A Tale of Two Value Studies
I am in the process of moving to another state! While I have a lot to do to get ready for that move, I am still working on small projects in my studio to keep moving forward. Lately I have been painting value studies of garlic and then playing with glazing color over the studies when they are dry. Both of these were painted as value studies using Gamblin’s Chromatic Black and Titanium White oil paints. I also mixed in a little Raw Umber, also by Gamblin, to bring the black paint closer to neutral rather than blue.
The painting on the left was just finished today. This one was painted over the course of a couple of weeks as I interrupted my studio time to travel to my new future home and finalize the details. I pushed and pulled at a few different techniques and ideas on this one and it shows. Sometimes learning isn’t very pretty! It will do for my purposes. I am satisfied and I will take what I learned to the next painting.
The painting on the right I finished a few weeks ago in one sitting and then did three layers of glazing color after it was dry. The first to layers were using a paint color I have had for a while and rarely have used. It is called Capucine Yellow and is by Blockx. The color is the most transparent shimmering pink I have ever seen in an oil paint color. I am not a fan of pink but this one is just luscious and delicate at the same time. It does not have a high tinting strength so for the third layer, I used Gamblin’s Transparent Earth Red mixed into the Capucine Yellow and got the right amount of glazing that I was going for. I wanted a delicate blush of color over the painting and decided to leave it at the third layer. It would be interesting to see if the Capucine Yellow can be built up with enough layers and what it would look like.
These two paintings are skill building and experimenting pieces. That said, I will be selling them when I am settled in my new home and any others I can manage to get painted before then as well. During the month of October I plan to participate in Inktober again! It has been a journey and I have a ways to go but step-by-step I will get there.
I will end this with a view of the surrounding area of my soon-to-be home. There is a lot of beauty to paint and explore. I will be so happy to be home!
Yours in Truth and Beauty,
-Renee