So many have given their lives so we can be safe in this great country. We appreciate not only the ultimate sacrifice they made but all the hardships that their families went through. Moms, Dads, Husbands, Wives, Brothers, Sisters and Children. By the Grace of God, we are fortunate enough to have been born in the United States. As you celebrate Memorial Day, please take a moment to say a prayer in remembrance of all these extra special people and their families.
And any time you see one of our wonderful service men or women, do stop and say THANK YOU! This video of how one little boy expressed his appreciation will warm your heart!
Have a Happy Memorial Day!
With BIG HUGS,
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My paint mixtures are all ready for us to begin work! The recipes are as follows: #1. Two shades of White + Cobalt Blue. #2. White + Pthalo Blue. #3. White + a tiny bit of Cadmium Orange + a touch of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson). #4. White + MUD. As you read through my blog please remember, you may click on any of the images to see enlargements.
I have to step up on a small stool to paint the top edge of the gallery wrap canvas.
VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the Sky
VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the Windmill
The far hills are painted with mixes of Ultramarine Blue + MUD + White. The bluff beyond the barn and wildflower field is made with combinations of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + MUD + White. The rocks are mixes of the same colors with more Cadmium Orange and less Pthalo Blue.
Stately Live Oak Trees line the pasture at the back of the barn. The foliage is mixtures of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Yellow Medium + White. A few strokes of Ultramarine Blue + White are made here and there to bring additional coolness into the mass of dusky green leaves.
Trees at the left of the field are painted with the same mixes. After the foliage is blocked in, trunks are drawn in to the wet paint with a mix of MUD + Cadmium Orange + White.
Sunlight dances along the tops of Mesquite trees, illuminating their bright foliage. I’m using a combination of Pthalo Blue + Lemon Yellow + a little Cadmium Yellow Medium + White for the Spring Green leaves.
The sky, distant landscape, trees and windmill are complete. I’ll be building the barn in our next session. Why don’t you come and give me a hand? In the meantime have a safe, happy and fun Memorial Day Weekend. Please take a moment to say a prayer, giving thanks for all of those brave, selfless men and women who have given their lives to protect our freedom. Thank You!
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The first thing drawn on the blank canvas is the Horizon Line (marked with the red arrows). A brush dipped in a thin oil wash of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin is used. Then the distant bluffs, barn and windmill are added. Please keep in mind as you read through my blog, you may click on any image to see it larger.
The blue of the Texas flag on the roof is made with a mix of Ultramarine Blue + Liquin. Alizarin Crimson + Liquin is used for the red portion of the flag.
Large, limestone boulders line the stream. Their rugged shapes are blocked in with the MUD + Liquin mix.
Sunflowers and California Poppies perch atop the rocks on the left bank of the stream.
Rugged cedar fence posts march from the babbling brook all the way back to the barn.
The basic plan is up on our canvas. I’ll allow the oil wash sketch to get good and dry, then I’ll begin painting in our next session. Please come back and watch, I’m planning to have a couple of videos! In the meantime, here’s a HUG!
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I’m preparing my canvas in a special way for a new commission. This is to be painted in the “Gallery Wrap” style, with the image going over the edge of the canvas and onto the side. To be able to handle the painting safely while it’s in progress and still wet, the canvas will be securely anchored to a cardboard backing. First the hanging wire is attached. Then six screw eyes are placed at equal distance, into the back of the outside stretcher bars, all the way around the canvas.
The red arrows point to a couple of the screw eyes that were placed in the previous step. You may click on this image (or any of the others) to see an enlargement. Now the Title, copyright information, my inventory code of authenticity number, signature and personalization for my collector is written on the back of the canvas with a Sharpie. The white square was previously painted on the back of the canvas with White Acrylic. This not only makes it easier to write the information, it keeps the Sharpie ink from bleeding through the canvas.
An arrow is made with pencil on the front of the canvas at the top. This is to make sure that my painting and the writing on the back are both in the same direction! Believe me, I learned this the hard way. One time when I finished a “Gallery Wrap” style painting and the cardboard backing was removed, the labeling on the back was UPSIDE DOWN!
The painting is 24 inches by 36 inches. A double ply sheet of cardboard, measuring 32 inches by 42 inches is cut. Making sure the canvas is centered on the cardboard, the backing is pressed down firmly, allowing the screw eyes to poke through. Then nails are pushed through the openings; these will hold the canvas in place.
Tape is placed over the nails to make certain they don’t slip out!
Here’s the canvas/cardboard unit from the back, ready to be placed on my easel.
We’re set and ready to begin sketching the composition up on the canvas. You can see that having the cardboard extending out from the edges of the canvas will make it very easy to handle the painting when the edges are wet.
Here’s my pen and ink sketch that’s been approved by my collector. In planning a painting, you want the viewer’s eye to move in a circle through the piece. So, here’s the concept for this composition. Sun streaming in from the upper left, brings your eye into the painting. Your gaze will swoop down to the bright yellow sunflowers, then along the stream and other colorful flowers in the front, moving to the right. The fence posts coming in from right side direct the viewer’s eye up and circle it back left to the focal point, the windmill and barn with the Texas Flag on the roof.
I’ll begin drawing the composition up on the canvas in my next session. Hope you’ll come follow along. 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 click the button “Sign me up!” It’s easy. Please keep in mind, to move through the blog when you get the posts, just CLICK on the small titles at the top of the page. The right one for the next post or the title on the left side for the previous session.
Thank you for subscribing and have a wonderful day! With Big Hugs,
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After establishing the dark centers of the White Hollyhocks with a mix of Magenta + Liquin, the shadow portions of the flowers are made with combinations of White + Ultramarine Blue and White + Dioxazine Purple.
VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the White Hollyhock Blossoms
The wings are first blocked in with a mixture of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + a touch of Cadmium Orange + a little White. Then the feathers, backlit by the sun splashing into the painting from the upper left, are illuminated with lighter shades of the same mix.
The iridescent green of the Hummingbird heads is Viridian Green + White. Their ‘ruby red’ throats are made with Cadmium Red Deep + Magenta, Cadmuim Red Light and Cadmium Red Light + White.
In the brilliant sunlight, this zippy fella’s beak casts a long shadow down his white chest. You may click on this picture, or any of the others, to see an enlargement.
THE PLAYFUL DANCE Original Oil Painting
Walt wrote a wonderful poem to accompany his Mother’s Day gift to Anne. Here’s some of it:
“As the memories in the mountains exceeded all words,
a new joy has been the arrival of the Hummingbirds.
They are fascinating, mesmerizing and a joy to behold,
we see in them beauty, nature, purpose and colors so bold.
They remind us to make life special, each moment a blast,
to bring out the best in ourselves and make it last.
So, as we look to the future, leaving nothing to chance,
let us never forget, nor ever forsake, the art of THE PLAYFUL DANCE!
Thanks again for visiting my studio and KEEP DANCING!
With Big HUGS,
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The oil sketch on the canvas is now dry. I carefully begin painting the background around the tall stalks, flowers and hummingbirds. The adobe color is made of various combinations of White + MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange. The light streams in from the upper left. That portion of the wall is made lighter and becomes progressively darker as I paint to the right and bottom of the canvas. As you read through my blog you may click on any of the images to see enlargements.
VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the Tall Stalks and Flower Buds.
The tall stalks, flower buds and large Hollyhock leaves are painted with mixes of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Yellow Medium + White and Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White.
Magenta + Liquin is used to make the dark centers of the Hollyhock flowers.
One of Anne’s favorite colors is Orange. So some of the flowers are blocked in with Cadmium Orange + Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Red Light and Cadmium Orange + White.
Stamens are added with Cadmium Yellow Medium + Magenta for the shadow portion. Cadmium Yellow Medium + Lemon Yellow is used for the highlight.
We’ll work on the Hummingbirds and rest of the Hollyhocks in our next session. Hope you’ll come back to my studio and follow along! HUGS,
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Starting a new piece featuring two of my absolute favorites, Hummingbirds and Hollyhocks! This is a commission for a longtime collector. Walt saw the painting I had done of the Hummingbirds flitting around the trumpet shaped blossoms of our Tangerine Cross Vine. It had already sold so he asked if I would do one especially for his wife. As we visited we decided to change the flowers to Hollyhocks because she loves them. He gave a copy of the sketch above to Anne on Mother’s Day. Now we are able to collaborate, she can be part of the process and follow along.
The painted image measures 19 inches tall by 9 inches wide. My first step is to begin sketching the stalks, large blossoms and leaves of the Hollyhocks with a brush dipped a thin oil wash of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin. That enables me to determine the size of the Hummingbirds, making them correctly proportioned to the tall, stately plants. Please remember as you read through my post, you may click on any of the images to see them larger.
More stalks, flowers and flower buds are added.
The iridescent heads of the Hummers are washed in with a mix of Viridian Green + Liquin. Alizarin Crimson + Liquin in used for their Ruby Red Throats!
Thin oil washes of Sap Green + Liquin and Pthalo Blue + Liquin are used for the leaves of this native New Mexico flower.
We’re all sketched up and ready to begin painting with opaque oils in our next session. Hope you’ll come follow along.
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 click the button “Sign me up!” It’s easy. Please keep in mind, to move through the blog when you get the posts, just CLICK on the small titles at the top of the page. The right one for the next post or the title on the left side for the previous session.
Thank you for subscribing and have a wonderful day! With Big Hugs,
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My collector has a good friend who does research on Monarch Butterflies and loves Gardenias. Lynn asked me to combine the two in a painting as a birthday gift for Gracie. My reference photos are taped on my easel, making for easy referral as I begin sketching the composition on the 6 inch x 6 inch Cradled Panel.
After drawing the Monarch, Gardenia and Flower Buds with a brush dipped in a thin oil wash of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin, I turn my attention to the foliage. The general shapes of the leaves are washed in with mixes of Sap Green + Liquin and Pthalo Blue + Liquin.
The background is painted with combinations of Cadmium Red Deep + Magenta, Cadmium Red Deep + Cadmium Red Light and pure Cadmium Red Light.
VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the Gardenia
The Gardenia leaves are painted with combinations in several different proportions of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Yellow Medium + a touch of Lemon Yellow.
Multiple flower buds are added next.
The delicate wings are blocked in with mixes of MUD + Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Red Light + White.
The distinctive pattern is drawn into the wet paint with Ivory Black.
“Magic of the Monarch” 6 inches x 6 inches on Cradled Panel
The Monarch’s brilliant, sunlit wings glow against the soft blues, purples and whites of the fragrant Gardenia!
I appreciate you following along today! 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 click the button “Sign me up!” It’s easy. Please keep in mind, to move through the blog when you get the posts just CLICK on the small titles at the top of the page. The right one for the next post or the title on the left side for the previous session.
Thank you for subscribing and have a wonderful day! With Big Hugs,
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Mothers are truly amazing; they are selfless and labor tirelessly to nurture their families. Moms have a very special role in molding and shaping their children’s lives; walking a fine line to be a guiding light is not an easy job!
I’d like to thank all of you for your Love, Dedication and Hard Work. To every one of you AWESOME MOTHERS in my TEAM SENKARIK FAMILY,
NOW, I have a favor to ask of the Dads on my Team.
Please give your Wonderful Wife a BIG HUG especially for ME!!!!!
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I begin by drawing the STARS of our painting, the pair of Red Northern Cardinals, on the 6 inch by 6 inch Ampersand Cradled Panel. A thin oil wash made of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin is used for the female Cardinal. Then the male is washed in with a mix of Alizarin Crimson + Liquin, with the dark accents added using the MUD wash. A little of the Alizarin Crimson mixture tints the crown, wing and tail of the female. You may click on any of the images to view them larger.
Plum Blossoms are washed in with combinations of Dioxazine Purple + Liquin, Magenta + Liquin and Ultramarine Blue + Dioxazine Purple + Liquin.
I’ve allowed the initial wash sketch to dry overnight. Now the background is painted around the birds and flowers with several mixes in varying proportions of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White.
VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Painting the Plum Blossoms
Leaves are added with mixes of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Yellow Medium.
My collector asked me to add freckles to the Plum Blossoms. They painted into the wet paint of the flowers with a mix of White + a touch of Ultramarine Blue.
Mrs. Chippers’ body is painted with combinations of Cadmium Orange + Ultramarine Blue + a little MUD + White. Her beak is Cadmium Orange + Alizarin Crimson and Cadmium Orange.
Mr. Chippers’ bright red feathers are made with Cadmium Red Deep + Magenta, Cadmium Red Deep and Cadmium Red Light. The highlights on his head and chest are added with Cadmium Red Light + White.
Cardinals mate for life, so our colorful pair is “BONDED FOREVER”!
I appreciate you following along today! 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 click the button “Sign me up!” It’s easy. Please keep in mind, to move through the blog when you get the posts just CLICK on the small titles at the top of the page. The right one for the next post or the title on the left side for the previous session.
Thank you for subscribing and have a wonderful day! With Big Hugs,
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Mikki Senkarik 