You're invited to LAA Members Art Show Reception | Ruth Soller - Blog

You're invited to LAA Members Art Show Reception Ruth Soller - Blog

Ranch-Way Feeds at Loveland Feed & Grain Mill (c) Ruth Soller

Ranch-Way Feeds at Loveland Feed & Grain Mill (c) Ruth Soller

This aged and rusty Ranch-Way Feeds sign caught my eye in the Loveland Feed & Grain Mill. The patterns and colors of the chipped paint and weathered deterioration were challenging to capture in paint. I experimented with Golden Fiber Paste and Golden Light Molding Paste in building up the texture of the bricks. This painting will be available at Tenfold Collective in Loveland, CO, Friday July 8th from 4-9 pm during a city-wide event recognizing the Artspace Inc. agreement to purchase and renovate the historic 1891 Loveland Feed & Grain Mill into a multi-purpose space for the arts.

Belgians Mowing Hay | Ruth Soller - Blog

I was amazed to view this nostalgic scene one block from my home and felt I had traveled back in time one hundred years. This bearded farmer had hitched his handsome Belgian pair to a horse-drawn hay mower. I hope you enjoy this original oil painting as much as I enjoyed creating it.


Belgians Mowing Hay Ruth Soller - Blog

Identity:How we become unique

Villa de Medici, Rome, Italy | Ruth Soller - Blog

Villa de Medici, oil on linen, 16x20, $1200


http://www.SollerOriginals.com/blog/21009/villa-de-medici-rome-italy

On our last morning in Rome we walked along the Pincio above Piazza del Popolo where we came across Villa de Medici, a summer retreat for members of the Medici family of Florence. The beautiful building had also served as Academie Nationale de France and was stunningly framed with cascading fushia bouganvilia.

Create an oil painting from your travel photos in three steps

1. I selected this candid photo which I took in a cafe. I found this scene compelling because of the warm colors surrounding the girl contrasted with the light and cool colors surrounding the man. I have desired to paint a cafe scene for quite some time.



2. Next I drew a rectangle in my sketchbook in the same proportions as my canvas and gridded the rectangle into thirds vertically and horizontally. This helps in placement of the figures and making sure that the focal point is in a visually appealing location. I sketched the scene in pen and ink in order to eliminate any unnecessary details and to translate the image into three main values--dark, middle tones, and light. You may use pencil or charcoal for the sketch and you need not include as much detail as I used.



Tavola per la colazione, oil on linen, 9x12, $450, Available 303-469-2072

3. You may notice that I moved the teapot and sugar bowl in order to create a small still life in the foreground and to add ambiance to the scene. I moved the figures closer together for more implied intimacy. I decided to include more of the paintings on the wall behind the girl and in the mirror because I thought the images were interesting and the colors related well in my composition. Notice how the diagonals of the tables lead the eye into the scene. I used the same gridding technique with watercolor pencils on my canvas to help with the transfer of the drawing onto the canvas. With all major decisions made before I picked up my paintbrush, the painting proceeded smoothly. Here is the final oil painting.

I encourage you to begin to turn your favorite memories into attractive paintings by following these three steps.