Category Archives: Painting Projects

A Lulie Wallace Study

As a kid I was always fascinated by the painters who would set up in museums, right next to the most famous paintings, and replicate them color by color. I thought why is this famous painting so famous if it’s easy to replicate.

I laugh now at my younger self.

I’ve grow to learn that famous painting are famous for reason – no matter how hard you try, you can’t replicate the genius. Instead, you learn to paint by trying to replicate a master’s strokes, color choices and style.

IMG_0135

I’ve been following Lulie Wallace for a little while now. Recently, she’s posted a collection called a Southern floral series that I am obsessed with, specially her painting of magnolias. So I took the afternoon to try to learn from a master.

IMG_0137

Again, it’s impossible to replicate the genius, but it was fun to attempt to capture its style. Plus, I get a beautiful painting to hang on my wall.

IMG_0139

Advertisement

A Painted Wedding Bouquet

For a last minute birthday present, I pulled together a quick painting of my friend’s wedding bouquet. Her wedding was back in May, and a single adjective could not properly describe how spectacularly amazing her flowers were. If I had more time, I wish I could have found a better picture of her specific bouquet to create a more exact portrait, but since the idea came to me a week before her birthday, I painted something based on memory.

20140804-141808-51488442.jpg

My painting definitely did not justify the beauty of the actual bouquet, but I think the painting came together well with only a couple hours to execute it on Sunday morning. This morning, I sketched out another rendition of the bridesmaids’ bouquets that I’m hopeful to paint in the coming weeks.

10351167_10154276969480317_2588679286737909942_n

 

Flowers through a Window

IMG_3146

Several months back, I purchased this old window at a savage sale, and finally, I decided to do something with it. I found an image online of similar-styled flowers, and I was inspired!

I find it rather annoying to paint on windows. I just use acrylic paint, but if you know of short cut or trick, I would love to know! Though I do like that if you make a mistake, you can easily wipe it off and start again.

IMG_3120

Something Beautiful

When I lived in Washington D.C. last summer, I would wander the halls of the National Museum of Art and feel envious of the painters who were allowed to spend hours recreating the masterpieces that hung on its walls. On certain lazy Sundays, I like to take up the practice of mimicking another’s work. Though it may sound strange, I find the practice rather relaxing, but truly, studying the stroke and technique of another painter is the best way to grow as a painter yourself. Today, I decided to bask in the art of flowers (ones first created by Erin Gregory).

IMG_2924

Wishing for Watercolors

IMG_1723

I wish I could master the art of watercolors. I saw a watercolor painting of flowers the other day, and I longed for the day when I could recreate it. But instead of throwing myself a pity party, I pulled out the good ‘0le acrylic paint and made something new.

Inspired by the trip to the Birmingham Museum of Art, I adored the unfinished paintings of Norman Rockwell. Lacking the final touch of detail, I found the incomplete status beautiful.

Exact dimensions

In the midst of stressful times, painting is good for the soul. My roommate laughed at me because she came home the other day and found me painting in bed. I figured when I was painting something so simple (see above), I couldn’t get too messy.

I found the idea from a letterpress print I found online. I didn’t copy the print exactly (that would be rude), but I did take the idea (and the bridge, canoe, feather, ruler and whale). Check out the letterpress shop here. It is one of my favorites, and it’s a great place to look for Christmas presents (hint, hint).

His Grace

   

Anthopologie sends catalogs to my parent’s house, and every time I come home, I have a nice little stack sitting on my bed. Perfect for a little collage.

Confession – I found this on Pinterest, and it just looked too easy to not recreate it. The whole thing says, “If His Grace is an Ocean, we are all Sinking.” This Anthopologie catalog used beach/desert scenery, which worked perfectly. I cut out the words Grace, Ocean and Sinking, using a similar color scheme for each word.

I used ModPodge to glue the letters to the canvas. When them in place, I simply used a paint pen to write in the other words. Even though I ended up selling this one at the Spring Fling Flea Market, I think I’m going to make another one for myself.

Spin Art is the best

I uploaded pictures from my camera today and found this little gem from the last month. For Welcome Back Week, we had an “art” day, meaning free Pastry Art’s baby bites, free caricature artists and my favorite, free spin art! We put a clothes line out between two trees for people to hang their spin art to dry, but secretly, I do this so I can collect all the abandoned and the forgotten ones for myself. Truth be told, spin art makes the best stationary. Here, I used it to write thank you letters to people who helped us out during the week.

I use them as post cards, simply drawing a line down the middle. I think the extra paint on the back makes it look even better. If only I could have my very own spin art machine, I could start a business.