Van Gogh Inspired

I’ve taken inspiration from Van Gogh’s Sunflower Paintings for my background. I’ve always loved the vibrant cool blues Vincent used to accent the warm hues of these sunny blossoms. Three shades of Pthalo Blue + Cobalt Blue + White are mixed, ready to go behind the Sunflowers and Chickadees. You may click on any of the pictures to see them larger.

Painting the area at the top of the canvas darker, progressively lighter mixes are used as I move down, behind the dark green foliage of the stately flowers. Using the corner of my large, square ended ‘Bright’ brush, it’s easy to carefully work around the sketch of the Chickadee. To learn more about the brushes I prefer to use, CLICK HERE.

The wings of the little bird, flying in to land on the huge blossom, are pulled into the wet paint of the background with Ivory Black. This technique softens the tips of the feathers, helping give the impression of movement.

Petals of the Sunflower are blocked in with mixes of Cadmium Orange + Alizarin Crimson, Alizarin Crimson + Cadmium Red Light, Cadmium Yellow Medium + Cadmium Orange + a little bit of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson), Cadmium Yellow Medium and Cadmium Yellow Medium + Cadmium Lemon Yellow. The dark center of the bloom is mixtures of MUD + Cadmium Orange.

Sunlit petals behind the head of the Chickadee accentuate the bird’s distinctive black and white markings.

One down, two more Chickadees to go! We’re done for this session, I should finish up in our next. Hope you’ll join us, I’ll even have a video for you. I appreciate you following my blog. With Colorful Smiles,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2021

www.senkarik.com

Sunflowers and Chickadees

Sunflowers and Chickadees are my subjects today! This is the third in a series of five Bird/Flower pieces I’ve been commissioned to paint. All of them will measure 12 inches by 12 inches. Here’s my pen and ink sketch that has been approved by my collector.

The placement of the birds is most important; they are sketched up first. A thin oil mixture of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin Original is used. My reference photos are taped to the easel, making them easy to refer to as I work. You may click on this, or any of the other images, to see an enlargement.

Next, I begin drawing the basic shapes of the Sunflowers.

I continue drawing and refining the oil wash sketch of the large Sunny blossoms.

The foliage of the Sunflowers is washed in with thin oil mixes of Sap Green + Liquin Original and Pthalo Blue + Liquin Original.

The initial sketch and wash-in are complete. You will notice some very light green areas on the background where I experimented with the positions of the leaves. At this stage I was able to wipe the color off the canvas with a clump of tissue dipped in clean thinner. A faint tint of color remains but when I come back in the next session all of this oil sketch will be dry. I’ll be able to paint over it with no problem.

I appreciate you visiting my blog today, hope you’ll come back soon and visit my studio again! 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,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2021

www.senkarik.com

4th Hole at Spyglass Hill

I’ve been asked to embellish a Giclee on Canvas of Jack’s Original Oil Painting of the 4th Hole at Spyglass Hill. This is the 18 inch by 24 inch piece before any embellishment has been done. You may click on this, or any of the other pictures to see them larger.

Light pours into the scene from the right. Repainting the entire sky with mixes of White + Ultramarine Blue + a little MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) I make the portion on the right lighter, getting progressively darker as I move to the left.

The iconic golf course is located in Pebble Beach, near Carmel, in California. We had the wonderful opportunity to live in this beautiful area for a time. Fog, rolling in off the water, was a common occurrence all along the Monterey Bay coastline. I love how the mist fades the trees in the distance. To accomplish this feel, I lightly drag over the trees using some of the paint from the sky.

Soft sunlight, bursting through the patchy fog, warms the tall Monterey Cypress and foliage growing underneath.

Colors from the sky are used to embellish the weathered trunks of the Cypress Trees.

The green of the 4th Hole is repainted using combinations of Pthalo Blue + Lemon Yellow + a little Cadmium Yellow Medium. Subtle sunlight illuminates the far end of the grassy surface; the portion of the smooth green closest to the viewer is in shadow.

Cadmium Yellow Medium and Lemon Yellow are used for the flag.

Vibrant Ice Plant covers the sand dunes and craggy rocks along the coast, beginning to bloom in early spring. The blossoms of the succulents form a solid pink carpet by Easter. Jack loved painting the Ice Plant at the start of its flowering season. He liked the juxtaposition of the pinks, blues and greens! Permanent Rose + White, Permanent Rose + Cadmium Red Light + White and Cadmium Red Light + White are used for the small flower buds.

What a delightful trip down memory lane I’ve had, embellishing this giclee of Jack’s painting “Spyglass Hill”. My heart has been filled with many happy remembrances of the times we spent walking and driving along this magical coast. Thanks for following along! With Colorful Smiles,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2021

www.senkarik.com

HUMMINGBIRD HARMONY

I begin painting the leaves of the Buddleia, sometimes called Butterfly Bush, with a few different mixes of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Yellow Medium + White and Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White. You may click on this, or any of the other images to view enlargements.

After the leaves are complete, the stems supporting the tall blooms are added. I’ve gone ahead and signed the painting with Cadmium Red Light. I prefer to do this while the paint underlying the signature is still wet. That makes it much easier to pull the lines of the calligraphy and make them smooth. If I waited until the background was dry, the surface would be bumpy and rough, making it difficult to sign.

The Buddleia blossoms are blocked in with several combinations, in varying proportions, of Magenta + White and Magenta + Dioxazine Purple + White.

The wing of this Hummingbird is finished now that the towering flower in back of it has been painted.

Sunlight, illuminating the petals of the bloom in back of this little fella, accentuates his tiny foot.

HUMMINGBIRD HARMONY 12 inches by 12 inches

The whispering wings and cheerful squeaks of our colorful garden visitors come together in a delightful HUMMINGBIRD HARMONY that makes my heart sing.

VIDEO PROGRESSION – Come watch the progression from my initial sketch to the finished painting!

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© Senkarik 2021

www.senkarik.com

Fluttering Wings

Our first step today is to paint the background. I’ve selected a muted adobe color to accentuate the Magenta Blossoms of the Buddleia, or Butterfly Bush, as well as the bright colors of the Hummingbirds. Mixes of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange + a little Cadmium Yellow Medium + White are used. I carefully work around the birds and blooms that were washed in during our previous session. To see how the initial wash-in was done, CLICK HERE.

The tiny feet of the Hummingbirds are drawn into the wet paint of the background with a fine liner brush dipped in a thin oil mix of MUD + Liquin Original. Please remember as you read through my blog, you may click on any of the images to see them larger.

The tips of the tall flowers are dark Magenta. They are blocked in with a mixture of Magenta + Liquin Original, using the corner of my square tipped “Bright” brush.

Now for our Hummingbirds. In order to give the impression of movement, I work wet-into-wet. With the paint of the background still wet I soften the ends of the brushstrokes that form the wing feathers, giving them the appearance of action.

The shadow part of the Hummingbird’s ruby red throat is Cadmium Red Deep + Magenta. Cadmium Red Light + a tiny bit of White is used for the feathers glimmering in the sunlight.

The same technique of softening the ends of the feathers into the wet paint of the background is used to make this little fella’s wings look like they are fluttering.

The vibrant heads and backs of our trio of Hummingbirds are painted with combinations of Viridian Green + White.

Holding my breath, a fine liner brush is used to delineate the catch light and the illuminated portion of the iris in the eye of each bird. This sometimes takes two or three attempts before I have it just the way I want.

Our feathered friends are complete! I’ll be working on the Buddleia blossoms and leaves in our next session. I do hope you’ll come back to my studio and watch. HUGS,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2021

www.senkarik.com

Humming Hummers!

Hummingbirds will grace my easel today! Here’s my initial pen and ink sketch for another of the series of Bird/Flower commissions I’m working on.

The reference photos for the three Hummingbirds are taped to my easel, making them easy to refer to as I work. I begin by sketching the birds on the canvas in a thin oil wash of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin Original. Alizarin Crimson + Liquin Original is used for their ruby red throats. You may click on this, or any of the other pictures to view enlargements.

Viridian Green + Liquin Original makes the thin wash I use for the heads of our Humming Hummers!

The tall blossoms of the Buddleia, or Butterfly Bush, are washed in with mixes of Magenta + Liquin Original and Dioxazine Purple + Liquin Original. The placement of the Hummingbirds is key to my design, that’s why I drew them up first. Now I work the flowers around them.

The foliage is washed in with oil mixes of Sap Green + Liquin Original and Pthalo Blue + Liquin Original.

The basic design of the painting is set, we’re ready to begin working in opaque oil paint in our next session. Please come back to my studio and join me!

I appreciate you visiting my blog today! 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,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2021

www.senkarik.com

Home with a HEART!

The tin roof is painted with mixes of White + Pthalo Blue + a tiny bit of Cadmium Orange. Even though these are the same colors used to make the background, the roof appears Turquoise because of the additional Pthalo Blue in the mix. You may click on this, or any of the other images to see them larger.

Now for Mr. Chippers! The darker reds are Cadmium Red Deep + Magneta and pure Cadmium Red Deep. Cadmium Red Light is used to highlight his brilliant feathers.

Ivory Black was used to make Mr. Chippers’ distinctive mask. His beak is painted with some of the Orange mixes left over from the Cross Vine.

The birdhouse is constructed with several combinations, in different proportions, of White + MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson), White + MUD + Ultramarine Blue and White + MUD + Cadmium Orange. Sun streams into the painting from the left so both the side and front of the birdhouse are illuminated. The side is a little bit darker because the front receives the full light from the sun. Therefore it’s made brighter with a very light mixture of White + MUD + Cadmium Orange. The boards are old and weathered, with a few cracks here and there.

The twig perch is painted with mixtures that were saved from the cedar post supporting the birdhouse.

Mrs. Chippers’ soft dove color is made with mixtures of MUD + Cadmium Yellow Medium + White. Some of the reds from Mr. Chippers’ will be used for her crest, wing and tail feathers.

Mr. and Mrs. Chippers are in complete agreement! They have found a “HOME WITH A HEART” to raise their new family!

VIDEO PROGRESSION from initial sketch to finished painting. ENJOY WATCHING!

Thank you for following my blog, I really appreciate you being part of my TEAM SENKARIK FAMILY! Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2021

www.senkarik.com

Cross Vine

Let’s start with the background. The cool greens, made of several combinations of White + Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange, will make the warm hues of the Cross Vine and Cardinals POP! Using the corner of my large, square tipped “Bright” brush I carefully work around Mr. Chippers. To learn more about the brushes I prefer to use CLICK HERE.

Since the sun pours into the painting from the upper left, that portion of the background is made lighter. It becomes progressively darker as we move toward the lower and right edges of the canvas. Please remember, you may click on this or any of the other images to see enlargements.

The rugged cedar fence post and rail are painted with mixes of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange + White. Some of the flowers cast shadows on the rounded surface of the upright post that supports the bird house.

Now for the flowers of the Cross Vine that were previously washed in with thin oil mixes of Permanent Rose and Magenta. Mixtures of Cadmium Orange + Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Yellow Medium and Permanent Rose + White are used to block in the brilliantly colored blossoms. Some of the washed in areas show through, adding luminosity to the delicate petals.

The deep, dark centers of the flowers are made with the corner of a smaller “Bright” brushed dipped in a mix of Magenta + Liquin Original.

The contrast of having soft, muted colors in the background makes the more intense hues of the Cross Vine appear even brighter! I appreciate you visiting my studio today, please come back again. HUGS,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2021

www.senkarik.com

Inquisitive Cardinals

This is the first in a series of five commissions, all of different Birds and Flowers. Let’s begin with a pair of inquisitive Cardinals. Here’s my initial pen and ink sketch. As you read through my blog you may click on any of the images to see enlargements.

The paintings are on 12 inch by 12 inch Gallery Wrap Canvases, the sides of which have been painted with Black Acrylic. After that dried I taped off the front edge with blue Painter’s Tape. When the piece is done, the tape will be pulled off, leaving a nice, clean edge for the Black sides “Framing” the painting.

My reference pictures of the birds are taped to the easel, making it easy to refer to them as I sketch up the basic plan on the canvas. A brush dipped in a thin oil mixture of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin Original is used to make the drawing.

Cross Vine is washed in with thin oil mixes of Permanent Rose + Liquin Original and Magenta + Liquin Original. Sap Green + Liquin Original is used for the leaves. The picture of the Cross Vine was taken last spring in my garden. I’m so thankful it survived the Big Chill in February.

Mrs. Chippers’ head will be accentuated by the dark interior of the birdhouse, seen through the heart-shaped opening.

She is washed in with a very light mix of Alizarin Crimson + Liquin Original to indicate her duller color.

Mr. Chippers supervises from the roof. Darker, richer mixes of Alizarin Crimson + Liquin Original are used for his brighter coloring.

We’ll begin painting in our next session. I hope you’ll come back and follow the progress! I appreciate you visiting my blog today! 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,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2021

www.senkarik.com

SANTA FE SUNSET

The Saltillo Tile floor is first covered with mixes of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange + White. The back portion of the patio is made bluer, or cooler, with a few brushstrokes of Ultramarine Blue + White. This makes the far edge recede. My goal at this stage is to establish the light and shadow pattern on the surface. All of the colors I use are oil paints. You may click on this or any of the other pictures to see enlargements.

The perspective and horizontal lines delineating the crevices between the tiles are etched into the wet paint with a fine liner brush dipped in a thin oil mix of MUD + Liquin.

Hollyhocks are blocked in Flowers First, Leaves Last. The bright pink blossoms are combinations of Permanent Rose + White while the foliage is made of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Lemon Yellow.

Highlights, made of the lightest Permanent Rose + White mix, accentuate the large Hollyhock flowers.

The Geraniums are painted in the same sequence as the Hollyhocks, using mixes of Cadmium Red Deep, Cadmium Red Deep + Cadmium Red Light and Cadmium Red Light. Greens, left over from the Hollies, make the leaves.

Flower buds give the Geraniums their distinctive look.

Chamisa fills the lower right corner. I’ve used various combinations of Cadmium Yellow Medium + Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Orange and Cadmium Yellow Medium + White. The yellows are made brighter and more intense from those plants in the distance, making them come forward. This helps to give the impression of depth in the painting.

The “SANTA FE SUNSET” washes the flower-filled courtyard with warmth.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Come watch the entire progression of “SANTA FE SUNSET” from the initial sketch to the finished painting. I appreciate you following my YouTube Videos and Blog! HUGS,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2021

www.senkarik.com