Category Archives: Landscape

MPSGS Award for Landscape – miniature painting

Miniature painting: “In the Heart of the Forest” (1.5 x 4 inches).

A big thank you to the Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society of Washington DC for awarding this miniature painting 1st place in Landscape for the 2022 international show. This scene features beautiful Strathcona Park on Vancouver Island. A link to the show is listed below:

https://www.mpsgs.org/MPSGS-Exhib.htm

New year – new mini!

This miniature painting is another scene from beautiful Strathcona Park on Vancouver Island. It’s nice to get lost in the details of painting a forest or lake summer scene, particularly during this gray and rainy time of year here on the west coast.

This is the sister painting to “Walk in the Woods” (4 x 1.5 inches), another miniature shown below.

“Walk by the Lake” (1.5 x 4 inches), acrylic on board.

“Walk by the Lake” (1.5 x 4 inches), miniature painting with coin for scale
“Walk by the Lake” (1.5 x 4 inches), miniature painting.

“Walk in the Woods” (1.5 x 4 inches), acrylic on board, including a version with a quarter to show scale.

Last Mini of 2021!

“Walk in the Woods” (1.5 x 4 inches), acrylic on board. This painting is the first of two featuring the lovely Strathcona Park area on Vancouver Island, BC.

This is also my last miniature painting of 2021 and I’d like to send out a great big THANK YOU!! to everyone who has followed this site throughout the year; I greatly appreciate your time, encouragement and many kind words. Cheers everyone!

“Walk in the Woods” (1.5 x 4 inches), acrylic on board, with quarter for scale.

Progression of a miniature painting

For those who are interested, here is a look at the process I use when painting my miniature landscapes. I begin with a cut piece of Canson Art Board, use tube acrylics (Golden and Liquitex), on a Masterson Stay-wet palette, Windsor and Newton Series 7 Miniature brushes (for the detail work), a few other brushes including flats, filberts and stipplers. I finish with gloss varnish and frame under glass. Sometimes I use hardboard and the painting can be displayed without glass to protect it. It takes me about 15-20 hours to complete as piece such as this one. One of the best parts of my process is getting out onto the land and taking photos I use for reference, it is always an adventure!

“At Rest” new mini painting

Here’s a new miniature painting titled: “At Rest”, measuring 1.75 x 4.25 inches in size.

At Rest (1.75 x 4.25 inches) with coin
“At Rest” (1.75 x 4.25 inches), acrylic on art board, coin to show scale.

This little acrylic painting features a scene of Vancouver Island and Newcastle Island, also known as Saysutshun, a wonderful place to boat to, hike over and just spend a day exploring.

At Rest (1.75 x 4.25 inches)
“At Rest” (1.75 x 4.25 inches), acrylic on art board.

 

 

Painting tiny worlds with big views.

Some of my tiniest miniature paintings, these eight little pieces were done for a show a few years ago and, when I can go out treasure hunting again, I hope to find more of these little antique frames. Each tiny painting measures approximately 2 x 1.5 inches in size, all are painted with acrylic on hardboard.

Painting the landscape in such a small format offers a good challenge technically as well as visually. My hope is that each painting presents itself as a tiny portal to another place offering a glimpse, if you will, of something lovely.

A day at the river

These two miniature paintings are from the Englishman River area near Parksville BC, a terrific spot for a cool break on a hot day, or a hike in the woods. I’ve been working through a series of paintings featuring this lovely area, and “Englishman River” is a very similar sister painting to one I did in January.

I’d have to say that painting river rocks with moving water, or still water, in fact – any kind of water – is my favourite subject to paint. I’m looking forward to the beautiful parks in my area opening again so I can revisit these wonderful landscapes, both in the moment, and later in the studio.