Let Me Paint!

About syncing music and picture...

2012-01-07T23:30:00.000-08:00

I was first introduced to Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition during freshman year at music school. The concept of scoring a visit to an art show was something very intriguing and interesting to me. As an aspiring composer and a visual artist, this experience opened a door to many possibilities, where both visual and audio media intertwine and influence each other.

I have always scored music to motion picture, never to a still. And while I always listen to music while I'm painting, a piece of music has never compelled me to paint something that specifically relates (at least in my mind) to it, even though the concept has been lurking around my head for a while.

Daydreamer, Digital Pastel, 2012

I always thought that I would eventually write a piece of music that will call for a visual counterpart. Imagine my surprise when it was someone else's remarkable score that triggered in me an almost physical urge to paint.

While trying to capture someone else's vision for an illustration, I decided to listen to some scores that will steer me in the right direction. I nailed it on the first try and went with Hans Zimmer's score for Inception.

Of all the cues in the recording, there was one that stood up. It's simply called "Time".

I'm leaving this a little open in the hopes to revisit the topic in the near future. Until then, look at the painting, listen to the music and tell me what you think!

Sky Etude 2

2011-12-16T07:50:00.000-08:00

I like where this is going! I'm loving the dry on dry bristle brush thing I'm starting with these sky etudes. Believe or not, this is from the same sunset at the pier. Let's see how many more of these I can produce...

Sky Etude, Oil on Wood, 6 x 6 in., 2011

Row of Cherries

2011-12-10T08:27:00.000-08:00

It took me the longest time to figure out a composition for these cherries, mostly because I kept eating them! They were so delicious!!!

In all seriousness, I managed to get a better lighting for these ones and kept a good ratio of light and dark tones. I especially love how the skin of a cherry can reflect so much light. These almost look like Christmas ornaments, which is quite fitting I would say. And their lovely dark red color makes it all better.

Row of Cherries, Oil on Wood, 6 x 6 in., 2011

For a step by step demonstration of this and other paintings, please CLICK HERE!

Gala Apple 3: Demonstration

2011-12-07T20:45:00.000-08:00

I figured I should shoot pictures of the process for at least one of these "Apple" paintings, just in case anybody out there is interested. I have been painting these on some new wood panels I bought recently. The main difference between these and the old ones and that these are raw wood and I take care of the priming, which I like in this context.

For this and more step by step painting demonstrations, visit my Facebook Page!

Gala Apple, Oil on Wood, 6 x 6 in., 2011

Sky Etude

2011-12-06T18:20:00.000-08:00

The sky is always on the background. It's kind of a given. Well, not anymore! I have not painted many skies before (I wonder why) and one day I just took my camera and started shooting this gorgeous sunset down at the Santa Monica Pier. I found myself forgetting the horizon, the sea, the land altogether! The sky was just too beautiful!!!

Sky Etude, Oil on Wood, 6 x 6 in., 2011

I wanted to paint this one in one sitting, but it was pretty evident right from the start than this painting would benefit more from a layered approach. In the future, I will pace myself and let these little paintings cook slowly. I use layers all the time with acrylics, but it's been a while since I painted this way with oils. I see a new mini series of paintings in the horizon!

Gala Apple 2

2011-12-05T08:45:00.000-08:00

After my Thanksgiving break, these apples were the only thing left in my fridge. So I painted them before I ate them!

I had never painted one of these in this position before. It was tricky and I should definitely do it again in the future. The multiple sources of light also gave it a nice quality (although they did dime the dark tones a little bit) and allowed me to use the shadows as elements in the composition.

Gala Apple, Oil on Wood, 6 x 6 in., 2011

I think this is going to become a good template for future still life paintings. I like the minimalistic quality of this composition. Maybe I should go grocery shopping and get other kinds of apples, too! That's an interesting idea...

Gala Apple 1

2011-12-03T00:45:00.000-08:00

I was going to eat this apple yesterday and then I started to look at it, analyzing its shape and color patterns. I like Gala apples the best because of their flavor, but I also enjoy looking at their pinkish peel, that fashions little touches of red and yellow. It is definitely a challenge to paint, something that might take some practice to get right.

Gala Apple, Oil on Wood, 6 x 6 in. 2011

As of now, I just want to keep it simple and relatively fast. One sitting, minor retouching. One thing I noticed is that I had been using lots of photo references lately, so I decided to do some real life alla prima paintings to keep my depth perception chops in check.

Seascape 8: Waves

2011-12-02T09:55:00.001-08:00

I'm trying to capture the magic of Impressionism more and more with these little seascapes. They are becoming freer every time, and I dig how they almost look like abstract paintings when looked at up close but reveal themselves when looked at from a distance.

Seascape 8, Oil on Wood Panel, 8 x 8 inches, 2011

I love the combination of oils, bristle brushes and wood panels! These seascapes are so rich in texture and color. And they look pretty cool, too! I definitely like where these paintings are taking me. I love realistic work but I also love modern and more synthesized approaches of representation. These are paintings after all! Let's see the strokes, the textures, the purity of the pigments. There's plenty of room on this blog for all of it!

And of course, there are some more realistic paintings in the works, too!

Some assembly needed...

2011-11-17T21:11:00.000-08:00

It's been a weird couple of weeks around here. Almost immediately after graduation I got really sick. What appeared to be just another cold proved to be a much bigger annoyance. My nose was very sensitive and my body was aching, so I decided to go to work but wait until feeling better to go back to painting. Fast forward almost two months and I'm still trying to go back and paint!

Acrylics build up fast. Some of these brushes need to retire!

After many weeks of picking up shifts at work and having almost no free time at all, I finally had some days off to go back to my paintings. But with the last semesters of school and work, I just didn't keep up with my little art corner (it cannot be really called an art studio) and it had become incredibly dirty and messy. I needed to perform some serious "Spring Cleaning style" work before any painting took place.

So, I cleaned, dusted and organized everything. I also recycled some of my unused mixed colors from previous paintings and made a colored gesso base for future priming. I was surprised to see how many years I can keep containers of premixed acrylic paint! I washed all my containers and primed at least 15 boards for new paintings.

I also took advantage of some pre holiday deals and ordered some supplies. I realized a couple of weeks ago I needed some serious upgrading in the lighting department. So, I did my homework and ordered some artist grade CF daylight bulbs. The regular household CF bulbs are incredibly noisy and inconsistent. Since incandescent bulbs are scheduled to be discontinued at the beginning of next year anyway (just around the corner), it seemed like a perfect time to start experimenting with new lighting conditions. Even in California the sun sets pretty early during the winter, so if I want to paint at all during the next couple of months, I need to be prepared.

Hopefully I can now start painting some stuff! I need to go through my stash of unfinished works and see what needs the most attention. Here's to finally picking up where I left off!

It's 11/11/11 everybody!

2011-11-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

That's if you care ;)...

I wanted to post something really clever, right at 11:11 too! But I've been very sick (and let's face it, I ain't too clever either!)... So, there you go...

Once I get over this cold, I'll be back to painting. As of now, I'm playing lots of Christmas music on my guitar.

Getting back on the groove

2011-10-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

There are a few unfinished canvases and boards around my studio. While deciding what to tackle first, I painted this little thing over the weekend!


Floral, Acrylic on Canvas, 12 x 16 in. 2011.

I tried to paint it as fast as possible. After all, I was trying to do something quick and fun before I get back to my existing, more technical projects. So, this painting was all about a set palette. Yellow, orange and blue.

Everything else was improvised on the fly. It is nice to keep it fresh, simple and as interesting as possible.

Oops! How did this happen?

2011-09-26T22:01:00.000-07:00

Well, at least the painting looks nice!

You have no idea how perfectionist I can get. When it comes to painting, I get really picky. I go the distance to make sure my work is consistent, not just as a piece of art, but also as a product. So, imagine my surprise when I realized I made a rookie mistake.

The boards I use for my small projects feature a built-in hang hole in the back, so the owner can hang up the piece right away without needing to get it framed. I usually write reference marks on these panels to make sure they always stand in the right position. But because I wanted to film a demo, I chose not to draw anything on the canvas, but I made sure I placed the board in the right position before I started.

I thought that was enough. Apparently, I was wrong.

I had the easel ready, I had chosen my palette, I had picked the appropriate brushes for the work. You name it, I got it covered. But as I was setting the right angle on my camera tripod, I accidentally hit my easel and my little canvas board felt on the floor (you can see where this is going). While still playing with the camera, I quickly picked up the board and put it right back on the easel. Since I had taken more time to set this up than what I had originally anticipated, I started painting (and filming) right away.

Dude, seriously!!!

It wasn't until I was photographing the finished piece that I realized the disaster that had taken place. Oh, the horror! How could this happen? I was so careful, I always am! It took me a few more seconds to put it all together, since I recalled making sure the darn thing was in the right position in the first place!

So, can it be fixed? Sure, all you have to do is get it framed. Any shop worth its salt will install their own hanging device coming out of the back of the frame anyway (it's a pretty standard thing to do). Besides, I think any uncradled canvas board, thick or thin should be framed, period. It just looks better that way! But that's not the point.

The point is that I made such a rookie mistake, if I was in a reality show, I would have been sent to the elimination table. I was like the chef who forgets to taste his food before sending it out to the judges, only to later realize that the dish was bland and needed more salt. Oh, we are sorry, kid! Now, pack up your knives and go!

Maybe I should not be too hard on myself. After all, it was my birthday. I should have been relaxing instead of planning/shooting/editing a painting demo video while still doing homework. I guess I had it coming. Next time I will write my markers on the board as usual.

As for the painting, it is a pretty good one. But to balance my clumsiness, I'm going to put it on eBay at a discounted price. So, if you have been wanting to get one of these, now is your chance. You know you were going to frame it anyway!

It's good to be back!

2011-09-22T16:57:00.000-07:00


Floral, 40'x 30', Acrylic on Canvas, 2011.

I finally finished school. It's been three intense years. No summer breaks at all!!! Between school and work it's been difficult to keep painting (which is why I started this blog), but I think I have kind of kept my word and painted as often as possible!

I graduated last Friday and started painting right away. After all, it's not the first time I graduated from college (I know what it feels like), so after the ceremony we grabbed a quick bite and came home right away. I had all my stuff lined up and decided to paint something based off a sketch I did earlier in the year.

The main difference between this and my other flower paintings is its size. At 40 x 30 inches, it is considerably larger than my average quick project. It is also painted with acrylics (my quick projects are painted with oils), which always represents a little bit of a challenge. When I first started painting these, around 2002, there was no way I could have done them this good this fast, so even though I have not had a lot of time to practice, I have still grown and matured as an artist. Phew! That's a relief!

Anyway, I can't wait to pick up where I left off. Here's to some more paintings!

Yes, I'm trying to paint!

2011-06-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

I'm about to finish my Music degree. If everything goes according to plan, I should be done in the fall. As of now, I don't really know how soon all this music knowledge is going to be included in my visual work (whether on videos, installations or on something completely new!), but I am hoping that I will have more time to start experimenting.

Untitled (unfinished), Mixed Media on multiple 1/8" painting boards, 2011

In the meantime, I will continue to paint both modern and contemporary pieces and I will try to get into a juried show or two. And maybe paint more portraits! Who knows!

Seascape 7: In Evening Air

2011-05-25T00:36:00.000-07:00

Seascape 7, Oil on Board, 8 x 8 inches, 2011.

Not so long ago, I arranged a piece for a string quintet. It was a solo piano work by Aaron Copland, titled "In Evening Air". So, I decided to pair it with a sunset beach painting!

I've been wanting to create a little painting demo for quite some time now. I am glad I'm finally getting it done. I hope this was not the last one.

Seascape 6

2011-05-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

Seascape 6, Oil on Board, 8 x 8 inches, 2011.

I kept some texture on this one, but not as much as number five. Also, I added a very little human figure on it. See if you can find the surfer.

Seascape 5: On the Rocks

2011-05-23T18:36:00.000-07:00

Seascape 5, Oil on Board, 8 x 8 inches, 2011.

After painting all these seascapes, I think some beach rocks in the forefront were due. They definitely add more character. I also like how the little water ponds reflect the sky. And I am particularly fond of how I kept the oils very thick and creamy. Check it out!

Elegant Brodiaea

2011-04-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

Elegant Brodiaea, Oil on 3/8" Primed Gessoboard, 6 x 6 inches, 2011.

It's been so long since I painted some of these native Californian flowers! I decided to paint this one differently. I went for a more raw, textured quality.

Seascape 4

2011-04-03T16:33:00.000-07:00

Seascape 4, Oil on Board, 8 x 8 inches, 2011.

I think this one is my favorite so far. The composition is more interesting, with all the rocks laying around.

To be or not to be a daily painter...

2011-04-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

This was the painting that started it all...

I guess you can say the "Daily Painters" movement is somewhat recent. Some of these painters are organized and have their own groups and websites where they share and promote their work.

The basic premise is that you need to paint and post very often. These guidelines help shape the resulting work, in the sense that it is usually small format and painted with lots of energetic and quick strokes. When I started this blog, those were some of my own concerns, so you can tell the concept resonated with me.

Unfortunately, being a full time student allows me little time to commit to put out "Daily Painting" material on top of what I usually do. But it is something that I'm very excited to pursue in the near future.

These last seascape paintings I have done are an example of that. During this current school "break", I decided to crank up the painting schedule (even though I am still technically taking online classes and working on school projects) to see how many hours a day I could commit to paint these little works. I genuinely think that with the proper time management, I can pull it off.

So, when I finish school after the summer, I intend to paint more of these little paintings. I think I will stick to landscapes, but I am not sure. I hope that these little and affordable works will be successful, so I can keep painting them. I love the way they contribute to help me loosen up and go back to the level I had when I finished art school, five years ago. I was painting so often back then...

It's not like I got worse over the years, but I did get a little stiff. It is time to stretch those paintings muscles!

Seascape 3: Still in Malibu

2011-04-01T02:40:00.000-07:00

Seascape 3, Oil on Board, 8 x 8 inches, 2011.

I'm still trying to find cool ways to compose these, since a seascape is supposed to be painted on long rectangular canvases. I'm digging these so far!

Seascape 2

2011-03-31T01:05:00.000-07:00

Seascape 2, Oil on Board, 8 x 8 inches, 2011.

It is basically the same view but a different angle of Seascape 1. I took these on my last trip to Malibu. I am hoping to actually do some plen air painting in the near future.

Let's paint some seascapes!

2011-03-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

Seascape 1, Oil on Board, 8 x 8 inches, 2011.

I was recently inspired to use square canvases/boards to paint landscapes. It is something I have not done before. Tell me what you think!

More photos, more paintings!

2011-03-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

I recently started to upgrade my camera equipment and every now and then, when my schedule allows it, I like to take a drive and just shoot pictures. Having reliable tools will help me make better art, so I am pretty happy. I am nowhere near done, though. There is still a lot of tools I need to get before I can continue with what I originally intended to do.

My homage to fellow Ecuadorian artist Pablo Cardoso.

In the meantime, I will revisit some painting genres I have unintentionally ignored for the past few years. It all adds up in the end. Painting more only means getting more experience after all.

Orange slices

2011-02-17T15:50:00.000-08:00

I have plenty of stuff to do, I just don't care! Today I wanted to paint. Done in under two hours. I hope you like it!

Orange slices, Oil on Panel, 6 x 6 inches, 2011