Interlude of Romance

I’ve planned this piece especially for my Valentine’s Day eBay auction. It is quite a bit more complicated than I usually paint on a 16″ x 19″ canvas, normally this composition would be a 36″ x 48″ painting. However I wanted to do something extra special for our collectors to say HAPPY VALENTINE’S for 2012. As a little gift to the winner we are also including the original pen and ink sketch shown above with the painting. So you will actually win 2 pieces of SENKARIK Original Art in this auction.

To go directly to my auction CLICK HERE.

Lake Como in Italy is one of the most romantic spots in the world. Armed with a bunch of digital images on our laptop, a photo of a courtyard I cut out of a magazine years ago and my sketch as reference I’ve drawn up the basic elements of the composition on my canvas. The sky is painted first, then I work forward. The most distant mountains are made bluer and lighter so they will recede. To see any of these images larger just click the picture.

The mountains, distant village and Lake Como are completed. Now I paint the heart-shaped chair backs, wine bottle and glasses wet into wet over the water behind them. Bracing my hand on the mahl stick (you can see the whole thing in the previous picture of my easel setup) I delineate the wine bottle and glasses.

The scene though the arch is framed by the darkness of ancient stone walls. A Bougainvillea adds a blast of bright color. The blossoms are blocked in first, the foliage will follow. I had originally planned elephant ears draping down the wall in the upper right corner but decided there should be more color so I added the Morning Glory Vine. That’s the joy of being an artist, I can make them bloom in the early evening.

The music of splashing water adds to the romance. After establishing the structure of the fountain and foliage the falling water is dragged, straight down, over the wet paint.

Lake Como wouldn’t be complete without Geraniums. Like the Bougainvillea the flower color is painted first. This way the blossoms stay crisp and clean when the green leaves are painted around them. If the foliage was blocked in first, my brush would pick up some of the green when the flowers are painted, making the color muddy.

Interlude of Romance       16″ x 19″      Original Oil Painting

Dancing Day Lilies complete the cozy courtyard. Wouldn’t you like to be able to spend some romantic time with the love of your life, sipping a glass of wine while enjoying the view of Italy’s famous Lake Como? Interlude of Romance is just the place. Hang this painting in your home and you can have a romantic escape anytime you want.

Capture your Valentine’s heart with an Interlude of Romance. 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 14 cents. That’s right, 14 cents for Valentine’s Day. To say Thank You we are giving FREE SHIPPING, anywhere in the continental United States, to the winner.

To go to my eBay auction CLICK HERE.

The auction ends Sunday, February 5 at 8 PM in Texas. That’s Central Standard Time.  So have some fun and visit my auction on eBay.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S, Mikki and Jack

Excitement on Senkarik Pond

This morning was incredible. Forget gardening! Molly, our rescue kitty, and I went down to the swing by our little pond, basked in the sun and watched the wildfowl. We enjoyed seeing the Green-winged Teals feeding, flapping and cavorting around. To see any of these images larger you can just click the picture.

A striking black and white Stilt poked along the edge of the pond, paying us no attention what-so-ever. I love his reflection.

A few Northern Shovelers slid gracefully across the gently rippled surface of the water.

Molly decided enough of the bird watching, she was going to hunt something. She loves to rustle through the grass, finding all kinds of little critters to chase and bring to the back door as presents for Jack and me.

All of a sudden there was a loud crash and the thunder of hooves. A deer bounded across directly in front of us and jumped into the pond. Water splashed everywhere. Close on its heels was a large Mexican Red Wolf that came to an abrupt halt at the water’s edge. I jumped up and shouted for Molly, she ran up the nearest tree. Fortunately it was close by. Before I could even grab the camera the wolf whirled and was gone. We borrowed this picture from natureisawesome.net. Molly was more than happy to be rescued from her perch and get carried back up the hill to the house. WHEW! What excitement on Senkarik Pond this morning. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

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The General

The ear, forehead and dark around the eyes are blocked in. Don’t ask why I only painted one ear! I really can’t tell you other than I was so excited to paint General’s eyes I just forgot. Jack, a master portrait painter, says the eyes are the soul of the subject. The entire dark area of the eye is first painted with MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson). Since the light is coming from the upper left I make a crescent of brown on the opposite side, the lower right. The center of the crescent is highlighted with a lighter brown.

A tiny white catch light is placed at 11 o’clock in each eye, near the upper lid. I want General to look as if he just heard his name called.

His neck and shoulders are blocked in next. The edges are made soft so his body drops back, the center of attention will focus on his face.

Now that ear is painted! General’s moustache and beard are a warm white made of various mixes of Cadmium Orange + Ultramarine Blue + White. More blue is added on the shadow side for coolness.

The General     17″ x 14″    Original Oil Painting

The nose is painted with cool grays made from mixing Pthalo Blue, Alizarin Crimson and White. Some of the same mix is used in the dark hair above the eyes. Painting the fine hair on his muzzle and adding the Dallas Cowboys Blue collar finish out The General. We delivered the portrait and Zabrina was beside herself. I feel so blessed that God has given me a gift to bring her so much joy.

Don’t forget my eBay auction of Floral Splendor ends today, Sunday, January 29 at 9 PM Eastern Time.

CLICK HERE to go to the auction.

Have a wonderful day and Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

A Sweet Schnauzer

Today’s painting is special, a portrait of a sweet schnauzer who is now in dog heaven. Zabrina supplied me with several photos of General 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. If you would like to read testimonials or order any of these six valuable Art Marketing Books just 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

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

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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

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