France - Menton - Flamenco in Gorbiio

France - Menton - Flamenco in Gorbiio
16 x 20  Oils on canvas panel

This is from a post by Jilly in her blog Menton Daily Photo.


I have problems making clear, crisp photos of my paintings. My automatic camera is being surly again and won't focus on the painting, or when it does focus properly show every bit of the tiniest glare! :-)

THE CROSS GUY - A WORK IN PROGRESS

Work In Progress

THE CROSS GUY  8 x 12  Oils on panel

A WORK IN PROGRESS

12/27/2010: With help from a friend, I renamed this painting from "A Mean Dude" to "The Cross Guy".

I woke up early (4 or 5 AM) and I got this far by 9 AM more or less. It's rather small so it didn't take long. DUH!  :-)

I saw this photo on Jilly Bennett's blog Menton Daily Photo a while back and the fellow was . . . . abrupt(?) and Jilly took his picture so that he would move on.

I'll work on this tomorrow - probably. Or I might work on the painting with the boys running. Maybe not.  :-)

UPDATED December 21, 2010.  I still need to do something more - or maybe something less.  Anyhow the photo of the painting is "shiny" and I'll work on that as well!  :-)

The Pose

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The Pose 8x12  Oils on canvas panel

The inspiration for this comes from Jilly's blog Menton Daily Photo  You owe it to yourself to spend time browsing through her photographs and commentary of her hometown of Menton, France.

This is actually a "study" for a 16x20 painting that I would like to do. I've made some artist's choices in that I changed her straw hat to a solid material. AND I turned her around to face left instead of facing right. 

I can't seem to eliminate the glare or the highlights on my brush strokes.  Any of you photo gurus have some advice? I've tried using opaque and translucent "light blockers" but . . . . .  I have even put my painting in a long (deep?) cardboard box. Zip, nada, zero eliminating the glare.

France - Menton - Creole Beauties - update

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 France - Menton - Creole Beauties - update

I initially posted this as a "work in progress" (sort of) with two other Creole dancers on August 20th.

The first painting is the "improved" version. I added the flowers to her head scarf. I also added some of her beads that are in her costume. I DO HAVE MORE WORK TO DO! :-(

I haven't captured the spirit and enthusiasm of this young woman. That's really elusive for me.  One small, tiny brush stroke can change an eye from happy to not happy.  (GREAT BIG SIGH!)  :-)

I hope that Jilly (Menton Daily Photo) will bear with me while I putz around.

Serenity - update

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 Serenity - update

I posted this painting September 1st and some of my blogger friends made some suggestions that I tried to implement. 

The first photo is the "adjusted" painting. 

I didn't change the background - the camera and the lighting played with me.

Serenity

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Serenity  8x12  Oils on canvas panel

This is another painting inspired by Jilly Bennet's blog Menton Daily Photo.  If you have not visited her blog click on the link and browse some really interesting photos and commentary!

I was impressed with the profile photo the calm, serene expression on this nun's face.  I think it would be a great gift to be able to know her.

The Spectators

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The Spectators  11x14  Oils on masonite panel

Two ladies watching an event below their window. The idea came from Jilly Bennet's blog Menton Daily Photo (a blog with very interesting photos and thoughtful commentary).

The ladies faces should be half in the sunlight and half in shadows.  My painting makes it appear as if their make up (cosmetics) is badly applied! :-)  I'll need to fix that!

Menton France - Hat on Garden Gate

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Menton France - Hat on Garden Gate  11x14  Oils on masonite panel

Another inspiration from Jilly Bennet's blog Menton Daily Photo! 

It appears that I have most things leaning to the left. What's that all about?

I tried to capture that the sun was casting a shadow onto the left front of the home while the right is shadowed.  Maybe I should darken the shadow?

France - Apricale -The Conversation - Two Men

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France - Apricale -The Conversation - Two Men  11x14  Oils on masonite panel

This painting was inspired by a photo on Jilly Bennet's blog Menton Daily Photo.

To create the stone wall, I used a painting knife for the first time then a brush to put in the shadows. All in all I think that the stones are believable. :-)

France - Menton - Creole Beauties

Creole Beauty 1
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France - Menton - Creole Beauties  9x12  Oils on masonite panel

Sorry about the photographs. :-(  

Thanks to Jell Bennett's blog Menton Daily Photo for taking such wonderful photographs and giving me permission to use the photos to make paintings.

I apologize that I can't find the posting in Jilly's blog of this young lady. Dang! 

 Part of the Creole Du Cap posts are here.

 The paint is still wet on these and I'll continue working on them when the paint dries.

Creole Beauty 2
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Creole Beauty 3
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Flamenco in Menton France

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Flamenco in Menton, France  15x24  Oils on masonite panel

From a photo posted by Jill Bennett on her blog Mento Daily Photo. The lady in Jill's photo is Isabel Cortes who is leading a class in the annual Gorbio, Frnace, Flamenco Festival. I did NOT attempt to capture Mme Cortes' image, but used her form as a basis to begin.

My painting is not yet complete, but I am posting it anyway! :-)  Sorry for the glare in this photo my camera looks for these glare spots! :-(

The panel is half of a larger painting 24x30 that needed to be "downsized".  The luxury of using masonite panels is that I can make the size smaller by sawing off a section.

Young Woman Smoking

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Young Woman Smoking  11x14  Oils on canvas panel

This was painting came from a photo in Jill Bennet's blog Menton Daily Photo.  I think that I will like this painting better after I make a few, small changes/modifications.

I'll continue trying to make a decent photo of this painting - until then . . . .  sigh.

Creole at Place du Cap 2

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Creole at Place du Cap 2  16x20  Oils on canvas panel

My apologies to Jilly Bennett's blog Menton Daily Photo. See and read Jilly's post here. This painting has been a struggle for me and I guess that it shows.

I think maybe I need to paint over it and start over. I'm not sure.

The Accordion Player

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The Accordion Player  12x16  Oils on canvas panel

AND another painting inspired by a photo from Jilly Bennett's blog Menton Daily Photo. See and read Jilly's post here.  While you're there, "browse" her other posts.

I've had this painting "completed" for over a week but keep going back to make adjustments.  Something isn't quite right, but what . . . . . ?

The Fish Monger

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The Fish Monger  12x16  Oils on canvas panel

Another painting inspired by a photo from Jilly Bennett's blog Menton Daily Photo. See and read Jilly's post here.  While you're there, "browse" her other posts.

I'm happy with this painting - for now. I want to glaze some of the background to "set it back" and perhaps put some emphasis on the fish up front.

Maybe not. :-)

Offering of fish

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Offering of fish  12x16  Oils on canvas panel

Yet another painting inspired by a photo from Jilly Bennett's blog Menton Daily Photo. See and read Jilly's post here.  While you're there, "browse" her other posts - really well done and very interesting.

I need to do something to something that's bothering me.  Maybe it's the reddish potatoes? They just don't make sense in this painting but did in Jilly's photo. I also want to change the blue basket.

7/19/2010 - DUH! I learned that the "potatoes" ain't! They're FLOATS for the nets!  AAAAAAUUUUGHHHH!

The Onlooker

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The Onlooker  16x20  Oils on canvas panel

The inspiration for this painting comes from Jilly's blog Menton Daily Photo.  This fellow in Menton, France is watching an outdoor wedding below his window.  I can't find the post in Jilly's blog! - aaaaah!

Creole Festival Dancers

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Creole Festival Dancers  12x16   Oils on Masonite Panel

These ladies (and one guy in the left background) are an "unofficial" part of a larger group in the Fête du Citron in Menton, France. From a photograph by Jilly in her blog Menton Daily Photo.

One Last Piece of Bait - The Fisherman

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The Last Piece of Bait  12x16  Oil on masonite

This came from Jilly's Menton Daily Photo blog. Her blog is a wonderful source of inspiration for me or anyone looking for well done photographs of the region of France where she lives.

I had helped set up our Spring Art Show here is Rogers, AR and came home "inspired" to do "something" painterly. So I browsed Jilly's blog and saw this guy fishing. I believe that he's baiting the hook with his last piece of bait before he calls it quits and buys a Big Mac and fries for his supper.

Menton France - Old Man Reading Newspaper near archway

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Man Reading His Newspaper   17x24 Oils on canvas panel

This painting is inspired by two of Jilly's Menton Daily Photos.  The man walking through the arch and the stariway on the right is one photo "Up Down and Roundabout". The gentleman reading his newspaper is from another photo "Old Wall, Old Man".



 April 21, 2010  -  update.

I did some of my fiddlin' - put the other leg of the bench in, and put the vertical things in the hand rail (what are they called anyway?).