Oscar Arroyo

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

"In The Alley Behind April Flowers"
oil on board
12 x 24

I was driving around looking for subjects. I saw the garbage bin and it's shadow in the distance, immediately i knew i had to capture it. As i got close to it, the building it was behind of was glowing a bright orange and pink as it cast it's own shadow over the alley. I was hooked, i couldn't believe what i was looking at, it all made such a wonderful scene. It was perfect.

The dumpster was the bait that got me to go towards it, and catch the incredible sight of the alley behind the April Flowers store.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

"An Evening On Nan St."
oil on board
18 x 24

I was helping my brother move. It was either a Saturday or Sunday, we were moving stuff the entire weekend. On one of the last trips to the new house with a packed truck, tired and blank in the head, i got off the truck, looked up and saw this spectacular sight.

Wow! was the first thought that entered my mind, followed by a peaceful and serene feeling.

Scenes like this are very typical this time of year, and all one has to do to see them, is step outside, and look up at the right moment.

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this painting, along with many more to follow, will be part of a solo show at Pico Rivera Centre for the Arts, on November 19 2011, from 6pm to 8pm.

Pico Rivera Centre for the Arts
9200 Mines Ave.
Pico Rivera, CA 90660

show runs from Nov 19 2011 to Jan 14 2011

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Roach
oil on panel
6 x 8

(no roaches were harmed while making this painting...it was already dead when i found it)

Found: Failed Dream
oil on board
8 x 8

this is the first in a series of paintings of objects I find while out in the streets.
...
I found this lotto scratcher while out on my bike one day.

This piece of paper was very valuable to someone. So much hope was put into it, until it failed to make dreams come true, then it was torn and tossed away with anger. $2 down the drain.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

"This Was Once A Tree"
oil on board
9 x 12

The power went out in my neighborhood the other day. I figured that since all of my electronics that usually serve the purpose of distracting me were now useless, I'd set up my easel outside and paint en plein air.

As a subject, i chose the one responsible for not delivering said electronic devices their power, this giant pole that was once a tree, now burdened with the task helping our power cables make their way around our world, one of thousands, if not millions, that dot our landscape and have become part of the many modern things that we completely ignore.

I drew my composition with raw umber, and begun painting the sky in when i had to somewhere so i couldn't continue. The next night i was looking at the progress I had made, and decided on working on the painting from memory.

It came out great, thanks to my initial lay in during the composition part, i had enough information on the board to be able to comfortably continue with not much of a problem as to the details, the colors i took a liberty with and simply remembered what they looked like. No strenuous thought as to remember the exact colors, i just used the first impression that came to mind.

Friday, July 22, 2011

"Galkyd in a jar that i can no longer open"
oil on canvas panel
6 x 8

I bought Galkyd medium. I wanted to try it out.

It claimed to dry oil paint quickly, so a finished painting would be touch dry within a few hours instead of days.

The plastic bottle the liquid came in wasn't to my liking so I poured it into this small jar. I didn't use the Galkyd that day, or the next. Weeks turned into months, and I remembered that I hadn't tried out the Glakyd. I went to open the little jar and it was sealed shut, now i can't open it!! It's in there for ever.

Oh well, I don't mind waiting for the paint to dry anyways.

Monday, June 13, 2011

yellow ochre & cobalt blue

I am adding Yellow Ochre, and Cobalt Blue to my palette.
I had been thinking of adding a cool yellow for a while now, I even had a tube of Yellow Ochre, but never used it. Since I was going to add a color to my palette, I figured replacing one that wasn't to my liking wouldn't be a bad idea either, so good bye Ultramarine, hello Cobalt Blue.

Ultramarine never grew on me, there's something about its hue that I have never really liked. Cobalt Blue has a nice cool glow to it that goes quite well next to Cerulean.

Before I begin using a color, I like to find out what the capabilities of it are, and how it will react with the rest of my colors.

I got the idea for the color charts from a Richard Schmid book. Now, I don't remember his approach to the color charts, or any of that, all I remember is seeing the color charts, and that is all that is necessary.

I drew a grid on each of my canvases consisting of 8 squares across, and 9 vertical.

I also drew in a lone square at the top, for the color the chart will be about. Each of the squares across the top represents a color from my palette.

The vertical columns under each palette color represent that particular color mixed with the new color, as well as with the rest of colors. In the example above, Ultramarine, is mixed half with Yellow Ochre, followed by 1/3 Ultramarine mixed with 1/3 Yellow Ochre, and 1/3 Cerulean, and so on. Repeating the process for each color.

Resulting in this:

I really liked Yellow Ochre. The earth tones that came from it are amazing. Lots of dark greens, browns, and reds, as well as several light and medium brown/orange colors, great pastel colors with Titanium White.

Cobalt Blue had some incredible results as well, Lots of varying greens, browns, grays, and some surprising pastel colors, as was the case when mixed with Quinacridone and Titanium White, or with Cerulean and Titanium White.

I highly recommend the color chart exercise to every painter out there. Get to know your colors, know their capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Though these particular charts do not get to the full capabilities of the colors, it is enough information to work off of, and you will always have it to go back to and study.

My palette now consists of a warm and cool Blue, a warm and cool Brown, a warm and cool Red, a warm and cool Yellow, and Titanium White. Harmony at its best.