A Painting a Day by Diana Moses Botkin

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

“Pear From Our Tree" Still Life Daily Painting

Original unframed painting 4x6"
Oil on hardboard
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

One chilly day last month my son and I picked a bunch of pears from our best pear tree. I didn't want the bears to eat all of them, and even though the fruit wasn't nearly ripe yet, we were getting early cold weather.

Now those pears are ripe and we're enjoying them. A few turned partially red like this one... fun for a still life and almost too pretty to eat.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

November Challenge: View From the Studio

Our Challenge for November was chosen by group member Michael Naples. As you can see the Legos put themselves in the painting of the view from my window.

I hope you all aren't tired of seeing these little guys every month. We have a lot of fun with them at my house, seeing what they'll do to try to fit in.

My November Challenge painting (left)

"The View" 4x6"
Oil on hardboard
unframed
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

The rest of my Challenge Group did some beautiful and thoughtful paintings, below. Month after month, it's so interesting to me to see how similar and diverse each painting turns out to be. I think this Challenge is perhaps the most varied for approach. What do you think?

(left above) "Green Belt" 8x8” Watercolor on paper ©2009 Robin Cheers
(middle above) "Studio View" 8x8.5” Oil on canvas ©2009 Silvina Day
(right above) "Electric Highway" 8x8” Oil on board ©2009 Michael Naples

(left)
"View from my Studio"
8x10”
Oil on panel
©2009 Vicki Ross

Thursday, November 12, 2009

"Vintage Ink Bottle" Still Life Daily Painting

Original unframed oil painting 4"x6"
Old Higgins India Ink bottle and stopper
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

I've had this old bottle a long time, along with some others that actually contain ink. Occasionally I still use the stuff.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

"Vintage Winsor Newton" Daily Painting

Original unframed oil painting 4"x6"
Vintage paint tubes still life
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

In my old paint box, which was my father's, is a variety of older and newer tubes of oil paints.

A few of them date back to a purchase I made in the early 1970s of a bunch of Winsor Newton oils that were on close-out at the University book store. I guess the outdated tubes were being replaced by new packaging or cleared out to make room for better selling merchandise.

I've used almost all that bargain supply over the years except these last two tubes. They're still good. I've often been amazed at how far those tubes of student grade paint have gone. They're richly pigmented, buttery and superior to many of the brands I've used in the past few decades. One certainly doesn't find this kind of quality pigment in an inexpensive paint anymore. Cheap oil paint now is diluted with all kinds of fillers. Most companies have changed their formulas and just don't make oils like they used to. Old Holland seems to be a notable exception.

Besides working on another commission, I'm finalizing plans for this month's Challenge painting. Last month we all painted water. This month we'll all be painting... well you'll have to wait and see... it's a secret until we post! Look for the group's paintings this Sunday when we'll all unveil our creations.

Monday, November 9, 2009

"Vintage Conte" Still Life Daily Painting

Original unframed oil painting 4"x6"
Still life of vintage Conte crayon
and old box
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

It's odd how difficult simple subjects can be to paint at times, like this little old box. But I do find it good exercise, especially when I'm working on more complicated pieces like the portrait I'm currently painting. The piece is another commission this Fall which is keeping me busy.

Friday, November 6, 2009

"Hardware" Miniature Still Life Daily Painting

Original miniature oil painting 3"x3"
Unframed with mini display easel
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

One of the events this past week was another surgery on my ankle, to take out metal. Last spring when my doc put both of my broken ankle bones back together he installed a titanium plate and screws on the lateral side, and pins and wires on the medial side to hold the pieces together while they healed.

This is the plate that was removed, along with the screws. Not much was left of the pins and wires because they had to be cut to be removed. I'm so glad to have all that metal out now. It seems a bit odd that I want to keep this hardware but maybe I'll make something out of it.. earrings perhaps.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

"Walnut in Hull" Miniature Still Life Daily Painting

Original oil on panel 2.25"x3.25"
Unframed with mini display easel
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

I'm currently surrounded by reminders of our precipitous existence here on earth. My friend Sandy waited another day for the Lord to take her home. She has lost her battle with pancreatic cancer. And my Uncle Marvin passed away yesterday.

This past week I was outside in the yard picking up walnuts from our tree. As I was gathering the fruits and removing hulls, I thought a lot about Sandy and Marvin who were both hospitalized and near the end of their lives.

God puts these simple reminders everywhere of the soul. I noticed them last spring when I painted the maple seed series and am reminded again with these walnuts. That outer hull, once green and alive while the fruit was growing, eventually rots away, revealing the inner part which is the real substance.

Psalm 139:16
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Gesture Drawings and Quick Figure Studies

Quick studies can be charming, with their simplified gesture, while still revealing proportions and form. When I'm working on these, I frequently think I haven't gotten much information down on the paper. Later as I look at them I realize there is a lot there. I hope you enjoy these. If you'd like any of them, or my other figurative pieces, you can easily purchase here at my DailyPainters Gallery.

(top, left) "Legs in the Air" 15"x12"
Original Charcoal and Chalk on Grey Paper
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

(left)
"Studying the Ground"
12"x18"
Original Charcoal and Chalk
on Grey Paper
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

My Figurative Studies at Tidewater Gallery

These new drawings and several others are going to Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro, North Carolina. You can contact owner Ray Voelpel if you'd like to have them.

(top, left) "Prone, with Knee Down" 12"x18"
Original Charcoal and Chalk on Blue Paper
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

(left)
"Back View on Bar Stool"
18"x12"
Original Charcoal and Chalk
on Grey/Green 100% Cotton Charcoal Paper
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Quick Pose Nude Figure Studies

My daily painting has taken a back seat the last couple of weeks while I finished a portrait commission, and varnished paintings to send to my new gallery in North Carolina. So perhaps you'd like to see more figure drawings. These are a couple of pleasing gesture studies of short poses by our petite model.

(top left)
"Sit Twist"
Original unframed charcoal study
on grey paper 18"x12"
©2009 Diana Moses Botkin

You can find more figurative works at my DailyPainters Gallery, including additional quick poses, as well as longer poses with a more finished look.

Monday, October 26, 2009

"Woman Kneeling, with Head Down" Nude Study

See more available figure studies at my DailyPainters Gallery.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Daily Painting Giveaway Winner Announcement

Thank you to all who entered the drawing for my free painting giveaway.

In case you're curious, Carolyn in Missouri is the winner whose name was drawn. She picked "Above the Trees". Congratulations, Carolyn!

If you missed out, keep watching my blog for more giveaways. I do these on a whim some months! It's always fun for me, seeing the entries come in from all sorts of places and lets me know who my fans are reading this blog.

At left is "Lake Reflections", an original 3.5"x5" miniature oil painting of Fall trees reflected in water.

It is one of the lovely little 'uns offered at my Etsy Gallery for a lovely price.