Well, I didn’t get what my art teacher was saying until I tried it. Last week, she took a look and said that I had thinned the art to the point where I was painting closer to water color. So today I made the colors I wanted and just used the brush – no turpenoid or other medium. Yay! And I also like the lavender shadow light. 
Here’s the latest. I love the book and the shadows, still working on the apples. My teacher said I should not be treating oil painting like watercolors and I need to put the oil on the canvas. (To make the color last, I was dipping the brush in turpenoid or mixing it with a liquid compound. Guess I’ll have to get over my fear of never finding the exact color a second time! I just take my palette knife and go around the palette, I’ll have to pay closer attention.)
The first one is before I made a few changes to the apples.
The second one below is after I made some slight changes to the right side apple trying to get it to look less like a peach! My art teacher gave me some good ideas – take out the yellow stripe that’s on the apple, but confuses the eye. And the light reflection should be palest lavendar rather than pink. Will try to incorporate this week and paint on!
Who knew any photo could inspire all three words? But this one does. It took my breath away with delight. What say you?
Oh, wow, oh, wow, oh wow. Take 18 minutes and watch this beautiful video. You will float all day. It’s 18 minutes long.
Last week, my painting looked so amateurish, I didn’t even put up a picture. My teacher said try not to paint looking DOWN, especially at a circular pot. She also said there’s no shame in painting a lemon. From that, I took it that I need to simplify and keep painting manageable objects that focus my eye. This past Sunday, success – I feel like my eye is back. 
And in the spirit of full disclosure, here’s my disheartening one from last week. Although I learned a lot from the exercise, so thanks, little painting!
Book of Hours of Catherine of Cleves: St Ambrose. 1434-40
I love these little miniature books and can only imagine the life’s blood that went into them by the artists. Look at the mussels or clams rendered in this picture. Gorgeous!
Why mussels? “The peaceful coexistence of the crab and mussels surrounding St. Ambrose, for example, are a commentary on his preaching abilities, for it was said he could reconcile the most bitter of enemies. (In the natural world mussels clamp down in the presence of crabs, which crave their delicate flesh.)”
Check this link. You can see all of the Book of Hours in all its glory. The internet is a blessing for me today!
Finally! First thought, images not so great – you couldn’t see the Beasties! Then I noticed the enlargement buttons at the bottom. Never mind. The Book of Kells, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Take a look.
