"Branching Out"

($125.00.......6" x 6"....Water Soluble Oils on Gessobord.....floated on a linen mat in a custom frame)

"Branching out conquers fear." It is so true that many persons do not branch out and try new things because of fear. However, the secret is...that branching out will conquer fear.

It is very tempting when painting these oils to simply swipe across one larger area and lay down enough color for an entire branch of leaves. However, that eliminates the complexity that keeps the viewer engaged and also creates depth. So I go through the often painstaking process of slightly varying each stroke with a tint of my main color or graying it down with a premixed gray. One of my first colors to mix now is a light gray. It seems to not only lighten a color, but knock out some of the "chalkiness" that often results from just adding white. And it is these kind of subtle nuances that emerge when repeating this act of mixing with all of the slight variations over and over again. 

I was pleased with the yellow leaves in this piece because there is a wide range of slightly different tints, tones, and shades. I literally used every color on the palette to paint those leaves represented by small dabs of paint.

It also takes the life out of me because I have focused so intensely for at least (2) hours that I heave a big sigh, go photograph the piece, and then post it as I am doing now. It's exhausting and exhilarating....all in the same breath. But after all is said and done, I am always ready to do it again and again. And I hope you will try it as well because it is very gratifying and you learn everything you need to know about color if you make color corrections on the way. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.