Green bottle and mango

 Oil on Masonite, 15 x 20 cm:

SOLD

Lemon, spice, dandelion

Acrylics on Masonite, 15 x 20 cm:

Some random sketches

I have been taking a break from painting in order to study up on some aspects of art that have always eluded me. How long I'll be busy with that, I don't know, but I'll post the occasional sketch here just to keep the blog alive.

Two still life sketches done from life:

And two in ballpoint pen plus colored pencil, cobbled together from various reference photos:

I have actually been itching to take up the brushes again, so perhaps I'll soon succumb to temptation and paint something...

Apple and bottle

Oil on board, 20 x 15 cm:

Mini bottle and Eugenia berries

Oil on board, 10 x 15 cm:

Probably the last of the berries for the season - mornings are getting decidedly frosty...

Onion and bottle

Oil on board, 20 x 15 cm (= about 8 x 6 in):

Back to still life, but I decided to try something other than my usual dark backgrounds.

Onion and herbs

Oil on board, 20 x 15 cm:

Eggs, bottle, pear.

Oil on board, 20 x 25 cm:

Egg cartons are surprisingly difficult to paint - I should do some more!

Pear and bottles

Oil on board, 15 x 20 cm (= about 6 x 8 inches):

Mustard and apricot jam

Oil on board, 15 x 10 cm:

Next week, perhaps some larger ones again...

Mini bottle, mini tomatoes

Been a while since I have made one of these mini paintings. Oil on board, 15 x 10 cm (= 6 x 4 inches):

Onion, herbs, oil

Oil on board, 20 x 25 cm (= about 8 x 10 inches):

Lemon and Herbs

When life gives you lemons, paint them...
Oil on board, 20 x 15 cm (= about 8 x 6 inches):

Cloves, tomato, apricot jam

I remain torn between oils and acrylics for this sort of painting. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages. In practice, I work with one for a while, then get sick of it and switch to the other. Perhaps I'll eventually figure out which one I really prefer.

Oil on board, 20 x 15 cm (=about 8 x 6 inches):

Mini tomatoes

Acrylics on board, 20 x 15 cm (8 x 6 inches):

Red things

Acrylic on board, 20 x 15 cm (= about 8 x 6 inches):

Tomato, Marmite, herbs

Oil on board, 15 x 20 cm (= about 6 x 8 inches):

Salt shaker and cherry tomatoes

Oil on board, 15 x 10 cm (= about 6 x 4 inches):

As I worked on this one, I took a series of WIP photos, which I planned on working into a YouTube video. I'll see if I get around to it. Unfortunately some of the photos came out thoroughly out of focus, so it might not be too spectacular. I can say this: there are few things that break one's concentration and "flow" quite as much as stopping all the time to take a photo!

Crepe myrtle

Oil on board, 25 x 20 cm (= about 10 x 8 inches):

SOLD

Also known as Pride-of-India (Lagerstroemia indica). These plants are originally from India and China, but are now commonly grown as ornamentals wherever the climate will allow. They are currently in bloom around here, so I couldn't resist...

Morning Glory

Oil on board, 20 x 15 cm (= about 8 x 6 inches):

Weeding the vegetable garden produced a bit of treasure!