Revisiting Evening’s Allure

My next project is embellishing a Limited Original Giclee of my painting “EVENING’S ALLURE”. I love painting the beautiful Greek island of Santorini with its crisp white buildings, blue doors, domes and windows, all draped with bright Bougainvilleas. My collectors have commissioned this piece for their 44th Anniversary gift to themselves! It’s right around the corner, so let’s get to work. Here’s the unembellished giclee up on my easel.

First the clouds are glazed with a thin oil wash of Magenta + Liquin. It’s very subtle; however, this adds a rosy hue to the clouds as they are warmed by the setting sun. Please remember as you read through my blog, you may click on any of the images to see them larger.

Next the sun and its brilliant reflections, shimmering on the water, are repainted.

The distant buildings glimmer in the lowering light. The white buildings are accented with mixes of White + a little Ultramarine Blue + MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson). These whites are very muted which makes them recede..

The dome and windows of the church have been glazed with a thin oil wash of Cobalt Blue + Liquin.  Then crisper, more pure Whites are used to repaint the lightest portions of the walls. The mixes are White + a touch of Ultramarine Blue and White + a tiny bit of Cadmium Orange + Ultramarine Blue. Looking at the water, above my hand, you’ll notice it’s darker. I glazed that area with a very thin mixture of Ultramarine Blue + MUD + Liquin.

The gate in the foreground is glazed with a darker mix of Cobalt Blue + Liquin.

I’ve reserved Pure White for the sunlit part of the terrace wall. Notice how this jumps forward of the more muted whites in the distance. The Bougainvillea is repainted with mixes of Permanent Rose + White, Permanent Rose + Cadmium Red Light + White, Permanent Rose + Cadmium Orange + White and Cadmium Red Light + White.

Sun tipped Geranium petals of Cadmium Red Light and Cadmium Red Light + White glisten against the cool blue water in the background.

It’s fun adding the highlights on the Wine Bottle, Glasses and Grapes. The front edge of the Cobalt Blue table is also accented, giving the appearance that it comes forward.

Cadmium Yellow Medium makes the chairs glow in the warmth of the sunset.

Combinations of Cadmium Yellow Medium + Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Yellow Medium and Cadmium Yellow Medium + Alizarin Crimson complete the Daisies! The delicate Petunias have been repainted with several mixtures of Magenta + White.

Adding a special, surprise touch to commemorate Sandy and Richard’s 44 years together, entwined hearts with their initials!

After drying a few days “Evening’s Allure” will be ready to head to it’s new home, helping Sandy and Richard celebrate their many happy years together. Thanks to all of you for following along. Hope to see you again soon! With Big Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

SUNFLOWERS for UKRAINE on eBay!

WIND DANCERS

Sunflowers are the national flower of Ukraine who is the world’s leading producer of Sunflower seeds. This cheerful flower has always been a symbol of peace for them. As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, displaying Sunflowers has become one way of showing solidarity for the Ukrainian people.

“WIND DANCERS” is a LIMITED ORIGINAL, high quality, hand embellished Giclee on canvas of my original oil painting of the same name. My heart goes out to all those people in Ukraine who are suffering right now at the hands of the Russians. I’m going to donate the ENTIRE PROCEEDS of this auction, less auction fees, to the UKRAINE HUMANITARIAN RELIEF FUND at my church, Shepherd of the Hills. This will be divided equally between Rescue.org and SaveTheChildren.org. This 10-day auction will end on Thursday, April 7 at 8 PM CST.

CLICK HERE TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE AUCTION!

Watch the Embellishing Process in this VIDEO DEMONSTRATION:

I have repainted this piece, making it totally unique. The background was originally purple, I repainted it in the Blue of the Ukrainian flag. I purposely made the upper portion dark, to show their current distress and pain. However, the lower right corner is filled with light, representing the nearly three quarters of the people in Ukraine who believe in the Christian faith.

“The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,

 shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”

Proverbs 4:18

Please join me in praying for Our Lord to bring an end to the terrible conflict in Ukraine. May He grant safety, comfort and guidance to all who are affected.

“WIND DANCERS” measures 24 inches tall by 30 inches wide, the painted image extends over the edge and onto the sides of the Gallery Wrap Canvas. Even though part of a very limited edition of 25, each piece is different because of the extensive painting I do. Hence the term: LIMITED ORIGINAL. This is your opportunity to WIN the VERY FIRST in this edition of 25 of “WIND DANCERS”.

CLICK HERE TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE AUCTION!

“WIND DANCERS” has the hanging wire attached and is ready to hang on your wall and enjoy. The regular price for this Hand Embellished Giclee on Canvas is $1,990. BUT to make it extra fun the bid starts at ONLY A PENNY. That’s right, you may jump in right now and claim ownership of “WIND DANCERS” for ONE CENT.

CLICK HERE TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE AUCTION!

THANK YOU for your Support of the Ukrainian People & HAPPY BIDDING!!!!!

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

Magic of the Big Sur

We begin today by constructing the building on the right side of the courtyard. Some of the stucco has chipped off, exposing the underlying brick. The stucco area is covered first, with mixtures left over from the walls that were painted previously. Then, using some of the tile mixes from the floor, I paint the bricks wet-into-wet over the stucco. The owner of the first gallery that represented me in Santa Fe loved when I sent him pieces with the crumbling adobe. He called it “Rotten Stucco”! Please remember, you may click on any of the images to see enlargements.

Dovecotes line up along the top of the building. The angled tiles form triangular cubbyholes where pigeons and morning doves roost and nest. I love this architectural feature that can be seen on buildings all over Europe and the Middle East.

The rest of the Wisteria draping down over the front of the building is now completed.

Geraniums fill the square containers balanced on the tile ledge of the arched window.

Gerbera Daisies are blocked in with combinations of several shades of Permanent Rose + White, Cadmium Orange + Alizarin Crimson and Cadmium Orange.

Heart shaped leaves of Sweet Potato Vine cascade from the planter box, bringing a touch of romance to the scene. Mixes of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Lemon Yellow + White are used for the lovely foliage. The larger leaves of the Gerbera Daisies are made with Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White.

After the foliage of the Gerbera Daisies is finished, I come back and delineate the individual petals of the bright blossoms.

The final step in painting the Gerbera Daisies is to add the centers. This is done in 3 steps. #1. A black center is made with a mix of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin Original. #2. A blob of Cadmium Yellow Medium is placed in the middle of that. #3. A tiny dark speck of the MUD mix is then dotted in the very center of the yellow.

“Magic of the Big Sur”

The colorful flowers and red door in the Tuscan courtyard accentuate the majestic “Magic of the Big Sur” that beckons the viewer to come down and play on the beach in the distance. I don’t know about you but I’m ready to go feel the soft sand squish between my toes, breathe in the salty air and get lost in the soothing music of the crashing waves! This has been a fun painting to do, I appreciate you following along and all of your encouraging words. With Grateful Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

Painting the Italian Tile Floor

We’re ready to start painting the Italian Tile Floor. COME WATCH!

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: The first part of how the tile floor is painted. I also give a complete explanation of all the oil color mixtures used.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Come follow along as I share a little secret about painting the perspective lines into the wet paint of the floor.

Sunlight pours into the courtyard from the right. Therefore the right hand edges of the individual tiles catch a bit of that light. They are accented with lighter mixes of the tile colors. Just as the tiles at the back of the courtyard, the highlight is made bluer to give the impression the floor recedes. You may click on the image to enlarge the picture so you can see this better.

One of Jack’s favorite sayings about this point as I was working on a paintings was, “As Kermit the Frog would say, “We’re movin’ right along!” Hearing his gravely voice in my mind makes my heart smile. We should finish up in our next session. Hope you’ll come join me to see how this turns out! With Big Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

Happy Flowers

The shadow portion of the Red Door is Cadmium Red Deep + Magenta; Cadmium Red Light is used for the sunlit part. Then the edges of the individual boards that comprise the door are highlighted. You may enlarge any of the pictures by clicking on the image.

Terra Cotta containers hug the doorway. Mixtures of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Red Light + Cadmium Orange + White are used to make the rich Burnt Sienna hues.

Geraniums are blocked in following my usual sequence of FLOWERS FIRST, LEAVES LAST. Reds remaining from the door are used for the blossoms. Combinations of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Lemon Yellow make up the foliage.

Geranium petals, illuminated by the brilliant sunlight, are accentuated with Cadmium Red Light + White.

The distinctive flower buds of the Geraniums are added with Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Lemon Yellow + White.

Silver Pony Foot Vine drapes out from below the Geraniums. Upon close examination, the tiny leaves look like the bottoms of horse and pony hooves! This fun vine is painted with several shades of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White.

Mixes of Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Yellow Medium + MUD, Cadmium Orange + Alizarin Crimson and Cadmium Yellow Medium + MUD are used to block in the cheery Sunflowers.

After painting the broad leaves with mixtures of Ultramarine Blue + Cadmium Yellow Medium, the dark disc shaped centers of the large flowers are made using MUD + Liquin Original.

We’ve planted a bunch of Happy Flowers today! Their bright warm colors cause the cooler hues of the ocean to fall back, increasing the feeling of depth in the painting. We’ll be doing more construction work in our next session. I’m planning to have a VIDEO DEMONSTRATION showing how I paint the tile floor. COME FOLLOW ALONG!

With Colorful Smiles,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

SPRING is SPRINGING!

Before we get to painting I just have to share the joy in my heart that “SPRING is SPRINGING”! It’s my favorite time of year. This morning when I went out for my walk I saw a few blooms had burst out on the California Poppies in my front yard. YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!!! Please keep in mind, you may click on any of the pictures to see enlargements.

Rosie, the middle Redbud Tree, is always the first of the three to herald the end of winter. Pinkie and Ruby, on either side of her, are late bloomers.

These tiny buds will soon be beautiful blooms!

OK Mikki, enough playing in the garden. Get to work! Let’s start construction on the courtyard. The walls are painted with several combinations, in different proportions, of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange + a tiny bit of Pthalo Blue + White. More MUD is added into the shadows mixes, more White in the lighter portions of the walls. The very back part of the wall on the left, where the two walls come together, is made a little bluer with Ultramarine Blue + White so it will recede.

It’s time to begin adding some lively color! Trumpet Vine cascades down the walls, the neutral color of which makes the flowers appear brighter. #1. The blossoms are blocked in first with mixtures of Magenta + White, Cadmium Orange + Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Red Light and Cadmium Orange. #2. Leaves are then painted around the masses of red/orange, helping to shape the flowers.

Flowers are highlighted with Cadmium Orange + White.

The deep centers are delineated with a mix of Magenta + Liquin Original.

Wisteria tumbles over the arch at the right of the courtyard. I’m only working on the portions of this wispy plant that are behind the structure and arch. I work on them while the courtyard wall is still wet as it’s much easier to paint the blossoms, leaves and fine twigs over the background at this stage. I’ll finish the wisteria when I complete the building. The Wisteria is blocked in following the same sequence as the Trumpet Vine: Flowers First, Leaves Last.

The petals of the Wisteria blooms are made with the corner of my square tipped, Bright Brush. Mixes of Ultramarine Blue + White, Dioxazine Purple + Ultramarine Blue + White and Dioxazine Purple + White are used. The leaves are mixtures of Viridian Green + Cadmium Yellow Medium.

That’s all for today, we’ll be planting more flowers in our next session. Why don’t you grab a pair of gardening gloves and a trowel so you can come give me a hand? See you SOON! With Happy Spring Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

Painting the California Coast

Working in oils, I begin painting the sky. The upper portion is a mixture of White + Cobalt Blue; White + Pthalo Blue is used for the lower part. Soft, misty clouds hover above the horizon line. They are painted, wet-into-wet over the blue, with White + Cadmium Orange + Ultramarine Blue. You may click on any of the images to see enlargements.

My mixes for the Water are shown above. #1. A light and dark shade of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Ultramarine Blue + White. #2. Two Combinations of Ultramarine Blue + Pthalo Blue + White. #3. Light and dark shades of Pthalo Blue + White. #4. Three mixes of Turquoise Pthalo Blue + White.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Blocking in the Ocean.

The long fingers of the coastal bluffs extending into the ocean are made bluer and lighter in the distance. Coming forward the color becomes richer and warmer. This helps to give the feeling of depth in the painting.

The leading edge of the waves tumbling on the beach are lined with white foam.

One of my favorite things about this area are the massive waves that crash against the craggy rocks. My brush, loaded with White + a tiny bit of Ultramarine Blue, is pulled in upward strokes to paint the flying surf.

The distant scene of Big Sur is complete, we’ll start work on the courtyard in our next session. Please come back and join me! With Colorful Smiles,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

Coast of California

On my latest collaboration, my collector has asked me to combine a Tuscan courtyard with the Central California Coast! This will be lots of fun as these are two of my favorite subjects to paint. Here’s my initial pen and ink sketch. Please keep in mind as you read through this post, you may click on any of the images to see enlargements.

My drawing on canvas is done with a brush dipped in a thin oil wash of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin Original. The first step is to draw the upright lines and arches of the courtyard architecture. A T-Square is placed on the top edge of the gallery wrapped canvas and used to guide my brush, ensuring I get the lines perfectly straight.

A longer T-Square is used as a straight edge to establish the perspective lines for the buildings. The red arrow points to the vanishing point for the doorway on the left.

Terra Cotta flower pots, on either side of the door and the one beside the step, will be filled with Geraniums.

Dovecotes line the top of the wall over the arch on the right. These are triangular cubbyholes, made from tiles, that provide roosts and nesting spots for Mourning Doves or Pigeons.

The vista of rocky bluffs and crashing waves will entice the viewer to stop and enjoy the grandeur of the Big Sur.

We’re all sketched up and ready to begin painting with opaque Oils in our next session! Hope you’ll come back and follow along.

I’d like to invite you to subscribe to my blog, you’ll receive an email every time I publish a new post. 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 one on the right 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 Happy Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

SPRING’S TAPESTRY

I apologize for the pause in posting my blog. I have been painting but am also taking a course at Church that has involved a lot of my time. So blogging has been on a hiatus for awhile. But, I’m back with a new piece for Pitzer’s Fine Art, my gallery in Wimberley, Texas. Winter is almost over in central Texas and we are eagerly anticipating the magical beauty of “SPRING’S TAPESTRY”. If you’d like to see this painting larger, just click on the image.

Come watch the VIDEO PROGRESSION from start to finish!

I hope you’ll subscribe to my blog, you’ll receive an email every time I publish a new post. 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 one on the right 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 Colorful Spring Smiles,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com