A New Painting - Alberta Blue with Poplar Leaves

I have a new painting on my easel. This canvas is not quite square - it's 20" x 24". Here you can see the "Alberta Blue" background color which I have created from several different hues of blues and greens. I usually do not use paint straight from a tube, but tend to blend and mix until the color I want emerges. Through years of experimentation, I generally don't end up with "mud" like I did when I first began to paint.

Here you can see the first layer of leaves and

branches placed on the background sky. In my backyard, I have a small "forest" of poplar trees

which turn a beautiful brilliant yellow and gold in the fall. Against the intense blue of these Alberta skies we have, they create a spectacular color experience. I am hoping to replicate some of that here... These are not all the leaves which will be in this painting - but I thought you would like to see this one in its early stages.

Agave Plant

AGAVE PLANT

9" x 12" original oil painting

I had such a fun time painting this one... thin glaze after thin glaze until the colors glowed "just right"! This painting used a very limited palette - which worked well for me. One tip I have which I did in this painting... I laid down all the highlight areas in the first stages of this painting with Zinc White. Then, when I was ready for the final highlights, I used Titanium White, which is a much brighter white. That way, I could really pick up the brilliance of the sunlight on the agave leaves which I could not have done as effectively with the Zinc White.

I am satisfied with this, my 3rd oil painting. I believe I am learning how to handle oil paint much better (only had to wear one surgical glove for the last couple of passes on the canvas, and no paint on my clothing!) and blending is coming much more easily. So on to the next oil painting - and see if I still feel like I am improving or not... I'll break out the frustration-o-meter to let you know what the reading is during the process. :-)

This painting is for sale. Contact me if you are interested in purchasing it: jogiesbrecht@gmail.com