Palm on a biscuit, nautical art

Coconut Palm

How cool is that?  I tried waves on the shore at first, but the raised flower pattern on the sea-biscuit cried out to me, "Make a flower, or a plant, or something!"  It took a few tries to get it to look like a palm tree instead of a green flower, but it was worth the extra effort!

The sea-biscuit has an interesting texture, which I would like to explore the next time I create something on one of these.  It seems like it would make very nice seafoam and bubbles.  (See the painting below for the back of this sea-biscuit to see the texture. Click on the image to enlarge it.)  The prep for this was a little more involved: used bleach to clean it, and 3 coats of clear primer. 

~ One of a Kind Original Art

~ Acrylic Painting on a Sea-Biscuit

~ 5 1/2 x 4 1/2  inches

~ Painted and Sealed with Professional Materials

~ Front and Back are Painted and Sealed

~ Sold

Click here to see more

Back of sea-biscuit

 

Loved, reflections, seashore, plaque

"Loved"

Believe it or not, you are loved beyond measure by the Creator of the whole universe!  He wanted you, created you, and has good things planned for you. Seek Him, invite Him into your situations again and again, and ask Him for strength to get through the rough times.  He will fight for you!

I found this piece of wood at a thrift store.  Cleaned it up with alcohol and used a clear primer to prep it.  I wanted the wood grain to show through for the most part.  The reflections of the sunrise were a little challenging, but I like the way it turned out.

~ One of a Kind Original Art

~ Acrylic Painting on Wood

~ 5 1/2 x 12 inches

~ Rope Hanger on Back

~ Painted and Sealed with Professional Materials

~ Front and Back are Sealed

~ SOLD 

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Inhale - Exhale, mini, set, seashore

"Inhale/Exhale"

Sometimes you have to remember to just breathe!  Especially this time of year.  

Seems like the stress got overwhelming earlier this year.  I have slowed it down and told myself more than once, "It isn't even December yet!" 

Great gift idea:

~ Miniature Paintings: just 4x 4 inches each.

~ One of a Kind Original Art

~ Acrylic Paintings

~ Saw Hangers on the Backs

~ Painted and Sealed with Professional Materials

~ $55.00 for the Set 

~ Free Shipping in the US

Click here to see more

Email me for availability: Fawn@fawnsartstudio.com 

 

Thankful, shore line

"Thankful"

I wanted the word 'thankful' to feel like a whisper, so I glazed over it to soften the dark bold color of the letters, but I didn't want it to completely disappear, so I put less waves and sand over the letters.  I liked the effect, so I left it alone and didn't add too many details. 

Original art on cradled wood

Acrylic

11 x 5 x 1.5 inches

Sealed with clear semi-gloss sealer

SOLD

Click here to see more

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Seahorses, mixed media, starfish and shells

"Seahorses"

This is a fun little piece.  I inverted a deep cradled board (wood block) and used the outer edge as a frame.  I painted all sides, including the back.

The seahorses and the white starfish are resin. My friend, Carol Jones, made them for me. You can find her art at: https://www.facebook.com/CarolsTreasuresFromTheSea/  

They are perfect for mixed media!  I added shells that Carol and I found together.  The tiny starfish are real.  I also added some beads and pearls for that extra sparkle. 

Mixed Media

6 x 6 x 1.75  inches 

$45.00 plus shipping

Sealed with a clear permanent sealer for protection.

Click here to see more

 

Rough Shore, sand dunes, waves, mixed media

"Rough Shore"

"...in this world you will have trouble... Take heart,

 I have overcome the world!" 

 (Jesus) John 16:33

 Learned how hard it is to undo things that have been adhered to with acrylic modeling paste while I was working on this painting (off and on for the last couple of years)!  It certainly is difficult to change my mind once it has dried.  (This was one of my early experiments with mixed media.)

 I started it just before I closed my gallery and teaching center because of the pandemic.  Worked on it several times, but I struggled to resolve the texture issues that are left behind when you remove items that aren't working.

I wanted to contrast smooth areas (created with a brush) with thick areas (built up with a palette knife).  I was after the effect of waves crashing against rocks near the shore.  This proved to be quite a mess at first.  Needed to resolve texture issues and correct the size and placement of waves coming onto the shore. Finally found the effect I was after.

Then I got to have some fun! Added sea glass, beads, shells, and aquarium stones. Rearranged them several times before deciding on exactly where to place them.

I framed it in this lovely textured frame, which complements the whole effect I was trying for.  

• Original Art
• Mixed media on hardboard
• Professional materials
• 11 x 14 inches
• Textured custom frame (see below)
• SOLD

Email me if you are interested in something similar! Custom orders are priced by size.

fawn@fawnsartstudio.com

Click here to see more

Thanks for looking!

 

To and Fro, beach, crabs, waves

 "To and Fro"

Palette knife painting on a small wooden plank.  This was actually a failed attempt at transparent layers of water rushing up over the sand.  The wood grain was perfect for the sand and made interesting patterns that I wanted to exaggerate.  But the wood its self was damaged in a quite a few places and the thin layers of paint exaggerated the odd scars in the wood, which went in the opposite direction of what I was trying to achieve.

So I squished out large blobs of paint and took my palette knife and covered the scarred wood with wonderful mixtures and textures!  I added some pearlescent paint in the water and two little crabs running back and forth on the beach, which made me laugh.  Good memories.

About this painting:

Acrylic knife painting

(mixed media)

Wood support, wired and ready to hang

12 x 5.5 inches

SOLD

Click here to see more

Thanks for looking!

Sandy Daze, beach, shells, sand dollar, mixed media

"Sandy Daze"

Here is a free art lesson:

I cleaned and sealed this unusually large sand dollar, which was bleached white, before adding color to it.  I used very thin glazes of paint to get subtle value changes.  I would add color and rub it off, leaving a soft stain behind.  This made the flower shape stand out, which is what I wanted.

Next, I tried it in a wooden tray, a shadow box and on a regular canvas.  But I wanted some kind of wood support to give it more protection, without it being so deep.   This inverted cradled wood really set it off!  I liked the way I could use the edges as a frame too.  It was the perfect depth to show off the sand dollar and still give it some protection.  I primed the wood surface and then created the sandy colors for the beach.  I used professional grade acrylic modeling paste (which doesn't crack or loose its hold as easily as student grade) to adhere the sand dollar and build up thick areas of sand at the bottom.  (I added some sand color to the modeling paste before using it.) The shells in the sand gave it more balance and interest.

Painting transparent glazes (thinned paint with acrylic matte medium) for the water gave the illusion of the sand dollar being in the water instead of on top of it.  Then I used gel medium to adhere beads and create some texture for the splash.  (The texture is rendered with a palette knife by tapping gently onto the thick gel medium.)

  I used a paint brush and more opaque paint as I moved away from the sand dollar.   I love the sandy areas in the water, and put some of those back in when they disappeared. Using small detail brushes for extra shadows under the splash and under some of the shells gives it more depth.  Then small liner brushes are nice for extra details and lacey lines of seafoam. Had fun adding some pearlescent paint for extra shimmer in the water (as well as on some of the small shells at the bottom).

I painted the back and then the edges of the frame before using matte gel medium to adhere the shells to the corners.  Then I sealed the whole piece with two coats of an acrylic semi-gloss clear medium and varnish.

 I use professional-grade acrylic colors and mediums also because they have more intense hues and are thicker in viscosity. 

Feel free to email me with questions if you want to try to create a mixed-media piece of your own! 

fawn@fawnsartstudio.com

About this painting:

Mixed Media on Cradled Wood

10 x 10 x 3/4 inches

$270.00 plus shipping

Click here to see more original art

Click here for another free lesson

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Be Still, wood plaque

 

This was a little plaque I found with the words already on it.  It was plain white with a bit of wood grain showing.  I cleaned and primed the surface before I painted over it in thin layers.  I added the letters back onto it where they had almost disappeared.  I used a matte medium to make the glazed colors so they would be transparent.  This glazing technique adds a nice luster and depth to the painting, and it also ensures that the integrity of the paint is not jeopardized.  Then I used a semi-gloss sealer over the whole thing to give it a uniform shine and to protect the painting.

I generally do not like words in my art, but this was simple and the words didn't overpower the painting.  It really spoke to me.  There is always a refreshing of the soul when I  go to the beach. (I also like the nice twist of creating my art over the words.) I will most likely do a few more of these and see how it goes.

Enjoy!

Be Still

Acrylic on cradled wood

10.75 x 5 x 1.5 

SOLD

Morning Splash, beach, seascape, watercolor

 

"Morning Splash"

I painted three of these (three tries), each a little different. (See below for how I tried to fix the sand on the first one.)  I was practicing different ideas for the sand and ended up liking the use of a tooth brush over a fan brush because the grain of the sand turned out smaller and a little easier to control. 

Watercolors are a little more difficult for me because mistakes are harder to correct.  With acrylics, I can paint over things and change my mind as often as I want.  I usually start over with watercolors if it does not capture my intended effect.  In this series, I did salvage the two that I was not as happy with, and I ended up with three nice paintings.  The one featured below has a little more depth with the extra sand dune.

Watercolor on acid-free paper

11 x 14 (including the mat)

Ready to frame (should be framed behind glass)

$175.00 (free shipping in the US)

Please email me at: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com for availability, thank you!

A note about framing: Artwork on paper should be framed behind glass with a mat around it to keep it off of the glass and protect it.  This includes photographs and prints on paper.  Those on canvas or wood should not be framed behind glass.  Original oils and acrylics are usually done on canvas or wood and need to breathe.  If artwork or photograph is done on paper or mat board it should be framed behind glass with a mat to keep the image off of the glass. (Glass can trap moisture and ruin the image.) 

Thanks for stopping by!

Click here to see more

"Morning Treasure"

watercolor

11 x 14inches (including mat)

Email me at: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com for more information.

Transparent Shore, small wave

"Transparent Shore"

Just finished this one! It is a take off from "Invitational" (see below), but this is much smaller.  Also, I experimented with painting it on a royal blue mat.  I primed the matboard with a clear primer so I could use the deep blue for some of the shadows.  I used the acrylic paint in glazes to get some interesting layers of colors. Then I used the paint thicker for a more opaque and solid effect in the sand area.  I added the foam and splash last to give it more movement and contrast.  I sealed the whole painting with professional grade semi-gloss acrylic sealer.

This small painting took longer than most, but I enjoyed it immensely!

Acrylic on mat board

Ready to frame (should be framed behind glass)

8 x 10 inches (including mat)

$125.00 (Free shipping in the US)

or bid at a lower price by clicking here

Please email me at fawn@fawnsartstudio.com for availability, thank you!

Click here to see more

A note about framing: Artwork on paper should be framed behind glass with a mat around it to keep it off of the glass and protect it.  This includes photographs and prints on paper.  Artwork on canvas or wood should not be framed behind glass.  Original oils and acrylics are usually done on canvas or wood and need to breath.  If they are done on paper or matboard they should be framed behind glass with a mat to keep them off of the glass. (Glass can trap moisture and ruin the artwork.) 

Thanks for stopping by!

"Invitational" © 2020

12 x 24 inches

Acrylic on canvas

SOLD

 

Crashing Waves, shore line, mixed media knife painting

"Crashing Waves"

I love these transparent waves! This was originally a knife painting, then I got carried away with extra thick gesso and gel medium for the texture in the splash.  After that I added some beads and clear aquarium stones for extra bling.  I put it in a custom wood frame with a gold lip.  The frame really sets it off (see below).

9 x 12 inches

Original mixed media

Custom wood frame

$190.00

Click here to see more 

Email me: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com  for availability or for information about having your own custom painting created! (Animal portraits, kids with pets or livestock, homesteads, vistas, inspirational art, etc... )  
Price list by size.

 

Star of the Sea, shore line, mixed media

 "Star of the Sea"

© Fawn McNeill 2020

Absolutely love this piece!  A little harder to put together, but well worth the extra effort!  I painted the outside edges and the back of the tray.   I also added a wire on the back if someone wanted to hang it on a wall instead of setting it on a shelf or table.  

Most of the objects were found at the beach, except the starfish. I found it at Walmart, all bleached white.  I painted it the colors I wanted.  Before adding it to the tray, I used a painting knife with gel medium to build up interesting textures in the sand and the water.  Then I added different shades of colors to get the textures to show up better.

Enjoy!

Exclusive Art

Original Handcrafted

Mixed Media

8.5 x 11 x 2.5 inches

$225.00 plus shipping

See it on YouTube

Click here to see more 

Email me: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com  for availability.

Along the Boardwalk, seascape, mixed media

 "Along the Boardwalk" © 2019

9x12 inches Mixed Media

Acrylic on canvas

SOLD

Last year I reworked this painting from a few years ago. The sea-grapes definitely needed some attention.  I enhanced the shadows and added more detail to the boardwalk and the sandy path.   I couldn't wait to add some charms and beads in the flowers! I camouflaged them well, so they are not noticeable until you see them at an angle.  It catches the light and then you want to look for others.  I also added a few shells.  I love the way it turned out!

I made a custom frame in rustic wood, which complements the boardwalk perfectly.  (See below).

I would love to create a painting for you!

I am accepting orders for custom paintings for another week.  If you want something before Christmas we need to get started!  I will need more than a month for large paintings.  

Click here to see more

Email me: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com  for information about having your own custom painting created! (Animal portraits, kids with pets or livestock, homesteads, vistas, inspirational art, etc... )  
Price list by size.

 

Mama's Baby, manatees

"Mama's Baby"

© Fawn McNeill 2011

Many layers of colors were used to get this cool effect under the water. Thoroughly enjoyed myself!

I drew the sketches on paper first (free-hand) Then drew my final choice onto the canvas, I used the paint thin and transparent for the first few layers. Matte medium is a great way to thin the paint without jeopardizing the integrity of the paint.

This painting was created as a custom order. I am currently accepting orders. Can work from your photos, prices are by size. 

Media: acrylic on hardboard
Size: 11 in X 14 in (27.9 cm X 35.6 cm)
Sorry, the original is not available.

Prints may be available.

Email me for info: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com

Click here to see more 

Click here to read what customers say about my work.

Thanks for stopping by!

Drifting, shoreline driftwood, Daily Painting by Fawn

"Drifting"

I love driftwood. It reminds me of my grandmother who collected it for her flower gardens. I painted this from some photos I took last year. I like the movement.

The mat board adds a nice texture to the water, so I used that to exaggerate the broken light on the water.

I tried to keep it loose and impressionistic, which is difficult for me.  Usually, I end up overworking a painting and adding too much detail. 

Thanks for looking!

Original Art

Acrylic on Acid-free Mat Board

Image size: 5 x 7 inches

Ready to frame

$85.00 (includes shipping)

Email me for availability: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com

Click here to see more

Click here for framing information

Related Posts:

 Water Daze

Enchanted Morning

Splash Down, East Coast Beach

"Splash Down"

When I was at the beach, a couple of weeks ago, the foam and splash came up past my knees! What a wonderful morning.  

The wind and salt air took me back to my teen years when I lived in the Pacific Islands. We spent every event on the beach, in Hawaii, and in Guam. I enjoyed reliving the memories in this painting. 

Now I live inland- in the center of Florida. It is about an hour's drive from my house to the coast.  I haven't had such a great time there in a few months. The weather, the lighting, and the inspiration - well, it was just perfect.

~ Exclusive art

~ Original Acrylic on Hardboard

~ 9 x 12 inches

~ Unique custom frame (see below)

~ $375.00

Click here to see more

Email me: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com  for availability or information about having your own custom painting created! (Animal portraits, kids with pets or livestock, homesteads, inspirational art, etc... )   Price list by size.

Inlet Park Too, Florida Plein Air, Alla Prima, Beach

"Inlet Park Too"

This is the second one I did yesterday. I may add birds to it, but I kind of like it as is. A large osprey showed up and caught a very large fish in front of me. He could not get out of the water and struggled for sometime near the shore. Then he let the fish go and flew off. Very exciting!

8 x 10 inches

Acrylic on hardboard

$375.00 (free shipping in USA)

Elaborate custom frame, see below

Please email me at: fawn@fawnsartstudio.com for availability, thank you!

Click here to see more

Rocks and Waves, Impressionism, Daily Painting, Seascape

"Rocks and Waves"

Size: 9 x 12 inches
Medium: Acrylic on hardboard

$550.00

Framed

Just playing with thick paint and contrast again. Warm colors against the cool colors, and splashing water against the hard rocks. I love the abstract patterns it creates.

Thanks for looking!