by Clare Bowen | Jan 4, 2017 | Fruit, Painting Exercise
These look relatively simple to do but they’re not! They take a lot of focus and drive to get them done and observed in the 10 minute time. They are still a mini painting even though they are small. They are 3×3″ squares I tried apples and jugs last...
by Clare Bowen | Sep 6, 2016 | Boats, Fruit, Seascape, Still Life, Studio
As I said in the previous blog I entered some paintings into the Royal Institute of Oil Painters at the Mall Galleries London. I have managed to get the above 2 through the first round, sooooo pleased and feel like I’m on the right track with my work.All things...
by Clare Bowen | Jun 13, 2016 | 6x8", Fruit, Red, Still Life
It’s been so busy I haven’t had the time or energy to do any painting. But I was itching to do one so I got into my studio by 6am this morning which gave me time to focus and work on this painting before any Open Studio visitors arrived at 11am.I put the...
by Clare Bowen | Jun 6, 2016 | Food, Fruit, Red, Square, Still Life, Turquoise
I enjoyed the previous cherry painting so I thought I’d have another go. I haven’t done this in the past as I was scared to try and repeat something that was successful but decided to go for it and I’m pleased with the result. Lush colours and shiny...
by Clare Bowen | Jun 3, 2016 | Fruit, Red, Square, Still Life
Loved painting these cherries! So luscious and shiny, I ate some while I was painting too.I haven’t tried using tin foil to reflect a subject before, it’s an idea from an excellent daily painter called Carol Marine it works well and adds a challenge and...
by Clare Bowen | May 22, 2016 | 6x8", Food, Fruit, Green, Still Life, Turquoise, Yellow
I enjoyed painting these colours, fresh and clean. I liked the shadows – so much in them, also the harmony of colours and the challenge of a cut in half fruit, first one I’ve tackled! You have to really question what colour is that? And also tone, yellow...
by Clare Bowen | Apr 11, 2016 | Fruit, Square, Still Life
Pomegranates seam to be a popular ‘daily painting’ subject, this is my first attempt at one. I can see why they are painted as the shape is good with the fronds at the top and lots of colours with a good sheen. I thought I’d try a more...
by Clare Bowen | Feb 21, 2016 | Fruit, Orange, Small, Square
I started the top one on a natural coloured board but decided I would do two studies at the same time to experiment with background colours, composition and to compare with a white ground and a coloured ground (see pic below)I was aiming for the orange to be luminous...
by Clare Bowen | Feb 16, 2016 | Fruit, Green, Harmonious Colours, Square, Still Life
One for my students, we will work on planes (surfaces) of a subject and harmonious colours. It was surprising how yellow the pear was, you think a pear is green so to truly see it I cut out a little hole in a piece of paper and looked at the pear, this isolates...
by Clare Bowen | Feb 8, 2016 | Fruit, Green, Square, Still Life
This cooking apple is another one my students will tackle. We will focus on the Edges, Shadow and Background. I propped the apple up high so I could see the shape of it – lovely and fat. I wanted to convey the weight and size, especially compared to...
by Clare Bowen | Feb 7, 2016 | Blue, Fruit, Oil Course, Orange, Square, Still Life
This painting is for the oil painting course I run, it’s their next lesson after half term – Orange and Blue Complementary Colours. My students will do a similar painting and some colour mixing see chart below.I did an orange back on Daily Paint no. 2 I...
by Clare Bowen | Jan 30, 2016 | Blue, Fruit, Oil Course, Square, Still Life, Yellow
I decided to be bold and put a strong blue against the yellow, I love this colour combo! I really tried to observe the different colours and tones of yellows, I wanted it as rich and zingy as possible.This is the 3rd time I have painted a lemon, the 1st time was on...
by Clare Bowen | Jan 25, 2016 | 10x8", 6x8" Still Life, Fruit, Green, Palette, Yellow
This was a difficult subject to tackle. I started it on a square board – as many still life’s work better square but changed it to landscape as it wasn’t working. I mixed many colours and tones of yellow. I’m pleased with the subtle changes of...
by Clare Bowen | Jan 24, 2016 | Fruit, Green, Red, Small, Square, Still Life
This a the smallest painting I have ever done. And it caused me quite a lot of angst! The aim was to make the brush strokes as loose and confident as I could, without going back and fussing it. The hard bit is to describe the shape and details without loosing the...
by Clare Bowen | Jan 18, 2016 | China, Fruit, Green, Red, Square, Still Life
It takes a while to set up a still life I’m happy with, up to about half an hour of changing objects, moving them around, and different eye levels, and then what size and shape board to paint on.This painting I’m looking down on the subject, which...
