Floridian still life with fossilized shells

After doing mermaid paintings, I found a need to paint reality.

The shells are local Floridian, I found them in my backyard, the dark seaweed like grass in the background  is a fallen dried palm leaf, there are also some pink and red bougainvillea flowers. I was trying to achieve a sense of depth and calmness. I hope people enjoy it as much as I do. 

Floridian still life with fossilized shells, oil painting on panel,  11x14 inches

Finished mermaid with octopus

Finished mermaid with octopus

Mermaid with octopus, oil painting on wood, 6x6 inches

my first ebay auction

Blue mermaid, 5x7 inches, oil on panel, auction

My very first ebay auction, with very fave mermaid.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281094998184?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

glass half full / glass half empty oil painting

glass half full / glass half empty

I think the title is self explanatory.
So I was sitting in a dark room looking at a half full glass, thinking OK what is there to look at, can I make it interesting. What is next a potato? Hmm, good idea, I have seen some fascinating onions.

Glass half full / glass half empty oil painting

So here it is a view from the top. Look at the pretty pinks and blues.

Start of a new mermaid painting

She is a little green, a looking a bit like Les Miserables poster.
Yikes, I do not know what I am going to do yet.
But that is why to use an under painting to work all of these issues out, like having your work look like a very iconic and super popular poster. This is where i wonder what was on my mind to begin with because I have never, ever seen the movie. Psst, its not the movie, its the poster.

not Les Miserables

Green Mermaid oil painting

This is the other mermaid from the limited palette that created the blue mermaid painting.

Green Mermaid oil painting 

The automaton or Maschinenmensch

The automaton or Maschinenmensch

I love Science Fiction so this was a joy to paint.

The automaton or Maschinenmensch , oil painting on panel, 5x7

Metropolis is a 1927 , directed by Fritz Lang,
Maria is played by Brigitte Helm
for more info on film go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_(film)

Metropolis, evil Maria

Great classic movie that inspired countless copies of style and a few remakes.
This is a silent movie and Brigitte Helm accomplishes with one look a volume of words. Wink.

Metropolis, evil Maria, oil painting on canvas 5x7 inches

The automaton or Maschinenmensch will be finished for Sunday posting

Metropolis is a 1927 , directed by  Fritz Lang,
Maria is played by Brigitte Helm
for more info on film go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_(film)

Floridian mermaid

Stretch!
How about a character creation? I am thinking a Floridian mermaid.  I picked warm blues, if there is such a color for hair and eyes, then of course a tan, she is in Florida. Native shells, strings of pearls, she is looking up from the depths. dot.dot.dot....dot

Floridian mermaid oil painting, 5x7 inches

Winter Queen oil painting

Winter Queen

Just wanted to play and explore a different palette.
White, black, blue and yellow.
What stared off as a challenge on DPW, ended up being 3 paintings. I just kept on adding colors to the limited palette above.

Winter Queen oil painting, oil on canvas panel, 5 x 7 inches

Thought process with Winter Queen: I wanted to do a mermaid series while keeping the paintings realistic. So I came up with an eye sketch which had potential. I was considering a green skin tone, then thinking back to the challenge, limited palette and something I have not done before, another challenge. As the painting developed in shades of cold blue, I liked the idea of just plain cold blue shade for the face. However the blues are so vibrant that just having blue eyes, would not make any impact. So I mixed blue and yellow and got this pretty teal, green shades. Then it stuck me, if winter had a face this would be it. Very cold (face) but with a promise of spring (green eyes). Then I added the snowy drift white hair and a twinkle of a snowflake.

I have 2 more paintings drying, to be posted very soon.