Saturday, March 31, 2012

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Intrigue, Contemporary Abstract Painting, Modern Art, Elizabeth Chapman


"Intrigue"
Acrylic on 24" x 48" x 1.5" canvas



I've had this painting staring at me, so to speak, for the last few weeks as I was just never totally satisfied with it, so it was time for a slight face lift.  Bet you didn't know I was a acrylic surgeon!  Off the easel and on to the table it came to be worked over.  As the changes began occurring, I was seeing a cityscape...but more than just your ordinary scape...a new beautiful city!  Yes, it is totally finished now, but would never have came to be what it is now without the previous painting.  The hardest actions for any Artist are knowing how to start and when a work is finished.  To find these answers we look within ourselves.  

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Contemporary Abstract Painting, "Surefire" by a Missouri Artist, Elizabeth Chapman


'Surefire'
Acrylic on 12" x 12" x 3/4" canvas

To purchase contact me: elizabethchapman@artlover.com


Small palette knife painting with lots of surface texture.  I have just placed this one on the DPW site with a beginning price of $57.00! ...and is ready to hang!  Check it out by clicking the above link where you can also mouse over to magnify and get a closer look at the detail.

Please visit my Web Gallery to see a complete portfolio of my abstract paintings: www.melizabethchapman.artspan.com

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Contemporary Floral Abstract Paintings, "Wildflower" & "Wildflowers" , Progression of a painting, Original Palette Knife Paintings by Elizabeth Chapman

Progression of a floral abstract 
Commissioned painting
SOLD

Thank you!! Shawna

If interested in having your special order floral abstract created please contact me: 
elizabethchapman@artlover.com
More of these colorful floral can be seen in my Web Gallery: here



 "Wildflower"
Acrylic on 20" x 24" x 1.5" canvas (1 of 2)




 "Wildflowers"
Acrylic on 24" x 20" x 1.5" canvas (2 of 2)




Preliminary Sketch


I was contacted recently for a commissioned painting to be painted very similar to a popular floral that I did back in 2009, titled Mountain Flower which was a set of two paintings of the Columbine flower. The second painting of that set can be seen, here.  The large flower a vertical and the smaller florals were the horizontal canvas. And so, I began by first doing a preliminary sketch from images that I have of those original paintings, just to get an idea of the layout and a feel for it again.


As I was doing this I came up with another idea...

Preliminary Sketch Two


Why not have the large flower as a horizontal and the smaller flowers as a vertical?  I was working with a different photograph than I had used with the first set and felt this was the flow for this set.  I needed to consult with Shawna this new idea before proceeding...I did and she love it!  So, we now had the size of the canvases and the design.  Shawna,  loved the original colors but had a preference for more turquoise, pink and black to be in her set.   Now it was time to paint....

but first..


Underpainting of values  (1 of 2)

I first drew the flowers and then did a quick wash with the acrylics to determine the placement of light, medium and dark values.  This would help me when I got into color to remember to keep my values in mind.  This floral was taken from the upper right part of the photo I was working with.  It is one of the flowers from the vertical painting.




Underpainting of values (2 of 2)

This is the vertical determination of light, medium and dark values.   Once this was decided on, I began working with the large floral first and color, keeping in mind Shawna's color preferences. It was all done with a palette knife greatly exaggerating and abstracting the color.  I finished it in one session, which is my favorite way to work with acrylics as the more paint that is mixed in, the slower the drying time and the more blending that can be done.


Then it was time to do the second painting.....




With this painting I decided on a little bit different of an approach.  I had at first been attracted to the many verticals with the photograph that I was working with, so I  painted the negative space first.  Constrained by time on this day, I was not able to finish this painting in one session.  No worries, the next day I went back in and added some of the greens around the edges giving me some wet paint to blend edges.   Along the way, I worked with edges of the canvas so that this set has the painting wrapping around the edge.

 I sent images to Shawna as I worked....with the final image being the set.   She LOVED them!  Yea!!  These will be delivered to her and in their new home next Friday!

May they bring you much joy!...Elizabeth

Thanks!



www. melizabethchapman.artspan.com

Thursday, March 15, 2012

"Reverie", Modern Art, Contemporary Abstract, Mixed Media Original Painting, by Missouri Artist Elizabeth Chapman


'Reverie'
Mixed Media on 6" x 6" 140lb. paper

elizabethchapman@artlover.com


I've been busy with a commissioned floral abstract set of two and well...you know,  life in general.  Have also taken photos of the steps, so will be able to share the process.  yea!  I haven't posted any of these little ones in a while, so here is another one.  "Dreamy" sold!  I shared on an earlier post of how I start these gesturally to music and with graphite, then bring the color in.  This one consist of  watercolor, gouache, acrylic and graphite.


Friday, March 9, 2012

REGALE....Modern Art, Contemporary Abstract Painting by Elizabeth Chapman

'Regale'

Acrylic on 40" x 60" x 1.5" gallery wrap canvas
Available for purchase, contact me: 
elizabethchapman@artlover.com

SOLD


Click on image for larger close up


The finished..... Regale!  If you have just found this post, the previous post shows the progression of this abstract painting.  The addition of the reds and punching up the whites was the last step...and then there was the waiting for a sunny day, as I photograph my work in natural light outside. 

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Progression of an abstract painting.....


I thought I would post the progression of this very large painting (40" x 60"), the one I have been working on the most this week.  In this image you can see how it was begun with the first markings.  These were gestural drawings that were quickly laid in to the feel of the music I was listening to.  I then went with the first color that came to my mind, the yellow ........................ and next the greens.






The next day I picked up again, listening to the same music.  I decided to commit myself to a cool color palette and began working with blues in the negative space background.  I am also at this stage keeping in mind my values, ensuring that I have a light, medium and dark.  I was so enjoying the process and there were  so many beautiful things happening here that I could have stopped ..................... but not yet!  






My third day ... more decisions are needing to be made .... I think at this point I could have taken many different directions and had a nice painting, but I decided that I didn't want the spheres to be quite so dominant and wanted a contrast in colors with warmer tones.  All along I was wanting to maintain a soft impressionistic feel to the color.  THEN .... sometimes it is just time to take that risk .... and this is where I put a glove on, gooshed a mixture of yellows, reds and whites on to the canvas and painted first with my hands and then with a roller.  WOW, I'm really liking this and thinking it's done ... and signed it. But after a few days of hanging on the wall, I will see the final touches that are needed to bring this to completion.


.....so. I am now fine tuning "REGALE"


.....and the final image will be unveiled on my next post!!

Thanks for reading!....Elizabeth



Saturday, March 3, 2012

Experi, Modern Art, Mixed Media Contemporary Abstract Painting, Original, Elizabeth Chapman


'Experi'
Mixed Media, 6.5" x 9.5" 140lb. paper
Click on image for close up or use the zoom feature on Zatista

To purchase, contact me: elizabethchapman@artlover.com

  

Yes, it's another small mixed media painting....so where is this taking me.   Well, sometimes I believe it's just good to take a break or change things up.  I love this post that my daughter Elsie wrote on her blog about having taken a break from painting. You can read about it on A Beautiful Mess, here.  Excited to see her new direction!

As I have been posting lately these paintings are being started differently.  I am beginning with gestural drawings in graphite to the feel of music and then bringing in color.  I've been enjoying the look of the graphite showing through the paint and the addition of lines, creating another dimension of depth.

Today...not feeling much in the mood to paint....

I walked into my studio where I have an enourmous canvas (60" x 40")  that my husband has put up on the wall for me.  I have been staring at it for days....with various ideas and inspirations coming to mind, but a lack of motivation to begin.  I decided I would start with my new found mixed media method and paint some small abstracts, perhaps this would warm me up for that monster on the wall.

Hey, it worked!!... after having painted on the small ones (they'll get posted later) I took up a piece of Nupastel and began gesturally drawing to music on the large canvas.  Loved it!  Then came a decision on color and I began painting.  I was so wrapped up and truly enjoying the experience that I have decided to not worry about getting it done....and just simply go back to it from time to time, day to day....layering and enjoying the process.  We'll see!

Please visit my Web Gallery for a complete portfolio of my work: www.melizabethchapman.artspan.com

Friday, March 2, 2012

Splendor, Mixed Media Contemporary Abstract Painting, Elizabeth Chapman


'Splendor'
Mixed Media 7" x 7" 140lb. paper
Click on image for close up
Another small abstract on paper,  playing with watercolor, gouache, graphite and a touch of acrylic paint.  I've been starting these out with the graphite lines in response to the music I am listening to, and then painting over them.  I like the look of the graphite showing through....any way always experimenting!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Dreamy, Modern Art, Contemporary Abstract Painting, Mixed Media Original, Elizabeth Chapman


'Dreamy'
Mixed Media on 7" x 7" 140lb. paper
Click on image for close up


SOLD

Playing around with watercolors which led to the addition of gouache, graphite and a touch of acrylic paint in this mixed media painting.  Just select some of your favorite music and allow yourself to go with the intuitive flow!


More of these small abstract paintings can viewed in my web gallery, please visit me at: www.melizabethchapman.artspan.com