Week #5 of 52 paintings ***River-Oil Painting photo images from start to finish by Nicole Slater

Week #5 of 52 Paintings

River

I like to step back when I paint every once in awhile...

 I can see the progress  and to catch mistakes before I get too far into the painting.

 The other day I thought it would be fun to put them in a video with the still pictures and progress.

Yes, I need to work on it...but,  for the first time doing this...I did pretty good!

I had fun and that's what counts:)

www.nicoleslater.com

Week 18 of 52 Oil Paintings, "Sunflowers in a Clay Pot"

Week 18 of 52 Oil Paintings

When I think of an "Arty" flower immediately I think of VanGogh's Sunflowers!

 

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”
― Vincent van Gogh

 

This weeks challenge for me was to work on getting the copper bucket to look convincing.

My other goal was to really challenge myself by working on all the textures in this still life such as, the rustic clay flower pot, the aged copper and all the layers of slight coloration changes in the petals of the sunflower!

Once I sketched in and liked the balance I began to layout the background and work my way into the pallet knife Sunflowers....

I love how bold these flowers are!

c. Nicole Slater 16 x 20" oil on canvas 
"Sunflowers in a Clay Pot"

www.nicoleslater.com

Week 19 of 52 Oil Paintings, Cosmos in Glass Bottle"

Week 19 of 52 Oil Paintings

This still life was fun to paint!

I love the simplicity of these Cosmos...who doesn't like pretty flowers?


"I believe nature has a magical paint pallet...the colors living colors changing daily...I love to try but,  just can't duplicate!"
-Nicole Slater

I was intimidated when I began to paint the glass bottle!
 I discovered the secret to painting glass....

Painting glass is; "to reveal what is NOT there."

If you focus on painting only what you see... it will begin to look like glass...so cool!

 I believe I have found a new addiction to painting glass objects.

I used the pallet knife on most of this painting.
 I love the thick creamy paint and it's like sculpting on canvas.

               

   

  c. Nicole Slater
 16 x 20"
 "Cosmos in Glass Bottle"
 2014

www.nicoleslater.com

Week 12 of 52 Oil Paintings; "Reflections" by Nicole Slater

Week 12 of 52 Oil Paintings by, Nicole Slater

Grace and peace I feel in this painting.

I take a deep breath and I  instantly relaxed when I paint landscape scenes.

I can't think of better way to stimulate the human mind and soul...

fresh air to breath, the smell of pine and the sounds of a slow moving body of water...
it is just so peaceful!

I love nature and enjoy the moments I get to paint scenes like this

....In my mind I'm there!

" Reflections"

c. Nicole Slater       11 x 14" Oil on Canvas        2014

www.nicoleslater.com

Week 15 of 52 Oil Paintings, "Clay Vessel"

Week 15 of 52 Oil Paintings, "Clay Vessel"

This is a sweet little still life:)

The old clay vessel was heavily textured and the glaze was chipping off as if where just dug out from the earth. It had so much history...the stories it would tell if it could!

 The old blue porcelain pot also told a story but, one of age and beauty. It looked as though it was treasured with the up-most care. This antique Asian porcelain pot looked as if it was new.

People are like these two vessels...some just age more graceful.

c. Nicole Slater      12 x 12"  Oil on Canvas        2014

www.nicoleslater.com

Week 14 of 52 Oil Paintings," Fisherman"

Week 14 of 52 Oil Paintings," Fisherman"

The photo for this painting was very grey and life-less....so I changed it up!

I decided to make it colorful. with shades of purples, like dusk at the end of a warm day.

The fisherman is dressed in yellow and the boat is full of all his fishing nets, buoys and catch of the day!
I can feel his struggle as he pulls in the net against the waves. It's been a long hard days work for this guy and he wants to get home for dinner.

Scenes like this are fun because I put myself there....
every time!

c. Nicole Slater    11 x 14"   Oil on Canvas   2014

www.nicoleslater

Week 13 of 52 Oil Paintings, "Orange and Egg"

Week 13 of 52 Paintings, "Orange and Egg"


This still life has a combination of items that are eye-catching.

The unlikely addition of "the egg" mixed in with fruit is fun and unpredictable. I love this combo!

I enjoyed creating contrast textures! The smooth eggshell next to the wet and textural slice of the blood orange is really a cool contrast of textures.

All-around this was enjoyable to paint:)

                                             c. Nicole Slater   9 x 12"   Oil on Canvas    2014

www.nicoleslater.com

Week#10 of 52 Oil Paintings Floral, Orange and Mask

Week#10 of 52 Oil Paintings Floral, Orange and Mask

The combination of using a Buddha statue along with nature made and interesting still life.

The goal of this painting was to have the mask work with the delicacy of the flowers. The orange next to the bowl will be the center of focus.Your eye should wonder from flower to flower and into mask and back around again. I hope it worked.

 I enjoyed creating opposing textures such as the hard and heavy-textured stone surface of the statue and contrast of the soft flowing and delicate bright colored flowers.

c. Nicole Slater   16 x 20" Oil on Canvas  2014

www.nicoleslater.com

Week 16 of 52 Oil Paintings, "Beets"

Week 16 of 52 Oil Paintings, "Beets"

Beets have not always been my vegetable of choice to eat, but I do enjoy painting them!

The beets have these long stems that are a gorgeous..vibrant purple/pink...they seemed to glow!

The combination of the mature and new leaves are beautiful shades of greens together....

I enjoyed painting this, learned a lot about their unique qualities.

c. Nicole Slater    16 x 20"  Oil on Canvas    2014

www.nicoleslater.com



Week 17 of 52 Paintings, "94 Year Old Preacher"

Week #17 of 52 Paintings, "94 Year Old Preacher"


Portrait painting is so much fun...especially when you are capturing a face like this!

 This guy is a 94 year old retired Preacher. Look at all the character in his face...every wrinkle, mole and grey hair tells a story. Take a moment to reflect about all the people he met, inspired, preached to and helped....wow!

My challenge for this painting was to capture his personality...I think I got it!

c. Nicole Slater    11 x 14"     Oil on Board   2014 

www.nicoleslater.com

Week #5 of 52 "River Flows" Oil Paintings by Nicole Slater

Week #5 of 52 Oil Paintings
"River Flows"

This week I have the challenge of a river scene to paint. Challenge? YES!
 I have never painted a river before and it seems a bit overwhelming....the unknown waters:)

I sat down and began to sketch out the scene and overall I am please with how it turned out...here is the sketch:

c. Nicole Slater sketch of "River Flows"

I love to sketch! Sketching this came easy to me. Painting it was another story. It just seemed larger than life!....all those rocks, water etc.....

Time passes and somehow I thought this would get painted on its own....

I finally got the courage up one night to start painting....this is what I discovered:

Starting to paint, I felt gloriously free, quiet, and alone. (Henri Matisse)

I have learned so much about the river, water and rocks. The rocks are like people all very unique and a lot of them!

 The water I painted incorporates: many layers of paint, sweat and tears...along with moments of pure joy!

 The biggest challenge was to go from the deepest of darks to the lightest of lights.... the darks being the depth of the water and the shadows of rocks under water and cast shadow of giant boulders.

 The lightest of light colors to create the waves and glistening light hitting the top of the waters surface..... and then the in between tones to bring together all these layers as one body of water.... whew! Tired thinking about it!!!

The last layers were my hardest because right when I thought it was looking great....I had to apply the thick waves and pray it didn't ruin all the under-painting!

I am please with the outcome of the art and the patients I gained in this lesson....I hope you can see all my efforts I put into this work of art:))

 



"River Flows"

            c. Nicole Slater 2/14  20x20" Oil Painting

             #5 of 52 paintings

Week 8 of 52, Oil Paintings by Nicole Slater "Gerbera Daisies in Clay Pot"

Week #8 of #52 Oil Paintings

"Gerbera Daisies in Clay Pot"

This week I was challenged to paint Gerbera Daisies once again!...

I have to say painting the daisy this week seemed just as hard as it did in week#2.

 I still don't quite understand how a simple flower can be so hard to paint?? Is it because they are so simple? I found getting the subtlety of the shadows, color change and the slight curve of every petal difficult to create without it being choppy looking, and too obvious in variations.

www.nicoleslater.com

c. Nicole Slater 12 x 16" oil painting on canvas

"Gerbera Daisies in Clay Pot"

The clay pot was much easier to paint and fun too! I enjoyed getting the texture to look like an old clay pot and also placing the shadows and highlights.... I even painted to capture the old world glaze it had by dry brushing colors on top of dried under-painting. 

If you look closely at the background you will see a slight design. This I painted in for some interest but, also because It was a beautiful old oriental rug that was draped in the background...I want that rug!

This week I learned how to create soft affects in the background patterns so it doesn't take away from the main subject....I did this be applying transcending colors such as Alizaran Crimson, Olive Green, and Ultramarine Blue. After applying these paint colors and pattern...I let it sit for a day and then lightly blurred it by brushing it ever so lightly. I love the effect!

I also learned a lot about myself! I need to tell myself often to not get frustrated and remember this is for FuN!

 I believe I captured the delicate strength of the Gerbera Daisy!

 Yeah:)

www.nicoleslater.com 

My Painting is Ready For The Family Justice Center!

PLEASE READ MY INSPIRATION STORY BELOW.... It Would Mean The World to Me, the Family Justice Center and Preslie!

 

UP CLOSE DETAIL:

  c. Nicole Slater   30 x 40"

Mixed Media Acrylic Painting on Canvas

Title:  "Tiny Steps; New Beginnings"

 

 

To learn about my Inspiration please read here:

Tiny Steps; New Beginnings

Heart Story Art by Preslie, age 8

artwork #19 and Nicole Slater

 

 

 

The Family Justice Center asked local artists to represent a child, through their own art interpretation. The child’s art I chose was a wonderful, heart-felt piece by an eight year old girl named Preslie.

  Preslie painted heart images and as I love to paint hearts…I knew at that moment this was the one I wanted to represent through my art.

 

 

  I started by taking what I believed represented her heart and the new beginnings she found with her new family.

  Art is very special in the fact that you create a feeling and idea by visual rather than a verbal voice. I wanted to make sure I was able to speak Preslie’s thoughts through art, loud and clear.

  With stairs being a negative remembrance in her young life, I felt the need to turn those negative images of stairs around, “up,” instead of “down.” My focus was on how the steps can be a positive. The symbolism of stairs; …representing “moving up in life,” “stepping in the right direction,” “moving forward” and steps into our hearts and reminding us to help others.

  Texture and the movement of Preslie’s painting were important to recreate. I wanted to capture her personality, emotions and healing through the Family Justice Center. As an example, I believe she is full of life with a lot of energy because she used bold, vivacious brushstrokes in her art. Preslie also used layers of paint and crayon in her work….I think this shows that she has wonderful layers in her spirit. The heart-felt imagery was also important… it shows her heart is whole with a bright future.

  My hope for this painting titled: “ Tiny Steps; New Beginnings” is that together with raising money for the Modesto Justice Center, it will also bring hope and joy to the new owners of this art.

-www.nicoleslater.com

-applecheeksgallery.blogspot.com

 

 

My painting for the Family Justice Center is now ready for Purchase, Auction or Placement at the center!

 

Please help our community by showing you care just by buying at ticket for the event.
 

 

 My heart would be overjoyed if you participated

 

Three ways to show you care and support:
 

1. Go to the "Art Walk" March 20, 2014 from 5-9pm @ Chartreuse Muse Gallery, Modesto
 

2. Buy tickets to this wonderful event
 

3. Bid, purchase or donate the art of your choice

 

Date: March 27th 2014

Location: 1625 I Street, Modesto CA 

Time: 5-8PM Open House

Tickets:$20.00 at the door

$16.25 advance

 

Wine, Beverages, Appetizers

 

Tickets by calling : Cindy Schneider  209-525-5134

Show Curator:
Sandra@thechartreusemuse.com

 

 

-Thanks in advance,

 

 Nicole Slater

 

 

My Hunky Cowboy Oil Painting...Number 7 of 52 Paintings!

Week number 7 of 52 paintings    

oils on canvas   

This week I was challenged to paint a Cowboy...not just a regular guy, but an amazingly hunky and manly Cowboy!

 Look at all of his amazing life lines and sun drenched face...I think he has seen a lot in his life....this is a real working Cowboy...I can't wait to paint him.

I first began by really looking over his character. What is it that makes him so cool? How can I make him seem life like and still painterly?

I quickly learned that with portrait work it is working-out placement of ears, eyes, etc. and also the uniqueness each individual...some eyes are closer in, some wide apart and so on...


PHOTO

I started by quickly sketching him out in thinned out paint color.  For this I used  "burnt sienna". I then moved on to blocking in under paint colors; using "olive green" in some of the warm shadowed areas (right side of face), and "cobalt blue" in the coolest shadow areas such as (under hat, neck and beard) and "burnt umber" in the cool mid shadow areas (left of nose, eye).

Once I had this all blocked in I began to see a dimensional shape. This was a great feeling but, quickly panic set in...I thought to myself; "I have to make it look like an identifiable face."

I mixed four flesh hue tones from light to the darkest of tones and just started looking at shapes to paint. I think this is the key to paint the shapes not the objects....as I went through and started doing this it somehow seemed to be fun....some shapes were so strange and yet cool to recognize...I never noticed  how many weird shapes are shadowed onto our face! it was like painting a puzzle.By the time I put in these shapes I saw what appeared to be a recognizable face but...like it had bad plastic surgery. Again a little overwhelming feeling began...."now what!" I asked...
                                                           UGLY STAGE

The next day the paint seemed to be "set enough" to start working on it again....I began transitioning one shape to another...smoothing out, adjusting hue, and so on....I can't believe what a dramatic change occurred!! I was thrilled...I was actually painting a picture that looked pretty close to the real guy!



Overall from this experience I learned that portrait work is a challenge and rewarding. It goes through an ugly stage, a fun stage and a "how am I going to get there stage:).Then finally, a WOW stage.

                    c. Nicole Slater   11 x 14"  oil on canvas "Hunky Cowboy " 2014

 I really enjoyed this challenge and found that the finished painting is worth the time and frustrations to capture the persons character "just right."

The slightest character features are so important to capture. They are the essence of who the "person is" through life experiences such as this hunky Cowboy...in this instance "coolness" is his character.

 I think he has lived an interesting and rewarding life...at least it's what I want to believe:)

www.nicoleslater.com

                                                            

March is National Crafters Month ...so get your "Craft On"

March is a wonderful month, as Spring is right around the corner. The air is smelling fresh, blossoms are starting to sneak out of their buds and inspirations to make crafts are everywhere!!!

It is hard to believe the month of February is over. The month flew by....did I forget to kiss cupid?

 I was busy decorating, planning a Birthday party, and starting a new body of work...for my upcoming art show...it all just seemed a blur!



Spring Has Sprung!

 March is my month to start fresh:)

I am making a big "to DO" list :)

• Clean Studio
• Buy the FuN, Latest and greatest art supplies :)
• Finish unpainted paintings
• Inventory my products and pay taxes
• Get to the painting and crafting
• I think I might even plan a craft day with friends!

 Holidays such as: St. Patrick's Day, Easter, and Mothers day are great holidays to create in all kinds of affordable crafts.

I hope you will enjoy some of my craft ideas I am posting and my favorite go-to suppliers for crafts, paint, etc....hope you find time to enjoy your craft.

Great multi media tutorials and "How to" book/magazines to purchase:
http://www.clothpaperscissors.com/

Resource for craft supplies:
http://www.save-on-crafts.com/favorsupplies.html

https://www.sunshinecrafts.com/



Fun St. Patrick's Banner and Easter/Spring I made last year...fun and easy!!!
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/166211042470141401/

 

 

Easter Project I also did last year and sold them all...people love these!
Blown out-Easter eggs, painted and gold leaf.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/166211042468001851/

Have a wonderful Spring Season and ENJOY it ALL...God Bless!

www.nicoleslater.com

WEEK 6 of 52 Oil Paintings THREE ONIONS by, Nicole Slater

WEEK 6 of Weekly Paintings of "Three Onions"

This week I felt the need to do some "studio Spring cleaning" which I think was a good thing? I also think it was an excuse to put off  next weeks painting challenge...but, somehow I did it!

I am painting the "Onions and Grapes" once again!...I learned so much from the first "Onions and Grape" painting I created previously in week #1. This time I went into this painting with better paint knowledge on how to make onions look somewhat believable and the grapes look as though you might want to eat one:)

One of my biggest challenge in painting every week is finding that magical time! Where is it?

I keep thinking I must be doing something wrong. How can I be that busy?

 I find myself having to say; "no" a lot lately. I guess I always said "yes?!" I say this because; it is very uncomfortable for me to say "No!" I never realized how little I used that word.

Painting weekly has revealed so much about myself. I am learning patients, trust, time management, and confidence...WOW!...all this because I dedicated myself to paint 52 weeks? Who Knew!

This was another great paint week...I feel blessed and I am thankful everyday.

 c. Nicole Slater 11x14"

 "Three Onions"

  Oils on canvas

www.nicoleslater.com

XoXo THE "LOVE" in VALENTINES DAY XoXo

With so much sweet things to be thankful for....Valentines Day is a wonderful reminder that love is around me, always♥
 

The first in my "love-line of thankfulness":

 is my husband who sees my best side even when I don't: patience, honesty, trust & best of all....love♡♡♡
 

..the little loves are the small hands and feet that run around with unbounded energy..."Auntie CoCo"...that's ME; gives them the sugar loving to show just how much they sweeten my life...yes BIG cupcakes for my Sweetie Pies:)
 

To the moms, dads & friends of mine...No words are needed...with a soft touch, a big hug, a sweet card, the lending of a shoulder to cry on and ear to listen...I feel your love everyday; it surrounds my heart and fills my soul.
 

My other loves have warm wet noses...3 in all.. They see no wrong....a wag of their tails and their big brown eyes; melt my heart!
 

And last but, not least... I love, that I have a God in my life that looks out for me, guides me and gives me a gift of life lessons every day!
 

PS: I love that I was given the ability to create art ★ it is a way for me to express love...I create from the heart.
 

~~~Today and always; I have L♡ve!
 



 

 

 

 

  

  

  

Week 5 of 52 paintings...."Poudre River" sketched in....ready to paint! 2/10/14

Looking at the image of Poudre River is a bit intimidating....all rocks and water!!!...not to mention I have not painted either one.

Taking a deep breath I just started sketching..before I knew it; I had it all latedt out:)

I stand back, look at it and think; how am I going to start this painting?? Now what??

I need to sleep on this one. I will keep you posted!

Dog and Cat Art Show...

Preliminary sketches and mini paintings...I am getting my art mojo. There is some sketches I did of Pierre my male dog I love! I am invisioning some kind of collage incorporating these sketches...well at least today...need to see if I am still feeling it tomorrow:)

52 paintings...extra credit painting...in the making...stay tuned:) 2/8/14

Today I sketched out for week 6 painting titled, "Copper Peonies." I like the "arty" background..may keep it in there!