Sunday, September 03, 2006

Banana Sunday


Last night about midnight or so I broke down and grabbed the paints and went at it. Echo had been working on her still life all evening and I couldn't resist the urge to paint something, every weekdend for the last six we have been painting. the weather was less than ideal with the rain left over from the Hurricane coming up the coast, I was even awakend by the sound of the wood chipper Saturday morning as a neighboors tree lost several big limbs, pulling down power and phonelines in the process. Luckily only his car was slightly dented and I didn't loose power..

So I grabbed the bananas and the cut, leftover green pepper from dinner, tossed them in a bowl and put them on the dinning room table to the side, under the same light Echo had on the still life she was painting. I figured I'd do a simpler still life this time.

I finished about 4am or so, stood te whole time so my feet were a bit tired and I was pretty pleased with the exercise. Still learning so much each time I do this as I don't completely have a system down. One stroke--"GOD IT'S RUINED!" the next "IT'S SAVED!". Oils are so endlessly plyable and I don't want nor and I going for a photorealistic approach.I am really trying to match the values and shapes of what I see. But each week I feel more confident.
You can see a bigger scan here, the photo quality is so-so as I have a hard time fighting the glare of the wet paint.

6 comments:

Echo Shi Volla said...

And it only took you a night >;0 I ENVY you :P

Mike Manley said...

Thanks Echo, I got so jealus watching you paint I couldn't resist painting myself!

TC said...

Close to perfection, my friend!

Michael Dooney said...

Nice job! If you want to be humbled...take a look at Duane Keiser's painting a day blog http://duanekeiser.blogspot.com/
He's also got another one that's dedicated to his video demos......WOW! http://www.paintvid.blogspot.com/

Kelly said...

Nice job Mike. That bowl just looks fabulous!

Mike Manley said...

Thanks Kelly and Michael. Nice stuff on your blog as well Mike.