed and fair skinned I need to find a shady tree to sit under! But what really comforts me is the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.

Most of the traveling I have done in my life has been to tropical places. I have been to Jamaica, Barbados, Hawaii, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, and my favorite of all Aruba. My last tropical trip was my honeymoon 7 years ago to PR. Unfortunately I am not a big fan of flying and since my last trip my anxiety has increased. These days I would rather go on a road trip to the beach.

This painting was inspired by my love of the ocean. It was done on 8x10 canvas board with acrylic. Whenever I look at it I am reminded of one of my favorite places . . .

Do you like to travel? Where is your favorite place?

Still Life . . . Just Not My Thing

When I realized I wanted to try painting I felt lost about where to begin. I had fun trying some different things out on my own but thought a class would help. So I took a workshop at my local arts council. It was 6 sessions focused on still life and landscape painting in acrylic. I was so nervous as I had never painted before.

I walked into the class and cringed when I saw a still life set up. I had in my mind I would hate it. I know, not a good attitude! I think that came from my fear of not being able to do it.

This painting was completed in that class. It is acrylic on 12x16 stretched canvas. The plant is supposed to be parsley although I went a little crazy with spraying out the stems and leaves. My instructor was not happy with that but I liked it. It was difficult to paint the lighting and cast shadows. In the end I was pleased with the results but I very much struggled with the process. I realized that in regards to traditional painting I am more comfortable with landscape where I feel like I can make more mistakes and it will be ok.

But for now I am really enjoying mixed media. I do believe it is becoming my thing!

Is there an art medium you have tried that you just don't vibe to?

Landscape On a Red Canvas . . .

This is acrylic on 9x12 140lb canvas paper. I started with a red canvas....red cadmium light to be exact. I learned through a workshop I took recently that when you are painting landscape that has alot of green using a red canvas can give richness to the green as well as the other colors.

I really love how this came out. It is my first landscape on a red canvas. I think that all of the colors are more richer and look better with the red showing through them. And of course the key is to allow the red to show through. Sometimes when I paint I loose myself in what I am doing and forget about that! And with acrylic I need to be more aware because of the quick drying time so I don't loose the red!

Do you find that your background colors enhance the colors of your painting?