I did another flower painting today outside just as the sun was coming out.  I'm really excited about these new paintings and I can't wait to do a bunch more!
 This painting and one from yesterday have an elongated format because I found some left over Fredrix oil ground canvas in my basement and it was a long shape so I stretched two canvases in that format.  I have to say that Fredrix oil ground canvas is my favorite.  I've used other pre-made oil ground linen before, but what I really like about Fredrix is that it has very nice texture (not too smooth) and it has a light gray tone to it.  I just ordered a new roll of Fredrix Kent 125 DP (double-primed) from Dick Blick and I'm planning on stretching some larger canvases once it comes this week!
  I also want to say that I encourage everyone to test out a bunch of different materials including canvas, brushes, mediums, paint, etc.  I've tried many different supplies and these are my own suggestions, which I share with everyone as a suggestion.  Go out and paint this week!

  I set up my easel outside yesterday and did a painting of the flower pots outside my house.  I was so hungry to paint after returning from Spain so it was really satisfying to do some painting outside in the sunlight.
 I'm planning to do more of these and I'll put them up for sale in my SHOP in case anyone wants to own one!  This painting is currently for sale in that shop!

"When an artist begins to count strokes instead of regarding nature he is lost. This preoccupation with technique, at the expense of truth and sincerity, is the principal fault I find in much of the work of modern painters." - Sorolla

  I just came back from Spain yesterday and I'm excited to share some photos that I took from the trip and talk about my experience.  But first, I need to thank Cristina and Alex for having my girlfriend and I stay with you; I will never forget your hospitality and kindness.
  I was in Spain for 7 days and I packed as much into them as I could.  I visited several places, including the city of Toledo and Valle De Los Caidos (the Valley of the Fallen), but we spent a majority of time in Madrid, which is where the Prado, Thyssen and Sorolla Museums are.
 I wasn't allowed to take photos inside the Prado, but I can tell you that it was an amazing place filled with beautiful art.  For me, the main draw of the Prado is the large collection of Velazquez paintings, including his large masterpiece Las Meninas.  I'm a big fan of Velazquez because he's basically the godfather of all the other painters I love, including Sargent and Sorolla.
​  I took a ton of photos from my trip, but I want to share some photos from the Sorolla Museum for everyone to enjoy because it's the most wonderful place I've ever been in my whole life.

  I was inspired today to paint a small painting of some honey suckle that   my mom and I cut and put into a small glass vessel.  What inspired me is a bluish reflection that you can see when you look at the glass from a certain angle.  For the past  few days, I would sit outside and look at the reflection and say, "Man, I should paint that."  So today was the day and I pulled the trigger and painted it.  This painting was also an experiment to test out some thicker passages of paint and other principles.
  I used to paint thickly when I was younger, but got more into a smoother academic finish when I was in college.  But recently I've been inspired by the work of Sorolla and Sargent a lot.  I also recently read about Sargent in a PDF article that I highly recommend everyone should check out: Advice on Painting From John Singer Sargent. It wisely says in this booklet: The difference between a colored drawing and a painting is the amount of oil paint itself.  So when I started today, I put out a large amount of each color that I needed and started painting more thickly.
  The other tip from this booklet that I want to share that helped me with this painting is to paint the midtones first and then work in the darks and save the final lights and darks for the end.  This is a principle that I've read about before and it really helps to control the values of the painting!
​  I hope that helped inspire some people!  Enjoy your weekend!