Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Haleiwa Palm Tree


"Haleiwa Palm Tree"
12" x 6" oil on canvas 
$575

This oil landscape is a scene in Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oahu.  It is a charming artsy town with art galleries and a great family beach and park.    Yesterday I posted the beginning stages of this painting and today I worked on it straight through to completion.   

I welcome comments and any questions you may have.  Feel free to contact me at reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com  

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Palm Trees, Dental Floss, And Works In Progress

Reference photo of Haleiwa, Oahu

What do palm trees, dental floss, and my recent works in progress have in common?  Lots!   Below is a rough lay-in of oil color on canvas of the above scene.

12" x 6" oil on canvas
work in progress

I did some research on the internet trying to find out what kind of palm tree that was with the white "flowers" on it, but soon realized that with nearly 3000 different species of palm trees throughout the world, my search   might take days and I would never get this blog post finished tonight !  I feel good about this initial color sketch and believe this painting will flow with ease.   By the way, that reddish color is not regular burnt sienna but Daniel Smith's Quinacridone Sienna which I prefer to use now.  I have all of the Daniel Smith Quinacridone colors in oil, acrylic, and watercolor and I highly recommend them.  Another interesting earth color by this manufacturer is Sedona Genuine; I have not checked their catalog lately but I hope they still make that color as I use it fairly often in landscapes.

About the dental floss, it is one of many things made from the palm tree.   Other uses include shoe polish, surfboard wax and on and on.   Below is another landscape I am working on at present along with the reference photograph I took while in a moving vehicle.  I wish I could remember where this scene was located. 

My reference photo
rough color sketch
8" x 16" oil

I may only put a portion of the fence in my painting. The three horses need to go back farther into the middle ground.   I suppose it is obvious that I compose as I go, rearranging and experimenting all the while.  Each artist has their own way of working; I never make a complete sketch before I begin laying in color, unless I am working in watercolor, then I partially sketch the subject.   

Thank you for visiting my blog and please return again soon to view the progress on these and other paintings.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Diamond Head Lighthouse Oahu (Re-visited)


"Diamond Head Lighthouse And Beach"
9" x 12" acrylic on canvas
$625

Diamond Head Lighthouse is a short drive or walk from Waikiki Beach if you are near Kapiolani Park.  I have painted this lighthouse previously as a miniature.   The Hawaiian name for Diamond Head is Leahi .  Maybe next time I paint this lighthouse seascape it will be at sunset or sunrise.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Blushing Tulips With Blue Iris


"Blushing Tulips With Blue Iris"
9" x 12" oil on gallery wrap canvas
$625

Fresh on the easel !   I finished painting this a few minutes ago; the background is not quite as yellow as this image makes it seem.   These white, blushed with pink, tulips were so delicate and beautiful; I must paint more tulips very soon .   The sides of this canvas are painted also, so it does not need to be framed although I always prefer to recommend framing a painting.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Sunset At Ko'Olina (Oahu)


"Sunset At Ko'Olina"
5" x 7" oil on canvas on panel
$250

I seem to be drawn to paint  more sunset seascapes lately. This is another study for a future larger painting.   Ko'Olina is a Marriott Resort Hotel on the leeward side of Oahu in Kapolei.   It is a pleasure to visit there and take photographs for future marine paintings.    

Friday, May 4, 2012

Barber's Point Lighthouse - Oahu


"Barber's Point Lighthouse"
5" x 7" oil on canvas on panel
$250

Barber's Point Lighthouse sits on the southwest tip of the island of Oahu outside of Kalaeloa.  It is about a 40 minute drive from Waikiki.   The lighthouse is 71 feet high and this is my first attempt to paint it.   I was there at sunset and the sky was just beautiful.   My original intention was to paint a much larger canvas and I hope to do that soon; just wanted to try a small study first.   

Thank you for viewing my art.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Works In Progress and Handy Studio Tool


This photo gives you an idea of how I set up my easel to work.  That is a well used piece of cardboard that rests on the easel and I stick my reference photos on it using UHU tac, a removable adhesive putty.  There may be other brands of the product, but that is the only kind I can find in Honolulu.   On the bottom are two oil seascapes (5"x7") that I will finish soon.  The two tulip and japanese iris photos above are references to the first lay-in of color on the 9"x12" oil shown below.

Work In Progress
9"x12" oil on gallery wrap canvas

Do you artists ever find that sometimes paint tube lids get "stuck" and are difficult to open?  For really tough cases I have lit a match and put the flame around the lid to loosen any dried paint that is causing the lid to not open.   A handy tool to keep in the studio to solve this problem is shown below.


Yep, it's a nutcracker !  It really makes life easier in the studio.