From the Studio of Madelaine

Loon - Work in Progress

2012-01-22T12:06:00.001-05:00

Another new painting, this time it is a donation for a silent auction for a play school just north of me in Barrie, Ontario. I am keeping this one simple, only four colours: indigo blue, sepia, mayan blue, and a touch of garnet for the eye. I have to admit that I love the simplicity of the colours. This one will be completed by the end of the week... I have a deadline!

Loon
Photo Reference: Alan and Elaine Wilson

untitled Finch - Work in Progress Step 3

2012-01-16T22:23:00.002-05:00

The flowers on this one are taking a little longer than anticipated, but, I am not painting as quickly as I did last month. Taking my time at this one and enjoying the process.

Took a 'daytime' photo of the painting at this stage and it is a little more true to life in colour than the 'evening' photos I took earlier in the process.

untitled
Photo Reference: Alan and Elaine Wilson

untitled Finch Paining - Step 2

2012-01-12T21:44:00.002-05:00

I am almost done the bird (just his little legs are left) and now I am starting to work on the apple blossoms. Slow and steady... and the blossoms are actually turning out not to bad! They are a mix of indigo blue, garnet, cobalt blue, and a purple (just can't remember the name of the one I am using). I do have to admit that Daniel Smith garnet is my new favourite reddish pigment (and besides, it is also my birthstone!)

untitled
Photo Reference: Alan and Elaine Wilson

untitled Finch Painting

2012-01-09T22:00:00.001-05:00

I haven't stopped working on the oil barn painting... just felt like starting another watercolour bird painting. It has been a while since I have worked on paper (been using aquabord for a while now), though I do think the sizing has 'gone' on this batch of paper. Washes just aren't laying themselves down properly... I could toss it, or (since I put in lots of time drawing this guy out) persevere and think of it as a challenge. I have decided to do the later... a challenge it will be!!

untitled
Photo Reference: Alan and Elaine Wilson

Creative Project, Just not Art

2012-01-04T21:30:00.001-05:00

I have been busy working on a new quilt for my bed... a lovely patchwork quilt. I need to point out that I have never done a patchwork quilt (I did a pillow some time ago with my Grannie), so perhaps making a king size quilt was a little large of an undertaking. Though, I am happy to say that I am almost done. I just have the quilting part (attaching all the layers together) and then the binding. Then... it will be back to my normal type of creativity... Painting!

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T22:27:00.002-05:00

Just want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!!

Time Gone By - Work in Progress

2011-12-29T12:08:00.002-05:00

I have been eye-ing this photograph for some time now... and finally decided to paint it (though it is not quite finished). It was taken by my brother near my Baba's house in rural Manitoba. There are so many farmyards being abandoned as people move away... it is almost sad to see.

My brother took a number of photographs of these farmyards that I think they will make a nice series.

Time Gone By (Work in Progress)
Photo Reference: Mike (my brother)

Quiet Time - Bird #62

2011-12-21T12:52:00.005-05:00

I was contemplating painting a snowy scene (it is December), but with all the rain and warm weather out my direction... it is looking like it will be a green Christmas and not a white one. So... I thought I would paint something a little more 'springy'. The picture is a little washed out, but in real life the greens and gold are more vivid.

Quiet Time

Tattered - Completed

2011-12-16T09:36:00.000-05:00

Finished! This one took a few re-dos on the background before I was happy with it. Its hard to see, but I have some nice glazes of gold and greens over top of the sap green. I am happy with the end result and I have it hanging with the other butterflies on my wall now.

Tattered

Here Comes the Night - Bird #61

2011-12-08T11:28:00.001-05:00

Painted a finch today... felt like experimenting on the background, looking for a more abstracty look so tossed in some rubbing alcohol and salt. I'm pretty happy with it.... though, I think I could have pushed the abstract-ness of it a little more.

Here Comes the Night

Just As Long As We Got Each Other - Bird #60

2011-12-04T10:26:00.001-05:00

Taking a short break from oils while they dry to work on a quick little wintery chickadee painting. The branches of the tree turned out a little darker than I hoped... but the touch of sparkle from the luminescent watercolours make up for it (I think). It adds just the perfect amount of shimmer to the branches.

Just As Long As We Got Each Other

Wood Duck Drake - Bird #59

2011-12-02T13:25:00.001-05:00

I thought I was finished, but then I noticed a few things that were bothering me about this painting so I made some ever so slight changes. Did a little more work on th eye and I added a few overall washes of colour to the body (both on the duck and his reflection). Now... I am happy to say I am finished.

Wood Duck Drake

Tattered - Work in Progress

2011-11-30T18:24:00.001-05:00

I am working on (yet) another butterfly painting, though this picture does not due the background justice. I had a bit of a rough start on this one... the greens of the leaf got washed out with slightly too much white applied. So, when it dries I'll be adding a glaze of cadmium green hue to add more colour to it. Tomorrow I hope to finish the leaf and perhaps start on the butterfly.

Tattered

Golden Drew Drops - Finished

2011-11-25T16:21:00.001-05:00

It has been a long time since I last worked on this painting but I do believe that I am finally finished it (sorry about the light glare, I will take a better picture tomorrow when it is light outside). I love the colours and all the dew drops (so sparkley)... I do believe this one is going to be back on my 'to do list' as a much bigger painting with even more dew drops!

Golden Dew Drops

Time Swiftly Passes - Completed

2011-11-24T08:17:00.001-05:00

Another butterfly painting is finished and hanging on the wall drying. I love how the orange of the butterfly really pops off the green of the leaves. This painting is based on another photograph I took at the Butterfly Gardens in Niagara Falls, Canada.

Time Swiftly Passes

Time Swiftly Passes (In Progress) - Step 2

2011-11-22T20:43:00.001-05:00

I am almost finished the background. Going to let the greens tack up a little before putting in some of the veining details. I am really loving the contrast between the brightly lite leaves and the dark shadows. The butterfly should really pop!

Time Swiftly Passes

Time Swiftly Passes - Work in Progress

2011-11-20T18:22:00.001-05:00

I started my next butterfly painting... I am going for a slightly more detailed background (increasing the 'complexity' with each painting I do). I hope to have the background done in the next couple days, then I will tackle the butterfly.

Time Swiftly Passes

7" x 5" oil cradled wood © 2011 I have been painting these butterflies on cradled hardboard (which I totally love painting on). The surface is prepped with a minimum two coats of extra heavy acrylic gesso (one layer brushed stroked on one way, the second layer perpendicular to the first). Then I sketch in my drawing and seal it with a layer of fine pumice ground. I absolutely love painting on a layer of fine pumice ground... not only does it have just the perfect amount of tooth for the paint, but it super nice to blend on. I bought myself a small jar (which is almost done) so I suppose I just might need to splurge on a larger jar in the near future.

Fleeting Moment - Completed

2011-11-19T08:50:00.001-05:00

I absolutely love the shiney metallic blue of this butterfly and it is a shame that this is the only photograph I got of it at the Butterfly Gardens in Niagara Falls, Canada. I suppose that this means I will have to make a trip back someday to get more photographs!!

Fleeting Moment

7" x 5" oil cradled wood © 2011 I never thought I would enjoy painting butterflies so much (not sure why.... perhaps it was the greens of the plants or so just something about their delicateness) but I am having a total blast painting them.

The blues are a combination of Titanium White, Phthalo Turquoise, and Light Blue Violet. The greens are a combination of Titanium White, Sap Green, Cadmium Green Hue, and Green Gold.

Fleeting Moment - Work in Progress Step 2

2011-11-17T20:39:00.001-05:00

I made excellent progress on this painting and I should finish in the next day or so. I absolutely love how the butterfly is turning out and I do have to admit.... I think it is my favourite part.

Fleeting Moment

Fleeting Moment

2011-11-16T16:06:00.001-05:00

Still painting butterflies, but this time attempting a green leafy background (a bit of a warm up to finish this tulip and this tulip painting. I am spending a little more time on the leaf under the butterfly trying to get a more realistic looking leaf (green and foliage have always been my nemesis). So far so good I think.

Fleeting Moment

Resting in the Moment

2011-11-15T15:18:00.001-05:00

No... you are not seeing double, I loved painting this butterfly so much that I had to paint him again. It is a slightly different pose than the previous one and on a slightly different support (see picture at the bottom of the post) but otherwise has been painted using the exact same palette. I am having so much fun with these butterflies that I have started another one! Stay tuned.

Resting in the Moment

A Brief Stop

2011-11-10T16:04:00.001-05:00

Taking a break from watercolours today and picking up the oil paints after a long hiatus from them. This summer I traveled to the butterfly gardens at Niagara Falls and was amazed at all the varieties of butterflies! I snapped this photograph of one particular fellow that was resting on the stone path and thought it would make a lovely painting.

A Brief Stop

Wood Duck - Work in Progress, Step 7

2011-11-09T20:31:00.001-05:00

So close that I can almost declare it finished. I am going to let it sit on the easel for a couple of days to see if there is anything else I want to change. I may add some more colour to parts of the blue of the water... and... well, not sure what else.

Wood Duck Drake

On the Lighter Side - Bird #58

2011-11-05T09:56:00.002-04:00

A second version of the painting I finished the other day... this time a lighter background and the resulting image is completely different. I don't know which one is my favourite. All the colours used between the two paintings are the same (including the slight touch of white to recapture a couple of lost highlights).

Inquisitive - Bird #57

2011-11-04T08:50:00.000-04:00

Taking a small break from the wood duck painting to paint one of two titmouse portraits. The reason for "one of two" is that this was originally suppose to have a light background but I wasn't happy with it so I turned it into a dark background. As a result, there will be a second painting with this pose with a completely different background. It will be interesting to see how different these two paintings will be with same posing bird.