Another Daily Painter Blog

From the sketch book: Graveyard

2009-10-31T11:46:00.000-07:00

Although I did this sketch, I thought it would be appropriate to post today given that it is Halloween. We'll likely have about 500+ trick or treaters come by our house.

Great Halloween Lantern parade

2009-10-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

I'll have a booth in tomorrows Great Halloween Lantern parade near Patterson Park. Small object paintings, art cards, and originals will be on display and for sale.

Lantern Festival 3-9pm! Line-up 7pm, Parade & Show 7:30pm
w/ Live Music! Beer Garden! Hayrides!
Due to rain in the forecast it has been rescheduled to SUNDAY October 25th

Here's a link:

Parade

From the sketchbook

2009-09-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

Clara is getting better about sleeping. Her times for naps are more consistent, and she can sleep thru the night. For instance today, I placed her in her crib around noon. I went down to the fridge to get some milk only to come back upstairs to find her peacefully sleeping.

This sketch, however, reveals her movements before she falls asleep which sometimes isn't as rapid as it was today.

From the sketchbook

2009-09-21T10:04:00.000-07:00

I like the sense of form in the head, and was able to render only 1 arm due to Clara moving and awakening. But overall happy with the sketch...

Another Clara sketch

2009-09-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

I've done quite a few sketches of Clara, and they some get better but not where I want to be. For most artists it's hard to be ever satisfied with your work. One cool thing is through drawing any subject you gain a greater understanding and perception. You must maintain an open mind, and be ready to change your mark and viewpoint. Drawing is all about problem solving which translates to everything we do in life such as taking the resources around us and making something beautiful or functional. The greater your experience or open mindedness, the easier time you have solving life's problems.

Thawing breastmilk

2009-09-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

This is has been a common sight the last 6 months, warming breast milk. We know breastfeeding in the best choice for an infant. Although we occasionally supplement our daughters diet with formula, we both feel better about allowing nature to nuture Clara. It has been the easiest choice, as my wife balances her work with consistent requirement of pumping milk to keep up the supply. My morning routine after waking at 4:45 am to walk the dog is to grab a few bags from the freezer for the days supply of milk.

about 5" x 7" acrylic on canvas paper
$80 to purchase, email jjwoodee@gmail.com
Paypal accepted

From the sketchbook

2009-08-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

Lately, it's been difficult finding the time to paint. So I've been drawing as much as possible. One of my sketchbooks I take along with me on my morning walks around the neighborhood. I've been using an ink pen that allows a loose mark.

New painting - Travel Trinkets

2009-08-12T09:14:00.000-07:00

I set up these momento items, an Indian Jewerly box with a bracelet. The box was bought from a persistant guide I had while in India. In India, you have to learn the art of haggle or as a foreigner you can be taken. Even simple items and trinkets can easily turn into tug of war like negotiation. These items are reminders of my adventure to that truly exotic country.

about 5" x 7" acrylic on canvas paper
$80 to purchase, email jjwoodee@gmail.com
Paypal accepted

Practice with Blind contour drawings

2009-07-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

I've been reading "The Natural Way to Draw" by Nicolaides. The book is designed for both beginner and advanced drawing student or artist. A painter can never have enough drawing practice and this book is something I'm working on in between naps with Baby C. The first exercises "blind contour" is done by looking at the subject, finding and following the edge of the form by drawing slowly and meticulously with your drawing instrument. This is all done mind you WITHOUT looking a the paper. You gain a sensitivity to the edges of form while sharpening observation skills.

When I look at my work I'm fascinated with the varience and quality of line. Sure it may appear crude or childlike but the marks alone become a sensitive and interesting marks of expressions. I've joked by showing these to a few relatives stating, "Hey look what baby C" drew today.

Baby Shoes

2009-07-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

Although baby C is not large enough to fit in theses shoes, they provided a good subject to paint. The rate of Baby C's growth is amazing, and can only be appreciated through pictures. Especially those in her first day at the hospital, compared to recent photo images. Soon she will be able to fit in these shoes.

about 5" x 7" acrylic on canvas paper
$80 to purchase, email jjwoodee@gmail.com
Paypal accepted

Keep it simple

2009-06-19T15:57:00.000-07:00

about 5" x 7" acrylic on canvas paper
$80 to purchase, email jjwoodee@gmail.com
Paypal accepted

When I first started painting still lifes, my tendency was to grab as many unusual objects and cram them into a composition(the canvas). Take this example:

Each object in a still life is an actor in a play. Now that I look at this piece,the objects are competing. They could be supporting each other in more pleasing aesthetic way. One artist's feedback at acritique mentioned how the piece as being a bit busy. He was right.

Our culture says if you have a space, fill it with as stuff much as possible. Billboards, plates of food, sodas, and items your house are a few examples . Fill, fill, fill. I raise my hand in guilt. But is more better?

My latest painting features a more simplistic approach featuring 3 main elements. A dark background a daisy flower and bottle. Also, dont forget the highlight. The bottle cap is a supporting actor or faithful sidekick.

It's a struggle to think simplisticly in an ever busier world. I hope this work offers a bit of tranquility or reminder to slow down and think - it's good for you.

Random sketches

2009-06-16T06:08:00.000-07:00

Since I'm crunched with time taking care of Clara, I have been faithfully sticking to keeping a sketchbook. This is something every artist should do. An hour a day to simply clear the mind, record ideas or just draw things around you. Of course drawing is fundamental basic block of painting. With good drawing, usually comes good painting.

Bowl with yellow rose

2009-06-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

about 7" x 5" acrylic on canvas paper
$80 to purchase, email jjwoodee@gmail.com

Here's another painting. Of course, there are few things I'd like to change about the piece now that I see it on the monitor but I'd rather not go back and tweak it. Sometimes in a piece or in life for that matter, you just have to move on.

I like to paint flowers in the state of wilting, hence the separate rose petals. The shape of the wilted rose was hard to capture and I'm not quite sure I pulled it off to my satisfaction. I'm hardly statisfied, however with any work I do.

Bottle in the shadows

2009-05-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

5" x 7" acrylic on canvas paper
$80 to purchase, email jjwoodee@gmail.com

I managed to complete this bottle painting. Now that I'm surrounded with various baby objects around the house I thought this made a good subject. Lord knows that this bottle has saved me from screaming baby many a time.

Show in couple of weeks

2009-04-28T17:07:00.000-07:00

All my "little" paintings or rather 34 of the good ones will be on display at Artist Under Ground May 9th, 7 to 10:00 pm.

Here's a youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT_nuUY_xGc

Daffodil out of the darkness

2009-04-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

I plucked this daffodil from my garden. It's wonderful flower that brings color especially on those early spring, colder days. But now, at least today we may have turned a corner with the weekend weather being in the 70's. The daffodil blooms will soon fade, but this painting will not.

SOLD

Between diaper changes

2009-04-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

There's a new addition in my life and that is the birth of our new daughter. To see feel, hear, and listen to this little human being is surreal. The journey with her in my life has just begun.

Finding time and thought to devote to painting is more difficult these days, but I managed to complete this picture between all the mayhem and the calls of my wife.

SOLD

Back to painting

2009-03-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

Well my wife is due today, and I finally finished the baby room. I have my set up in the basement area of the house where I can control the light in my still life set ups. This piece is titled "Forbidden Fruit".

2009-01-12T15:01:00.000-08:00

"The Truth is simple, avoid complicating it." -random man at Jack in the Box, Seattle's Univeristy District

I came across an old sketchbook while cleaning out my studio. As flipped the pages this drawing grabbed me as I soon remembered hanging out on the ave seeking out something to draw. I came across this street musician and absolutely needed to capture the moment.

Green Pear on side

2008-12-23T16:52:00.000-08:00

I don't know if this painting reads as a pear, but I like the confident stroke and marks I am making is this piece.

Recovering

2008-12-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

I had surgery last Friday, and I'm finally getting back to normal. It is going to be month before I can do any lifting over 10 lbs. Thankfully my wife has been great helping me to recover. It humbles you to be so in need of physical help of the simplest things. But I'm seeing an increase in movement and desire to do more that should put me back to 100% soon. So, I havent been painting in the meanwhile. And since we have baby due in March, I made the desicion to take on the task of cleaning out my studio a week prior to my surgery. I want to repaint the room, so I have taken down the old plaster. This involves a ton of scraping and steaming but its fun. I plan to paint the room a cheery welcoming yellow, with some artsy paintings of Panda bears for the new one which arrives in March.

I'm still deciding whether or not divy off the room as 1/2 my studio and the other 1/2 nursery. If I can get the basement cleaned out, I may have to paint down there.

Cleaning out my studio

2008-11-19T13:49:00.000-08:00

I've been busy cleaning out my studio room in the upper level of our rowhouse. Amazing what two years of "stuff" an artist can accumulate. The room needs to be cleared out and become a nursery to make room for for a new addition to our family. We don't know the sex of the baby. It will be a surprise.

Title: Blue stone necklace and candle Holder
5" x 7" acrylic on canvas paper
$100 to purchase + shipping and handling, email jjwoodee@gmail.com

Switching hosts

2008-11-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

I apologize for some of the broken links....I recently switched web hosts so there are some technical issues to be smoothed out.

spotlighting

2008-10-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

I've been experimenting with spotlighting within my still life set ups. I use a light source and piece of contruction paper folded into a cone form. This cone from is then taped onto the light source. The light source now acts as a flashligt of sorts and helps add drama to the still life set up.

SOLD

A mug

2008-10-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

I've been painting steadily each day, although not sharing each one. I need to get better at that. Time within hte day seems to slip by so fast - an hour of this and hour of that along with walking the dog, and the day blurs into evening. Oh, and my wife is 4 1/2 months pregnant she reminds me today so the feelings of anticipation and fear linger within me. 5" x 7" acrylic on canvas paper
$100 to purchase + shipping and handling, email jjwoodee@gmail.com