ACEO -"SPRING SURPRISE" a painting a day

This is an ACEO which measures 2.5 by 3.5 it's for sale for $10.00 + 1.50 SH.
email me if your intersted.

I didn't draw this, I basically painted it negatively then filled in the centers then put in the shadow marks. I love the loose sketch feel of the flowers.

h20 Fun a painting a day by Shanti Marie

This piece is a mixed media piece which include acrylic and watercolor on paper. I over saturated this paper with water and after too many coats of paint and water the paper became blotter paper. This doesn't make it easy to get clean clear color as all the paint pigment seeps down into the fibers rather than sitting on top. I put several coats of fabric starch on the piece to try to get some size back and this helped.

I love the way the background has all those small little spots and shapes, it really does look like water.

A day on the water

I ran out of time today, Whew, and here it is 8:30. I'm just now posting my painting. I will most likely put a few more glazes over the sky and water and pump up the values just a bit. I thought I would paint a few sailboats. Its spring and I have seen several on the lake. Here on Lake Wylie its all about pleasure boats and Bass fishing boats. In the spring when its windy, The sail boats come out and I love to see them.

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $45 plus $5.5 s/h
Or, send me an email

Woman of the Earth a painting by Shanti Marie

This woman could have been my grandmother except for the short white hair (my grandmother had Jet black hair) they look very much alike. When I saw this person, I had this urge to talk to her, but yet,I knew we wern't related as there are always people you see that look like someone you know. The size is 11 by 15 and this is for sale shantmarie@aol.com in interested.

The Walk a painting a Day

I had some email from a gentleman who noticed I never put people in my paintings and I thought it was odd that he would want a painting with people in it. I guess its how you see the painting. I see it as if I'm looking at it thru a window or a camera lens. My perspective is to enjoy the natural setting without man's intrusion. I love the scenes without people because I'm not much of a people person. I like things unspoiled and as they were before condos and high rises were built over every square inch. When I think of a wonderful scene I never think of it with people. i just see the trees, mountains lakes or whatever. This is another reason I don't paint many city scenes. Not that I don't enjoy them, but I live in an area that is near a lake and is wooded. That tends to be my inspiration. I only paint beaches once in awhile even thought I get many requests for them. I paint what I know and love. I put a small dog in this scene because if your going to go for a walk you should always bring your best friend.

A day like no other

The title of this painting is also how my day felt. I ended up driving my brother to the hospital at 5:20 am and just got back 5:30 PM. He is OK, he has a Hernia and needs to have an operation.

I painted this painting a year or so ago when I was doing a woodlands series. It has several compositional techniques of note. First it is a study of isolated color. The orange swath being the isolated color and it is basically a composition of compliments in terms of color.

It is for sale for $250.00 framed and matted. Shantmarie@aol.com

Double Trouble - A painting a day by Shanti Marie

Size is 11 by 15... price is $300.00, Two beagle pups in a cardboard box for sale. Great faces on these guys... I love their expressions! shantmarie@aol.com

Waterfall

This was a bit of an experiment, I used compliments and wanted to see if I could get some variation and also wanted to try a technique I had heard about. After a bit I added a third color and then another & finally some white. It actually wasn't a waterfall at first, then at the end, I decided it needed something right down the middle. This might be the only painting I have painted using white out of the 226 dailies I have painted thus far.

I usually just save the white of the paper...

Waterfall

About This Painting:
100% artist grade paints and paper. Paintings are one of a kind originals. I paint in several sizes. In inches.. ACEO 2.5 by 3.5 =$10.00- 6 by 9 or 5 by 7 is $25.00,7/11 is 40.00 and 11/15 is $250.00

Media: watercolor
Size: 12 in X 12 in (30.5 cm X 30.5 cm)
Price: $40

How to Purchase:

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $40 plus $5.5 s/h
Or, send me an email

Dutch Iris a painting a day

This small 11 by 15 inch painting is a result of several forgotten bulbs which came up in my compost pile. I guess when we cleaned up the flower beds, we threw away a few bulbs. Not to be denied,these little fellows sprung up. I painted them loosely and mostly wet into wet just to give them that wild look. I was told once by Don Andrews not to paint just from nature but to rearrange nature to create something even more special. Here you don't see the old leaves and dead breaches sticking out of the compost pile, just the three beautiful flowers and I added a little more greenery to round out the painting. I hope you enjoy it and if you like it, its for sale for $100.00 Shantmarie@aol.com contact me for buying information.

Spring Melody a painting a day

The size is 7.5 by 11 and it is for sale for 40.00
I have been very busy as usual but couldn’t resist the urge to paint this little bird. It seems that Spring has arrived here in the South and the Birds are all singing their praises.

Artist tip: This painting was painted in three stages. First wash goes on…paint light yellow over everything. Then before that has dried, Paint wet into wet some of the greens leaves and lean these towards the blue side of the color wheel. This will give a diffused background appearance. Next comes the limb and some more leaves with some of the same brown mixed with a brighter and in some areas a slightly darker and more yellow green. After that has dried Use a BIG brush to swap in several big leaf like shapes but don’t put in any detail. This should frame in the bird. You can put a little sky blue color if you like on the lower portion under the limb or just light green. Last the little fellow, use all the same colors you have used so far except don’t use the greens. To make up some dark ( looks black) for the head mix the burn’t sienna and the dark green. If not dark enough try the blue green not the yellow green in the mix. If you want to mix in some orange, on the limb you can put a glaze over some of it to brighten the limb. A Glaze must go over completely dry paint for it to glow.

Buy this painting on PayPal
Price: $40 plus $5.5 s/h
Or, send me an email

"Coy Koi " a painting a day by Shanti Marie

This watercolor is 15 by 22 and sells for $250.00.
I'm a little late getting it posted as its a bit larger then most of my dailies. I painted this because I was trying to work out some problems for my other larger WIP. Email me if interested: shantmarie@aol.com or check out my larger WIP at http://h20color.wordpress.com

Dragonfly a painting a day

Here is a quick painting I did in my sketchbook. It measures 6.5 by 9 inches is 100 %Artist quality watercolor and 100 % Rag paper. $25.00 email me if interested. shantmarie@aol.com

Giant Iris A painting a day

I like to paint big and this peice is a bit abstract in its design. It measure 15 by 20 inches and is for sale for 150.00 (It will not be frames or matted.)
This would look great in either modern or traditional decor.

Koi pool, a painting a day

This Koi painting has a lot of movement and is slightly abstract in its nature.
It's a beautiful Koi painting and would look great in a black frame. The size is 6 inches by 9 inches. It is mostly Blue but has dark green and black punctuated with red, orange and yellow. Email me if interested in its purchase. shantmarie@aol.com

Dreaming of Koi

Here is my cat, Chubbs she likes to watch, Its Ok because If I put a paper towel on the painting, she'll sit on it, without hurting anything.
Maybe she's dreaming of Koi too. Hmmmm. This is day two of this work in progress.

Missy my Boo

 

I put this photo up because I'm trying out the new Pecasa software for photographs. I promised another artist Iwould show her how to set up a blog and wanted to see if this would be a good way for her to upload photos. I have several photo hosting sites I use. I first using "Flickr" then I ran out of the free space with 200 photos so I switched to "Photobucket". I like using them because they have lots of visitors and I do get some traffic to my blog from those sites.

I love this photo...

 

Check out My New Blog

I starting a painting a week blog. Edward B. Gordon another daily painter started one and it seemed like a great idea, its a way to put up your larger pieces that you paint anyway. Since I became a daily painter, I will say I have lots of people e mailing me and also stopping by to check out my daily work. There is only one problem with a daily painting a day blog, it seems to pigeon hole you and people think this is your "work" They do not understand that this is just a form of discipline I have set upon myself and if someone wants to buy one, Great! But please remember I have what I call serious paintings which are much larger. This Blog can be for those Works in progress. I placed an older painting in my opening Post, but will start out with the two pieces I am working on now. I photograph them and as I make changes I will photograph the progress. I hope you stop by to visit once in a while. It won't be a painting a day but more like a painting a week, and thats on good weeks.

Nude 05 a drawing a day

Ok so its not actually a painting... but Iam painting... I am working on a large 3 feet by 4 feet watercolor... I'll post it later...

It seems that I have a number of folks that are interested in these drawings and sketches I do from my life drawing session each week. This nude is 9 by 11 and is matted in a neutral color to fit an 11 by 14 inch Mat. Its for sale for $25.00 USD. shipping is 5.00. Email me if interested. shantmarie@aol.com

Big Tree a painting a day

This painting of a Tree is a beautiful Brown painting mixed with subtle light colors. Its painted in a loose easy style that give the painting a feeling of relaxation. For me, trees are a symbol of strength and these Old trees which I find deep in the woods really are showing their age. If they could talk they would surely have lots to tell. This is a 6 by 9 inch painting, it is for sale for $ 25.00.

email me if interested. Shantmarie@aol.com

Yellow trees - a landscape painting a day

Yellow trees is a beautiful painting! The size is 15 by18 inches and is for sale for 150.00 its on 300 lb paper. I will be glad to ship it to you anywhere in the US for $5.50.

Atist stuff...

I have been re wording my "Artist's Statement" and any of you who are Artists know how difficult it can be at times to write about yourself and your work. I have been working with a group of artists who are getting together for the benefit of all to market our work and ourselves better.

The first thing we all had to do was; write a ten second introduction as if we just met someone on the elevator. My Introduction was actually easy. Hi I'm Shanti Marie an artist who has made a commitment to paint a painting a day for 365 days and I am on #211.

Now, we move to step 2... We have to rewrite our artist statement in less then 250 words ( give or take a few words). Mine is a little too vague. (if you wish to see it, its on my web site at http://www.shantimarie.com/) My instructions are to tell the person in writing what my paintings look like or what to expect my painting might look like and my approach. I'll let you know how it comes out.
Most of the other's in my group wrote things like: I paint in mixed media, mostly non-objective works with an occasional image. I use color, texture and line to define my ideas which usually allows the viewer some space to bring their own ideas to the piece and complete the painting.

Well that's not me, so I am not going to use that. Obviously my work is more realistic, but not so much that you would consider it 100 realistic. I'll let you know what I come up with.. I've read so many artist statements lately, looking at each, but most are way too long. I realize mine is probably a little long and too vague.

Field and Stream - a painting a day

This 11 by 15 painting was a conglomeration of techniques. I used mastic in the upper left tree area, I painted in wet into wet in the stream of water, used a palate knife on the birch trees and of course scratched out some grasses. I also incorporated some negative painting in the tree trunks on the left side. Last but not least there is some splatter done on the ground. I don’t usually try to use so many tricks of the trade but thought it would be fun to have one painting with so many different techniques utilized.
This is for sale for $100.00 matted.

Little Redhead.... a painting a day

I painted a couple of paintings today but wanted to put up this Nude that I also completed. The model was a young girl with this bright Red hair, which was very curly and wild looking. I’m pretty sure the red color wasn’t natural as it was too shockingly red but she was really cute all the same with all those curls. This is for sale for $25.00 matted … email me if your interested! shantiarie@aol.com

Koi Ahoy a painting a day

This little painting is a watercolor on Clay board and is for sale for $25.00. It is 3" by 5 "... basically a post card painting.
I love the soft colors and the texture in this painting, I hope you do too. It will be for sale tomorrow on www.dailypainters.com

Fantasy Forest

This is a half sheet of watercolor paper and is 300 lb. It is for sale for $400.00. I put it up today because I’m still working on my smaller painting but wanted to make sure something new was on the blog. I went to my life drawing session this morning and we had two models. It was very interesting and difficult to get two models proportionally correct within 20 minutes. If you get a chance you should drop in to a life drawing session. Usually most cities have them and you pay as you go. Ours is only ten dollars and this pretty much pays for the model and a little extra goes to the building we use for the two hours. If I ever get a decent drawing of both models I will post it, right now it seems like one is always good but the other is not finished or not proportionally correct to the first. I think I’m rushing it a bit and this is making my work too tight. I am used to drawing one person in twenty minutes but not two. I’ll get it soon. I think the next time I will place dots or marks on my paper… like top of the head middle of the chest, the knee and then say the ankle this way I can be sure that the proportions are right.

Windy day a semi abstract in brown

For my painting a day, I try to paint a variety of things. I have recently painted three small artists trading cards and also some florals which I haven’t done lately. In keeping with this need for variety I decided to paint an abstract. Of course this coincided with a query. I was asked by one of my collectors to use more brown. That made me laugh because I’m sure she meant well with that comment but I will tell you, customers are very hard to please. Most of the time I don’t usually try because the work suffers.
I had this little ampersand 5 by 7 panel and decided to see if I could paint an abstract with some browns. After only a minute or two I could see it wasn’t as abstract as I had planned but I went with it. I could see flags and trees blowing in the wind, then I saw what appeared to be a reflection in the bottom portion so I allowed that to stay, and painted some more reflective type shapes. When its all said and done I think it looks like a city street that just had a bit of rain, the wind is still blowing pretty hard and everything is shimmery.
So here is my painting with a bit of brown. Speaking of brown….I don’t know if this is happening in your part of the world but everyone here is painting their interior walls a color of brown that is somewhere between cafe latte and beige. My guess is: this is why there was request for more browns in my paintings.
Folks you don’t have to match your walls to your paintings. Be brave buy something YOU like, not something your decorator likes.Art is supposed to touch you personally, if you’e just looking for coordinating decor, you are missing out on so many wonderful paintings.
Artist’s TIP: if you want to paint watercolor on this ground you will have to use the watercolor almost full strength out of the tube as the surface is very slick.Also you will have to seal it with a spray varnish. I think its made for oils or acrylics but I’ll try watercolor on anything.

Treefrog Big and small, two paintings...a day

I was looking thru my sketch book and found a sketch of a tree frog and wanted to paint a Small ACEO. After painting it, (they don't take very long to paint) I still had that painting urge to paint...so I pulled out a 1/4 sheet of paper and started another tree frog. The bigger painting isn't done yet, but it will be later tonight. For now....I'm going to make me a good cup of coffee with lots of creme and sugar and take a break.

I love being an artist.... it was 70 degrees today when we ( me and my dogs) went to the lake and here in the South spring is just around the corner.

The ACEO is SOLD

ACEO Pegasus a painting a day

SOLD
If you don't know what an ACEO means... its a small painting just 2.5 by 3.5 inches and they are collected just like baseball cards. Some folks call them Artists trading cards. or ATCs... I have painted a number of these small gems and people seem to love them. Because of their size I don't usually draw them I just let the paint go and see what turns up. I had an idea of painting an angel and did the sweep of the wing first then the downward section of the legs . While putting in the folds of the gown, I saw the Pegasus clear as anything. I don't stick to the plan if the painting wants to go in a different direction . Here is my little angel turned Pegasus. It will be sold tonight on eBay for 10.00 plus shipping of $3.00. if interested email me shantmarie@aol.com

ACEO little sunflower

This is my painting for today its a collector's trading card or ACEO. size is 2.5 3.0 . I will put it up on eBay tonight( in my store) at midnight. Starting price is 10.00. Shipping is $1.50 in USA Or you can buy it now shantmarie@aol.com email me.

Sunflower

Most people who like flowers will tell you a Sunflower will always bring a smile to thier face. The big bold face standing up proud until their seed pods become too heavy and only then will they hang their heads.
SOLD

Dreaming of Spring - a painting a day

I love flowers but I don't paint them as often as I once did because there is a bit of a stigma for women watercolorists who paint flowers. They sometimes are not taken seriously as artists. There are several reasons for this. One, lots of women paint in watercolors who are not serious artists, and two, many of these women paint flowers. Since there are so many Sunday painters who are women who paint flowers, those of us who are serious artists can tend to shy away from painting too may pretty flowers. This isn't true for all serious artists but since I do enter juried shows and assist in the judging of shows, I have heard a number of comments from these judges regarding beautifully executed watercolors which they considered a bit saccharin. Animals first and flowers second will usually be quickly dismissed. I also know this to be true from conversations I have had with many artists who paint animals, or flowers. Which is just silly, but you cannot deny that there isn't a preconceived notion that abstract paintings are somehow more intellectually stimulating then a still life of roses in a vase. I know that this thread of conversation will bring to me a variety of remarks about someone, somewhere who won first place with their florals. I always state that in art, there are always exceptions. I may be sensitive, I know that I can be when it comes to my art. I also know from my work on juried shows and working side by side with various judges, what seems to win competitions routinely and what doesn't.

No matter where you sit on this topic or if your on the fence, I will continue to paint a floral once in a while. Just as I paint, landscapes, animals, still lifes, figures and abstracts. I will always enjoy painting flowers but I will not paint only flowers for this reason.

The size of this painting is 11 by 15, It is for sale for $250.00 with a white double mat. Shipping is 7.50
This is 11 by 15 and is for sale

River trees, a painting a day

I painted this painting in a different format its square or almost square at 6 inches by 7 inches.
I thought I would try this format for a few days to get a feel for something a bit different. Also I found some great small frames which came with a nice white mat and they have openings for a 6 by 6 painting.
I may try to frame a few of these dailies and hang them at the Charlotte Art league.
The River is muddy today, but the last time I painted it the way it looks, all brown and opaque, nobody liked the brown water so this time, I took my artistic license and put the blue water in.

This painting is for sale for $25.00 email me ... shantmarie@aol.com

No name yet... Still wet and no time to think of one.

This painting was finished just minutes ago and as I wanted to get it on the blog before dark, I figure, I'll post it without a name... go to dinner, come back , & maybe something will click. Or not...

Check back later for the name.

It is a 11 by 15 and is a quarter sheet. It usually sells for $300.00 but as is (no frame) you can purchase it for $250.00.

Koi, SCWC.. and The Fort Mill Times

I'm putting this painting up today because I have decided that this will be the piece that will be submitted to the SCWS or South Carolina Water media Society. It is 22 by 30 inch watercolor on 300 lb paper.

Our new group" TCAL" was featured in a small article in the Fort Mill Times...and my website was also listed. Yipee!