Thursday 15 March 2012

Place Colette - Paris

Place Colette - Paris
60x60 cm, oil on linen.
Who doesn't know Colette, what a femme!

and here is a better photo of the Hotel du Louvre


Friday 9 March 2012

my palette- work in progress

Recently I was contacted and asked to share my palette.  Here is a photo:
From left to right the colors are:
on top left -Ivory black (it is reddish because the tube I bought was slightly defective, but the color is fantastic - kind of a mixture of cadmium red middle with ivory black), left front is Ivory Black, then second on top left is Prussian blue, Phtalo Green, Ultra Marine blue, Cobalt violet, Quinachridone, Ochre, Permanent Red, Cadmium Red middle, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Yellow middle, Titanium White.  The light green on the left is some color that I bought by mistake and can't remember the name. The  light blue next to it is left over of mixture.  
I use a medium to dilute the oils that consists of 98%  thinner (not turpentine) a few drops of refined linseed oil and a few drops of crystal varnish.  I use cotton rags to clean my brushes with.

When I start a painting I usually begin with the most important colors that set a tone to the painting.   Here is the next night scene of Paris 


Thursday 8 March 2012

Hotel Du Louvre


Hotel du Louvre
60x60cm oil on linen
This photo was taken with my HTC phone and doesn't do the painting justice.  So many colors are washed out.  When the batteries recharge on my serious camera I'll get a better image. 
Anyway the I like the painting because it is of that hour of the day in Paris which is so special, the BLUE HOUR.  It is my pet - the parisian blue hour - when all the terraces fill for the apero, especially on warmer days.  
Happy birthday Caterina V.!

Tuesday 6 March 2012

152 Rosa Rossa

153 Rosa Rossa
15x15cm oil on gesso board

Happy Birthday, Love!


Friday 2 March 2012

152 Rose Rouge

 152 Rose rouge
15x15cm, oil on gessoboard
Nothing more humbling than painting a flower.  This red rose was a gift from a lovely young girl who is staying in my Parisian studio for a few days.  Seems everyone has stayed here, the crash pad, but it is a pleasure to help a young girl more than anyone.