Latest Paintings in Nature Series

Butterfly Garden

Flittering Under the Radar

Giraffes at Wildlife Safari

I painted all three of these on 300 lb cold pressed paper cut 12x12.  I have decided to attach the two butterfly paintings to 12x12x3/4 gessoboard and seal them.  I had a frame to float the giraffes but could ultimately do the same for it.

I chose a more neutral color combination for the giraffe painting but it took several weeks before the giraffes became the choice for the focal point.  I had taken quite a few photos when our WSO convention outing took us to Wildlife Safari several years ago.  I am so fascinated when I see a giraffe in person how beautiful their coloring and the interesting patterns of their hide.

The Butterfly paintings weren't as difficult to picture focal points of butterflies but I struggled with the design starting in the corner of the Butterfly Garden.  I wasn't going to add a 3rd butterfly but did at the last minute.  The two probably would have sufficed.  You know, the simple rule which I never follow.....

Where you can see my art.....

MONTH OF NOVEMBER, 2014
Oregon Society of Artists
  "200 FOR UNDER $200" SHOW
2185 SW Park Pl, Portland, OR 97205  

Show opens with a reception on November 7th, 6-9 pm and runs through December 5th. This is OSA's 2nd annual Challenge.  Each art piece is created on a 12x12 cradled birch panel which was supplied to us.  


This is one of the two pieces I have created for the show.  Hope you will visit the gallery during the month. This is a great chance to do some early Christmas shopping.

Fall Leaves -- Shapes and Colors

This painting was created on AquaBord (12x12)  I really like how the colors mix when applied directly to the surface.  You can layer many times and still not get muddy.  This Board twill be affixed to the 12x12x2 birch cradle.  I'm still debating about the color of the stain on the sides of the cradle board.  I haven't sprayed the surface to make it permanent yet but am sure that the colors will even pop more.  Don't you just love the Fall Colors?!

Any comments on the colors for the sides of the cradle board will be most welcomed.....

HANGING YOUR ART

As you may have noticed, color is an integral part of my paintings.  Years ago, in my Interior Design coursework I found that color is so important that I spent 8-9 months studying about the way color influences and affects us in our daily lives.  Anyone who has visited my home knows that there is color everywhere and I am always changing it as new paintings are completed.  I wouldn't recommend this approach unless you are showing off a collection on a specific wall.

Many of my friends and clients are afraid of choosing colorful art for their homes and offices. When you find that piece of art that you just can't live without, don't shy away from making it the focal point in the room. 
Here are a few tips on how you can make it fit in with your other more neutral pieces.

• If it is a larger painting, I would recommend that it be the only painting on that wall (e.g., over the fireplace) but pick up the dominant color elsewhere in the room with small decorative items, including, pillows, collections, fresh flowers or plants, and small furniture accessories.
• If your purchase is several smaller paintings that are similar in subject and technique, then line them up with either the bottom or top of each painting at the same height from the ceiling or floor.  I usually prefer the bottom lining up.
• Framing is another choice you can make to tie in with other paintings in the room -- match the style of frame or at least the wood or metal colors.  
• As part of my latest series I ended up with three panels from 36 6x6 squares.  As you can see below, I have hung them vertically over the fireplace. They also can be hung horizontally. These panels are sealed so they don't need to be framed but this summer for the show at Giustina Gallery in Corvallis they required the center painting in this group to be hung horizontally and be framed.  Which way would you hang this trio--vertically or horizontally?

Which way do you prefer to hang your canvas or cradle paintings or prints--framed or not?  

I have preferred to frame my aluminum prints, but they can be hung with a special mounting on the back but be sure to add foam core to keep the aluminum from flexing.

Please comment if this is helpful. I hope you will visit my website to see how I use color in my paintings.  www.diana-nadalart.com

This series of paintings starts with placing the webbing to look like fishing nets being pulled out of the sea into the boat. This time I masqued out several floats to see how that would work. I chose similar colors to spray to the first Raising the Nets painting.  I wanted different float types to be included in this one and a high horizon line.  There was a lot more going on in this from the start than what I would consider ideal to build upon.

I've been waiting for it to speak to me to find that "magic" that I was hoping for like I found in Raising the Nets 1. I feel like I"m almost there. The color is slightly off because our good camera had a problem this morning so we used the Iphone to capture this image.  Comments are most welcome and appreciated.  I strongly believe in "critique" as a positive--always remembering it is a critique of my art not me.  So whatever you think could improve this painting -- I would love to hear your comments.

www.diana-nadalart.com

Diana Nadal, Raising the Nets 2

Raising the Nets draft

Glass Wing Butterfly

This is the 7th in my series of Nature using the webbing and spraying techniques using only watercolors.  Initially I thought this would be a straightforward painting but it didn't turn out that way.  I'm still getting used to painting on Fredricks' watercolor canvas but getting easier once I figure out what happens when you layer.

I made several changes as you can see to this paintng to simplify the background and make the butterfly stand out more.  I'm ready to sign it.  Hope you enjoy this painting.

"Fishing Nets" series

Nets and Floats

Nets and Floats 2

With the sale of my painting, Raising the Nets, I pulled out my AquaBord and started another in the series.  I was so excited to get going on the painting that I forgot to follow my steps of placing the webbing according to the design I wanted to achieve.  I remembered that I wanted to masque certain areas which I did around and over the webbing, which should have been done before.  I proceeded to spray with my concentrated watercolor pigments and let it dry.  Well, I left out the step of wetting the entire surface before sprayiing.  I really like the darker, brighter pigments which resulted but some of the lights in the nets didn't come through. Because the Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus watercolors are staining, I might not be able to lift as much as I had originally intended.

Rather than stop, I started another painting with a similar design.  I believe this one will allow me to add stronger pigments where I want them.  Hope you will stay tuned to see where I go from here.  Any comments?

Now I can develop the details......

Diana
www.diana-nadalart.com

P.S.  I usually have several paintings going at one time so I can keep myself from overworking an area that is still wet.

Special Size Giclee Created in Photoshop

www.diana-nadalart.com

One of my clients asked for a special elongated size giclee  of my Tanzanian Elephant II painting.  The proportions just didn't look very good so I initially played in Photoshop to see if I could combine both of my paintings into one longer one.  Thanks to David Hooten the result is what you see above.  My client is happy; I am happy.

If you want to order a giclee of this 12x20 image, please email me directly to place the order ($70.00).

dianagnadal@gmail.com                                                                 

These six paintings will be in the Lake Oswego Festival of Arts show Fri-Sun., June 20-22.  Hope you get a chance to see them in person.  I'll be working in the Special Exhibit on Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon in the lower level of the Lakewood Center.  Hope to see you....

Please visit my website:  www.diana-nadalart.com
Please visit my blog:  www.dianagnadal.blogspot.com

I decided to divide the 36 6x6 tiles into groups of 12 to hang on the wall.  I like them both as horizontal and vertical pieces. It is really interesting to look at the differences in the patterns created by the webbing as well as the different color combinations.  I have a nice base to build my Nature series paintings from. 

I'm working on frames 12x36 to insert these into.  I mounted them on masonite which I had on hand and am using some frames I have as well.  I still have to seal them.

Latest body of work

I could hardly wait for the wind to stop blowing so I could paint outdoors.  Luck was on my side this morning.  I took my 6x6 AquaBord tiles, already prepared for the spraying and began one by one to create different colors from my Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus watercolors (I have all 36).  It was really lots of fun deciding which colors went together best and what I might paint as a focal point for each one based on the background which I was creating.

Now the second stage of creativity begins.........  I really am liking the neutrals but always am drawn to colorful ones.  Do you have a preference?  Would love to hear your comments......

Two paintings started using acrylics. The first is a landscape scene in Mallorca.  The yellow and white flowers along the roadsides and in the fields are very colorful along with red poppies.  I'll be figuring out next where to include them.  The fig trees which are just coming into bloom with their purple flowers are also to be added to this landscape.  I'm having so much fun with this medium!  Have to wait to get back home to complete.

I had tucked my photo from Yaquina Head Lighthouse in a book I brought along to read so decided to start a painting of it since we couldn't go out to plein air paint yesterday.  There are several wonderful lighthouses here which I plan on visiting as well but went ahead and started a painting on canvas of this awesome Oregon lighthouse which we visited last year.

In the next couple of days I hope to have my new website up for viewing.

Just found out that two of my paintings have been juried into the Lake Oswego Festival of Arts Special Exhibit, FIRE & WATER: Contrasts in Expression by Jurors, Jeremy Lepisto, Robert Burridge, and Jeffery Butters. I have entered for many years and am so excited and honored to be a part of this Exhibit. The Festival runs June 20-22nd at the Lakewood Center. I hope to see you there.

Please check out my website: www.diana-nadalart.com
Sign up as a contact to receive my bi-monthly newsletter. FREE ART in random drawing on April 30th.

Please check out my blog: www.dianagnadal.blogspot.comSee More

My March - April newsletter is ready to be sent to subscribers who have signed up on my website (go to the Join Email List page). This issue’s giveaway is the winner’s choice of a Fine Art Miniature or one of my 6x6 original paintings. The random drawing will occur on April 30^th.



Each subscriber will receive a number when they sign up and on the drawing date, I use random.org to pick the winner. The newsletter comes out every two months. It highlights what is going on in my studio as well as topics which I hope will help art afficionados be better informed about watercolor and other media.http://www.diana-nadalart.com

Below are several of the paintings created during the 30 Day Challenge which I have been putting some finishing touches on. Thanks to the critique group artists for their input. Please visit my website: 
www.diana-nadalart.com

 Butterfly Girl:  Changing the background color to a complementary one makes her pop more. Adding a little more detail to her hands and her right arm and hand helped with that perspective. 

 Peacock Strut:  Moving the dark tree/rocks to the right and extending the lighter rock behind the peacock and bringing the rock further across the page eliminated the weird angles.  I generally played around with the peacock feathers and body. 

 

Last Leaves of Fall:  Adding an additional leaf cluster at the lower right corner gives me a better composition (rule of threes). 

 



Since the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge I have been discussing with fellow artists about the benefits of doing such a challenge.  I think we will have a few more from Oregon next year participating.  I definitely learned a lot about many of the participants by visiting their blogs and websites after the Challenge.  It gave me a lot of inspiration and ideas on how to improve my blog and website.  Thanks to each of the participants for the encouragement by just posting your art.

I have been working on several of the paintings since the Challenge ended and will post them here.  I let them sit for a few days and then began to see if my favorites could be improved.  Below are the ones I have finished "editing" as Leslie calls it.

 Barbados Day 8 - modified to show the ocean waves and the palm tree (lightest) revised to bring the eye back into the painting to emphasize the sunset colors.

 Day 15 Dragonfly.-- the body was too detailed and more darks needed to be added against the background.


Day 12 Man in New Fedora -- the background was too busy and competed with the man so I had to simplify it by several washes of color and water.New completed paintings from 30 Day Challenge

Diana Nadal Collage--30 Paintings in 30 Days

  Day 31  30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with Leslie Saeta
 It's really fun to see what I painted over the challenge.  My love of color and choice of subjects to paint is demonstrated in this challenge. There is a real emotional component to what I choose to paint and that is all over the map.  I'll have to settle back down now without the daily pressure to produce a painting -- that part will be awesome.  Missing your comments each day is the negative.  I will try to post as I start a painting and bring my viewers along the path to completion.  Thanks Leslie for hosting this challenge and thanks to everyone who "liked" and posted comments.

Glorious Morning Glory in Basque Country

 Day 30  30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with Leslie Saeta
Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus Watercolors on 14x11 Claybord cradle (3/4")
$175.00  www.diana-nadalart.com

I was so pleasantly surprised to see how colorful were some of the towns were in Southern France known as Basque Country.  We were visiting a farmer's market and I noticed some beautiful flowers outside one of the shops near the market.  I've been waiting to paint them and decided to try the claybord one more time. 

Yeah, I have finished my Challenge and sent my summary to Leslie for her Radio broadcast this morning. 

I listened to Leslie's Saeta's radio blog this morning and found it very interesting to hear all the comments that they read. 

I was remiss in thanking Leslie for doing this for all of us who participated.  I know a lot of my artist friends might decide to take the challenge on in the future.  I'm looking forward to painting today and putting together a collage of my paintings done during the challenge for tomorrow's post. 

Thanks to the participants who also motivated me to paint after looking at what they had posted.  I wasn't as good a "commenter" as I should have been.  Next year I will approach this differently so I have more time to enjoy all the posts and give and take of comments.

Have a great day painting!

Diana

Web in the Vineyard

  Day 29  30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with Leslie Saeta
Watercolor painting on 140 lb. Arches cold press   14 x 11
$175.00  www.diana-nadalart.com

The sunlight shines throughout this painting, including the spider web.  As we get close to the end of this challenge I had a little trouble today focusing on a painting.  I needed some sunshine on this rainy day though and it perked me up enough to paint.

St. Emilion Inner City Ruin

 Day 28  30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with Leslie Saeta
Watercolor 16x20 Fabriano Artistico 300 lb Hot Press
$395.00 www.diana-nadalart.com

We couldn't wait to return to St. Emilion in the Dordogne region of France and see more of this city which sits on a plateau of limestone where mining was done beneath the city for many years.  This painting is one building where just the walls remain. Through the doorway is a park. The vineyards, the wine caves, the wine, the city itself make this one of my favorite destinations.

Clink

Day 27 

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with Leslie Saeta

Watercolor on Fabriano Artistico 300 lb Hot Press

$350.00 www.diana-nadalart.com

One of my favorite things to paint is wine glasses.  When we were in France staying at Maison Blanche our host had the tradition each evening before dinner to have a special drink where we would clink with our host to insure we wouldn't be poisoned.  It was fun to know the history behind the "clink" as well as enjoying some very fine wines from the area.

Peacock Strut



Day 26
30 Paintings in 30 Days with Leslie Saeta
Watercolor 15 x 15 on AquaBord
$450.00 www.diana-nadalart.com  (Sign up to under contacts to receive my newsletter)

I've been working on this a little bit each day for over a week in addition to my daily post. It helps me to have several paintings go at once while one is drying I can start on a new area in another.  This is the 3rd in my series of Peacock paintings.

Last of the Fall Leaves

Day 25  30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with Leslie Saeta
14x11 on ClayBord
$350.00 www.diana-nadalart.com

Prefering AquaBord to ClayBord because the surface of ClayBord is so smooth I decided to give it another try.  I masked the leaves and branches and then sprayed with Robert Doak pigments.  After removing the masked areas I had to rework the areas surrounding the leaves using Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus Watercolors.  There is a lot going on in the background - more than I had wanted but I still like it.  It will look different when sealed.

Safe Harbor

 Day 24
30 Paintings in 30 Days with Leslie Saeta
11x14 AquaBord  Watercolor
$350.00 www.diana-nadalart.com (to purchase and/or sign up for the newsletter) One person will receive 5 fine art cards in a random drawing when signup occurs in January/February.

Having put into port at evening and settling in brings back a lot of memories.  I sprayed Dr. Ph. Martin Hydrus Watercolors and then after drying I made some additional modifications to my original idea of the background.  I like how this one turned out. This is shot at night so the lighting is a little darker than the original.

Hats and Horse Racing

Day 23  30 Paintings in 30 Days
Watercolor 7 1/4 x 11
$125.00 (Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, 30 Paintings in 30 Days) www.diana-nadalart.com

I don't know if I get more excited to see the ladies in their hats or the amazing horses running in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and the Preakness.  I've done several paintings of the winners in several of these horse races but never have had the time to do some of the ladies in their gorgeous hats.  I like to work on smiles because they often are the most difficult feature on the face to paint.

Visit my website and sign up for my Newsletter by checking "Add to Contact List."  One person will win their choice of 5 fine art cards in a random drawing for signing up during the period of January/February.

Portland Skyline at Riverplace

 Day 22
30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with Leslie Saeta
Watercolor on Arches  cold pressed 10x 13.5
$350.00 (Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, 30 Paintings in 30 Days) www.diana-nadalart.com

I was running an errand and thinking about what painting I would do the next day and looked across the bridge to see the beautiful Portland skyline and the boats moored at Riverplace.  I remembered I had put an unfinished painting away in the drawer.  I got it out and was able to complete it for this Challenge.

Visit my website and sign up for my Newsletter by checking "Add to Contact List."  One person will win their choice of 5 fine art cards in a random drawing for signing up during the period of January/February.

Feathering the Nest

 Day 21
30 Paintings in 30 Days
Watercolor  11x14 300 lb Arches
$450.00 (Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, 30 Paintings in 30 Days) www.diana-nadalart.com

This had been one of the first webbing paintings I did by first masking the feather then spraying.  I built up the layers and then got too busy with other paintings.  I needed a quiet day to finish the feather with the detail I wanted to achieve.

Visit my website and sign up for my Newsletter by checking "Add to Contact List."  One person will win their choice of 5 fine art cards in a random drawing for signing up during the period of January/February.

Pasadena Rose Parade Band

 Day 20
30 Paintings in 30 Days
Watercolor  7 1/2 x 11
$200.00 (Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, 30 Paintings in 30 Days) www.diana-nadalart.com

What childhood memories flood back when you see the Pasadena and Portland Rose Parades.  The colors, the beautiful floats, the bands and their music keeping us entertained between the floats.  This photo grabbed me with the colors, the design and the interesting look on their faces.

Visit my website and sign up for my Newsletter by checking "Add to Contact List."  One person will win their choice of 5 fine art cards in a random drawing for signing up during the period of January/February.

Lil Gangsta 2

 Day 19
30 Paintings in 30 Days
Reworked painting from Day 17
Watercolor on 140 lb cold press
SOLD - In private collection  13 1/2 x 10 1/2 (Click for information on website under Galleries, 30 Paintings in 30 Days) www.diana-nadalart.com

I love to photograph and paint children doing what they do naturally.  I loved the sun glasses and she doesn't go out without a hat on her head.  She takes after me I guess.  Too cute for words.


Visit my website and sign up for my Newsletter by checking "Add to Contact List."  One person will win their choice of 5 fine art cards in a random drawing for signing up during the period of January/February.

Pride of Ownership

 Day 18
30 Paintings in 30 Days
Watercolor on 300 lb cold press
20 x 14 1/2
$650.00 (Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, 30 Paintings in 30 Days) www.diana-nadalart.com

This Ugandan boy had created an awesome bike out of recycled parts in order to get around.  He could hardly wait for his picture to be taken.  A lot of pride went into building it.  Can't believe the wooden wheels.

Visit my website and sign up for my Newsletter by checking "Add to Contact List."  One person will win their choice of 5 fine art cards in a random drawing for signing up during the period of January/February.

Lil Gangsta

 Day 17
30 Paintings in 30 Days
Watercolor on 140 lb cold pressed paper 
This painting was revised and posted on Day 19  The revised painting is posted on my website: (Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, 30 Paintings in 30 Days) www.diana-nadalart.com

Visit my website and sign up for my Newsletter by checking "Add to Contact List."  One person will win their choice of 5 fine art cards in a random drawing for signing up during the period of January/February.

Deer in the Snowy Forest

 Day 16 
30 Paintings in 30 Days
14 1/2 x 22 300 lb. Arches Rough
$650.00 (Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, 30 Paintings in 30 Days) www.diana-nadalart.com

Painting with webbing sprayed with Robert Doak pigments.  Deer and trees were added along with additional snow on ground.  This was a difficult one to get the branches to work.

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Dragonfly Paradise

 



 Day 15
30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge Leslie Saeta
Watercolor sprayed over webbing on Yupo
13x20
$650.00 (Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, 30 Paintings in 30 Days) www.diana-nadalart.com

Dragonflies are such mysterious insects.  They are beautiful and if we are lucky we will see them in our yards on a regular basis.  When I decided to paint this insect I researched photos on the internet to find the species that flies around our pool in the summertime. There were so many beautiful colors. Thanks to permission by Jim Johnson, whose photographs are amazing of dragonflies in their habitat,  I chose this one to fit with the colors in my webbing which had been painted previously.  I had to use my artistic license to get him to standout from the background.

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Expression of the Dance V

 Day 14 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with Leslie Saeta
 6x6 on AquaBord  $50.00 (Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, New) www.diana-nadalart.com

It was the attitude expressed with the movement of her arms as well as the expression on her face that convined me paint this dancer.  



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Expression of the Dance VI

 Day 13  30 Paintings in 30 Days
This painting was done on Watercolor Canvas   20x16
 $250.00  (Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, 30 Paintings in 30 Days)
 www.diana-nadalart.com

I haven't done portraits on this surface and found it much more difficult than the other media I normally use.  I love to paint Flamenco dancers and often I get a double exposure when photographing the dancers.  I thought this one was an interesting one to try.

Please go to my website and sign up on my contact list to receive notification of new art, events and my newsletter.  One person will receive 5 fine art cards in a random drawing at the end of February for signing up on my "Contact List."

Tourista with New Fedora

Day 12 30 Paintings in 30 Days
Watercolor on AquaBord (sealed) 14x11
This painting has been modified since this posting. 
$350.00 
 Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, 30 Paintings in 30 Days)                      www.diana-nadalart.com
We had a lovely dinner in St. Jean de Luz, France and this family was finishing their dinner when a street vendor came by selling hats, belts, watches, etc.  His family convinced him to buy the red fedora.  He looked very handsome and while he waited for the bill, he looked very content.  Maybe a new lease on life with a new hat.

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Expression of the Dance IV

Expression of the Dance IV

Day 11,  30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with Leslie Saeta
6x6 on AquaBord sealed
$50.00 (Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, New) www.diana-nadalart.com

This is one of my favorite flamenco dancers in the series.  Her expression spoke to me about what the dance was saying.  This series should have some new paintings after a visit to Majorca this spring.

 

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Day 10 Butterfly Girl

Butterfly Girl

 

 Day 10  30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge with Leslie Saeta
11 x14 Watercolor on Arches 140 lb cold press
NFS - In Private Collection

This is the first sketch of a commissioned painting of my great niece.  She is so cute with her face painted.  This helped me decide on how much detail to put in her shirt and the background was a lot darker in the photo references.  I particularly like having her hands in the painting rather than just focusing on her face but will have to make that decision when I try it again.

(Click the link to buy on website under Galleries, New) www.diana-nadalart.com

 

Visit my website and sign up for my Newsletter by checking "Add to Contact List."  One person will win their choice of 5 fine art cards in a random drawing for signing up during the period of January/February.