Wednesday 31 December 2014

Cobaw Ranges from Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

Oil painting of a snow gum beside a gate in a post-rail fence, with a tree-covered hill in the distance and dry grass in the foreground.
The tree on the far left is a snow gum (actually, it's two snow gums, one dead and one alive), but due to the intense summer heat, the snow melted and left only a gum.

Oil on canvas board, 5" x 7"

Tuesday 30 December 2014

Old Windmill, Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

Oil painting of a windmill without sails beside two water tanks on a hillside, with dry grass and wheel marks in the foreground.
An old windmill sans sails, which has doubtless not been assailed by any wind of late.

Oil on canvas board, 5" x 7"

Monday 29 December 2014

Art Studio: New Weatherboards

Photograph of an exterior wall clad new cedar weatherboards.
I wanted to get out and paint, but instead I hit a wall (several times with a hammer and nails).  This should help to keep the elements out of the studio, and keep the paintings in.

Pixels on liquid crystal display, 375px x 500px

Sunday 28 December 2014

Old Dairy at Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

Oil painting of a galvanised iron shed with a tall conifer behind.
My uncle used this shed as a dairy about fifty years ago.  Keeping a dairy is similar to keeping a diary, except with a diary you don't have to get up so early and it doesn't necessarily involve cows.

Oil on canvas board, 7" x 5"

Saturday 27 December 2014

Old Stable, Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

Oil painting of a shed with a red roof, with trees behind.

This is at least the third time I've painted this shed.  I wonder how many paintings constitute a shedload?

Oil on canvas board, 7" x 5"

Friday 26 December 2014

Old Pipers Creek School

Oil painting of the doorway of a brick Victorian schoolhouse.  There are steps leading up to the doorway, and the schoolhouse is surrounded by trees and shrubs.
This is literally an old school painting.

Oil on canvas board, 10"  x 12"

Wednesday 24 December 2014

Ornamental Pond, Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

Oil painting of an ornamental pond surrounded by shrubs and small trees, with an olive tree in the background.
I pondered this scene at length, and responded--perhaps ponderously--with a preponderance of bright colours.  Here endeth this correspondence.

Oil on canvas board, 7" x 5"

Tuesday 23 December 2014

Art Studio: New Roof



For the second time in almost as many months, I failed to paint.  I did, however, spend the day helping to put a new roof on the art studio.  I'd make a bad joke about a roof, but it'd probably go over your head.

Pixels on liquid crystal display, 500px x 375px

Monday 22 December 2014

Manna Gum with Storm Clouds at Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

Oil painting of a manna gum on a hillside with dry grass and stormy cumulus clouds in the background.
It's Christmas day and I've had all manner of things to drink; hence, like the sky in this painting, everything's a bit cloudy.

Oil on canvas board, 5" x 7"

Sunday 21 December 2014

Jars Containing Wasabi Peas and Cashew Nuts

Oil painting of a tall and slender jar with a black lid containing wasabi peas beside a shorter jar with a red lid containing cashew nuts.
Inventing original puns is starting to drive me nuts; from such a jarringly obvious joke it is evident that I've given up trying to appease my small audience.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Saturday 20 December 2014

Rear of House in Park Drive, Parkville

Oil painting of a grey-green Victorian house and chimney.
The backs of people's houses can make very interesting subject matter, and can often be painted out of the public eye; however, such a position is not necessarily out of the eye of the residents, and a budding artist can look somewhat suspicious prowling around back alleys with a view-finder.  A father and daughter emerged from the back gate of this house while I was painting, ostensibly to kick a ball between one another, but I suspect, instead, they were trying simply trying to ascertain why I was staring their house so intently.

Oil on canvas board, 5" x 7"

Friday 19 December 2014

Apple with Small Copper Pot

Oil painting of a Pink Lady apple beside a small copper pot.
Trying to come up with a caption for this painting is giving me the pip; it seems I've gone to pot.

Oil on canvas board, 6" x 4"

Wednesday 17 December 2014

Still Life: Bottle, Plastic Fruit, Plate and Drapery

Oil painting of a black bottle beside a light red drape, with a plastic lemon and a plastic pear on a white plate in the foreground.
Single session class exercise.  Some of my fellow students complained about having to paint yet another still life--apparently they don't find still life particularly moving.

Oil on canvas board, 10" x 12"

Tuesday 16 December 2014

Hydrangea Flower in Silver-Plated Vase

Oil painting of a pale pink hydrangea flower in an Art Deco-style silver-plated vase.
I've always thought that hydrangeas live up to their name: the ranger is so well hidden that I've never been able to find him or her.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Monday 15 December 2014

Miniature Vase with Nectarine

Oil painting of a miniature blue and white onion-shaped vase beside a yellow and red nectarine.
An onion-shaped vase beside a nectarine-shaped nectarine.

Oil on canvas board, 6" x 4"

Sunday 14 December 2014

Saturday 13 December 2014

Blue Castor Oil Bottle with Plastic Yellow Flowers

Oil painting of a blue castor oil bottle surrounded by yellow plastic flowers and illuminated by the afternoon sunlight.
Castor oil: to choose Grace Kelly to play a part in your film; or, to make a bronze of someone such as George IV.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Friday 12 December 2014

Antique Whisky and Worcestershire Sauce Bottles

Oil painting of two bottles illuminated by late afternoon sunlight, one black and one transparent.
Whisky and Worcestershire sauce: two great tastes, but not in combination.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Tuesday 9 December 2014

Onion and Vase

Oil painting of a brown onion beside the base of a white porcelain vase.
An onion unpeeled, yet not unappealing, by a vase of white that reaches the ceiling.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Monday 8 December 2014

Sunday 7 December 2014

Mary's Room, Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

This scene features Romneya coulteri in the foreground (I think I've got that right--my folks will no doubt correct me if I'm wrong) which is more commonly known as a fried egg plant.  This is not to be confused with fried eggplant, which is delicious but not nearly so pretty.

Oil on canvas board, 5" x 7"

Saturday 6 December 2014

House at Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

Oil painting of a house with a gabled roof, painted in a warm apricot colour with light green edging and surrounded by trees and shrubs.

The day was overcast and hence the light was particularly dull.  I once asked one of my teachers for a strategy to deal with such uninteresting lighting, and he simply told me to try harder; I'm wondering if I should heed the same advice where my captions are concerned.

Oil on canvas board, 7" x 5"

Friday 5 December 2014

ISO Tasting Glass with Apple

Oil painting of a Pink Lady apple beside an ISO tasting glass, both on a cutting board and illuminated by the morning sun.
In a world exclusive, paintingaday.net is proud to reveal the first pictures of the latest rival to Google's wearable technology: Apple Glass.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Wednesday 3 December 2014

Still Life with Red Hat

Oil painting of a red women's hat with a fawn-colour band, beside a glass of light red liquid and a plate with two pieces of fruit cake and a blue-handled cheese knife, all on a checked table cloth.
This was an interesting single-session class exercise set up by my teacher.  While we were painting, I named this piece Auntie Nibbs comes for afternoon tea, though quite why Auntie Nibbs left her hat on the table and was apparently using a cheese knife to cut fruit cake, I don't know.  I suspect Auntie Nibbs might have had one nip of sherry too many.

Oil on canvas board, 16" x 12"

Tuesday 2 December 2014

Pink Rose in Green Bottle

Oil painting of an opened pink rose blossom protruding from the next of an antique green bottle.
This Tuesday morning I arose to find a rose had risen from the bush in my communal back yard, and like the fause lover from Bonnie Doon, I stole the rose and left the thorn (at the risk of getting a rise from the neighbours).  At least I'm sharing the serenity.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Monday 1 December 2014

Medicine Bottle Detail

Small oil painting of the lip, neck and shoulder of an antique brown glass medicine bottle.
So much to do and so little time; I had to be content with a very small painting as the day's dwindling hours lead to an activity bottleneck.

Oil on canvas board, 2" x 2"