Jar of Coins

Jar of Coins 4.5" x 3.5" oil on arches oil paper


In the summer when I heard the ice cream truck song 'pop goes the weasel' I'd run out of my house with a big jar of pennies and I'd buy as many candy cigarettes as I could. I've been looking at objects with new wonder, everything looks like it'd be interesting to paint at least once. As long as I squint I can break down any complex object. I'm in the process of moving to Kirkland so I'm finding so many neat things that were tucked away.
I've been watching a lot of interviews while painting, I saw Stephen King on YouTube doing a Q&A with college students, he said a few things I liked. He spoke about ideas and time, how the good stuff sticks around. He referenced shaking out breadcrumbs in a strainer and in the course of time, the good big breadcrumbs stick around and the little bits fall out.

Apple on a Pedestal

Apple on a Pedestal 4.5" x 3.5" oil on arches oil paper


This reminds me of some of my still life work from undergrad, typically most of my still life work had monumental compositions. These tiny paintings are challenging but I'm getting the hang of it, squint squint squint!

Gala Apple

Gala Apple 4.5" x 3.5" oil paint arches oil paper


Counted the brushstrokes, it was around 92 so I guess I did good on the first one, really hard challenge. I do have rules that I'm trying to follow, I'm allowed to redo the same brushstroke to get a better color. Also, I can use a napkin to smear the paint around.

Apples in a Basket

Apples in a Basket 3.5" x 3.5" oil paint on arches oil paper


Tried to count my brushstrokes on this one but I was getting frustrated so I kept wiping it out. I drew a few thumbnails trying to figure it out in between wiping it. I ended up squinting my eyes, trying to simplify and think about the whole picture rather than little details.

Apple with Stripes

Apple with Stripes 4.5" x 4.5" oil on Arches Oil Paper


I knew I was saving that Victoria Secret bag for a reason! Makes a great background. So this Arches Oil paper can't seem to take overworking so I'll count my strokes when using this paper. This painting took 39 brushstrokes, I bet that can be reduced.

Candy Corn

Candy Corn 4" x 4" oil paint on oil arches paper


Took a little siesta from my blog, it was my birthday on the 26th. For this painting I wanted to squint my eyes as much as possible and try to look at the dish like it was just blocks of color.

If It Fits, It Sits

If It Fits, It Sits 5" x 4"  oil on oil arches paper


I thought at first the pumpkin would sit better in the basket but it just kind of sat on the top, reminds me of the 'If I fits, I sits' meme of cats trying to sit in small boxes. I was debating on whether or not to crop the border off but I like it, if I were to frame this I would just float the paper in the middle of the frame. Starting in the middle of the paper suits me better because I can play with the composition a bit, if I need more space to an area it's easier to add. Also this lets me make a full mark without going off the edge of the surface, always bugs me.