Moody Blues, Oil Painting by Linda McCoy

This was created for the "Glass Challenge" on the Daily Paintworks. SOLD

I love painting glass, all of the reflections, lights, shadows, and colors are challenging yet rewarding when finished. I started this painting with a permanent rose and cobalt blue under painting. When that was dry, I transferred my drawing using white Saral transfer paper. The first step was to lay in the white highlights. I did this first so I didn't lose them in the painting process. I then added the darks, then the middle tones. I moved back and forth from the perfume bottle to the flowers, so that I could achieve color harmony. I was careful to try and observe all of the nuances the sunlight and the glass provided. This is just the way I approach glass, there are many ways to tackle this challenging subject! I used Thalo blue, Colbalt blue, Kings blue, Permanent Rose, Cadmium yellow deep, Cadmium yellow medium, Permanent green, thalo green and white. I keep three piles of white on my palette so I always have clean white.

I used a 6"x6" Gessobord.The backround is cobalt blue, a touch of thalo blue, permanent rose and white. I applied it with liquin to provide a "wash" of color.  I allowed it to dry overnight. 



With the painting thoroughly dry, I transferred the drawing using white Saral paper. Just the big shapes are transferred.

Next I painted in the whites. I know, this is contrary to the order in which we usually paint, but I find if I lay in the whites first I am less apt to lose them during the painting process. Some will get painted out, when this happens I paint them back in right away. They are my roadmap!

 

Now that the whites are established, I establish the darkest darks, and add middle values to the bottle. I use Thalo blue for the darkest darks.

 

I added the background, a mixture of thalo green, permanent rose, cobalt blue and kings blue. It makes a greenish gray neutral color.  I added the stems, yellow, permanent rose, and a bit of thalo green to get a nice warm brown.  The blue flowers are cobalt blue, thalo blue,  kings blue and white. I mix these on my palette, trying to get a variety of blues.

I've added white flowers, pink flowers and continue to work on the perfume bottle, I've added sparkles to the bottom of the clear class, and work on the petals that fell into the water. I used permanent green on the leaves and small stems.

I continued to work on the perfume bottle, glass, and petals...also the small petals that have dropped onto the table...adding shadows and highlights. At this point I am nearing the end, adding stems, leaves....

 

This is the finished painting. I made another pass at the background to be sure it was deep and rich. I added highlights to the left of the perfume bottle, small reflections of color. I felt I was finished when I could say no more!

A Penney for Your Thoughts, by Linda McCoy

Oil, torn paper, poetry. 8"x8'
We had a great day antiquing in Waynesville Ohio, just before Christmas. We found all sorts of treasures, old postcards, an apron for Rachel from the 50's, and a bunch of old stuff. I could tell she was intrigued by the antique jewelery, especially the rings, one of which she almost bought. She was moved by the pre-owned objects, curiously touching each one that caught her eye. She seemed to have a connection to them.....later that night I received an email from her, with a poem she wrote attached.
Graciously she is letting me post it here. The words in the collage are from her poem, the piece is mounted on a masonite board with the poem affixed.

"She says keep the pennies because in her mind they don't matter

And if they don't matter neither do the seconds that tick by

Inside the hoarder antique shop a hundred silver baby spoons fed a hundred mouths or more

It's like saying they don't matter

The rings, dead hands lifted softly and removed the stones that lasted year after year

And now we peer at them through glass like they don't matter,

Or, perhaps they can matter to us if they're ours

Like new again

Blue stones like cloudy cataracts

Purple stones like blue veins through the looking glass

yellow chains like sunshine eyes, pins to a hat

Earrings like honey, bleed like tree sap

All the books

all the postcards

thoughts that don't matter

That tick like the seconds on broken clocks that don't matter

that spend like the pennies glued to a register cup that don't matter

All collected, and passed by in a window shop."

  

This is just one of the hundreds of Poems she has written
Poetry copyright Brianne Prince
Painting copyright Linda McCoy

Yoda Bear for Jack, Oil Painting by Linda McCoy

Just a little 6"x6" painting for the "Fabric Challenge" on the www.dailypaintworks.com
I had set up a still life to paint, using a kitchen towel for fabric, but walked into Jack's bear just sitting there exactly how Jack left him. The bear seemed to fit the challenge better so I abandoned the kitchen still life I had planned to do.
I squashed the urge to re-wrap, rotate, turn upside down, fool around and otherwise try to manipulate the subject as I am guilty of doing. He sits in my favorite chair, a left over from the 90's. I still love it, even though the fabric is fading....
Critics always say don't paint sentimental things, don't over sentimentalize, don't do this and don't do that. Phooey! Who makes all these rules anyway? This painting was named by my husband, who thought he looked like Yoda all wrapped up. Jack will like the name, his favorite thing is Star Wars. He's home from school soon, I can't wait to show him.
Copyright Linda McCoy, 2013