Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Creating a Painting is Alot Like Decorating a Room!

A new painting in the works...


I usually start with a photo, something will strike me about the photo that says, this would make a beautiful painting

like this one....



then i pick up a similar sized canvas with my 50% off coupon for Michaels

prop it up on the easel with the photo close by

you can see on the photo, where i tested the colors i mixed by brushing them right on the paper...


here it is in the beginning stages...


painting is MESSY!



Once i get started, i don't care about the messes, what i get paint on, or anything, i just turn on my Pandora radio, grab my smokes , 
i know i'm soooo gonna die from cigarettes, it's the worst thing i do..
and go at it...
I'm like a dog circling his bed for a while before i paint, pacing around, deciding what i want to paint... etc...
If i have a big canvas, i'm always scared i'm gonna ruin it, because big canvases are expensive...

A blank canvas can be very intimidating!

see those two different size house painting brushes in all that mess on the table, i get them at the Dollar Store... so remember what they look like, and grab a handful if you see them...  if i do a tutorial, you're gonna need some
they are great, and cheap!


you know, i show you my paintings, but i don't think i'm so great at it all or anything...
half the time i spend on a painting, is fixing things i screwed up, or don't like... 
but that's why i love oil paint, it dries nice and slow...

I've decided i want this painting to work vertically or horizontally...
So maybe i could use it over my mantel...
Betsy Speert, who is a famous interior designer,  answers decorating questions FOR FREE on her blog on Tuesdays, 
she is funny as anything to read too
She told me i needed something vertical over my mantel... 

here it is still in process, i decided i didn't like the area at the bottom, it needed a dark edge, more balance, more weight to ground it... or something...
and i don't like the way that one petal in the upper left hand corner goes off the edge of the page, so i'll try some different things with that...



so here you can see i added more dark brown around the perimeter   


I'm dying to do a tutorial with you guys, so we can do a painting together... i can record on my iphone, but i'm not sure how to put the recording on the blog, any ideas of an easy way to do that?

Last night i was moving stuff around in my living and dining room, noticing the lack of balance or weight on one side of the room, there was too much black on a chalk board frame i made, too dark, 
too much stuff over here and there, 

and i was thinking, arranging a room with the right weight, and color and symmetry is just like making a painting.,..

the room you're working on is your painting 

it has to have good color, and composition and balance..

you are all painters, just in a 3 dimensional sort of way!
anyway, i'm gonna darken the edges some more, maybe add some green to the dark space to indicate,  green leaves or something...

(this is a photo from before i darkened the edges, just propped up in front of another painting, but you get the idea)


and here it is at this point, almost finished


So start grabbing those paint brushes at the Dollar Store

and let's figure out how to make a simple, but pretty painting together 

i really believe if you have the desire... that you can paint too!

...the end...


37 comments:

  1. You are so talented I am in Awe.I WISH I could paint like that.Don't sell yourself short.You are SUPER talented.I am sure you could show me but no way would it look like yours.It is lovely.

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  2. WOW! Beautiful ~ would love to purchase. Have you ever done a horse? You are soooo talented.
    bucknhorseranch@hotmail.com

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  3. ok!!! that is the craziest, gorgeous painting ever, wow, you are soooooooo talented!!!!! in awe!

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  4. You are so amazingly talented, Cindy!

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  5. Oh Cindy, this painting is breathtaking. I love it! You do not give yourself the credit you deserve. You are so good. I love the softness of your paintings and the colors. Wow, oh Wow!!!

    Yes, I think it would be fun if you would do a tutorial. I'll start gathering up my dollar store brushes.

    hugs
    Sissie

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  6. Oh I would love to do a blog class on painting with you. How you do it to record is what I did that time i went to brimfield fair. take videos with your iphone. then open a utube account. then load the video to your utube account and then when you write a blog post there is a thing that shows to upload a video. anyway I think that was how I did it. i know i had to put them on utube to share them.
    Now, let me say this: you are a great painter!! I am in awe of this~showing us the beginnings and then middles and the endings of how you do a painting just shows how amazing this is. I want to try this so much. YOu know I have a canvas sitting in my room. But I have to get the right paints. So put me in for the class. woohoo!

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  7. Beautiful. Just beautiful.

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  8. I ADORE your humble attitude, but you have some serious talent. I feel honored just to know someone with such CRAZY skills! {your house always looks so gorgeous}

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  9. That is just gorgeous. I am in awe of people who can draw and paint. Whenever I've tried, what I ultimately create is pretty unrecognizable. You know you're bad when you've created an abstract and that wasn't your intention.

    I would love a tutorial.

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  10. It's lovely ! And just right for that spot !

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  11. Your painting is gorgeous!!Your gonna be a star!!!

    Kathy

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  12. That painting is breathtaking as is all of your paintings. You don't give yourself nearly enough credit for your talent. I could buy every paint brush they have at the dollar store and never create paintings with the depth that yours have.

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  13. oh Heavenly Father, please do a tutorial u have more talent than anyone i know who is an artist no kidding cindy i will send u money to teach me to paint like that i can't wait!!!!susan.....friday.allen@gmail.com at least i got the smoking part down!!!

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  14. Cindy your painting is so beautiful! You are so talented. Thanks for sharing. Love your work.

    xo,
    Danielle

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  15. You obviously really enjoy painting. It shows. That's one beautiful rose!

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  16. love it Cindy! Looks fab over your mantel!!
    By the way that table you are painting on is gorgeous!!!!!!!

    Love everything you are pinning too! Oh I just can't stand all the gorgeous photos on Pinterest...makes me want to pass out!
    Pamela xo

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  17. Cindy, you are a brilliant artist and a lot of us would never be able to do what you do, even if we were slugging down Jack Daniels with you at our elbow. I'm a singer, as you know. I thought EVERYONE could sing. Until I went to karaoke...so we all have our unique talents...besides being a wonderful artist and decorator you're funnier than hell and I love you..PS Where did you get those cool hand warmers in the picture with the scarf? Xoxo. Donna Leigh Scott

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  18. girl, no amount of desire in this blogger is gonna lead to a painting like this. you've just got the goods, baby. IT IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. the fact that the materials you use to create such beauty are inexpensive makes me love the piece even more.

    i am so inspired by you, your humility, and your amazing work. never ever stop creating magic.

    michele

    p.s.
    love how you express yourself and so effectively paint word pictures so we can imagine you exactly as you are in your creative mode--you're a fab writer.

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  19. I am with Sissie....Breathtaking! When I first saw the painting I gasped! That's the effect your paintings have on people...truly. My sons were sitting with me and wanted to know what I was looking at. They are 17 and 15 and mainly interested in football food and girls and even they couldn't believe it. Someday I hope to own one of your paintings but I better hurry up and save up the funds before you become too famous for me to afford :) Honestly though...Rachel Ashwell should be selling your paintings in her boutiques!

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  20. Cindy your artwork is seriously stunning! honestly really beautiful,you are very talented!
    I showed Steve your painting this morning and he thought it was a photograph....ok i am getting a flight from the Uk to the dollar store and picking up some brushes,i have secretly being teaching myself to paint from books but i'm not that great so i would love to take a lesson with you :) should i bring you vodka and smokes?
    Have a beautiful day xxx

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  21. Hi Cindy,
    I would sooo love you to do a painting tutorial. You have amazing talent. Roses are my favorite flower, and your looks beautiful. I have done some tole painting years ago, but not ever with oils which I would love to try. I know I would have to practice a lot with shape and proportion. I would need to start on very small canvas maybe even something cheaper at first as I don't know if I could even freehand paint anything that would even resemble a rose. I guess I coudl cover myself and say it is avant-garde art.

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  22. Everytime I look at one of your paintings, I have to be sure and take a deep breath, they are so gorgeous it takes my breath away! This Rose is just exquisite. I can't wait for you to do a Tutorial, I have painted for years, but nothing like yours, and I want in the worst way to paint Beautiful Roses.
    Thanks for sharing!
    marian elizabeth

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  23. Wow! What a multi-talented artist! The rose is beautiful!

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  24. Your painting is beautiful. I also would love to have you do a tutorial. My father paints in water colors but I would love to learn oil painting, I love the dimension and texture of oils.

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  25. Cindy, it is just BEAUTIFUL!
    Hands of beauty create beauty.
    xoxo
    Dore

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  26. Cindy,
    Your paintings are so beautiful. I can't even color inside the lines with crayons so I admire your talent. LOVE your blog!

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  27. This is amazing, Cindy!!! You are very talented. What a beautiful painting!
    It looks wonderful on your mantle.
    xxoo

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  28. You are such an amazing artist! This painting is so beautiful. God definitely gave you a gift and your using it well.

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  29. You could tutor me until the cows come home.....so to speak....and it would not help....that and singing. I suck at both. I think Betsy was right...I like the height and the painting!

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  30. merci for stopping in and introducing yourself! Your blog is gorgeous..your Pinterest boards are lovely and I am now YOUR newest follower! Nice to meet you cindy! ;)

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  31. So much talent Cindy! You brought it to life. I admire you, I can't paint anything but walls.........
    xoxo Judy

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  32. O-M-G!!! Your painting is just stunning!!! Trust me though...you don't want ME to try to paint anything besides walls or furniture!!! LOL
    ~Des

    PS. I just found your blog and am now following you on Google! Hope
    you will follow me back :o)

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  33. love, love, LOVE it!!! it seems quite a departure from your other paintings? yes? the size of the rose makes it a more contemporary look, which i love. love it over the fireplace too! looking forward to your tutes (that sounds funny, i meant tutorials). he he
    erin
    xxoo
    p.s. i have not painted for a while....not exactly sure why.....

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  34. Oh goodness that is absolutely beautiful Cindy!! What a gorgeous gorgeous painting and it looks fantastic on the fireplace!! Thanks for your sweet comments on my china cabinet/library cupboard and I appreciate you looking out!! One of the reasons I have started watermarking is because of pinterest and fb. :) Thank you again~ Hope you are having a fantastic week!

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  35. An absolutely stunning painting, Cindy! And it's so interesting to read about your creative process. Sign me up for that painting class--you're wildly talented and don't give yourself nearly enough credit!

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  36. Yes, beautiful! Thank you for sharing the photos of it...

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  37. Fabulous painting!! I love it leaned up over your mantle. Simply perfect!!

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