shape – Steve Fleming

“Country Lane”

Today I am going to show a step by step demonstration of an oil painting I worked on today, I am sure that it is not finished but it has enough of the work completed that I can talk about it as if it is done. I used as my reference an oil painting I painted about a few months back and I was never very happy with it, although I have found a lot of people like it. I find it to be too clumsy and disjointed so I decided to try it again. The painting below is the first work and the one above is today’s piece.

Posted: February 17, 2014 by Steve

5 Comments

Creative White Shapes Part 1

I want to go over several paintings where I have used the white paper as the foil to make the darker values more interesting. Remember that in transparent watercolor the white paper is the most powerful part of the painting. Learning to design your paintings with this in mind will help you move in the direction of expressive, creative and focused paintings. Leaving random whites in areas of the painting without regard to their impact will diminish your chances of success.

Posted: December 11, 2013 by Steve

5 Comments

Just Paint 5 “Almost Home”

This is a nice little composition, which almost breaks a major rule, I have the figure and horse just about to leave the paper not usually a good thing. As a piece of counter movement I turn the cattle slowly back into the picture plane and head them all of the way back to the barn. The barn in the distance with the hint of cattle balances the painting pretty well I was happy with that. I struggled with the back legs of the horse so I buried them behind the weeds, it works and creates a more integrated shape. This was painted on dry cold press arches paper and it was pretty much painted with a number 10 round brush and a very limited palette of raw and burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, cobalt violet and olive green. This a dry arid landscape. Have fun painting today it is only a little bit of your life you are giving up and the rewards are special.

Tags: composition | movement | round brush | rule | shape

Posted: April 21, 2013 by Steve

7 Comments

Number 72 of 90 Paintings in 90 Days, “Once Upon A TIme”

I am not sold on the main cow in the front but at least it doesn’t look like an anteater.

Posted: March 27, 2013 by Steve

4 Comments

“America the Beautiful”: A new series

My new Series is going to be “America the Beautiful” and it will explore the richness of the American natural landscape. I am very excited about it and plan to really explore color, shape and form. I will post pieces from time to time but this the first painting in the series it is a 30 x 40 Acrylic on canvas, and I am try to evoke the feeling of plowed fields and farm land.

Posted: June 3, 2011 by Steve

3 Comments

Tag: shape

“Country Lane”

Creative White Shapes Part 1

Just Paint 5 “Almost Home”

Number 72 of 90 Paintings in 90 Days, “Once Upon A TIme”

“America the Beautiful”: A new series