A Sweet Schnauzer

Today’s painting is special, a portrait of a sweet schnauzer who is now in dog heaven. The owners supplied me with several photos so I could see his coloring. The basic sketch is drawn up on the canvas with a filbert brush dipped in a wash made of MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin. To see any of these pictures larger just click on the image.

The canvas has been primed with white acrylic instead of gesso. This allows me to easily wipe off any lines I don’t like. You can see a few areas around the ears that I’ve reworked. The sketch with the basic values is now finished and I’m ready to begin painting.

The background is carefully blocked in around the sketch. Pure Cadmium Red Light is painted directly behind his head. A mix of Cadmium Red Deep + Magenta is used for the darker portions of the red background. Tomorrow I’ll start working on “The General”, hope you will come watch.

In the meantime I want to let you know the online distributor of our books has offered a special promotion to our readers. Here is your chance to purchase any or all six of Jack White’s Art Marketing Classics at 30% OFF the regular price. To get the savings use the code SHELFSTOCK305 when you checkout. This offer is good until January 31. To read testimonials and order any of these six valuable Art Marketing Books CLICK HERE.

Breathtaking Retreat: Making a Painting shows my step by step process of making a 6 foot by 8 foot oil painting of the picturesque Portofino Harbor in Italy. Filled with painting techniques and useful tips on setting up a studio, this book is a complete oil painting workshop, explaining our Double Primary Palette and revealing the one tool an artist CAN NOT afford to be without.

Breathtaking Retreat: Making a Painting is also available at 30% OFF. CLICK HERE to order. Make sure to enter the code SHELFSTOCK305 when you check out to receive your savings. Please remember, this opportunity expires Tuesday, January 31. Have a great day. Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

Pigeons and a Rooster

Fine Art Studio Online has just published Jack’s newest article. It’s all about Pigeons, CLICK HERE to read it.

Jack has also written Six books on Art Marketing. These books are full of valuable information based on 40 years of experience and success in the art world. To read excerpts and testamonials or to purchase any of them CLICK HERE.

Since we are talking about birds I thought a rooster would be an appropriate subject to paint! The initial drawing on the canvas is made with a thin wash of MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin. Then the background is blocked in with a large Bright brush.

The tail feathers are washed in with Viridian Green, Pthalo Blue, Dioxazine Purple and Magenta. Washing these colors over the white canvas provides a luminosity that I can’t get using opaque paint. I do go back in and add a few accents in the tail feathers with opaque color.

The upper part of the background is a blue-green mixed with Pthalo Blue + a touch of Hansa Lemon Yellow + White. I selected this mix because the rooster’s red comb pops against the complimentary green behind it.

Texas Alarm Clock          14″ x 11″        Original Oil Painting

More blue is added to the background as it goes down the canvas. Purple is used to darken the lowest part of the background. The blue in the middle section is the compliment of the orange feathers on the rooster’s neck and back, increasing the brightness. This perky little Texas Alarm Clock is for the Fredericksburg Art Gallery. Please mark your calendar, we will be at the Fredericksburg Art Gallery in the beautiful Texas hill country on Saturday, March 17. Hope you will stop in and see us. Thanks for visiting the studio today. And if you ever have any questions please feel free to ask. Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

A Cool Tool

This is one of the coolest tools we use, a paint squeezer. They are made in both plastic and metal, Jack and I prefer the metal version. It’s stronger and gets more paint out of the tube.

Paint is money, the more we can entice out of the tube the better. This gadget is well worth getting and will pay for itself in no time at all.

Since we are talking about paint many of you have asked, “Is it better to use “Artist Grade” or are “Student Grade” paints OK?” The primary difference between them is concentration of pigment.  Many times the actual pigments and vehicles used are the same. “Artist Grade” paints contain a higher ratio of pigment to vehicle than do “Student Grade”. But today’s “Student Grade” paints are extremely good. In fact much better than much of the paint the Old Masters used. And cost is a definite factor. A small tube of the “Artist Grade” paint is about the same price as two 200ml tubes of “Student Grade” paint. If you are painting in a super smooth technique you may find “Artist Grade” oils blend easier. But it’s all a matter of what you like to use and can afford. When it’s all said and done, no one will be able to tell the difference when they look at your painting on the wall.

We choose Winton Oil Paints in the 200 ml tube for most of our colors because we use a lot of paint. Winton is Windsor Newton’s “Student Grade” oil paint. I do put Grumbacher “Artist Grade” Pthalo Blue out on my palette instead of Winton. This makes a crisper, cleaner blue that I use a lot for the doors and gates in my paintings. Otherwise the Winton Pthalo Blue would be fine. If you would like to learn more about our Color Mixing System CLICK HERE.

Have a wonderful day and I hope you will visit again soon. If you would like to receive an email every time I publish a new post please feel free to subscribe to my blog. CLICK THIS LINK and scroll to the upper right side of the page. You will see a heading EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS. Just enter your email address and click the button “Sign me up!”  It’s easy. Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

Floral Splendor

Flipping through our reference photos I came across this delightful turquoise door and window from Andalusia, Spain perfect for my newest eBay painting. What a wonderful part of the world with the sun drenched, white washed buildings topped in terra-cotta tile roofs. Colorful doors and windows are accented by a variety of gorgeous flowers. One of the keys to painting white walls is to make sure the shadows are dark enough so the sunlit areas POP!

To go directly to my eBay auction CLICK HERE.

Rembrandt Turquoise Blue is one of those special colors we use from time to time. It makes such a clean, crisp Turquoise when mixed with a little white, perfect for the door and window. Orange Trumpet Vine is painted draping over the roof because it is the complimentary color of blue and makes the door appear even brighter. The floor is blocked in, cooler toward the back, warmer in the front.

I sign my pieces when I paint the area where the signature is going to be placed. It is so much easier to pull my signature wet-into-wet. If I waited until the paint was drier it would be difficult to drag a smooth line over the bumps and ridges. My hands are braced against the easel to steady them.

All the steps of painting Geraniums are shown above. 1. The red of the flowers are blocked in first as shown in the large pot by the door. 2. I’m working the greens of the foliage around the blossom color in the pot on the wall. 3. The leaves and buds are complete in the pot to the right on the window sill. 4. Highlights on the flowers finish out the Geranium pot on the left. To see any of these pictures larger just click on the image.

I had originally planned to plant mums under the window but decided they were too similar in shape to the Geraniums so I switched to Salvia. The long finger-like flowers make a nice contrast to the round clumps of Geraniums.

Floral Splendor     16″ x 19″     Original Oil Painting

Let Floral Splendor bring a touch of the Mediterranean sun into your home. The outside dimension of the Senkarik Signature Frame is 16 inches tall and 19 inches wide. The size of the painted image is 11 1/2 inches tall by 14 1/2 inches wide. A Senkarik original oil painting this size sells in our galleries for $890. The auction bidding starts at a PENNY. That’s right, 1 cent. To say Thank You we are giving FREE SHIPPING, anywhere in the continental United States, to the winner.

The auction ends Sunday, January 29 at 8 PM in Texas. That’s Central Standard Time.  So have some fun and visit my auction on eBay.

To bid CLICK HERE.

Happy Bidding, Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

A Beautiful Day

It’s hard to believe it’s winter, today has been so beautiful. We had a very foggy morning but the sun broke through this afternoon and the thermometer rose to 75 degrees. Our resident Cardinal, Mr. Chippers, was contemplating taking a bath. He finally plunged in a few minutes after we shot the picture.

Both Jack’s computer and my laptop crashed this week. Can you believe we bought them three years ago at the very same time and they went out within three days of each other? We decided it is planned obsolescence. Anyway, I’ve taken a little break from painting to get the new ones set up.  ARGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!! Finally……. I think everything is working. Jack gave lots of moral support and we were rewarded with a gorgeous sunset this evening. Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

Website: www.senkarik.com

Cruisin’

We’ve all followed the terrible news of the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster off the coast of Italy. Our hearts go out to all of those on the ship. Jack and I have been on many cruises and have always had delightful experiences. On one trip we were cruising through the Greek Islands. I had a commission to paint Komisa, a small coastal harbor village. Our route took us by the town, albeit several miles out in the ocean. We were invited to dinner with the captain a couple of nights before and mentioned this to him. He offered to sail closer to shore so we could take pictures from the ship. But he warned that there were several rocks underwater so he was limited as to how close he could safely get. He was acutely aware of the ship’s safety yet as accommodating as he could be. As we passed Komisa he slowed the ship so we could get a bunch of pictures. We have found this with all of the cruises we’ve been on: Safely First, Guest’s requests Second.

One of our favorite cruises was on the sailing ship, Royal Clipper. Most of our voyage was totally under wind power. The engines were only used coming into port and when there was no wind.

The Royal Clipper is anchored to the left of Jack, you can see how small it is compared to the monster megacruise ship to my right.

Out in the open ocean Jack got to take a turn at the helm!

That’s me up on the crow’s nest, I’m the little person on the left. To get up there you had to climb the rigging on the right. For safety everyone had to wear a harness. The view was incredible, I felt like a pirate!

If you ever have a chance to take a cruise through the Panama Canal DO IT! This is well worth taking. We went on the inaugural cruise of the Carnival Inspiration, the first megacruise ship to go through the canal. There were only a few feet on each side of the ship to the canal walls. We read David McCullough’s book The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal and were so glad we had.  If you have wanted to take a cruise just go. You’ll have a lot of fun. Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

If you would like to receive an email every time I publish a new post you may subscribe to my blog. CLICK THIS LINK and scroll to the upper right side of the page. You will see a heading EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS. Just enter your email address and click the button “Sign me up!”  It’s easy.

High Above Amalfi

Jack and I love the Amalfi Coast so let’s go there for my newest eBay painting.  It seems every bend in the narrow road brings spectacular views as you follow the coastline along this part of Italy. As we traveled through several villages high above the water we wondered what it would be like to live there. What a scene to look out on every day!

Click Here to go directly to my eBay auction.

The azure ocean and the sunlit village of Amalfi in the distance are framed by the darkness of the stone archway. The rustling fronds of the palm tree also provide a dark mass to intensify the sparkling water below. To see any of these pictures larger just click on the image.

Ropes of garlic are seen everywhere on the Amalfi Coast. The basic shapes of the individual bulbs are blocked in with blues and purples using the corner of a #4 Bright brush.

Creamy highlights are added on the garlic ropes to indicate the cloves. A happy red door is a must to compliment the blue-green water down below. It’s amazing how the feeling of distance is increased when the warmth of the red door is juxtaposed against the cool water.

Cheery yellow Sunflowers add to the warm welcome. The bright green foliage of the Canna Lilies is mixed with various proportions of Pthalo Blue + Hansa Lemon Yellow. The pure green will make the red appear even brighter because it’s a direct compliment. The reference photo taped to my easel was taken when we lived on Long Boat Key in Florida, long before digital cameras. I’m using it mainly for the anatomy of the plant, not for the color of the leaves.

High Above Amalfi        16″ x 19″       Original Oil Painting

Here is your chance to enjoy the beautiful Amalfi Coast every single day. The auction ends Sunday, January 22 at 8 PM in Texas. That’s Central Standard Time.  So have some fun and visit my auction on eBay.

The outside dimension of the Senkarik Signature Frame is 16 inches tall and 19 inches wide. The size of the painted image is 11 1/2 inches tall by 14 1/2 inches wide. A Senkarik original oil painting this size sells in our galleries for $890. The auction bidding starts at a PENNY. That’s right, 1 cent. To say Thank You we are giving FREE SHIPPING, anywhere in the continental United States, to the winner.

Just CLICK HERE to Bid!

Good Luck and Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

Tucked Away on Canyon Road

The primary color in the tablecloth is Cadmium Yellow Medium. MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + a bit of Cadmium Orange is added to the Cadmium Yellow Medium for the shadow areas. The highlights are Cadmium Yellow Medium + Hansa Lemon Yellow + a tiny touch of White. The hardest part of this painting is to make the wine glasses the same size. I wish I could give you a good trick to do this but I can’t. I just keep working on them until they are as close as possible. After giving a big sigh of relief I move to the container in the window.

Geraniums are planted in the window flowerpot and Nasturtiums will fill the back of the planter below it. The red-orange flowers have been blocked in and now the warm green foliage is painted around the blossom color. The green leaves are mixed from varying proportions of Ultramarine Blue + Cadmium Yellow Medium.

I decided to top the planter box with tile, just to do a little something different. The lanky purple flowers of the Salvia are blocked in with a mix of Dioxazine Purple + White using a Bright brush angled sideways.

Tucked Away on Canyon Road     24″ x 30″     Original Oil Painting

What would Santa Fe be without Hollyhocks? So a clump is planted at the base of the rounded adobe wall on the left. Tucked Away on Canyon Road will be packed up tomorrow and on its way to Santa Fe Art Collector Gallery on Monday. I’m so glad you visited our studio today. Have a great day! Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

Fun Memories

We have visited Santa Fe, New Mexico more times than we can count. The one place we make sure to go every time is Canyon Road. It is so colorful and full of ideas for paintings. We have such fun memories of walking along the sunny street filled with wonderful galleries, flowers and bright colors everywhere you look. The photo above is the starting place for my painting today.

I have simplified the composition and added a building to the right. I want the umbrella, table and chairs to be tucked behind a planter filled with flowers in the foreground. The basic elements are sketched up on the canvas with a wash of MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + a liberal amount of Liquin.

The adobe building in the background is blocked in first. The door and windows are a soft Periwinkle Blue made by mixing Ultramarine Blue + Dioxazine Purple + White. Painting forward I begin working on the walls of the courtyard.

Climbing Roses cascade over the wall behind the table and chairs. The Roses are a pink made of Alizarin Crimson + White. Several different shades are used to block in the blossoms.

Magenta Petunias fill the flower boxes in the background. I chose this color because it is muted and will drop back. The heart shaped chairs are drawn with a mixture of Alizarin Crimson + Pthalo Blue that makes a rich black. Then the rough cobblestone floor is painted with choppy brushstrokes, giving the texture of the old stones.

The crevices between the stones are randomly indicated to give the impression of cobblestones. Moving to the umbrella it is blocked in with creamy mixes made of White + Cadmium Orange + Ultramarine Blue. MUD is added for the darker portion of the umbrella showing underneath. Hope you will come back and visit tomorrow. We should be finishing this one up. See you then. Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

If you would like to receive an email every time I publish a new post you may subscribe to my blog. CLICK THIS LINK and scroll to the upper right side of the page. You will see a heading EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS. Just enter your email address and click the button “Sign me up!”  It’s easy.

Floral Promenade

The lights and darks of the old tile floor are blocked in with a lot of leftover paint. I like to add several different colors to give a feel of the patina on the ancient pavers. A fine liner brush has been used to indicate the curved perspective lines. In the picture above I’m drawing the horizontal lines separating the tiles.

The Sunflowers are painted with my normal sequence: Flower color first, Foliage second. Then the dark centers are placed in the yellow areas and we begin to see the happy flowers appear.

The white Daisies are painted over the dark leaves of the Sunflowers. I have to be very careful to “Lay” the paint on the canvas so none of the dark green underneath is picked up by my brush. I want the whites to remain crisp and clean.

Yellow, orange and red centers complete the Daisies and Petunias fill in the rest of the planter in the right foreground. Please remember, if you would like to see any of these pictures larger just click on the image.

Floral Promenade      20″ x 24″     Original Oil Painting

Lavender and California Poppies are the final participants in this Floral Promenade. It’s off to the gallery and hopefully will soon be going to a new collector’s home. Have a wonderful day. Hope to see you again soon. Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

Sign up to be on the TEAM SENKARIK Mailing List