More Oranges continues....

I don't think I mentioned the paper I use, it is La Carte which is a sanded paper and comes in a variety of colors, I love them all. I am now at a point where it is all starting to fall into place. I have had some issues with the shadow colors on the oranges, going back and forth with blues and purples and even dark maroon colors trying to capture the right color and value of the shadow.  Its interesting when you look at the orange in shadow, the pith, right under the rind is lighter looking even though its in shadow. So what happens is my brain tells me it is a lighter color but in reality when I isolate the color it is really dark although lighter than the colors around it. Our brains are always trying to fill in what it thinks or knows its looking at, constantly telling me to just trust me, I know what color that is!

I have found that when I am really struggling to see a particular color I have to isolate it from the surrounding colors. I do this by taking a white piece of paper and using a hole punch I punch some holes. I then place the paper over the color to isolate it so I am able to see the true color. It is sometime shocking what the color actually is or how dark or light the color is. It is also important to see the value, so you can easily change you color photo into a greyscale photo which helps to show you the true value of the color you are trying to figure out.

  I have also started to lay in the shadows under the oranges and the reflected light and orange glow that they are giving off in this intense lighting. As I add the lightest of lights these shadows will be amazing. My goal is to make this orange glow and look translucent in spots, once the darks and lights are in I think this painting will really pop!

More of my extended weekend!

I am going to post some pictures from my weekend in San Clemente, it was an amazing time on the beach, celebrating Dianna's birthday with peach pie and vintage candle holders, visiting Andy's beautiful home on the water and taking pictures with all her funky stuff! It makes me excited for next year and I already miss everyone!

Another 6" pastel- Paris Street Scenes

I also have this posted on my other blog, Desiree's Designs, but wanted to also share here. I took so many great photos in Paris and want to paint them all, this is one and I did it in pastels and only 6"!

Tomorrow I meet with the people for the commission piece, keep your fingers crossed!

A series for the next 6" show

Randy Higbee's Gallery had their 6" show, it was amazing. I missed the deadline by a day and was just sick over it. This time I will be ready. They are supposed to have another around fall sometime. I am working on a series of small paintings that will also be available for sale on my other blog, desiree's designs , so keep you eyes open as I will be offering new pieces all the time. Here is my latest series called Vineyard Gold. Pastel 6"x6". The photo is a bit blurry, my phones photo quality seems to be slipping!!

Chicken Feathers

Don't you just seem to have days like this!? I know I have gotten up and this has been my reflection in the mirror! This was the daily painting challenge and it is a 8"x10" pastel on suede mat board.
Bid on this now! I have restarted my other blog to post paintings only. I hope you will visit and sign up to follow!! I hope to post paintings almost daily that are available for sale.


Desiree's Designs Daily Painting Blog

Hotel Herdell is finally Finished!!!

I took the weekend to finish my sunflower painting, the photo was taken at a friends house. She is so hospitable and puts us up and feeds us during our girls weekend and pastel class. She has a window that gets wonderful west sun and the sunshine came in on this one day and backlit the sunflowers so that they glowed. Hope you like it, I am so ready to move on to the next one!!

Our Girls Pastel Weekend

I just got back from my girls pastel weekend in San Clemente. We all meet to take Dianna Pontings class at the San Clemente Art Supply, an awesome art store. The owners are the nicest people and our group is now on its 5th year, I think its been five. This year we all went to the Pageant of the Masters and the Feastival of Arts and the Sawdust Feastival. What a fun day,looking at art, walking the streets of Laguna and eating at the sidewalk resturant.  Needless to say we were all exhausted at the end of the 5 days of fun! Here is the class piece that I finished and some of the pictures of our days together, enjoy! If youre interested in Dianna's class contact San Clemente Art Supply and get on the list now!

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Originally uploaded by ddhabicht

Finished, will review tomorrow and then it's onto the next. I would
love comment on my blog thanks
This is pastels on wallis board 8"x10"

Jim's Preserves

As many of you know that follow my blog, my brother Jim did some canning this year and sent the preserves to us for our Christmas Gifts. The most beautiful package arrived and we all loved it. Well I wanted to do a pastel painting of it and decided to paint the photo I had taken and shared with you in the other post. Here is my pastel of "Jim's Preserves". After I posted it on Wet Canvas, Mario, from Pastel News asked if he could feature it on his blog, what an honor!

Pastel demo- Pear on Glass

I am doing a demo for a painting group I belong to called Painting Friends. I decided to do a video for the actual painting part of the demo instead of writing all the information down. I realized I am terrible as a videographer but I muscled through it. I choose two pictures that had high contrast, it gave them a choice and allowed them to do the one that matched the pastels they had on hand. I had them get sand paper to play on, its cheap and easy. This is my the painting, on La Carte. Available for purchase

Helen's Bentley

I couldn't sleep last night and I have been itching to play with pastels on suede board more. I am going to order some Ampersand pastelbord to try also. I like the way the suede board holds the pastel and still allows for lots of layering of color. I am not able to use my really soft pastels though, not as well as the Nupastels seem to go on. I think I am going to do the WC challenge, where you take one image, simplify it and then paint it 100 different ways! I will start next year and I have the picture in mind already. Anyway, here is Helen's adorable King Charles Spaniel, Bentley! Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas

Pastel 8"x10"

Cupcakes the latest DSDF challenge

This biweekly challenge was a photo of cupcakes, I loved it. I actually love all the pictures she posts but my schedule hasn't allowed me any time to paint for fun ! LOL I took a few hours this afternoon and did this pastel painting of cupcakes. It is a bit blurry, I hope to get a clearer picture next time. There is just something about painting food that is so enjoyable! Especially when you re on a diet. Soft Pastel 10"x 20"

!

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Originally uploaded by ddhabicht

I took a pastel class from Alicia Sotherland today. Pastel on suede
mat board. No preliminary drawing just start by filling in negative
spaces. I choose to paint this old women from our photos from
Italy. Actually Helen took the picture and met and talked with this woman. She has very masculine feature so hard to tell if she is man or
woman. Marta also went and painted a beautiful piece.

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Originally uploaded by ddhabicht

The beginning of our class assignment in Dianna Pontings pastel class.