Daily Paintings

Daily Painting #59 – Purple Flower
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Oil painting on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$100 plus shipping
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

I’m not sure what this flower is called but it has beautiful petals with cloth-like texture. I did not capture the texture and color of the flower well enough, but I did enjoy trying out the unusual background. I would like to experiment with it some more in the future — perhaps let the burnt sienna underpainting dry first before painting on it.

Daily Painting #58 – Black Plum Half
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Oil painting on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$70 — free shipping worldwide
Click here for purchasing information
For inquiries, e-mail me at: faith@artisticrealism.com

Here’s one more plum painting. I couldn’t decide if I should still paint the stripes on the cloth so I just let the brushstrokes show in the background for interest.

Daily Painting #57 – Black Plum
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Oil painting on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$100 plus shipping
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

Lately, I have been taking more time to observe my subjects. I also carefully check each color mixture for accuracy before really painting it on. I think the extra time taken to observe and analyze is definitely worth it as it has somehow shortened the painting time.

Daily Painting #56 – Red Plum
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Oil painting on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
Not for Sale

Daily Painting #55 – Cucumbers
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Oil painting on gessoed matboard
Approximately 8.25 x 6.375 inches — 21 x 16.2 cm
US$100 plus shipping
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

Here’s something a little bigger than usual. It is currently one of my favorites. The cucumbers were great fun to paint!

Daily Painting #54 – Star Anise
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Oil painting on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$100 plus shipping
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

This painting went through a few different phases while I was working on it as I didn’t plan thoroughly beforehand. The first setup included peppercorns as well as some laurel leaves showing around the edges. After I laid in the background, I decided not to include the laurel leaves. Then just before finishing the painting, I realized that the peppercorns were out of place among the star anise so I turned them into anise seeds instead.

I also initially planned on the background being white, but I felt adventurous so I played around with phthalo blue. I’m glad I didn’t completely blend out the brushstrokes and the phthalo blue as I think they add interest to the background. Hmmm, showy brushstrokes and phthalo blue always seem to remind me of paintings by Michael Naples or Carol Marine. If you haven’t already, check them out and feast your eyes on some gorgeous contemporary paintings with vibrant colors and expressive brushwork. They are a constant source of inspiration for me.

Daily Painting #53 – Granny Smith Apple No. 3
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Oil painting on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$100 plus shipping
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

Daily Painting #52 – Grape Leaf
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Oil on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$70 — free shipping worldwide
Click here for purchasing information
For inquiries, e-mail me at: faith@artisticrealism.com

My Mom grows a small grape vine — it doesn’t bear fruit but it does give me a good supply of grape leaves for painting. I taped this leaf on a small piece of plywood. I thought the masking tape would be difficult to paint believably but it was the easiest. Overall, everything was great fun to paint — leaves and wood are some of my most favorite subjects too.

Daily Painting #51 – Granny Smith Apple No. 2
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Oil on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$100 plus shipping
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

The overhead angle was difficult.

Daily Painting #50 – Granny Smith Apple
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$70 — free shipping worldwide
Click here for purchasing information
For inquiries, e-mail me at: faith@artisticrealism.com

This apple was a joy to paint! Just to see how they look side by side, I have put together all three apple paintings sharing this composition.

The first one is daily painting #38 – Red Delicious Apple; the second is #39 – Fuji Apple.

Daily Painting #49 – Coffee and Donuts
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Oil on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$100 plus shipping
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

One last donut painting for now.

Daily Painting #48 – Donut No. 2
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Oil on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$100 plus shipping
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

I love painting donuts. The smell is just delicious!

Daily Painting #47 – Donut
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Oil painting on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$100 plus shipping
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

This is by far the most tempting food I’ve ever painted. It looked so delicious I almost didn’t want to finish painting it. The good thing about it is that it was easy to do and looked almost finished after the first hour or so. The bad thing about it is that I deprive the family of delicious food while I still paint them!

Daily Painting #46 – Straw Hat
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Oil on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 7.5 inches — 13.97 x 19.05 cm
US$70 — free shipping worldwide
Click here for purchasing information
For inquiries, e-mail me at: faith@artisticrealism.com

I was searching for something to paint when my Mom picked out this little straw hat from my props storage under the easel. She said, “Paint this.” Hanging the hat was the first arrangement that came into my mind. Initially, I thought I’d also include a shelf below the hat and then display something there. But what?? I couldn’t decide so I painted the hat alone. I like how it turned out and how it is high up in the painting.

My head is already filled with ideas inspired by this hat and arrangement. Perhaps I will do another one like this and include the shelf below. We’ll see…

By now it is becoming a habit for me to scrape off parts of a painting when it is not going well. It used to be that I’d keep adding more and more paint to correct an obviously wrong color base, or move the paint around to save it and hope that it’ll look better. It worked sometimes, but most times the painting ended up looking dull and overworked. Now I just scrape off that layer of paint. Less frustrating this way. I also like how a ghost of the previous attempt remains so I don’t really start from nothing all over again. I think it makes the next attempts so much easier and fresher.

Daily Painting #45 – Orange Wedges
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Oil on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$100 plus shipping
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

I like the black and bluish gray background against the oranges.

Daily Painting #44 – Orange
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Oil on gessoed matboard
Approximately 5.5 x 5.5 inches — 13.97 x 13.97 cm
US$100 plus shipping
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

Oranges and other citrus fruits are some of my most favorite subjects to paint. I guess one of the reasons is because I get to use my cadmium yellow paint more. I love that color!

Another color that I also like to use is phthalo blue. I like how it makes a painting more energetic and spontaneous. My brother, David, tells me that I used way too much phthalo blue for the shadow in this painting. I agree with him, but I think I like it that way…

Daily Painting #43 – Orange with Chinese Teacup
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Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 7 inches — 12.7 x 17.8 cm
Plus about 1/4″ (6 mm) margin for framing
US$100 plus shipping and handling
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

Another one inspired by daily painting #41. So far this is the most painterly that I have done. I kept blending to a minimum, especially in the foreground. I feel that it could have been done better, but I am quite pleased with the result. It was a fun painting and I learned that burnt sienna and yellow ochre is a good combination!

Daily Painting #42 – Citrus
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Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 7 inches — 12.7 x 17.8 cm
Plus about 1/4″ (6 mm) margin for framing
US$100 plus shipping and handling
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

Inspired by daily paintings #41 – Country Breakfast and #27 – Calamansi (the sprig I used here is actually one which I cut from my Mom’s calamansi plant).

When I do my pencil drawings, I add an extra 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin around the paper to give clients some allowance for framing. When I started doing a painting a day, I borrowed that practice so all of my previous daily paintings also had margins of about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) — a third of which was painted on while the rest was left unpainted.

I noticed, however, that oil paintings by other artists do not have white borders so just to conform to standards, starting with this painting, I won’t be including the usual 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin. I will still leave about 1/4″ (6 mm) though, but that will be painted on as well.

Daily Painting #41 – Country Breakfast
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 5 inches — 12.7 x 12.7 cm
Plus about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin for framing
US$100 plus shipping and handling
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

I missed posting a painting yesterday because our computer and internet connection were not working. The computer has been fixed, but the internet connection is still very slow. To make up for yesterday, I’ll try to post two today.

I’ve always wanted to try a loose painting style, and all the while I was working on this, I kept thinking, “loose, loose, loose.” It still turned out pretty controlled, but I’m pleased with it.

I think I am attracted to compositions with cloth in them. Somehow, I feel that they easily transform an ordinary still life into one which tells a story. I liked the effect so much that ideas for new arrangements immediately came into my mind, such as painting #42 (will post that in a little while).

I’m not sure why, but this painting speaks to me of a quiet country kitchen in the early morning (hence the title). Perhaps it is because of the lighting, or maybe the color scheme, or maybe the Bobby Goldsboro songs that I listened to while working on it…

Note: I try to make the images on this blog as accurate as possible, but I could not make the orange here a little less redder without making the apple too yellow. There is also some glare showing, especially on the wood board, making the brushstrokes more obvious than they really are.

Daily Painting #40 – Red Delicious Apple No. 2
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 5 inches — 12.7 x 12.7 cm
Plus about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin for framing
US$100 plus shipping and handling
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

The fine red skin around the apple slice was difficult. I was struggling to keep it from mixing with the surrounding colors.

Whenever I encounter this problem, I say that I’ll let the painting dry for a day or two before adding the fine lines and strong highlights. Then I remember to thin the paint with enough medium and I say, “Why didn’t I do that earlier?”

Daily Painting #39 – Fuji Apple
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 5 inches — 12.7 x 12.7 cm
Plus about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin for framing
US$100 plus shipping and handling
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

Daily Painting #38 – Red Delicious Apple
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 5 inches — 12.7 x 12.7 cm
Plus about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin for framing
US$70 — free shipping worldwide
Click here for purchasing information
For inquiries, e-mail me at: faith@artisticrealism.com

I like the subtle reflected light on this Red Delicious. I hope you like apples as there will be a few more apple paintings coming soon!

Daily Painting #37 – Red Apples on Wood
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 7 inches — 12.7 x 17.8 cm
Plus about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin for framing
US$100 plus shipping and handling
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

Daily Painting #36 – Grapes with Leaf
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 5 inches — 12.7 x 12.7 cm
Plus about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin for framing
US$70 — free shipping worldwide
Click here for purchasing information
For inquiries, e-mail me at: faith@artisticrealism.com

I love painting leaves but grapes are a different thing. Daily painting #14 (Grapes on Wood Block) was my first time to try painting grapes. I did not like how it turned out so for quite some time, I haven’t attempted to paint them again.

Well, I decided to overcome my fear of grapes and try again. This is the result. The biggest challenge for me was painting the bloom on the grapes.

Daily Painting #35 – Garlic Cloves No. 2
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 5 inches — 12.7 x 12.7 cm
Plus about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin for framing
US$100 plus shipping and handling
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

Another painting of one of my favorite subjects.

Daily Painting #34 – Cracked Egg No. 2
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 5 inches — 12.7 x 12.7 cm
Plus about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin for framing
US$100 plus shipping and handling
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

This is the last egg painting for now. And here it is together with daily paintings #31 and #32:

Daily Painting #33 – Paradise in Blue Bottle
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 5 inches — 12.7 x 12.7 cm
Plus about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin for framing
US$100 plus shipping and handling
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

The bird of paradise was difficult to paint, but, surprisingly, the blue bottle was quite easy. I have been putting off painting bottles and jars because I thought they would be too difficult to paint with all the reflections and highlights, but this blue bottle seemed to paint itself.

I’m thinking of a new composition for the bottle. I will paint it again, one of these days, as the featured subject.

Daily Painting #32 – Cracked Egg No. 1
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 5 inches — 12.7 x 12.7 cm
Plus about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin for framing
US$100 plus shipping and handling
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

This is what happened to yesterday’s egg.

Daily Painting #31 – Egg
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 5 inches — 12.7 x 12.7 cm
Plus about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin for framing
US$100 plus shipping and handling
For purchasing information, please e-mail me: faith@artisticrealism.com

Finally completed the first month of daily paintings — 31 oil paintings in 31 days!!

Thanks so much to everyone who commented and gave inspiration! I’d especially like to thank my Mom and brother, David, for giving me ideas and subjects to paint, for washing my brushes at 1 in the morning, and, most of all, for encouraging me to start this project to begin with.

Overall, it has been a very rewarding project and I’m looking forward to painting and blogging next month’s daily paintings!

Daily Painting #30 – Oil Portrait Study No. 1
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 7 inches — 12.7 x 17.8 cm
Private Collection

Apart from the occasional still life and landscape, portraits of people in pencil were mainly all I did before I joined the painting-a-day movement. This oil portrait is the first in the Daily Painting series. I am not very pleased with the result. I wasn’t able to pay much attention to details and, also, I wanted the colors to be livelier. Being my first portrait done in just about 6 hours, I guess, I’m not yet used to creating portraits in such a short period of time.

Daily Painting #29 – Still Life with Flower
(Click image for larger version)

Oil on gessoed matboard
5 x 5 inches — 12.7 x 12.7 cm
Plus about 3/4″ (1.9 cm) margin for framing
US$100 plus shipping and handling
For purchasing information, e-mail me at: faith@artisticrealism.com

Something quite different today — I think this painting is more “contemporary” than all I’ve painted before.