Finished underpainting

Today's finished underpainting. I feel like this one is just begging for an interesting title.

Random Studio Scene

I thought this was kind of a cool scene in my studio this afternoon.

Daisy in a Vase

(click image for larger view)

"Daisy in a Vase"
Oil on panel, 6 x 5 inches (15 x 13 cm)
Framing options are available.

I haven't done too many floral paintings in my career, but every time I do, I realize what I'm missing. Studying some of the great large floral paintings by the Dutch Golden Age masters, in particular Rachel Ruysch, has gotten me interested in doing some more ambitious floral compositions.

Purchasing Options

With Gold Leaf Frame $385.00 With Black Frame $385.00 With Mocha Frame $385.00 Unframed $350.00

Next step in the process

Here is the somewhat detailed drawing that I base the underpainting on.

Arch Paintings

I'm doing a small series of still lifes of items suspended on a string, enclosed within a gilded, Moorish-style arch.

The first step is painting the arch, which is a base of Indian Red covered with several glazes of gold pigment.

My Killer-Sized Mahl Stick

A few days ago I posted a picture of me at work, and a friend on Facebook asked if that was my "killer-sized mahl stick". Yeah, it was, and I also realized that people might be interested in the design, since it's a piece of do-it-yourself studio equipment.

For those who may not be familiar, mahl sticks are simple devices, really nothing more than a stick, often with some padding on the end of it, that allows an artist to have a stable place to hold his/her hand without letting their wrist touch the painting surface. As you can see in the photo below, my wrist is solidly resting on the stick, exactly in the position where I need it to be to do the kind of fine detailed painting I do, while there is no danger that my hand would actually touch the painting itself.



The design is as simple as could be. From my local hardware, I got a 3-foot long, 1/2 thick round oak dowel. At one end I screwed in an open eye-hook to allow me to hang it off a hook on my easel. For comfort during extended painting sessions, I sheathed the dowel in foam tube insulation, of the type used to wrap copper heating pipes. This can easily be removed if I need greater maneuverability.

It's extremely functional, strong, and durable. It's also easy to make, and I doubt if I spent $5 on the entire project.

Teacup on Green Marble

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"Teacup on Green Marble"
Oil on panel, 5 x 6 inches (12 x 15 cm)

Sold

A few months ago I found a great source of stone remnants, including this fantastic slab of green marble. I'm sure it was thrown away because of the large chip in the edge, but for me that only added to the appeal.

Me @ Work

A few months ago a had a webcam set up in my studio, and I just stumbled across the folder of images. This is me working on the underpainting for my large tools painting - the whole scene feels appropriately industrial.

And here's the finished piece up on the wall:

Fragment: Suspended Creamer

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"Fragment: Suspended Creamer"
Oil on panel, 2 x 0.5 inches (5 x 1 cm)
SOLD

Even when working on an incredibly small surface, glass is still one of my favorite subjects to paint.

I'm really happy to offer this tiny painting for your collection. And yes, I mean tiny. It's 2 x 0.5 inches, or about the same area as a postage stamp. It's framed as shown below, with the outer dimensions of the frame being 7 x 5 inches - ideal for that small wall area you don't quite know what to do with.

Contemporary Still Life

I'm very proud to be newly included in the site "Contemporary Still Life", which gathers together about 150 living painters working in the still life genre. It's an amazing resource that I visit often, and I encourage you all to do the same: http://contemporary-still-life.com

Marble No. 12

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"Marbles No. 12"
Oil on panel, 1.75 x 1.75 inches (5 x 5 cm)
Dimensions with frame: 6 x 6 inches (15 x 15 cm)
$85 + shipping

Purchase Information

I couldn't say how many times I've painted this large metal marble (it's actually an industrial ball-bearing). I love the way it captures and distorts the objects surrounding it, in this case other marbles.

I'm really happy to offer this tiny painting for your collection. And yes, I mean tiny. It's under 2 x 2 inches, or about the same size as a large postage stamp. It's framed as shown below, with the outer dimensions of the frame being 6 x 6 inches - ideal for that small wall area you don't quite know what to do with.

This is the perfect opportunity to own one of my original paintings for less than $100! Purchase information is here.

EyeCandy on Twitter

I've started a new project on my Twitter account. Every day, I select a still life painting that grabs my eye - both old and new. I write a very brief description (it's Twitter), and provide a link to the painting.

It's going to be a good way to see a lot of great still life. Please follow along at twitter.JeffHayes.com, and look for tweets beginning with "EyeCandy". Thanks!

Chinese Tea No. 3

(click image for larger view)

"Chinese Tea No. 3"
Oil on panel, 5 x 5 inches (13 x 13 cm)
Framing options are available.

I'm sometimes interested in creating multiple paintings using the same items. This particular painting is the final of a series of three that were made using a wonderful clay Chinese teapot and porcelain teacup. The other two members can be seen here and here.

Purchasing Options

With Gold Leaf Frame $385.00 With Black Frame $385.00 With Mocha Frame $385.00 Unframed $350.00

Under Construction

Happy Labor Day Weekend - to those readers in the U.S.

Just a quick update that I'll be rolling out a number of new pieces over the next few weeks, including the one pictured above.

Meanwhile, have a great holiday weekend; I'll be busy in the studio!