Thursday, December 26, 2013

Jim McVicker - Landscape, Seascape, Still Life Oil Painter (Video)

I have long admired Jim McVicker's still life work, but when I saw the video  "Jim McVicker: A Way of Seeing" I was extremely impressed with his landscapes and seascapes as well.  Unfortunately, when I go to YouTube to download this documentary about him and his work, it is nowhere to be found.  It is a 30 minute video and if you go straight to YouTube you may find it.    Below is another video.... it is not a "how to paint" video, but rather a visit to his studio where you may see samples of his work.  Enjoy !!



I will post more of my own new works soon.

Artist Update:  I watched this video again all the way through, and when the video ends there is a link to several videos , including the one "Jim McVicker: A Way of Seeing" which is 30 minutes long and is a documentary on the artist and his work and shows some beautiful California scenery while  McVicker paints plein air.  I wish I were more computer savvy ; hopefully that link will always appear at the end of the above  video and you may view it easily.





Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Orchid Grace


"Orchid Grace"
9" x 12" oil on gallery wrap canvas

I am not familiar with the proper name of this white orchid in the oil painting above, but I thought the title "Orchid Grace" fit it rather well.   


Saturday, November 30, 2013

Morning Quiet (Hawaii Seascape Diamond Head Crater) by Carol Reynolds


"Morning Quiet"
6" x 6" acrylic on archival panel
$350

This acrylic seascape is a scene looking towards Diamond Crater on Oahu, Hawaii, and is the view from the beach at the Hilton in Waikiki.   
To see the reference photo and the beginning stage of this painting go here

Congratulations to Dee in New Mexico who won the Watercolor Video Giveaway!   She chose the DVD featuring Susan Bourdet.    

Check back here on Cyber Monday, December 2, for more special offers that day.   I will post more about that either tomorrow or in the wee hours on Monday.  A reminder also that now through midnight (Hawaii time) on December 2  there is a 15%  discount on any painting purchased; any size, any price range.



Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Glow At Eternity Beach (Hawaiian Seascape)


"Glow At Eternity Beach"
6" x 6" acrylic on panel 
$350

This seascape is an area on Oahu, Hawaii, known as Halona Cove, but the locals call it "Eternity Beach" from a movie scene shot there with Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr in the oldie "From Here To Eternity".

There was a winner for the Watercolor Video giveaway, but she has not responded to my email yet.  More later. 


Sunday, November 24, 2013

Reminder About Watercolor DVD Giveaway Drawing

Get talking!  Spread the word!


Blue and Gold Macaws
Photo by Carol Reynolds

Tell all your artist friends and others about signing up as a follower of this blog or to receive emails on recent posts (link above in the left side bar)  so you will and your friends will be eligible for a free DVD on watercolor techniques.   You have a choice between either a video by Arleta Pech or by Susan Bourdet.   More details may be found at this recent post . There is also a link at that post where you can go view a short preview about both of the videos.  The deadline is Monday, November 25, 2013 at midnight. I will make a random drawing after that from my blog followers, and my email list on this blog and on my main website.   The winner will be notified via email immediately.

Another reminder that now through December 2 there is a special 15% discount when you purchase one or more paintings.  This discount is for anyone and everyone; you do not have to sign up to follow this blog or join my email list.   December 2 is Cyber Monday and I will have other special offers available on that day as well.  Check back with me here.  

By the way, the above photograph of the parrots is available as prints, note cards, or posters at my website with Fine Art America .   Also, while at that site, check out other prints of my photography and paintings.

A big thank you to everyone for your support over the past years  !   




Saturday, November 23, 2013

Taking It All In - 2nd Version (Seascape With Woman On Sand Dunes)


"Taking It All In" (Second Version)
6" x 6" acrylic on panel
$350

This acrylic seascape was fun to paint for a change.  I will eventually go back to oils, but right now I wanted to work in acrylics for 4 small seascapes in progress.    


Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Pink Moon and Seascape Works In Progress - Eternity Beach and Diamond Head (And Clarifying Previous Post)


Diamond Head From The Hilton 
Photo by Carol Reynolds

The above photo of Diamond Head Crater (an extinct volcano)  was taken in the early morning from the beach at the Hilton in Waikiki.  Perfect timing with the boat being there !   Below is the beginning stages of a 6" x 6" acrylic of this scene.


Very very rough beginning of Diamond Head 
6" x 6" Acrylic WIP


Eternity Beach 
Photo by Carol Reynolds

This is Halona Beach on Oahu, but the locals call it Eternity Beach because of the old movie "From Here to Eternity" that had a scene filmed here with Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr.   I am working on another 6" x 6" painting of this scene as well, shown below.


Eternity Beach WIP   
Again, very rough work in progress

If you scroll down to the previous post made yesterday, Monday,  I announced 15% off on any paintings of mine until and through December 2, 2013.   That special is for anyone and everyone,  not just followers of this blog or those on my email list.       The special for followers and for those on my email list pertains to the Watercolor DVD  giveaway only.   I just needed to clarify that .  If you are interested in the drawing for the videos, please either follow this blog or sign up to receive my blog posts by email above in the top left side bar.   You could be the winner of a free watercolor DVD !

Below is what greeted me early this morning when I stepped out on my lanai (patio) at sunrise :


Pink Moon 
Original photo by Carol Reynolds

Love it ! There was a nice pink glow to the sky and clouds, but the sky was lighter than this image shows.   


Monday, November 18, 2013

Waikiki Treasure Hunter (Reference Photo) And DVD Giveaway And Gift Certificate


"Waikiki Treasure Hunter"
Original Photo by Carol Reynolds

The photo above was taken at sunrise on Waikiki Beach.   I intend to begin a 6" x 8" painting soon of this treasure hunter.   
Two things are good news for you who subscribe to this blog or on my email list here and at my Website  First, I am offering a 15% discount on purchases of any size painting of mine and that applies also to any price range, of course.   This offer begins Monday, November 18, 2013 and will end at midnight on Monday, December 2, 2013, which is also Cyber Monday.  On Cyber Monday there will be other special prices and giveaways on this blog.   I will not have special offers on my Website on December 2, however; just on this Reynolds Renditions blog.   See gift certificate below.


This will not work on PayPal Buy Now button.  Not all of my works have the Buy Now button displayed.  To get your 15% off of your selected painting,  simply email me the code : BLOG15off .    More contact information for me  is above on the link "Contact and Purchase". 
 I will be able to draw up an invoice for you on PayPal (you do not need to have a PayPal account), or you may pay by check or money order.   Once it clears , I will mail you the painting.  All paintings are priced  and shipped unframed.

Artist Update on 11/20/13 :  I realized that my wording made it sound like only followers of this blog or those on my email list were eligible for the 15%  off.   The 15% off of any painting(s) pertains to anyone and everyone !   The special offer for the giveaway free watercolor DVD as explained below is ONLY for those who subscribe to my blog or are on my email list.    

Free Watercolor DVD !!

Your choice of either "Pure Color Glazing in Watercolor" by Arleta Pech or  "Inspiration From The Garden in Watercolor" by Susan Bourdet !!

Both videos are older ones I have had in my possession for some time, but I no longer paint in watercolor to speak of, and thought my readers and followers may enjoy them.  They are in excellent condition.   The Bourdet one has some damage to the outside cover case, however; no dents, just the fine layer of plastic covering is missing.  To view a short preview about each of the above videos go here and scroll to find them listed.

Please be sure to sign up for my blog posts and email list if you have not already done so because I am giving away one of the 2 DVDs described  above in a random drawing from that list on Monday, November 25, at
midnight and will announce it to the winner and on this blog and inquire as to which DVD they prefer for me to send them.   

Please share this post on the social media links below if you like and have time.   I would appreciate it!   :-D

Thank you!  And thank you for visiting my blog.


   

Friday, November 15, 2013

Waikiki Outrigger - Psalm 96:11 (Seascape )


"Waikiki Outrigger - Psalm 96:11"
8" x 16" acrylic on canvas 
$1275



This acrylic seascape of  an outrigger at Waikiki Beach went through some changes as I painted.   Scroll down to the previous post on November 12 to see my reference photograph.    


 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

What's On My Easel and Video About the Old Hudson River School Artists


Outrigger at Waikiki Beach at Sunrise
Photo by Carol Reynolds

This reference photograph that I took at sunrise on Waikiki Beach is one of 4 paintings I am working on at the present time.  In the actual painting of this outrigger, the sky was more subdued but as usual I got color happy and intensified the sunrise colors in the clouds, etc.    I may tone the sky down again for a softer look. 

Below is a very informative video about the Old Hudson River School Artists, including Thomas Cole and Asher B. Durand; there are interesting facts presented on textural scale and atmospheric perspective.  Enjoy!




  

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Long Gone Older Figurative Works


"Wine And Roses 1"
oil on canvas 

This painting is no longer in my possession; it was painted around 1988, as you can probably tell because I was not as experienced as I am now and there are some glaring mistakes.   But I rather liked it at the time.  Below is another oil painted about the same time; the object was to paint on the theme of wine and roses.


"Wine And Roses 2"
oil on canvas

Again, some obvious no no's in this work. Both of the paintings shown were painted purely from my imagination.  If I had used actual women models and props,  I am sure the outcome would have been much better.   Again, this was way back in 1988.    I just thought I would share these older works with you as I am considering doing more figurative paintings in the future for a change of pace.   

Stay tuned for new work !



Tuesday, November 5, 2013

To Everything A Season - Reworked (New Mexico Oil Landscape Painting)


"To Everything A Season"  
12" x 16" oil on panel 
Reworked and completed 
$1575




   If you scroll down to the previous post on November 2, you will see I forgot to include a couple of tree reflections in the creek .  Silly me; must be my old age    :-)    So I corrected that problem today and tweaked the foreground a bit.   Your computer monitor and mine will probably differ, but the colors are rich in this painting.  There is a slight glare on the image in the foreground that I had a difficult time trying to correct.   Sorry about that.  I took photo after photo and could not correct the problem. Check the previous November 2 post and compare.

My Website

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Saturday, November 2, 2013

To Everything A Season (Oil Landscape Painting of New Mexico)


"To Everything A Season"
12" x 16" oil on archival panel
$1575



This oil landscape painting of New Mexico is an area at Frijoles Creek in Bandelier National Park.  Mule deer are abundant in that park.   To view a demo of the various stages of this work, go to my website.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Gardenia Beauty - Oil Still Life Painting

"The Amen of nature is always a flower." - Oliver Wendell Holmes


"Gardenia Beauty"
 6" x 6" oil  on archival panel
$350

This oil still life painting was completed this evening.  It is only my second time to paint a gardenia blossom.





Friday, October 18, 2013

Lost In Paint and Reference Still Life Photos


Orchids and Anthuriums Still Life Reference Photo

The above still life reference photograph with pink and white anthuriums and white dendrobium orchids will  miraculously turn into a painting in the near future.   

Right now I am working on 3 small floral paintings and a 12" x 16" landscape.....in other words, I have been lost in paint in the studio and loving it!  I felt like I should check in with you and tell you I'm still here and please come back soon to view new paintings.   Below is another reference photograph of mine of a painting I am currently working on.  Enjoy !   


Pink Plumeria 


Sunday, October 6, 2013

"Spring Snow Patches" - New Mexico Oil Landscape Painting


"Spring Snow Patches"
16" x 20" oil on panel

This oil landscape painting is an area near Taos, New Mexico.  It was the beginning of May and a light snow covered everything, but as it melted some snow patches lingered for awhile.  


Tuesday, October 1, 2013

And The Winner Is ...


"Red Orchid  #1"
Photo by Carol Reynolds

I love red orchids (all colors, really) and this is a photo I took sometime ago of one that I purchased that has since passed away.   I do not have a green thumb where orchids are concerned; most other plants I have thrive.

The main reason for this post is to announce that Rick Nilson is the winner of the free oil seascape painting ! (Go Here To View)  Congratulations again, Rick!



Monday, September 30, 2013

Tonight's The Night (Deadline To Enter For A Free Oil Seascape Painting)


"Heads  Or Tails"
12" x 12"  Oil on panel 

The above oil still life painting with a Rainbow Lorikeet and Sunflowers is now available as prints at Fine Art America;  please go here to purchase prints of this or of my other paintings or of my photography.

The deadline to win the free oil painting is tonight, Monday, September 30, 2013.   It will end at 8 p.m. Central Time, USA. Scroll down to the previous post for more details.   I will also enter in the drawing all of you who have signed up previously to receive emails from this, my Reynolds Renditions, blog and the followers of this blog (except my family members and my friends will not be eligible).  I am looking forward to this, and will announce the winner tomorrow (October 1) or once I make contact with them and have their permission to use their name or not.




Friday, September 27, 2013

Reminder - Random Drawing For Free Painting ( Oil Seascape)


"Got The Blues"
5" x 7" oil on canvas

Last week I announced a random drawing for the free oil seascape painting shown above (go here).  To enter to win this unframed scene of the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii,  you only need to enter your email address at my website by clicking on the email link on the home page in order that I may contact the winner. The drawing ends on Monday, September 30, 2013, and I will announce the winner on Tuesday, October 1, 2013.   Your privacy is respected and I will not announce your name as the winner if you do not want me to.   
Remember, shipping is free if you live within the USA!

Thank you for your interest.



Berthe Morisot - French Impressionist (Video)

"Consider the postage stamp, my son.  It secures success through its ability to stick to one thing 'til it gets there."  - Josh Billings


Photo of scene near Taos, New Mexico
by Carol Reynolds 

I've been having long days at the easel working on an oil painting of the scene pictured above, which is right outside Taos, New Mexico.     The quote above by Josh Billings about sticking to one thing til you get there is really applicable to me and this painting.   I usually work on several paintings at once, but for some reason I have been sticking to this one landscape, determined to finish it.   Stay tuned because it is  "almost there."

Below is a video showing many of Berthe Morisot's paintings, several of which I have never seen before.  It is Part 1  of  2 separate videos; I have not viewed the second one yet.  I think I mentioned before that as a teenager I read lots of books about the French Impressionists and fell in love with their style of painting, although my work is not impressionistic for the most part; sometimes a work of mine gets a little impressionistic.      Enjoy the video; it is almost 10 minutes long, by the way.




Thursday, September 19, 2013

Free Seascape Oil Painting


"Got The Blues"
5" x 7" oil on stretched canvas

Some time ago I announced I would be having a Free Give-away; well, here it is.   It is an oil painting of the ocean on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.   The give-away begins today, Thursday, September 19, 2013, and will end on Monday, September 30, 2013.   The winner will be announced here and on my website on Tuesday, October 1, 2013.    More information may be found at my website.  You just need to sign up with your email address here so I can notify you if you win the painting.  It will be a random "out of the hat" drawing and my friends and relatives are not eligible so it will be entirely an impartial process.

The painting will be packaged with care and will be shipped unframed.

Shipping is free in the USA.  Other areas will be charged whatever the current shipping rate is via United States Postal Service. 

Don't forget to sign up !   This will be fun.   


Monday, September 16, 2013

Best White Oil Paint, Natural Pigments, Hawaiian Moorhen, And My Studio Assistant

"The best way to finish a painting is to start a new one." - Sylvio Gagnon

"Making Ripples" (Hawaiian Moorhen)
24" x 24" Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas
Available

The above acrylic painting of the Hawaiian Moorhen was from a reference photo of mine taken at Hamakua Marsh in Kailua on Oahu, Hawaii.   It is not what I have been working on lately; I had hoped to finish a landscape this past Saturday but, alas, it was not to be.   Sundays I do not paint at all, and today life interfered beginning with needing maintenance help in my kitchen.   I spent some time improving my website and see below for my studio assistant who needed me to make a trip today to go buy her some food.


See her licking her chops !  This is Lika on my patio.  We are great buddies!  But I digress.

I recently discovered that Gamblin Artist Oil Colors has a new white called "Flake White Replacement".  It is true to the properties of the old flake white but does not contain the lead. This replacement white is also more permanent than the old lead laden flake white, which I used many many years ago.  Nowadays, for the most part, I use Weber's Permalba White which is a mixture of Titanium and Zinc whites; that combination of Zinc and Titanium is, or has been, the best white.  But I intend to purchase Gamblin's Flake White Replacement soon as well as another new white they have called Warm White which is a mixture of Benaimidazolone Orange, Hansa Yellow, Titanium White, and Zinc White.   I realize I can make my own mixture of warm white with paint already on hand, but I like to try new things and I like to save time.   

I made a post here some time back about Natural Pigments (click here) to view.   I will not repeat the old information given there, other than to say some artists (despite it being dangerous and toxic) might still want to purchase lead white paints.   Natural Pigments paints website carries more than one kind of lead white; their paints are called Rublev Colours and they come in watercolors as well as oils.   They are made of natural and historical pigments used by the old masters and there are no additives to the paint like fillers, driers, or stabilizers; simply single pigment colors and binders.  I intend to purchase some of their paints as well.  

Back to finishing my landscape tomorrow !  It is really coming along great; just need to adjust some of the greens and add the foreground cattails.  I tend to paint slow lately and, although I love impressionistic work, I work in a more realistic, time-consuming manner.  I am sure he must have been referring to the French Impressionists when Richard Boyle said, "To the impressionist, the work was finished, no matter how casual the execution, when the idea was completely realized on the canvas."   And that is okay, but it is not my way of working.  I will admit, though, to the truth of what Harley Brown has said, "The painting is always finished before the artist thinks it is."
Lika is sound asleep now beside me, and I need to be a copycat and do the same.  



Friday, September 13, 2013

"Breaking Through Artist's Block" (Video) - and Tomato Sandwich Painting


Tomato Sandwich Half
8" x 8" oil on canvas
$375

I have posted the above painting to this blog before, but now I would like to announce that it is available as a print in various sizes and formats on Fine Art America.    For today's post I had originally intended to show a video about fine artist David Cheifetz  because his still life paintings are so dramatic and rich in color.   He also paints other subject matter, but I was particularly drawn to his excellent still life work.   To make a long story short, I could not find a video on this artist but ran across the video shown below about "Breaking through artist's block"  that I found rather informative.   It explains how sometimes the eye (vision) of the artist improves beyond the artist's skill level which in turn makes the artist depressed thinking his work is terrible.   Then he may go days or weeks without painting.   This video lasts a little over 17 minutes and has no images other than a "graph" of sorts.   



I have not had artist block in a long time; I just paint slower now.   I tend to paint in layers, necessitating drying between layers before I can begin to paint again on the same canvas.  I have been painting this morning and I am almost finished with a landscape of a scene near Taos, New Mexico.   I may finish it tonight or tomorrow so please check back with me soon.   


Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Lost And Found (Old Photos of New England and Nova Scotia)

Motif #1  Rockport, Massachusetts

Recently I found some old photographs that had been "lost" and I was so elated!   Above is the only shot I have of Motif #1 in Rockport, Massachusetts.  I may or may not ever paint this scene, but I am a very happy camper over finding this photo again.   Below are a couple of images of scenes in New England, not sure if they are in Massachusetts or not.



These are not the greatest photographs, but they were taken over 30 years ago and were on tiny 3" x 3" photos.  Below is a scene from Nova Scotia taken in 1969


That is me with my 3 year old daughter and my grandmother.   Notice my 2 pony tails...  smile.   Just thought I would share this photo to prove I was once young.

My son and daughter are busy sharing on Facebook all the old family pictures I found with their friends and some other family members who have never seen these particular pictures before.  I still have several more to scan and send to my children.   But I am still painting away....the going is slow; but I wanted to make a blog post today to "check in" with you and remind you to visit again soon for completed new paintings I am currently working on.    
                     What Is It?

Go Here to find out
                     

Friday, September 6, 2013

Escape To Foster Botanical Gardens Today (Flowers and Trees and Egrets - Photos)


Rainbow Plumeria 

I think the rainbow plumeria trees have the prettiest blossoms, but all plumerias are quite lovely, no matter the color.   

I went ages without going on a photo shoot so last week and today (Friday) I satisfied that craving.    Today I only intended to spend a few minutes at Foster Botanical Gardens in Honolulu and take only around 30 or 40 photos; instead I spent about 3 hours there and took 187 photographs!  I had a grand time.  The photos I take can all be references for future paintings.   Plus, I have several photographs as prints on Fine Art America  which you can purchase there as well as note cards.
Below are photos of the Cassia tree.



I took several photographs of some cattle egrets that seem to always congregate at Foster Botanical Gardens.   Following is one of them.


White Ginger is found on the Hawaiian islands, but it is not as abundant as the red and pink.  I am happy with the photo below I took today of White Ginger.

White Ginger

There are many hybrid Hibiscus in Hawaii; below is the Hawaiian native white hibiscus.

Hawaiian  Native White Hibiscus

Hybrid Orange Hibiscus (not native to Hawaii)

The orange hibiscus photo above I took in front of an apartment tower on my walk to the botanical gardens today.  I love that intense color !

Now, back to the easel tonight and tomorrow and splashing paint on canvas.... I mean on panel.   Lately, I have enjoyed using Gessobord panels as a support, although I still have several stretched canvases I need to use up.   Check back soon for more paintings.


  

Sunday, September 1, 2013

"Fall Glory Greenlake Seattle" and "Alert" Oil Paintings (News)


"Fall Glory - Greenlake Seattle"
12" x 16" oil on canvas
$1575




"Alert"
Black-crowned Night Heron
12" x 12" oil on canvas
$1200

The "news" is that today I made the above 2 paintings available as prints on Fine Art America.  Please check out my website there for more information on these and other paintings and photographs of mine available at FAA as prints and note cards.

I will be busy tomorrow and however long it takes to complete 2  oil landscapes currently in progress.   It seems the older I get, the slower I paint.   Well, I've slowed down in a lot of ways with age.  But it's nice to "stop and smell the roses"     :-)