That looks like Pounders beach, in Hau'ula. Did you paint that from a picture or were you there.

Do you have any concern, about becoming a 'Bob Ross,' style artist? — universeness

:lol: No, not that there's anything wrong with that.

"I am an artist, not a fax machine or a photographer. If you want a facsimile or a photograph of a pretty scene, then don't come to me. As an artist, it is my remit to anger you, to invoke an emotional response from you, to intrigue you, to frighten you, to challenge you, to inspire you, to make you hate me and love me in the same confused breath. Can you even understand what a true artist is?" — universeness

He can remit however he likes, I don't care. I have a much simpler understanding of art.

Nice work, btw, and it is distinctive.

Hawaiian-style classical music, interesting.

I used a photo that a guy from Ohau sent me. He didn't say where it was and I guessed NE Ohau, judging by the rock formations, vegetation, and mountains. I actually posted the image because I remembered that you're from that area and might recognize the scene. I didn't know there was a beach there but that explains the tiny bit of sand color at the bottom of the photo.

Good guess, definitely beach in Hau'ula, Northshore Oahu, I'm sure of it, where piano guys also did their stunt. I've seen folks plein-air painting there. Just propagated some red tree mallow (Hau'ula) from Hau'ula (red tree mallow) a short way down the road from there. The point in Laie would also be a great place to paint the Koo'lau range and coast from that vantage point. Plenty of plen-airs in that spot too. Very cool.

Though you couldn't get that perspective in your painting by plein-air as you'd probably be in the water.

No, not that there's anything wrong with that. — praxis

I agree that Bob was a talented artist as is his son, who he taught very well. Some even say his son is better than Bob was at those landscape scenes he can churn out in 20 mins.
A painting takes me at least 4 to 6 weeks, and sometimes much longer. I can only work on a painting for around 2 hours a day, however and not every day.
I also don't sell paintings, (at least not yet). It was suggested to me by a friend, that I could make prints of the style of paintings I posted above, and use digital editing to edit the faces to any face required, and sell the images to anyone who would like themselves portrayed in that scene. I thought it was a bad idea, as you could do the same with photos etc, and I hate the 'base commerciality' involved.
I think I will have to remain content, that I will not ever make any money from my art. :halo:

He can remit however he likes, I don't care. I have a much simpler understanding of art. — praxis

The art world is certainly a fickle metric.

Nice work, btw, and it is distinctive. — praxis

Thanks, I appreciate that from a skilled artist such as yourself.

I will never understand the following however, other than via rich people just playing the money trick game.
The art of the late Jean-Michel Basquiat sells for millions. I think his work is utter crap and could have been done by a doodling 12 year old. This one sold for $110 million.


Tracy Emin is another example of total shit art:
£ 2.3 million for this crap:


Does such not make you angry? Do you see my annoyance at such, as just sour grapes on my part, or do you think that the abuse of the notion of art, that I think exists, and is caused by the rich, finding nefarious ways of 'investing' and inflating their wealth is 'acceptable?'

My goodness, those are delightful ! :smile: — jgill

Thanks prof! If you ever want me to do a painting of you, in any scene/composition you like, just PM me about it. I would not charge you a penny. It would be a pleasure, due to your service to us all, as a professor of mathematics. I think that's where the true value is, in the art skill I have. I am lucky that I don't need my art skills to be able to provide for myself, so I can use it to bring some enjoyment to others. I tried to gift the painting below to Neil Degrasse Tyson and then to Jane Goodall, as they both appear in my 'dream team Star Trek crew.' I got a nice 'thanks anyway,' from the PA of Jane Goodall and no response from my attempts to contact Neil. :blush: I couldn't contact anyone else in the painting as they are all dead, and the only other person featured was Tiera Fletcher (an American space scientist), who was included, as I bowed to pressure from my female family members, who complained there was no black female, represented on my dream team crew, and that this was not good from my position as a white het cis man. :scream:
The others were attempts at a Captain Carl Sagan, Navigators Albert Einstein and Richard Feynman and security men Bruce Lee and Mohamed Ali (well if you are gonna include security men then ...... who else would you choose?) :lol:

Though you couldn't get that perspective in your painting by plein-air as you'd probably be in the water. — Nils Loc

That figures because the photographer is a surf photographer and when I asked if he had any seascapes that's the only one he had. Below is some of his usual stuff. You may recognize Sandy's and Backdoor (Pipeline).




Speaking of plein-air in the water, the other day when I started the following small painting I was high and dry but only about an hour and a half later I was unexpectedly ankle-deep and had to stop before my pack got soaked. Would have turned out better if I had more time. :razz:



I just looked it up and the area is defined as a 'salt marsh' so I guess the water rose with the tide. I happened to know that the tide was high about an hour earlier though, because I surfed a bit down the coast. A lagging tide.

Does such not make you angry? Do you see my annoyance at such, as just sour grapes on my part, or do you think that the abuse of the notion of art, that I think exists, and is caused by the rich, finding nefarious ways of 'investing' and inflating their wealth is 'acceptable?' — universeness

I don't consider that abusing art. Rich people's games like NFTs bother me because they abuse the environment, taking exorbitant amounts of energy to secure the files.

I find all such aspects of the money trick abusive, blockchains, cryptocurrencies and shit art passed between the rich as fake inflated assets.

@Praxis and @universeness

Either of you guys paint ever paint anything dark, grotesque, eerie, or unsettling, or does such subject matter carry no personal appeal to ever manifest on a canvas.

A couple of mine you might consider:

I like to paint allegorical stuff like:

I guess the last thing I’ve done along those lines was during Covid. Previously posted in this topic…



With any luck my life won’t turn tragic enough to feel the need to express darker things.

Yes, now I remember two of those posted from a while back, the crucified animals and the animals approaching Trump. Love the animal line up of the cats and the eagle with all the same attack expression. Though it reminds me I'm gonna to have to move into an isolated cabin in the woods where I can't get any news if that guy somehow becomes president again. If only nature could speed up time, both contenders might become to decrepit to run.

@praxis

The fish with the hat and the pig with crown was a bit surreal.

I like that allegorical paintings cause folks to ask a lot of questions. The painting titled 'no pressure,' where religious icons and science icons battle for the mind of youth (represented by the child on the chair, (my niece as a 6-year-old) holding a copy of 'On the Origin of Species' and 'The bible.) for example.
When people look into that painting in some detail, I get many questions, such as:
Why does the pope have 6 fingers on one of his hands?
Why does Feynman have two fingers above Einstein's head?
Why does Einstein have an old head and a very athletic-looking body?
Why are all the scientists a little taller than all the religious folk?
Why is the girl in the middle 'oversized,' for a 6 years old?(I normally get this after I have explained who she is)
I don't understand some of the words/phrases on the tree, such as:
Eve-ill? and 'actions love consequences,' etc.
Who is the black woman?
Why does it look like everyone is smiling?
:grin:
These are the main questions I have had, and such questions allow for me to respond with my favourite response of , 'Well why do YOU think I did that .........' I don't tend to use that response when asked 'who is the black woman however.'

I've got one too: what's the significance of putting Alan Partridge alongside Einstein?

:lol: No, that's Carl Sagan doing a bad impression of Alan Partridge.
I do agree however that I am still 'developing' my 'proportionality' and 'likeness' skills.
The 'no pressure' painting was one of my first and I only took up the hobby after I retired from teaching around 4 years ago. My honest answer to the

Why is the girl in the middle 'oversized?' — universeness

is 'oops!' but the answer I might offer (depending on who is asking,) is:
"Well, I wanted to make the central character of youth stand out more to the observer, to emphasise the notion of the fervor of the targeting of such youth, by both sides." :halo:

The trouble with being honest about my limited developing proportionality/likeness skills (most evident in my Carl Sagan attempt in that painting), is that some folks don't believe me when I then try to insist that giving the pope a 6 fingered hand, was deliberate!

You reminded me of a great comment one of my so-called 'friends' made about the Mohamed Ali attempt in my 'dream team,' Star Trek painting posted above. Apart from saying that the likeness was not very good, he commented, 'Ali looks like he has bigger tits than all the women in the painting!' :lol:

To be fair, Sagan and Partridge are not so different.

I can't see much similarity between the visage of Carl and Steve Coogan but I appreciate you throwing me that bone. I think my ability to get proportions and perspectives and likeness correct are improving but I have no formal training in Art other than a grade C for art O'Level.
I think @praxis is far more skilled in getting proportion and perspective correct, compared to me.
Another of my friends is a PT art teacher and a fabulous artist himself. So he gives me little pointers from time to time. I also think @praxis has better blending skills than I do.

:up:

But I stand by it. Not Sagan and Coogan but Sagan and Partridge.

Ok but Really?

I am still 'developing' my 'proportionality' and 'likeness' skills. — universeness

And yet the rendering of your niece appears to be near photographic fidelity, so clearly you can do it when motivated.

Yeah, some of my attempts are better than others. I move between not wanting anything that is too photo-realistic, based on advice from various other artists who paint mostly in oils, including my PT art friend, and wanting to learn how to improve my ability to paint as close to what I observe as possible.
Photo-realistic painting is seen by many artists as pointless, based on, why not just take a photo or use digital production?

My PT art friend (who is a fantastic artist, who has art skills that I am quite jealous of) also stated that he likes some of the little technical inaccuracies, he spots in my paintings as he says it adds to their distinctive properties. But maybe he was just being nice to me.

Overall, I like his statement of:
"Just enjoy your painting mate, don't try to be too academic about it, you will spoil your vibe if you do. Your painting will become a chore."

I still want to improve my skills in certain areas however, so I will practice, practice, practice and continue to enjoy doing so.

Photo-realistic painting is seen by many artists as pointless, based on, why not just take a photo or use digital production? — universeness

Mostly agree and I struggle to paint more loosely and expressively. My current favorite painter is one of your countrymen. I’d love to be able to paint like Hester Berry.

Not familiar with Hester Berry. Had a quick look at the paintings your link took me to. I liked or saw some value in some:

and saw nothing interesting in others, such as:

The opposite for me. Don’t care for her old work.

My current favorite painter is one of your countrymen. — praxis

I forgot to ask, is it Vettriano?

Oh, you’re Scottish.

Ah didnae think it showed, but aye, of course I am.