Linda Hunt

This was an interesting to work on.  It is a high key painting and that presented its own kind of problem.  I really wanted the saltines to stand out and so I needed to work the values.  The smoked oysters were really fun to paint.  I have been wanting to paint them for months.  I am trying to decided whether or not I should include the roses that were on the paper the plate was sitting on.  I hope that I didn't make it too cutesy......what do you think?

I have included the initial layout of the drawing with the values being placed.  In the second listing I am beginning to lay in where the darkest darks will be and where the middle values will be and then where the lightest values are put in.  It was critically important that I work with only a few colors.  I chose cadmium red light, cadmium yellow medium, ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson, emerald green, and titanium white.  This gave the the most beautiful gray violets and pinks.  The reds were vibrant and intense.  It was tricky making the ice.  The umbrella had to be drawn very carefully because it led to the focal point.  The second focal  was the pink salt shaker.  All in all I am very pleased with the painting.  It has a nice value structure which you can see in the last entry.

Michael's had a really fabulous sale on all Spring and Summer flowers and I bought these red peonies.  LOVE them and they were so much fun to paint.  I am working very hard on the compositions in my paintings.  To begin with I section off the canvas into 3rds length and width.  I focus on finding where I want to find the focal point and try to place it in the sweet spot. this is one of the intersections of the length and width lines.  Do you follow me?  It resembles a tic tak toe board.  The I find my darkest darks and two more values including white.  I then lay in the darkest values and then the middle values. I end by putting in my lightest lights.  At this point there is quite a bit of refining that takes place.  I work hard to use a very limited palette and find a nice harmony between all of the colors.  It is a felt thing at this point to decide when the painting is done. The future belongs to those who believe in the b...

Awww the tulips were in the grocery store ad I couldn't resist.  I bought the creamiest ones I could find........12"x 12"......canvas.....oil..... www.lindahuntfineart.com ...........I am reminded over and over again just how important the initial layout of a painting is.  Accurate, yet loose drawing in the beginning and then establishing your pattern of values.  I have been using Vermilion and Alizarin Crimson to to the drawing and light washes of values.  I like this because the color is easily absorbed into the painting.  I purposefully kept the color range narrow.  It is funny where one finds inspiration for a color scheme.  I took it from the cover of the latest Living Magazine.  It worked beautifully. Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. Rumi

12"x 12".....oil.....canvas.....painted from life.  The Asters were grown in my garden.....I am concentrating on my compositions and feel that they are tighter and more interesting.  I divide the canvas into thirds and find the 'sweet spot' in one of the intersections of the lines as they intersect.  This assures that the composition is not right in the center of the canvas and is more interesting and better aligned.......I also do a very simple yet accurate drawing of the general layout and then find the dark, medium , and light value structure.  With this painting I laid in the dark values first and then the secondary values and the light values are the last ones to place.  I stretch the values to create a nice tension. “I Think Goals Should Never Be Easy, They Should Force You To Work, Even If They Are Uncomfortable At The Time.” – Michael Phelp

24"x 18".....oil.....canvas.....for sale www.lindahuntfineart.com This was painted from life in my home studio.  The orchid was a beautiful reproduction that I bought in an antique store.  When I saw it I just had to purchase it knowing that it would make wonderful paintings.  I chose the color combination on purpose.  I love the yellow green and blue green background.  I used Cerulean Blue along with Cobalt Blue, Lemon Yellow and 3 reds.  It was a lovely harmony.  The apple in the composition is one of the fruits from the 1950's.  You have probably seen the grapes that were resin creations on a wood limb.....they came in a myriad of colors and were extremely popular during the Modernist period.  I had never seen a whole set of fruits including an apple, orange, grapes, banana and lemon before.  Since this is my favorite period of time I had to buy them to use in my paintings.  They are clear resin and are gorgeous with the light...