Oil Paintings to Inspire

WIP- Oak tree in the summer

Again, trying a method close to that of Windberg, here is the almost finished project part one. IF, if I do anything to it, I will add a few more tufts of grass, perhaps a few more flowers and a few lines in the lightest greens in the background to add a sense of depth.
  On every layer of paint, I added detailed leaves and again on each added lighter layer of paint. it seems to add more depth to the tree.  I still don't paint quite evenly to cover the weave of the canvas so perhaps in the future I'll gesso the canvas and sand it for a smooth canvas.
  I also tried highlighting the edges of the tree with the same color as the sky, a cerelean blue, to add the look of reflecting sky color. Fan brushed the edges to give it a distant look.

Oil project # 1 finished! Study in shadows and shading

Study in shading and complementary colors. My first oil project.

Oil practice, trees, copper, clouds,

OK, this is a study of an oak tree trunk. I settled on using burnt umber as it's a very dark color that lightens up well into the colors I wanted. Pthalo green is the color I also chose for the leaves. I used cadmium yellow hue, some burnt umber and some titanium white  as well and I also used the cerelean blue from the sky to add reflections to the leaves on the outside edges (see below) 

Here I am trying to get realistic clouds. It's harder than it looks folks! I added a very light yellow-cad yellow hue + titanium white- and mixed in a touch of cadmium red hue to add a bit of reflection off the edges of the clouds before I added white to them.

This last tree I did, I tried using Dalhart Windbergs method and after I put down the first darkest color of pure Pthalo green, I used a #2 rigger and painted individual leaves from the excess paint so they will appear in the background. 

  I seem to have the habit of making my trunks too large for the size tree I am painting. Note to self!