Cobaw Ranges from Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

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"

Old Windmill, Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

An old windmill sans sails, which has doubtless not been assailed by any wind of late.

Oil on canvas board, 5" x 7"

Art Studio: New 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

Old Dairy at Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

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"

Old Stable, Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

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"

Old Pipers Creek School

This is literally an old school painting.

Oil on canvas board, 10"  x 12"

Ornamental Pond, Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

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"

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

Manna Gum with Storm Clouds at Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

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"

Jars Containing Wasabi Peas and 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"

Rear of House in Park Drive, Parkville

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"

Apple with 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"

Still Life: Bottle, Plastic Fruit, Plate and Drapery

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"

Hydrangea Flower in 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"

Miniature Vase with Nectarine

An onion-shaped vase beside a nectarine-shaped nectarine.

Oil on canvas board, 6" x 4"

Red Pepper with Glazed Terracotta Pot

Two objects trying to outshine one another.

Oil on canvas board, 6" x 4"

Blue Castor Oil Bottle with Plastic Yellow Flowers

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"

Antique Whisky and Worcestershire Sauce Bottles

Whisky and Worcestershire sauce: two great tastes, but not in combination.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Onion and Vase

An onion unpeeled, yet not unappealing, by a vase of white that reaches the ceiling.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Mushroom with Copper Jug

A Swiss Brown and a Swedish copper.

Oil on canvas board, 6" x 4"

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"

House at Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

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"

ISO Tasting Glass with Apple

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"

Still Life with Red Hat

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"

Pink Rose in 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"

Medicine Bottle Detail

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"

Malmsbury Viaduct

Once upon a time the residents of Malmsbury crossed the Coliban River via boat, but once they'd built the bluestone train bridge, they crossed the river via viaduct.

Oil on canvas board, 10" x 14"

Fountain at Malmsbury Botanic Gardens

Being slightly overwhelmed by the sheer number of greens in this fountain scene, I couldn't help but go to water.

Oil on canvas board, 7" x 5"

Former Stable at Rosebery Hill, Pipers Creek

Whilst I was painting this shed (a former stable) the wind got up a little, thus causing my pochade box to become unstable (sorry to saddle you with such a bad pun).

Oil on canvas board, 5" x 7"

Kitchen Window Sill

Sill life.

Oil on canvas board, 6" x 4"

Still Life

Still life painted over two weeks in class.  Despite the term still life, nothing in this painting is true to life: the fruit is plastic and the liquid in the wine glass is tea.

Oil on canvas board, 12" x 16"

Small Vase with Pear

To remove the fruit from this painting would be to make it disappear, while removal of the vessel would require a vasectomy.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Glencairn Whisky Glass with Nectarine

A nectarine beside a vessel for holding the nectar of the gods.

Oil on canvas board, 6" x 4"

Plastic Rose Detail

My first attempt at painting was such a monumental failure that I was compelled to grab a rag and rub it off.  For my second attempt, I purposely went very small so that I could nip it in the bud.

Oil on canvas board, 2" x 2"

Lemon with Silver-Plated Jug

A jugged lemon left to stew in its own juice.

Oil on canvas board, 6" x 4"

Sandal Buckle

I had limited time to paint (hence the very small painting) and I had difficulty with this finicky subject, but I think I managed to avoid buckling under the pressure.

Oil on canvas board, 2" x 2"

Moreton Bay Fig, Royal Park, Melbourne

A Moreton Bay figure study.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Willow Pattern Teacup with Zucchini

Alas, I'm not particularly pleased with this painting--the teacup is a bit of a far cup, and I'm not too keen(y) on the zucchini.

Oil on canvas board, 6" x 4"

Glass Vase and Ginger Beer Bottle

This was a difficult subject for me: I approached the bottle gingerly, and the paintbrush marks representing the vase show evidence of glass struggle.  Perhaps I should have tried it from a few different Engels.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Miniature Vase with Onion

My brand new second-hand Chinese-style vase from Savers beside a brand new international-style onion from Victoria Market.

Oil on canvas board, 6" x 4"

Plastic Nose Pencil Sharpener

This plastic nose has a pencil sharpener hidden in one of the nostrils.  It gives new meaning to (being) led by the nose.

Oil on canvas board, 2" x 2"

Dual Plaster-Cast Study

This is the first time I've attempted two plaster casts at once--one day I might try as many as four.  In fact, I forecast that such an activity will take place. (Painted in three sessions.)

Oil on canvas board, 20" x 16"

Portrait: Man in a Waistcoat

When I was younger I supposed a waistcoat was so named because the arms had gone to waste. (Class exercise painted over two weeks.)

Oil on canvas board, 12" x 16"

Wooden Elephant

Usually I'd be disappointed if someone described one of my figure studies as wooden, but not in this case.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Teacup with Banana

There's some debate as to whether a banana is a fruit or a herb (or indeed both or neither).  Thankfully a china teacup is free of such existential crises.

Oil on canvas board, 6" x 4"

Small Copper Pot with Lemon

Two-thirds of a battery (just add zinc).

Oil on canvas board, 6" x 4"

Art Deco Salt Shaker with Chilli Jar

Too much chilli can be an assault to the senses.

Oil on canvas board, 4" x 6"

Pepper Grinder Detail

This is such a corny pepper pun that I ought to go to ground.

Oil on canvas board, 2" x 2"

Antique Bottles

You could say I've taken to the bottle.  (Painted over two days.)

Oil on canvas board, 10" x 8"