Miniature treasure oil painting - Poppy Waltz

Poppy Waltz palette knife painting

Oil on mini box canvas

10x10cm / 4x4" n

Purchase information

I've been painting a few miniature paintings in the last few days. This one is part of the poppy series along with Poppy Song and Poppy Dance.

These small paintings are an affordable way to start an art collection.

Nodding Sunflowers and the 30 day collage.

Nodding Sunflowers palette knife painting

Oil on box canvas, 6"x6"x1cm deep.

Available in my Etsy shop

It's been awhile since my last post. I have been painting - participating in the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. I concentrated on landscapes with a few florals, and I have been been posting those on my daily paintings blog.

This painting was No. 16 in the 30 day challenge.
The sunflowers dancing across the painting reminding me of the sunflowers near the lavender fields.

The 30 paintings all together

 In the last few days I have been adding the finishing touches to some of the paintings. Take a look at them on Daily Paintworks.

White Posy still life - Day 10, 30 paintings in 30 days

White posy still life

Palette knife painting

15x15cm (6"x6")

Oil on box canvas

Available in my Etsy store

I have kept up with the challenge so far painting mostly landscapes which I post on my Joy of Colour blog. Today I took a break from the landscapes and painted flowers. Initially it started out as roses, but wiped it out twice as it just didn't seem to be working. I substituted the white flowers (forgotten what they are called, but begins with p..) form my white roses bouquet painting.

I like the texture of the flowers in this.

This would make a great gift for a flower girl or mother of the bride.

Some close-ups

Using small paintings for stress relief

Poppy Dance Miniature Treasure

Palette knife painting

10x10cm / 4"x4"

oil on mini box canvas

Available on Daily Paintworks

Poppy Song Miniature Treasure

Palette knife painting

10x10cm / 4"x4"

oil on mini box canvas

Available on Daily Paintworks

I have been busy painting a commissioned landscape. My first commission and on an unusaul format 30x80cm (12"x32"). For a little light relief I took time out to paint these small paintings using a limited colour scheme. They were fun to do, they have lots of texture and would brighten up a small space either individually or both together.

What do you feed magpies? Almond Blossom Still Life

Almond Blossom Still Life

Oil, palette knife painting

24x30cm (approx 10x12inch)

On MDF canvas panel
Available on Daily Paintworks

We have an almond tree in the corner of the garden. It was here when we moved in nearly 10 years ago and I suspect it is about 40 years old. It receives absolutely no attention (apart from a good looking at!) but produces masses of blossoms and almonds every year. We don't profit from the almonds though, as the magpies get in first.

About this painting
Although the canvas panel is primed and could be painted on straight away, I always prime my panels with additional gesso. I have two reasons for this
- I prefer the feel of the fresh gesso
- the gesso adds some texture

The background is fairly smooth on this painting. I scraped back some of the paint which also has the effect of blending. On top of that I added more paint always with a slightly different hue. This produces so lovely rich layers. For the blossoms I loaded my palette knife with really thick paint and 'ladled' it on, leaving it and impasto. I love the effect this gives. The vase is one of a set of three which can only be described as square/triangular and makes for interesting painting.
Some close-ups

A challenging challenge - Daisies and Cherries still life oil painting

Daisies and Cherries Still Life

Palette knife painting

Oil on narrow box canvas

25x30cm (10x12inch) x2cm

Contact me about this or any other painting HERE

A challenging painting for the Facebook Challenge from Evhe. Evhe post two challenges a month and this is the second time I have participated.
This is the reference photo

Quite a complicated scene and, as you can see, I simplified I always like to take part in these kind of challenges as I love the different way artists interpret the same scene.

 See my previous challenge entry here

What is your favourite supporting colour for pink flowers? All pretty in pink - sold paintings

I sold these three paintings yesterday (I did a happy dance) and they will be on their way to the US next week.

These look great as a group and I do like the combinations of colours but hadn't really thought about how often I use them together. The purple/turquoise/pink combination is hard to beat but perhaps it is time to think about using other colours with pink flowers.

I used more blue in the background of this painting which gives a softer, more gentle look. Perhaps a pale greenish background would also work. What colour background is your favourite with pink flowers?

Sweet Memories - Roses still life

palette knife paintings

24x30cm (approx 10x12inches)

Oil on canvas panel 
Available in my Etsy store

Stately Irises palette knife painting in oils

stately Irises palette knife painting

Oil on box canvas (1.5cm deep)

15x20cm (6"x8")

Available in my Etsy store

I love this time of year. After the tulips die down, the irises are the next to appear. As well as the dark blue border irises, these pale purple irises are amongst the first to appear. They are tall, and although not as showy as the bearded irises, they give a beautiful purple haze under the citrus trees.

About this painting
I painted this in a loose impasto style, dancing around the canvas with my palette knife, aiming more for the purple glow than true representation of the irises.

Some Close-ups of the knife work

Garden Poppies 2 Miniature Treasure palette knife painting

 Garden Poppies 2 Miniature Treasure

palette knife painting

acrylic on MDF panel

10x15cm (4"x6")
Available on Daily Paintworks

This is a sister painting to yesterday's post

 

The edges have been painted black, so it can be displayed on a plate stand. It would also look good framed (no glass needed).
Here is an example of it framed.

Garden Poppies Miniature Treasure palette knife painting

 Garden Poppies Miniature Treasure

palette knife painting

acrylic on MDF panel

10x15cm (4"x6")
Available on Daily Paintworks

I'm looking forward to the spring. The poppies will soon be popping up all over the garden. I let these poppies self seed each year and often help them by collecting the seed and sowing them. This year we should have a really good display as we have been rearranging the garden and poppies just love disturbed ground.

About this painting
This was painted with a palette knife, but because I used acrylics there is much less texture than when I use oils. I have not used acrylics much over the last couple of years, but I did like the fast drying and not having to treat the painting so delicately and waiting for it to dry. The surface has been varnished for protection.

The edges have been painted black, so it can be displayed on a plate stand. It would also look good framed (no glass needed).
Here is an example of it framed.

Contact me about this or any other painting HERE

Honesty and glass palette knife painting in oils

 Honesty and glass palette knife painting

18x24cm (approx 7"x10")

Archival canvas panel

I struggled with this painting. The vase and jug are semi opaque and I had difficulty in getting that across. It is hard when using opaque paints to give the illusion of transparency. I also found the background difficult and changed it a few times. Does this one work? The green jug is made of recycled glass and is not symmetrical. I painted it a couple of times, before I discovered it wasn't just my painting LOL! What do you think, should I make it symmetrical?

Here are some close-ups of the painting

This is painting is for day 13 of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge hosted by Leslie Saeta. Pop over to my Joy of Colour blog to see the my other paintings in the challenge.

Ikebana 3 - Yellow Chrysanthemums palette knife painting in oils

Ikebana 3 - Yellow Chrysanthemums

Palette knife oil painting on canvas panel

18x24 cm (approx 7x10 inch)

 I wanted to explore a dramatic background in this painting and use a different colour combination than my norm. It's good to try something different now and again to keep the paintings 'fresh'. I really like how this one turned out
Visit the first two paintings of the quartet, Ikebana 1 and Ikebana 2

Contact me about this or any other painting HERE

Iris Dancing Queens Final - oil painting

 Iris Dancing Queens

Palette knife painting

18x24cm (approx 7x10inch)

oil on canvas MDF panel

I worked on this a little more today, adding a few holes between the irises, some pink and more colour to the background. I am calling it done.

Contact me about this or any other painting HERE

Iris Dancing Queens, oil palette knife painting, Day 30, 30 days hath September challenge

Iris Dancing Queens

Palette knife painting

18x24cm (approx 7x10inch)

oil on canvas MDF panel

These irises are the first flowers that pop up in my spring garden. They are always a welcome sign that spring is arriving. I think I need to put in some sky (in this case wall) holes to give the irises some breathing space. Normally I would let the painting stand for a couple of days and paint the finishing touches before posting, but the as I am posting them immediately some will need final adjustments. I think the next time I am involved in a challenge I need to go smaller LOL

Iris Dancing Queens is the last of the paintings in the challenge. I started with a floral and finish with a floral. A big drum roll please ........ I painted 30 and posted everyday. It certainly was a worthwhile challenge to participate in, and a big thank you to Lesle Saeta for coming up with the idea and hosting everyone's entries. A welcome bonus of the challenge is that I have also got to see lots of other artwork.


I mainly concentrated on landscapes for this challenge so please visit my Joy of Colour blog to see the other entries. It wasn't intentional as I didn't have any plans at all and just painted the ideas that came to mind as time went on.

Container Glory garden flowers, container flowers WIP

Container glory oil painting

18x24cm (approx 7"x10")

oil on MDF canvas panel

Started using a brush and finished using a palette knife

This painting is for sale in my Etsy shop
or contact me about this or any other painting HERE

Step 1, Loose block in of the local colours using thin paint

 Step 2, starting to define the masses using thicker paint alternating between the brush and knife

Step 3, just using the knife now and thicker paint, looking at the shadows and highlights to get a more 3D effect

I reduced some of the busyness in the top right hand corner and added more highlights and shadows. I also made sure I had more 'breathing space' at the top of the flowers as I felt it was a bit too dense. I also made sure the colours were balanced adding a bit of red to the purples and some purples to the reds.

I painted some of my container geraniums last year. See HERE and HERE

"A taste of summer" sunflower and lavender palette knife oil painting.

 "A taste of summer" sunflower and lavender painting

19x27cm, oil on canvas board, palette knife painting
SOLD

This is a rework of one of my Garden 101 series and fresh off the easel today. At the time, I put it in my discard pile, as, although I liked the concept, the painting did not come out as expected.

I am not having a lot of success with my iris paintings at the moment, so as a change, I got this painting out and reworked it using a palette knife and fresher looking paint.
I really like it now. Quite loose and fresh looking to my eyes. Let me know what you think.
This painting is sold, contact me about any other painting HERE

Casseroled Pansies oil painting

Casseroled Pansies

Oil on canvas panel

18x24cm (approx 7"x11")

The third of my pansy paintings, this time in one of my favourite little casseroles. As well as going into the oven, this casserole will also go onto an open flame or electric element. I unpotted the pansies, and much to their disgust, I squashed the roots into the casserole (it is quite small) to give me this arrangement.

I am not sure about the lid? It looks sort of OK but every now and then, it bothers me - I've been looking at it for a few days and I am unsure of whether or not to correct it. Hubby says leave it alone - it looks OK. What do you think?

I painted a second, slightly larger on of this composition which I will post soon. You'll be pleased to know, I rescued the pansies and re-potted them, lol.


Contact me about this or any other painting HERE

You may also be interested in my first two pansy paintings:
Pansy Fever and Colourful Pansies 

Pansy Fever Oil Painting

 Pansy Fever by Marion Hedger

Oil on canvas board 24x30cm (approx 10" x 12")

Painted wet in wet.

Another pansy painting straight off the easel. I love painting these pansies, and those yellow ones really talk to me. This is slightly larger than my earlier pansy painting (see HERE) and more of a still life composition. I painted it wet in wet, trying to stay loose. I succeeded in parts, but I still find myself trying to put in all the details.
This is still wet and I will look at it tomorrow to see what needs tweaking. Those blue shadows are too blue in this photo, so I will also see if I can get a better photo. I always have trouble with photographing blues.

Contact me about this or any other painting HERE

In progress Colourful Panisies Oil Painting - Garden 101 series

Colourful Pansies Work in Progress

Oil on canvas panel, 18x24cm

I am working on some pansy paintings at the moment. I am cheating a little because they are not strictly from my garden, but on the way into the garden. I need something floral and colourful to paint after trying to get back into the swing after a long vacation, and these fit the bill nicely.

I am still looking at this painting to see if it is finished and what tweaks may be needed. I think I may need to work on the back purple pansy as does not recede enough.

I will post an update when finished

Contact me about this or any other painting HERE