Big pink garden rose

One of the pictures I've taken this summer was of a garden rose. The flower felt over the top with many pink petals, never seen as many on a rose before. Thought I give it a try, and painted it big on paper, trying to keep it simple and fresh.

Partially abstract water lilies 14

I went back to the clouds reflection on this one. The one closest to me (the love of my life), are not so happy with that, don't appreciate gray as a color.
Me, I love it, I think it gives it a mood,and I think it gives it an edge that I like.

Partially abstract waterlilies 13

I was in trouble with this one. I did one of the flowers as a fully open flower, and it looked like crap, I decided to do the ones I like most, the early stages when it is starting to open.

Partially abstract water lilies12

Finally it caught up with me, haven't had a sick day for ages, and one day into my 4 week vacation, I got a cold. I have painted some today, but am not loving it as much as usual. Thought I post the first painting, where I paint big, big brushes too, keeping it fresh, not doodling with details etc.
Well, I try to work on my week side.
I have a blast.

Partially abstract water lilies10

The Iris painting is part of the new direction I am working in right now, but before I post those, I thought I post the painting got pushed away to show another newer one... so here it is....

Yellow Iris 1

I was taking some pictures of flowers in the park a few weeks ago, some inspired me a lot. One made it to a painting, and also fit "The Outside Your Window Challenge".
The Iris flowers are beautiful, but are complex and over the top too.
Working big, I chose to simplify it, but still show a lot of details.

Partially abstract water lilies11

Well 11 doesn't come after 9, but there is not any rule that say one have to post them in order right?
I did this one as a test, partly to try working on "Canvas Board-MDF", partly to go with the flow and put up smaller paintings too. Not sure I will end up with 6" x 6", but at least it's small enough to be more affordable. Will test putting it up on the DPW auctions.

This is also the first one that I really let loose and still got control, a step in the right direction I think, well I have a lot of fun at least.

Partially abstract water lilies 9

Went further into the world of purple with this one... like the warm feeling

Partially abstract water lilies 8

I am more and more fond of purples..... which can be seen in my paintings....
this is a simple composition that I tried to get some tension with the angle of some of the leaves.

Partially abstract water lilies 7

I thought I take these kind of paintings to the bigger format, in a more complex setting. I am very pleased with it, the simplicity and the colors.

Partially abstract water lilies 6

I am actually on number 13 right now, but can't put all up, what happens if I take a break from painting, it is after all only 6 days until I have a 4 weeks holiday. Well, my plans is to paint even more, so I will probably get enough to keep my blog running.

PS... I had a blast with number 12 and 13, I have so much fun right now.

Partially abstract water lilies 5

Another of those simplified water liles. Right now I am torned between painting smaller and painting bigger. Not sure my style of painting and my bad eye sight is suited for those really small paintings I see, like 6" x 6 ", think I will take one step at the time and see where it ends. Will still paint big too though. Helps me let loose.

Fire tools

This is my 3rd attempt on "the Balance challenge".

Soft things

My 2nd attempt on this weeks challenge on the DPW homepage, the Balance challenge.
I went big on this one. Since I started to paint on quality acrylic paper the paintings have been smaller than I painted on framed canvases. I damp papers and stretch them on MDF boards (correct term?). Now I have bought bigger MDFs, so now I can go up in size. Don't like to paint too small, want to go away and look at a painting from a distance and reflect over it's future.

Partially abstract water lilies 4

Played with the idea to do several small paintings and put them together ... again.
But this time I decided to paint them together, which was harder since I couldn't fail with one, because then it would ruin the others too.

But at least it is easier to hang them. =)

Partially abstract water lilies 3

Her comes painting number three in my exploration of things one can do with water lilies, or as I call them "Partially abstract water liles".
I realized with this one that there are elements or details that reminds me a little about graffiti. I don't mind as long as the painting is more me than graffiti.

balancing fruits on a sofa 1

So here it is, my first take on the "Balance act challenge", from the DPW homepage.
Realized half way through that I chose the wrong apple. Bought 2 sorts of apples, one smaller and shiny, the other larger but no shine at all. When I took pictures and tried out different ways to stack them, I chose the shiny one.
But now I think the larger one would have worked better, I tried to make the apple bigger, but didn't want to ruin the painting.
Well... I learn a lot, that is what counts right?

Kitty's toys, where is Kitty.. nr 2

Was sitting and trying to figure out what to paint, was also aware that a new challenge would show up on the DPW homepage, to be honest, I was bored and inpatient.
So what to do, I liked the Kitty challenge, with the toys, thought I do a new version, still working from the original, but to have fun and take it further, giving the shark (or fish) more character etc. So here it is.

Partially abstract water lilies 2

Sketching isn't my strongest part. Often when I paint I only got a vague idea what I want and the painting is developing as I go along. Doing the DPW challenges has partly made me do more research, planning my painting.

Every time I work on a new "Partially abstracts" painting I try to do something different than before.... I like the challenge to explore and try out new things.

Old paintings ..... Layne 2 (2003)

Think I will post some old paintings from time to time. Think it might reflect where I come from and where I am going. We all travel on a path called learning =) (Damn I sound..... )

Here is an old favorite of mine.I love the simplicity. Sometimes I get lost in the thrill of lines, colors, structure etc.
"Layne 2"

Present with apples on the side

First I thought this weeks challenge from DPW homepage was nothing for me. Here I am done two paintings on the same challenge, and got more ideas.
Same present, but a new composition and environment.

Partially abstract water lilies 1

I was looking at one photograph of my waterlilies paintings on the computer, once again wondering if the quality was good enough or not. Always hard work to get the photo to look like the original, adjusting colors, light etc.
While doing that I got eye on a little part of the painting and got the idea to paint only that part, but going more abstract, not reproducing what I already had done.
I liked the result a lot, and so far I have done 9 paintings in that direction. Sometimes just a part of an old painting, sometimes a new composition.

Hope you like it.
I have had a lot of fun painting them.

Painting is fun.

Am about to start posting a series of paintings I have been working on lately, where I take my water Lilies further away from realism. I call them "Partially abstract water lilies".
My work has never been about realism and this new direction has among things, some similarities with graffiti, or at least the feeling of graffiti. Well I am not that good at explaining this, you have to see for yourself later.

Hope you like them.

Eve's 75th birthday present

Finally I am in tune with the challenges. Did this weeks challenge, the gift challenge. Which just include creating a gift, wrapping it in and use it in a painting.
I thought I go as extreme as possible, to see if you still see the gift.
I asked my father what he thought it was and he guessed that it was a present, a birthday present. Some will get it some will not.
Not my best work, but it was fun.

White Pitcher - Rework

After some suggestions I decided to take the black outline further back in the painting. I usually tone it down to get a depth feeling, but think I did overdid it.
It might have lost some depth, but it gained in focus and clarity. Think I did the right thing, well one can always change ones mind later.

The original Pitcher

Thought I post the original, so you can see what I had to work from. Did my take on this picture. Didn't have any colorful cloth at home.

White Pitcher

Still going back and doing those old challenger at the DPW-homepage. This challenge is called "The Color of White Challenge". The challenge is to find the colors in the white, that the colorful cloth reflects in the white gloss surface of the pitcher.
I was really out of my comfort zone here. I am pleased with the result.

Bigger Pop Water Lilies

Thought I do a bigger version of "Big Pop Water Lilies", so here it is.
I like it, but I still like the smaller one best.

Onion on a sofa

Thought I would go back and do at least some of the old challenges that is posted on DPW's homepage.
This challenge is called "The Paint Your Vegetable Challenge".
I took an onion, placed it on different places, finally ended up choosing the sofa. Not the logical place for an onion, but looked great there anyway.
Think I will do more vegetables. It was fun.