great blue — 6″ x 6″
Most of the orange grasses in the background were made by scratching through the paint (sgraffito) back to the orange undertone. I also scratched through in the water in several areas. My new favorite palette now is: titanium zinc white, cadmium yellow hansa (or light), cadmium red vermillion, quinacridone magenta, phthalo blue (new – I eliminated sevres blue), and ultramarine blue. I like the simplicity of just 5 colors plus white.

wild wetland 3 — 6″ x 6″

wild wetland 2 — 6″ x 6″
A Great Blue Heron hunting. Photo included. I got a bit more wild with the colors : )
Don’t miss the white egret on the right. He kept moving away from the Great Blue.
wild wetland 6″ x 6″
prairie wild 4 — 6″ x 6″
prairie wild 3 — 6″ x 6″
Things are starting to let loose and go airborne. I love fall : )
windswept place 6″ x 6″
This is in remembrance.
prairie wild 2 — 6″ x 6″
I love the wildness of the prairie and the chance to go a little more abstract in these paintings : )
prairie wild 6″ x 6″
© Anita C. Miller
There were so many tall yellow daisy like flowers that day. Most were over my head! I used the edge of the palette knife to put in these stems. At first I was careful, but in the end it all came out a bit abstract expressionist : )
wilderness paintings (untitled) a + b
wilderness with black spruce 6″ x 6″
2 minute wilderness 6″ x 6″
A fast and fun palette knife painting.
through the wilderness by rail 6″ x 6″
wilderness 3 (moose) 6″ x 6″
wilderness 6″ x 6″
backlit clouds 6″ x 6″
mountaintop 6″ x 6″
Domino (study) 6″ x 6″
One more of Domino… just a quick, fun study.
Domino next to me 6″ x 6″
prairie and tree at dusk 6″ x 6″
Based on a photo of a single tree (not sure what kind) in the middle of the prairie (see photo below). The sky is from my imagination. The same palette as yesterday was used. We had a glorious afternoon hiking in this preserve last weekend : )
by the huge oaks 6″ x 6″
palette: cadmium yellow light, quinacridone magenta, cadmium red vermillion, ultramarine blue, sevres blue and white. Initial warm tone of vermillion plus some sevres blue (applied as a wash). This one was not quick like yesterday’s. I had to scrape a lot off at one point because I was painting too many details.
red Hobie cat 6″ x 6″
oil on archival panel
© Anita C. Miller 2013
After spending an hour on this, the painting was accurate, but lacked movement. So, I started taking “swipes” at it pretty much out of desperation to make something happen. I think it has some energy to it now, so I’m happy.
afternoon sail 2 ~ 6″ x 6″
afternoon sail 6″ x 6″
© Anita C. Miller 2013
I’m continuing to experiment with color (a different palette) and brushes. Palette used: cadmium yellow light, cadmium red vermillion, quinacridone magenta, ultramarine blue, sevres blue and zinc titanium white. Painted alla prima in about 45 minutes. The brushes used are my new Silver Bristlon (brights) which I am loving.
Also, before starting the painting, I brushed a thin warm color over the entire panel, then wiped most of it off. This toned the surface so that I wasn’t painting on white. I left some of this color show through on the sails and the right side of the hull.
red speedboat 6″ x 6″
sailing in the shadows 6″ x 6″
oil on archival panel
© Anita C. Miller 2013
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Yesterday’s photo of Trump Tower reflecting the afternoon sun inspired this little painting. I painted only a very small part of the photo and took some liberties — which is pretty much always the case : )
Palette used: titanium zinc white, cadmium yellow light, cadmium red vermillion, quinacridone magenta, ultramarine blue, phthalo blue and graphite grey mixed with some white to make a light cool grey.
red spinnaker 6″ x 6″
oil on archival panel
© Anita C. Miller 2013
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All of a sudden I’m painting with lots more color and using thicker paint. I can’t really explain why except it truly feels like summer and things should be more colorful. I’m also using some new synthetic bristle brushes which I like a lot. They’re Silver Bristlon (brights) in various sizes and I got them online from Dick Blick.
bright red x 2
calm afternoon lake 6″ x 6″
entering the garden 6″ x 6″
Domino asleep 6″ x 6″
climbing man 6″ x 6″
man at the edge 6″ x 6″
dark standing man 6″ x 6″
standing man (with hat) 6″ x 6″
friends in the garden 6″ x 6″
figures in the garden 6″ x 6″
Green Sea Turtle ~ 6″ x 6″
oil on archival panel
© Anita C. Miller 2013
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When my husband and I visited Oahu recently, this gorgeous Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle came up on the beach. We were about the first people to see him and I got a few photos before the naturalist roped off the area. It was interesting to learn that this particular turtle often comes ashore to rest on this beach. Such a special moment to see this creature in the wild!
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