More crows on the beach

April 7, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Birds & Animals, Daily Painting | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Crow on the Beach 4, 8×8 oil on clayboard

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Crow on the Beach 5, 8×8 oil on clayboard

A popular series of recent paintings is of crows. Here are some images painted from video I took at another trip to Taft, Oregon, south of Lincoln City on the Oregon coast.

I’m trying the same technique as the canyon series where I start with an alizarin crimson underpainting and layer thinned pure hues on top, using as few brush strokes as possible.

Canary Islands Virtual Paintout

April 7, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Calle Gran Bretana Adeje, Canary Islands, 8×8 oil on clayboard

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Camino Matoso Buenavista Del Norte, Canary Islands, 8×8 oil on clayboard

This month’s Virtual Paintout is of the Canary Islands. Since the participating artists could not fly to the islands to paint plein air, we used Google’s pedestrian view to find scenes we wanted to paint.

The one-lane road of Camino Matoso would be quite a bike ride. The simplicity and expansive views are spectacular.

In the towns, you’ll see wall-to-wall hotels and cars; not so pleasing.

Forest Dream 2

April 5, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Forest Dream 2, 8×8 oil on gessobord

After several days of contemplation, I was able to finish this work. It is similar to one done a few weeks ago, but on claybord instead of canvas panel.

This series derived from the desire to use leftover paint. The calligraphic use of a flat-edged brush keeps the brushstrokes simple and bold.

Brick Wall
Monthly Painting Challenge

April 4, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

© Pam Van Londen 2010, Brick Wall 1, 8×8 oil on clayboard

For April’s Monthly Painting Challenge, we are painting a fairly flat image; a brick wall with climbing ivy and electrical boxes and tubes.

This panel is the third attempt to render something interesting.
Painting every brick is tedious and sometimes renders a boring painting. So I’ve tried circular strokes rather than rectangular.

Canyon Dreams

March 31, 2010 Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 12, 8×8 oil on gessoboard

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 13, 8×8 oil on clayboard

The sun finally came back long enough for me to photograph these two.

Still working on few brush strokes using lots of thinner on gesso and clayboard.

Canyon Dreams #11

March 28, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 11, 8×8 oil on clayboard

The daily painting ritual is at the same time theraputic and a duty.

Whether I am inspired or not, I hope to squeeze in a few moments of creative production each day.

In today’s ritual, I’ve reused a previous photo reference from Sante Fe, New Mexico. The result is quite different from the previous and much more alive. I won’t tell you which work is the previous; can you guess?

Showing at Dana Marie
Gallery, Corvallis

March 26, 2010 ** A Sale! **, Exhibits | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

$350 © Pam Van Londen 2007 Grand Canyon 1 acrylic on gallery-edged canvas on 18 x 24 x 1.5 canvas

Just opening is the new Dana Marie Gallery in the Starbucks building at the corner of 4th and Madison, in Corvallis. Visit with artists from 6pm to 9pm, Saturday, March 27 during the Grand Opening Reception. Read more about it in the Gazette-Times newspaper.

Drop by to see Dana Marie’s work and a few select artists, including myself.

425 SW Madison Ave, Suite #E1
541-230-1658 Call for open hours.

More vacation, more!

March 24, 2010 Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Cape Kiwanda 5, 8×8 oil on clayboard

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Cape Kiwanda 6, 8×8 oil on clayboard

Keep the sun coming! We are wearing ourselves out sunning, sliding down the dunes, eating, swimming, and painting. Who’s doing the laundry?

Painting plein air is so refreshing! This last painting is number 6 painted in this location. When I muster up the energy, I’ll hike to the top of the dune and paint the view on the other side or inside the two bowls.

Blessed with amazing plein air weather

March 23, 2010 Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Cape Kiwanda 4, 8×8 oil on clayboard

How often do you get a spring break so far north that is not wet?

We filled our morning with dune walking and painting (and eating). We’re so wiped from the sun that we are just about asleep……

Look for more good paintings tomorrow.

Turner valley farms

March 21, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Turner Valley Farm 1, 8×8 oil on clayboard

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Turner Valley Farm 2, 8×8 oil on clayboard

I’m enjoying the hospitality of family for a couple of days and had a chance to paint with my son’s sister. She is a budding artist with a huge art supply kit!

Their view from the porch includes the coast range of mountains, tree farms, and pasture.

Canyon Dreams #10,
the never ending series

March 20, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 10, 8×8 oil on clayboard

I’m officially on vacation!

This series of paintings is born from car adventures in various places like Eastern Oregon, Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah.

We’ll be in the car (a 24-foot motorhome) again this week to see what vistas await us. Want to join us? Call me and let’s rendezvous.

Canyon Dreams 9

March 16, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 9, 8×8 oil on clayboard

Another one for the series.

Oak Tree, for Inspiration
All Around Us challenge

March 15, 2010 Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Oak Tree, 8×8 oil on gessoboard

Every other Tuesday, Dana Marie from Dana Marie Gallery in Corvallis, Orgon, posts a new photo to draw inspiration from on the Inspiration All Around Us blog.

This oak tree is my first submission.

Molalla River 6

March 14, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Molalla River Shore 6, 8×8 oil on gessoboard

Molalla River 5

March 13, 2010 Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Molalla River Shore 5, 8×8 oil on gessoboard

I read recently that color scheme for 2010 in fashion is coral, grayish fuchsia and turquoise. This painting uses that scheme to portray a quiet morning along the Mollalla River shore.

Molalla River 4

March 12, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Molalla River Shore 4, 8×8 oil on gessoboard

I’m having more fun with the Mollalla River series. Who would have known a gray day at the river’s edge would have inspired such bright color and spontaneity?

I’m continuing to work with as few colors and brush strokes as possible. I am not at the point where I can count them (too left brained of an activity while I do something so right brained) but I estimate there to be roughly 100.

If you’d like to volunteer to sit behind me to count them next time, please drop by around 7:30am on a Wednesday or Friday. Some day I’ll get the camera set up to record while I paint, then I can count them later.

Commission for charity auction

March 10, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Exhibits, Landscapes, Portraits | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

© Pam Van Londen 2010 "The Kite Flyers" acrylic on 18x14-inch gallery-edged canvas.

Josephine County’s CASA program asked me to paint something with a heart to donate to their fundraiser auction. I put two kids in a field with a heart-shaped kite and used as few brush strokes as possible (to keep from over working it) to render an abstracted scene in acrylic.

This piece will be part of the “Hearts and Heroes” art exhibit and auction to benefit the Children’s Advocacy Center and CASA program in Josephine County, OR, which starts April 1, 2010. April is National Child Abuse and Awareness month. Each piece to be exhibited includes a heart.

All work will be auctioned May 7, 2010 at a benefit dinner. One-hundred percent of the money raised goes towards Child Abuse Advocacy in Josephine County, Oregon.

Forest Dreams abstract painting

March 8, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Forest Dream 1, 8×8 oil on canvasboard

For weeks now, I’ve been trying to work out what this painting ought to be. I think it is done now. Not sure if this one is the start of a new series or not.

If you like it, let me know and I’ll make more.

Virtual Paintout of Norway
Stravenger

March 6, 2010 ** A Sale! **, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Stravenger Norway Park 1, 8×8 oil on claybord

I have plenty of my own photos to paint from until I can get outside to paint plein air.

But I have never been to Norway to paint, so I have done it virtually, for the Virtual Paintout monthly challenge. It uses Google Maps to help artists find a view of the city they want to paint.

View this month’s submissions from international artists.

Stylesheets for Handheld Devices

March 3, 2010 Design | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

To improve readability of your web site on smart phones and other handheld devices, add a handheld media type style sheet which simplifies the page layout, user interface, and eliminates unnecessary items.

<!-- for other devices -->
<link href="handheld.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="handheld, only screen and (max-device-width: 320px)" /> 

<!-- for iphones-->
<link href="handheld.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="only screen and (max-device-width: 480px)" />

Set the viewport

In the head section, set the viewport device-with property:

<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width">

Now the media queries, below, will work for most devices.

Media queries in CSS

Mobile browsers can also be targeted using media-queries in the CSS file. The code inside of the @media brackets is only executed when the device width is less than specified (i.e. 320px). Media queries are also executed by resizing the browser window of a desktop or laptop. The example below would change the width of the page depending on the device width.

@media only screen and (device-width: 1024px) { #page-wrap { width: 1024px; } }
@media only screen and (max-device-width: 320px) { #page-wrap { width: 95%; } }
@media only screen and (min-device-width: 800px) { #page-wrap { min-width: 800px; max-width: 960px; } }

Key recommendations include using:

• Single-column liquid layout, which does not use frames, popup windows, or JavaScript.
• Useful alternative descriptions on images.
• Simple, non-dynamic menus with links that look like links.
• No floating:  * {float: none;}
• A maximum width for images: #content img { max-width: 250px;}

Note: According to Jeff Starr, “the trick to getting Windows Mobile to recognize handheld stylesheets is to capitalize the media attribute value for the screen stylesheet.”

Resources

• Responsive Design with CSS3 Media Queries by Nick La, 2011
• Media Queries for standard devices
• “Mobifying” Your HTML5 Site by Eric Bidelman – Developer Relations, Google, 2011
• MobiReady.com
• The 5-Minute CSS Mobile Makeover by Jeff Starr, 2009

Creating a stylesheet for IE

March 3, 2010 Design | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

Internet Explorer 6, 7, and 8 can often provide a different design than intended due to the lack of adherence to WC3 standards. To help make your web design look like it does in FireFox, Chrome, and Safari, try these options:

• Use IE-only hacks in an existing external style sheet.
• Use a conditional statement in the <head> section which calls embedded <style> definitions.
• Use a conditional statement in the <head> section which calls an external style sheet build just for IE: ie.css.

Resources

• How To Create an IE-Only Stylesheet by Chris Coyier 2010
• Conditional Comments, in-CSS Hacks, and Unrecommended Hacks 2010
• Internet Explorer and CSS Issues 2006

Monthly Painting Challenge
Creek Reflections

March 3, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Johnson Creek 6 Reflections, 8×8 oil on gessoboard

This month’s Painting Challenge is Winter Creek, a complicated landscape with confusing branches and subtle colors; one I find the hardest to paint.

I am still working with a transparent oil technique, this time on gesso rather than Claybord, so I’ve left the crimson underpainting showing through and exaggerated the color where I could.

This location is my favorite in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland.

Oh, for the love of color!

March 2, 2010 Exhibits | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

Etsy Treasury by Sara Montegue

One of my Canyon Dreams paintings has been included in an Etsy Treasury compiled by Sara Montague. See her lovely highlight of my work.

Sara is a collage artist and photographer who describes herself like this: Christian. graduate student. future psychotherapist. grammarian. woman. bibliophile. idealist. feminist. artist. thinker. feeler. loner. listener. learner. lover.

Molalla River Shore 3

February 27, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2009, Molalla River Shore 3, 8x8x1 on oil on clayboard

The transparent oil technique that I’ve been using the last couple of weeks took a new turn this morning with this painting on Gessobord (instead of my usual Claybord.

The topmost oilier layers push the bottommost layers to the side, creating thin dark edges. I like this style and will try it again next painting session.

Valley morning sunrise

February 26, 2010 Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Valley Morning 4, 8x8x1 on oil on clayboard

I had time to paint in spite of the very busy day!

Molalla River Shore 2

February 25, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2009, Mlallla River Shore 2, 8x8x1 on oil on clayboard

One of a series of the MolallaRiver at Canby. Look for 5 more coming soon.

Artist’s Night at the Mod Pod store

February 24, 2010 Exhibits | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

From 3:00pm to 7:00pm on Friday, Feb 26, the Mod Pod will be hosting Artist’s Night, which will feature local artists in the store, including me!

View my latest abstract works and various landscapes.

Valley morning memories turn to a color field

February 24, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

Fresh start at a new Valley Morning painting

Latest attempt to fix an evolving painting.

This mornings efforts to add more work to my Valley Morning series have gone haywire. Or you could say what was once a lovely abstract is now a color field painting. It will probably be something else tomorrow.

Who said, “There will be days like this.”

Valley Morning 2

February 23, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2009, Valley Morning 2, 8x8x1 on oil on clayboard

I’ve been trying to remember what the valley floor looked like in the morning light last weekend.
Since the ground was splattered with sections of flooded fields, some sky was being reflected, which you can sense here.

The mountains had a misty look to them and the foreground plants were subtle

Willamette Valley in the morning

February 21, 2010 Abstract and Non-objective, Daily Painting, Landscapes | Comments (0) | by Pam Van Londen

$64 © Pam Van Londen 2009, Valley Morning 1, 8x8x1 on oil on clayboard

Driving towards the Cascade Mts in the morning when the sun is shining is spectacular!

Even if the mountains are a ways away, the lighting brightens up the grasses of the valley floor and cools off the far peaks.

This painting is the first in a series of memories of our drive from Corvallis to Lebanon this morning.