Celebrating Crowd

First of all, we’ll paint the sky and background trees. My color recipes are above. SKY: #1. White + Pthalo Blue. #2. White + Cobalt Blue. TREES: #3. Ultramarine Blue + White. #4. Ultramarine Blue + Cadmium Orange + Pthalo Blue + White. #5. The remaining seven mixtures are combinations, in various proportions, of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + White. If you would like to view an enlargement of any of the pictures, just click on the image.

After painting the sky, the trees are blocked in with mixes #3, #4 and #5. I work carefully around my sketch. It’s now completely dry, which makes it easy to wipe off any paint that happens to cover my initial drawing. All I have to do is dip a clean brush in my Turpenoid Odorless Paint thinner, wipe it with tissue to remove the excess liquid and then lift off the errant brush strokes.

Trees done! Let’s begin on the people lining the parade route.

I mix A BUNCH of different colors to use for the crowd. All of the mixes are made with the colors of the Jack White Double Primary Palette that I use. They are lined up across the top of my glass palette. To learn more about this wonderful Color Mixing System that Jack developed, CLICK HERE.

I begin blocking in the basic shapes of the 4th of July celebrants. They are painted in a looser, more impressionistic technique without a lot of detail to make them recede into the background. If I were to add all the tiny details of their faces it would detract and take away from Mike and Gypsy, the stars of our portrait.

Extra red, white and blue balloons increase the patriotic mood.

More crowd to paint in our next session. Hope you’ll visit my Studio Blog to join me again. Have a great day! With Colorful Smiles,

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© Senkarik 2022

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Patriotic Portrait

Talk about a drastic weather change, we’re going from a snowy Christmas in Santa Fe to a warm 4th of July Parade in Texas! This was a very special moment for Mike, he was riding in the parade with his son’s Boy Scout Troop. Retired from the Air Force, Mike served our country for over 25 years. We are very blessed to have men and women like him who make so many sacrifices for us.

Please remember, you may click on any picture to see an enlargement.

The first step is to draw Mike and Gypsy, his favorite Quarter Horse mare, up on the canvas.

Next, I begin indicating the crowd lining the parade route with a thin oil wash of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin Original. I’ve taken out the buildings and added a fence covered with red, white and blue bunting. Trees will be in the background, the greens will make the reds really POP!

The reds are washed in with Alizarin Crimson + Liquin Original. The blue field of the American Flag is covered with a mix of Ultramarine Blue + Liquin Original. White dots are left where the stars will be.

Mike’s face is washed in with the MUD mixture. This is not meant to be an exact likeness at this point, just helps me to get the basic planes and values of his face established.

I begin working on pretty Miss Gyspy. She’s a “Clay Back Dun” which means her body is a deep adobe color with black mane, tail, lower legs and tips of her alert ears. Their curved points are made with Ivory Black + Liquin Original. One of the things I enjoy most about horseback riding is watching the trail ahead, framed by their expressive ears.

Her legs are now washed in with the Ivory Black + Liquin mix.

The bridle, saddle and Mike’s jeans and boots are now delineated with the MUD oil wash.

The Patriotic Portrait is sketched up on the canvas; we’re ready to begin painting in our next session. Hope you’ll come visit my studio again 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.

I appreciate you subscribing to my blog! With Big Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

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Behold, A STAR!

The Evergreen Trees are blocked in with various mixes of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Yellow Medium + a touch of Cadmium Orange + White. You may click on this or any of the other images to see them larger.

The snow has been added, wet into wet, over the greens of the graceful boughs. My brush picked up a little of the color underneath, making the whites cooler. Moving to the foreground, the snow topped adobe wall is painted. Next, twigs and branches of the bush in front of the wall are drawn with a thin oil mix of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin Original.

The moonlit Evergreens are now highlighted.

It’s time to put The Christmas Star in its new location. Previously it was above and to the right of the cross on the Cathedral, I like that it’s more prominent here.

Mr. Chippers, a red Northern Cardinal, nestles on the snowy Evergreen bough.

My collectors and I initially chose Blue for the flower pots. The blossoms, though adding some color, will be covered in snow. The shadows of which are blues and purples. There is so much blue in the painting with the sky and snow, I’m concerned the Blue Flower Pots won’t come forward or add any drama. But just to make certain, I go ahead and first block in the pots with Cobalt Blue + White. Seeing them in the composition, my suspicions are confirmed, Terra Cotta will be so much better. After making the change, the difference is quite dramatic. The rusty warmth brings them forward, giving the painting A LOT more depth.

In the depths of winter, I’m absolutely helpless when I walk into our local grocery store and see the plants with colorful blooms. I’m so hungry for spring, I don’t listen to common sense and always purchase them anyway. You can see I’ve definitely been here and put out Hot Pink Petunias to brighten the terrace wall.

WELL, as always happens, Winter prevails! Snow covers my beautiful Petunias! Even though it doesn’t snow in Central Texas like it does in Santa Fe, I can’t begin to tell you how many flowering plants I’ve lost to freezes. Fortunately this is a painting and not real life! So these pretty babies will survive to bring happy, spring color to the scene for many years to come.

Red berries add another warm POP of color in the foreground.

Chamisa hugs the wall under the Petunias.

Behold! A STAR! Our Savior is with us! The Brilliant Star and the glow of warmth emanating from the bell towers and the Rose Window of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi assures us of Jesus, pouring the Light of His Love onto us.

Thank you for following my blog! God Bless You!

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© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

St. Francis Cathedral

While the sky is still wet, the snow covered boughs of the Evergreens are painted into the deep, blue field. Painting them now, ensures that the snowy edges will be soft. As this is done my brush picks up some of the sky color, allowing the snow to take on the hue of the reflected light from the night sky. As you read through my blog, please remember that you may click on the images to see enlargements.

Using several mixtures, in different proportions, of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Cadmium Orange + Cadmium Yellow Medium + White, construction begins on St. Francis Cathedral.

Snow, covering the roofs and flat surfaces of all the architectural details, is added with mixes of White + Ultramarine Blue.

Dentil molding cornices are a beautiful detail on the stone cathedral. First the entire surface of the cornice is painted dark, then the lighter “Teeth” are made.

The long shadow of the stately Evergreen tree on the left reaches out across the snow and up, onto the side of the building.

The Rose Window over the front entry of the Basilica was imported from Clermont-Ferrand in France. The stained glass that was originally washed in with a mix of Alizarin Crimson + Liquin Original is now dry, making it easier to paint the details of the window and snow.

The Bell Towers are illuminated on this clear, snowy Christmas Eve. The columns and arches are bathed in the warm light.

Moonlight dances out from behind the foreground Evergreen and over the snow. OPPSSSSSS! One mistake I can see already, the lanterns by the door are not in the correct perspective. I’ll DEFINITELY change that!

WHEW!!!! Painting all those tiny little architectural details is slow going. This is 2 day’s work compressed into one blog post. I didn’t like where I’d positioned the Christmas Star, it was too close to the Cathedral. So scraping it off with my painting knife, the sky was redone in that area. I saved all of the sky paint so I didn’t have to try to match the mixtures. I’ll put the Star of the Christ Child back in again later. Thank you for following along today! See you next time! With Warm Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

Clear and Starry Night

We’ll begin painting with the night sky. My color recipes are shown above. #1. MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Ultramarine Blue + a tiny bit of Pthalo Blue + a little White. #2. Two shades of MUD + Ultramarine Blue + Pthalo Blue + White. #3. The #2 mixture + more White + a touch of Cadmium Orange. The colors of the Double Primary Oil Painting mixing system that I use are at the top of my glass topped palette. To learn more about this color mixing system that Jack developed CLICK HERE.

After painting the upper part of the sky with the #1 mix, the darkest of the #2 mixtures is used for the middle portion. To view this, or any other image larger, just click on the picture.

Moving downward, toward the top of the mountain, the lighter mixes are used. The lightest is reserved for the lowest portion of the sky.

Since it’s a clear night, the transitions between each color zone are carefully smoothed out. This was accomplished by lightly brushing over the sky with a clean brush. Then the tiny stars were added with a mix of White + a little Ultramarine Blue. The large Christmas star is painted with the same mix + a bit more White.

The snowy mountains behind the St. Francis Cathedral are covered with mixes of White + MUD + Ultramarine Blue, White + Ultramarine Blue and White + Ultramarine Blue + a little of mix #3 from the sky.

Leafless trees, lining the meadow along the base of the mountain, are painted with soft warm grays made of several mixes, in various proportions, of MUD + Cadmium Orange + Ultramarine Blue + White. The Cedar Tree growing by the church is blocked in with Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + a touch of White.

Snow blankets the Cedar Tree and we’re done for today. After seeing this picture, I realized the transition in the lower part of the sky needs to be smoothed out. SO, I just did that, you see how it looks in the next session. Please come back to visit my studio. I love having you along to join me in the journey of this painting. With Colorful Smiles,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

From Hawaiian Surf to Santa Fe Snow!

This is a fun and different piece for me, I’m collaborating with long-time collectors on a painting for their Christmas Card. Ed and Cindy purchased one of the paintings from my initial inventory for Marcus Gallery in Santa Fe, my very first gallery! Soon after adding the painting to their collection, Ed came up with the most wonderful description of my paintings, “BILLBOARDS OF HAPPINESS”! Jack immediately gave Ed the title of “TEAM SENKARIK CAPTAIN!” and I still use the slogan today.

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, commonly known as Saint Francis Cathedral, is our subject. It will be a wintery snow scene on a clear, starry Christmas Eve. Ed especially liked how the stately evergreen tree at the left cast its long shadow onto the Church. Instead of sunshine, bright moonlight will provide illumination.

Google is amazing, I was able to find a picture of St. Francis Cathedral that isn’t key stoned to use as reference for my pen and ink sketch. You may click on this, or any other image, to see an enlargement.

The Cathedral is lightly drawn in with a pencil, using a T-square balanced on top of the canvas, to ensure that my lines are straight and perfectly upright.

Next, I begin sketching the composition with a thin oil wash of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin Original. Adding a classic Senkarik touch; Red Berries, Chamisa and Petunias will peek out of snow dusting them in white. The blue flower pots are made with Cobalt Blue + Liquin Original.

The Rose Window is washed in with Alizarin Crimson + Liquin Original.

Mounds of snow blanket the arms of the tall, evergreen trees.

The basic details on the Cathedral are now drawn.

Work continues on delineating the architecture of the ornate façade.

A Cardinal nestles in the snow covered branches of the evergreen. Painting begins on the sky in our next session, hope you’ll visit my studio again to 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.

I appreciate you subscribing to my blog! With Big Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

WET SANDS – Hawaiian Style!

The Bougainvillea on the rocky point is painted with mixes of Permanent Rose + Magenta + White, Magenta + White and Permanent Rose + White.

In the unembellished giclee, the windows and doors reproduced much darker than they were in the original painting. Therefore I repaint them with a mix of Pthalo Blue + White. You can see the difference between the upper and lower part of the window on the right. To enlarge the image just click on it.

The Bougainvillea draping over the white stucco home is painted with mixes of Permanent Rose + Cadmium Red Light + White and Permanent Rose + White. The addition of Cadmium Red Light into the mixtures makes the brilliant color warmer, causing this beautiful vine to pop forward from the cooler pinks of the one in the distance.

Magenta + White is used for the Morning Glories cascading out of the terra cotta containers on the balcony. The leaves are highlighted with some of the mixes remaining from the palms on the rocky point.

Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Yellow Medium + Lemon Yellow, Lemon Yellow and Lemon Yellow + White accentuate the cheery Daisies ascending the steps.

After repainting the California Poppies in the foreground, their deep centers are made with Magenta + Liquin Original.

We’re done! Here’s our pretty girl, WET SANDS – HAWAIIAN STYLE!

Check out the Before and After. You may click on the picture to see it larger. I don’t know about you but I’m more than ready to go sit on that terrace, take in the beautiful view and listen to the magical music of the crashing waves. Thank you for coming with me on this journey. I’ll be starting on a painting for a Christmas Card in my next session. We’ll be going from SURF TO SNOW. Grab your ear muffs and mittens! With Warm Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

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Adding a Touch of Hawaii

Today I’m working on embellishing another of the replacement LIMITED ORIGINAL Giclees for my collectors whose home burned. The Original Oil of WET SANDS was painted in the late 1990s, the setting was on the California Coast. As you read through my blog, please keep in mind, you may click on any image to see an enlargement.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION.

Come watch as I start changing the scene from California to Maui, Hawaii.

Two other Hawaiian Islands can be seen from this beach; Kaho’olawe, the larger island on the left, and Molokini. They are now painted with mixtures of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + White.

Combinations of Pthalo Blue + Lemon Yellow, Pthalo Blue + Lemon Yellow + White and Pthalo Blue + White make the long, arching fronds of the Palms towering above the rocks.

The rocks lining Makena Cove are painted with several shades of MUD + Cadmium Orange + Ultramarine Blue + White. Brushstrokes of Ultramarine Blue + White are made here and there to give the impression they are wet.

I go ahead and repaint all of the rocks guarding the picturesque beach. The style and technique of my brushwork has changed over the years. I want them to all look the same.

The crashing surf is painted by pulling my large Bright (square-tipped) brush in an upward motion, starting at the surface of the water.

Sunlight streams into the cove from the left, illuminating the brilliant Blue-Green water. Mixes of White + Pthalo Blue, White + Pthalo Blue + Pthalo Green and White + Pthalo Green are used.

It’s beginning to look like Hawaii! More changes to come in our next session; hope you’ll visit my studio again to 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.

I appreciate you subscribing to my blog! With Big Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

The New Look of TRANQUIL SEA

The Mediterranean Sea is repainted. A shaft of sunlight breaks through the clouds, streaming across the azure water to illuminate the village of Amalfi. Please keep in mind as you read my post, you may click on any image to see it larger.

Gentle waves break along the beach, beckoning the viewer to take the trek down the steep, cobblestone lane to dip their toes in the warm water.

Magenta + White is used for the Bougainvillea cascading over the rocky bluff.

The Bougainvillea draping over the arches of the porch is painted with warmer mixes of Magenta + Permanent Rose + White. The mixes used for the distant Bogie are cooler, making it recede and increasing the feeling of depth in the painting.

The White Vine tumbling down the house at #7 via Dell’amore is repainted. Since it’s completely in shadow I used combinations of White + Dioxazine Purple, White + Ultramarine Blue and White + Pthalo Blue for the flowers. What does via Dell’amore mean? It’s Italian for “Street of Love”!

After the leaves and vines are finished, the deep centers of the blossoms are added with Alizarin Crimson + Liquin Original.

The Penstemon is painted LEAVES FIRST, FLOWERS LAST. This is opposite my usual sequence of FLOWERS FIRST, LEAVES LAST. I work in this way because the tall spiky flowers are mostly above the foliage.

Towering seed pods are delineated last.

Painting the Daisies I go back to FLOWERS FIRST, LEAVES LAST. On this plant the flowers are a mass of Permanent Rose + White, Cadmium Red Light + White and Cadmium Orange.

After the leaves are painted, the bright centers of the Daisies are made with Cadmium Lemon Yellow.

TA DA! The New Look of TRANQUIL SEA!

Here’s the BEFORE and AFTER. I’m thankful to see my skills have grown a little since TRANQUIL SEA was originally painted in 1995. Thank you for following my blog, I really appreciate you! With Big Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com

Amalfi-ized!

Working on embellishing another of the LIMITED ORIGINAL Giclees that was destroyed in the fire at my collector’s home. My original oil, TRANQUIL SEA, was painted in 1995 at about the same time I did SOLITUDE, just shown on my blog. Please keep in mind as you read through my blog, you may click on any image to see an enlargement.

I’m going to change the background, moving this scene to the Amalfi Coast of Italy. We begin by sketching in the picturesque coastline with a thin oil wash of MUD (2 parts Ultramarine Blue + 1 part Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin Original.

The tile rooftops of the village of Amalfi are added with another oil wash made of Burnt Sienna + Liquin Original.

The sky is painted down, over the coast that originally stretched along the horizon. Clouds are accented with the warmth of the Mediterranean sun.

We’re ready to start painting the distant bluffs……

The most distant one is covered with several mixtures, in various proportions, of Pthalo Blue + Cadmium Orange + MUD + White. Waves crash against the base of the bluff. They are indicated by a fine, broken line made of White + Ultramarine Blue.

The rocky cliffs of the Amalfi peninsula are combinations of MUD + Cadmium Orange + White. Before the area behind the large palm dries, the arching fronds are painted wet into wet over the background.

The white stucco buildings are first blocked in with a jumble of White + Ultramarine Blue, White + MUD and pure White brushstrokes. Roof tops are added with combinations of Cadmium Orange + MUD + White, changing the appearance from a mish-mash of color to a village!

More roof tops, trees, beach, jetties, seawall and ancient guard tower complete the coastal village.

TRANQUIL SEA is now Amalfi-ized. Hope you’ll come back for our next session to watch me embellish the rest of this Limited Original.

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.

I appreciate you subscribing to my blog! With Big Hugs,

ALL SENKARIK IMAGES ARE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW

© Senkarik 2022

www.senkarik.com