Wedding Unity Candle Set

Something different... I made this Unity Candle Set a few weeks ago.

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Wedding Unity Candle Set

The Unity Candle Ceremony is a relatively newer custom in weddings in the United States. It symbolizes the union of two families - the Bride's and the Groom's families. The above is a slightly different version, but most times there are 3 candles - 2 taper candles (also called as starter candles) and one central large candle. During the ceremony, one representative from each family lights the taper candle. Then the Bride and the Groom light the central large candle together using the 2 taper candles, symbolizing the union of 2 families.

In my set, I used 2 large pillar candles ( 3 inches diameter and 6 inches height). Painted the candles using Acrylic paints and a protective coating overall on the candle. Rest is just putting it together using decorative maretials. Hope you liked it.

The Parrot Fish

This is an underwater beauty - the Parrot Fish! I wish one day I could see such sea life in person. But this one is painted from a picture that I got in wetcanvas reference library.

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The Parrot Fish - 16x20 inches, oil on Canvas Panel

About Parrot Fish from seaworld.org:
Parrotfish have thick, heavy bodies and large scales. They are found in tropical waters throughout the world and appear in a wide variety of colors, which may change depending on their sex, status, or maturity.

Dazzling Agave (pronounced as uh-gah-vay)

Now here's my new experiment with colors! I took a simple green succulent and wanted to make it look abstract. Hope you like my fantasy -  

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Dazzling Agave - 12x16 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

I tried to take the best picture here, but nowadays I feel its a challenge to take a picture of my painting. In person, the painting looks a bit different since one can see the depth of color and its variations. The camera doesn't really capture all of it.

About Agave: These kind of succulents are found in abundance in southern and western United States. It was considered sacred plant by Ancient Mexicans. It was a belief that the liquid from this plant purified the body and soul.

I thought this will be interesting for you all to know that the juices from the agave after fermenting, leads to the drink called tequila.

The District in Moonlight - SOLD

Here’s my second entry for the “Scenes of Tustin” juried show. This is a marketplace in Tustin called – The District Tustin Legacy. The beauty of this place is really at night, there is beautiful lighting with different colors.

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The District in Moonlight - 11x14 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

SOLD

My inspirational photo - as you can see I changed around things in my painting, let me know if you like it!

Lastly, I would like to say the taking the photo of the painting was very challenging, I did my best. But I still feel painting looks better than the photo of the painting. Let me know if you have any tips to take pictures of paintings.

Keep Tustin Clean

This is the first out of the 2 paintings that I have prepared for the Tustin Art League’s juried show. The theme for this year’s show is “Scenes of Tustin”.
I had hard time taking photo of the painting, so I decided to post 3 pictures in different lighting:
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Keep Tustin Clean - 16x20 inches,

Oil on Canvas Panel

 





 



Keep Tustin Clean - 16x20 inches,
Oil on Canvas Panel

Keep Tustin Clean - 16x20 inches,

Oil on Canvas Panel



My inspiration for this painting:

When I came to know of this show, I decided to drive around the part of Tustin that I was most familiar with, to take some pictures. The Tustin Marketplace and the Golf course was on my mind. In the midst of that bright and sunny afternoon, I drove around that area and told my daughter to click pictures from the car. As we were going on the Tustin Ranch Road and passing through the Irvine Blvd, I spotted a Trash Can and some trees behind in the corner, something about that scene appealed to me. I told my daughter to quickly take picture. And that was it… I had to use this one as inspiration for my painting.

For the composition, I really had only 2 things on my mind…

One – the rule of 3 - things that come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more magically mystical. Hence I chose to paint only 3 trees in my painting.

Two – the viewers eye somehow should stay within the painting, I think the Trash Can on one side and the partial wall on the other side serves this purpose.

I will be happy to hear your comments and suggestions.

White Cactus Bloom - SOLD

Cactus plants are to be found all around in the wilderness trail behind my backyard. I am facinated by the colorful blooms on these plants. The most common ones on our trail are currently bearing fruit - an oblong red kind of fruit. One day I am going to paint that too... But this one I painted from a photo reference on Wetcanvas forum (thanks to whoever posted the beautiful pictures!).
I painted this using the palette knife and using the new techniques I learnt during the January Workshop (see earlier blog post). I have the pictures of stages 1 and 2 below. I couldn't take a picture of stage 3 because it progressed so slowly, and somehow it looked so ugly to me that I was about to quit doing this painting. But filnally! I am so happy to be done with this. Hope you like it!


White Cactus Bloom - 11x14 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

SOLD

Following are pictures of Stages 1 and 2. By the end of stage 2 as I progressed further, my flower was turning colorful. I wondered, is this thing ever going to turn out white... !?  :) :)

White Cactus Bloom - Stage 1

White Cactus Bloom - Stage 2

Here's the inspirational picture I used for this painting. As you can see I have changed things around in my painting, specially the background.

White Cactus bloom - reference from Wetcanvas forum

From the Color Intensive Workshop in January 2011

Here I am happy to post my studies from the Susan Sarback's Color Intensive Workshop in Jan 21st to 27th. These were some exercises I completed in "full color seeing".

First - Study of a Red block placed under light:

Stage 2 - Red Block Study

Second - This is a Study of an Orange


Orange Set up




Orange Stage 1

 

Orange Stage 4



Third - Study of an Apple


Apple - Stage 2



Apple - Stage 4

Here are my finished Orange and Apple:

Finished Orange and Apple

Fourth - Study of Bottles and a Pear:

Bottles and a Pear Set up

Bottles and a Pear Stage 1

Bottles and a Pear - Stage 4 - Finished Painting

Fifth - Study of Flower in a Vase:

Flower in a Vase - Stage 2