Leaves

My initial paintings may be described as realistic. But I am keen to experiment with different styles. Some artists may think this is a disadvantage since artists are often identified by their styles, like it's a brand. I am making up for this by using baybayin as a focal point of the painting. Style is secondary but the painting must be appealing. In my latest work featuring leaves, the painting is more abstract. As in my previous work, 'Makina', I wanted to get more colors and elements on the canvas.

Dahon, 9" x 12" Oil on Canvas

Thickness of Oil Paint

I had a chance to visit the Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo last Saturday. As I go through the works of many famous Filipino painters, I was looking closely at the thickness of the brush strokes. Too close, in fact, that a resident artist cum tour guide noticed me, "You are an artist, aren't you?" I still am not sure of the right thickness for an oil painting. I tend to vacillate between getting it too thick or too thin. When I was starting out, I did a really large painting of Pacquiao using an impasto technique. The paint was so thick that I consumed a lot of paint. It was expensive.

Ang Kampeon (2010), 30" x 40" Oil on Canvas

In another painting, a commissioned portrait of then Imus Bishop Chito Tagle (He is now Archbishop of Manila and soon to be a Cardinal), the thickness was thin. The white canvas seems to be showing in some areas. But still, I achieved the effect that I wanted.

 Bishop Chito Tagle (2010), Oil on Canvas

Maybe, the thickness doesn't matter as long as one gets the desired visual result.

Something green

I wanted to make a painting filled with green color. After thinking of leaves, vegetables and gardens, I settled to paint a green landscape with a tree trunk at the middle. Why a tree trunk? Because, you can carve images on them including baybayin characters. My wife suggested having a heart on the trunk with our initials. Nah...too personal and cheesy (in Filipino, this word connotes something awkwardly romantic). I ended up placing the equivalent of "I love you" - mahal (heart shape) kita (in baybayin).

Mahal Kita, 10" x 14" Oil on Canvas

The missus naturally loved it. Yeah ... it's still too cheesy.  Anyway, one can use it for a special someone or for a campaign to save or to plant more trees.

Still Life

Most of my paintings have a dark background. My wife wanted to see a subject with a brighter color, so I painted a pineapple. It's not something I'm used to paint, but it turned out well.

Pinya, "9 x 12" Oil on Canvas