Orly II and Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May the year 2014 bring you more success in whatever you do. And a more peaceful and meaningful life as well.

This is my second painting of Orly, my nephew's dog. In my first painting of hem, I used watercolor while this one is in acrylic. This is painted on 30x40 cm acrylic paper.

a quick watercolor study

I know that I can do more to make this painting study better, but I decided to just leave it as is.

Rapeseed field between Arras and Bapaune in France

We just arrived from our visit to a family member who is living in France (in Morvan region). It was snowing and very cold there. But despite such weather, we managed to stop and see some places both in France and in Germany. We were with our car and we were not strict in following our schedule, so it was easy for us to stop and change our plan whenever we wanted to visit a certain place. This trip is obviously my excuse for being absent for a few weeks in my blog and for not visiting other blogger friends' blogs.

About the above painting, it is an impression of the rapeseed field between Arras and Bapaune in France. Last May, we drove along this field and took some pictures which I used as reference for this painting. It is done in acrylic and the size is 30x40 cm.

2013 Christmas card

This is the card that we will be sending out to our relatives and friends for the coming christmas holiday season. The image was based on my own painting of a branch of a holly plant with bright red berries. I am really satisfied with how my painting looks in a card form. Printed inside the card is the same image in small round form plus short text. This card is 15x15 cm in size.

Holly branch with berries

In watercolors, 18x24 cm

Early last month, when we were walking inside the Arboretum Poort Bulten at De Lutte (Netherlands) I saw a holly plant full of red berries. With christmas season in my mind, I took some pictures of the plant with the intention of using them as reference for a painting which I will use for printing christmas cards. I actually produced two paintings based from the pictures, one is painted in watercolors which is this one above, and the other is in acrylic. I like both versions but I chose the one in acrylic for my christmas cards because of its stronger colors. I will post in this blog later how the card looks like.

These past days I was deeply saddened with what I saw and read from the news about the impact of typhoon Haiyan on the people of the Philippines. Some weather experts considered Haiyan as the strongest typhoon ever landed on earth. I could not imagine how those victims survived the 315 km per hour wind. I just hope and pray that those victims received the necessary help they need so that they will be able to continue hoping for a brighter future. May God bless all of them and also those who are providing help.

three pink roses

I painted these roses a couple of months ago when I was trying to know more about acrylic paints. I based this on my imagination of a rose. Did this on canvas panel, 13x18cm in size.

Face sketch

I donot know this lady. She just came out from my pencil sketching practice. I did not use any reference photo for this. I was just trying here to learn the proportions between parts in a human face. Her nose is not really in order. I did this sketch on a scrap watercolor paper, about 3.25x3.25 inches. 

A farm shed

This is a small farm shed that we always pass by when we take our short walk to the farm area north of Enschede. The shed still looks good and every time I glance at it I am always wondering whether it is still being used. 
I am glad that finally I decided to paint it because it has always been my plan. I based this painting from my own photograph which I took about two weeks ago. This is painted in acrylic on acrylic paper, size 30x40cm.

a rose from somewhere

On a canvas panel, I directly painted this rose without any pencil sketch and an actual reference image. I love roses so much that when I am practicing with my painting, they also become my favorite subject. This painting is still part of my acrylic paints exercises.

pear in dark background

Another painting exercise. I think that the right side of the pear is not dark enough. Have a nice weekend to you all.

Cherries

These cherries remind me of our breakfast at Ibis hotel in Avranches in Normandy region in France. That was some time on July 2010 wherein we were then on our two weeks holiday in that country. I love cherries very much, so as soon as I saw them on the buffet breakfast table, I immediately picked up some, put them on our table, made a couple of pictures, and then finished them off. 
I painted these cherries because they remind me of our visit in that part of France. 
This painting is done in acrylic on acrylic paper. The size is 30x40cm.

loosely painted roses

A few days ago, I got some motivation to practice again painting roses in a loose style. I usually use watercolors in doing this exercise. But since I have already some canvas panel, this time I used my acrylic paints. Below is one of the two pieces I have done so far. The size of the painting is 13x18cm or 5x7in. Have a nice weekend to all.

Grapes II

This is my second grapes painting which I think I have not yet posted here. 

It is in watercolor and the size is 30x40 cm. 

wip: church in Auvers-sur-Oise

This church is the same church that Vincent van Gogh had painted. For reference, I'm using my own photographs which I took during my previous visits in Auvers-sur-Oise, France. I'm still busy with this painting. This is a small work, 18x24cm and in acrylic.

a rose card

For a few minutes, I made this 13x13cm card for my neighbor friend who will be celebrating her birthday next week. Interestingly, she has the same birthdate as mine. I hope she will like it because it is really just a watercolor sketch and done quickly.

progress in rose exercise

I think I will leave these roses in this unfinished stage. 

Yes, the painting looks messy but I like it.

a short exercise in watercolors

With my desire to use other medium - other than watercolors, I started painting more using acrylic these past days. However, today I suddenly realized I am missing my favorite watercolors, so I did a little exercise following the loose style of Jean Haines of painting roses. In the first stage of my effort, I got what you see below. I made this image while I was waiting the paint to dry before I continue working on the next stage of the exercise. I am curious how this image will look like in the next stage.
Hope you are all well and have an enjoyable weekend.

just another rose

Painted in acrylic, size 7x9 inches. 

Have a great day.

iris from Monet's garden

I sketched this Iris flower with pen and watercolors. Here I used my own photograph as reference which is one of the many I took from the garden of Claude Monet in Giverny, France last May.

Have a fine weekend to everyone.

Coneflowers sketch

This is a quick watercolor sketch of coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea L.) which I based from the pictures I took during one of the outings I did this month. 
About two weeks ago I joined a group to visit a popular garden park 'De tuinen van Appeltern' in the city of Appeltern here in Holland. The place is a 23-hectare park with about 200 garden designs full of various plants and flowers (check www.appeltern.nl). With little time to spend there, I was not able to walk in the entire park as there were so many things to see and to wonder around. I managed however to take a few pictures of some flowers and some garden models which three of them can be seen below.

Surgeonfish

13x18 cm, watercolor

This is a watercolor sketch of a surgeonfish (Acanthurus japonicas). I based this from my own picture I took from the image of Gregg Yan I saw from www.rappler.com. I love the bright colors of this fish.

Another dog

Below is my second dog project in acrylic. This was the drawing I mentioned in my previous post. I stopped working on this painting in order to see if I need to do more finishing touches on it. I really enjoyed while working on this painting because I particularly didn't expect this result. I'm hoping that the owner of this dog will also enjoy seeing him in this painting.

pear sketch

Just experimenting here with acrylic colors. Did this last month, 12x16 cm.

My small painting space

The picture below is my small painting space in our house. Aside from my painting materials, shelves of books and  other things are also crowding the room. Shown on the white table is a newly drawn dog which I am going to paint soon. Have a nice and blessed days ahead to you all.

My cousin's dog

I forgot to ask the name and gender of this dog. But he/she is my cousin's family pet dog. This painting is already framed, so it was difficult to get the real color due to the reflections on the glass. I used acrylic here and painted on acrylic paper, size 30x40 cm.

Monet's garden and Chagall's paintings exhibition

I know I have been absent for a long time in this blog. Our trip to France was I would say a great one. We enjoyed the garden of Claude Monet in Giverny, now full of flowers unlike during our previous visit. We also visited some of the places in Auvers where Vincent van Gogh had painted, lived and died. In Paris, we went to see the special Chagall's painting exhibition at Musee du Luxembourg. The exhibition is still on going - until 20 July 2013 I think. All Chagall's paintings being shown in the museum are all from different owners, so the paintings are really very special to see in one place. It was very busy and crowded in the museum, there were many visitors that it became very warm inside.
We also spent some time walking around the Montmarte square where several artists are showing their works while also busy painting. During my previous visits in Paris, I never bothered myself to spend a few minutes to look around in the square. But this time being in painting myself, I just wished I could stay longer talking with them.

Our entire trip was not all about arts. We also got to visit family members in France, then spending some days in the Alsace and Vosges regions of the country. Further, we also had a few days in Germany. Anyway I cannot show here all the photographs I'd took during the trip but I have for you a few from the garden of Monet and Chagall's paintings exhibition.

House of Claude Monet

View of the garden from the house

Part of the garden

View of the garden showing Monet's house

Monet's Japanese garden

Closer view of Monet's Japanese garden

View of Monet's garden from inside his house

Musee du Luxembourg - Boutique for Chagall's works

Entrance of Musee du Luxembourg showing partly the long line of visitors

Boutique

Chagall's painting being shown

Another Chagall's painting

Catleya orchid

This painting is based from a photo of catleya orchid that my cousin sent to me via email. It is in acrylic, and the size is 30x40 cm.

I will be going to France for a two-week vacation. While there, one of my plans is to visit again the garden of Claude Monet in Giverny. This time I expect more flowers to see in the garden.

To my blogger friends, I don't know if I'll be able to visit all your blogs while on trip, but if not, you know the reason why. I might be very tired after walking around or I have no internet access. I hope you'll have happy painting days ahead. Until next time.

two yellow orange roses

I like painting roses in this loose style. They are easier to do and I don't need to make a sketch before I begin to paint. This painting is 5.5 x 7.5 inches, in acrylic.

pears in bright colors

This is another practice in acrylic colors which I did based from the work of Jerry Fresia, an impressionist oil painter. I used acrylic paper for this.

yellow orange roses

I did this piece when I had a 'play moment' feeling a week ago. 

I used acrylic on acrylic paper for this. 

a try on yupo

Last month I received a piece of yupo to try on from Renate. Finally today I got some time to sit down and tried my brush on it. I posted this piece here, although it is a trash, only to show how I managed to use watercolors on yupo for the first time. Since I didn't know how watercolors will react on it, I struggled somehow in finding the way to work with it. I observed that this yupo is not absorbent, the watercolors were just flowing on its surface when they were still wet, and it took longer to dry. As you can deduce from this image, I need more practice to be comfortable with this yupo. But I found it interesting and definitely I will try it again. Thank you again Renate for the yupo and for some information about it. Incidentally, the shop where I buy my art supplies is selling this yupo. 

pink rose in acrylic

I realized that I have not been posting in this blog for awhile, so I quickly did this small rose in acrylic. I used a watercolor paper for this. I'm sorry to all of you for not visiting your blogs, I'm busy with other things nowadays.

the finished grapes

I have already finished painting the grapes which I was busy with. You can see it below. 

Some of you might had noticed that I was absent for more than a week in the bloggerworld. The reason was that I did some preparation for our painting club's exhibit which took place yesterday. It was fun having such activity although I was not able to sell any painting. But the nice comments I got from my new batch of paintings are more than enough to compensate all the time I spent for the preparation. 

This painting is 30x40 cm and in watercolor.

first grapes

Right now I am busy with my first grapes painting. I borrowed a reference photo from a member of our painting club who also kindly enlarged it for me. The above image is only one of the sections of the painting; and hopefully I can share here later the whole painting. I wish you all a colorful month of April, just like these grapes.

bird's sketch

Birds are not my favorite subject to paint. So as an exercise I try to sketch them once in a while. This one above is a watercolor sketch of a robin. I came out with this composition based on some images of the bird which I had seen from a number of references. The sketch is 24x30 cm in size.
Advance Happy Easter to all of you.