oil paints Archives - Peony and Parakeet

Art On the Wall – Displaying Canvas Paintings

Posted on October 25, 2024Posted in Home Decor, Organizing & TimeTagged acrylic paints, canvas, oil paints12 Comments

Our home is full of art. Almost all my canvas paintings are displayed on the walls. The arrangements change when old ones are sold and new ones are born. In this blog post, I show some of the paintings and how they are displayed at the moment.

Displaying canvas paintings. Art by Paivi Eerola, Finland.

When using stretched canvases, framing is not necessary. I hope this inspires you to create some canvas art. Check out my acrylic painting course Floral Freedom and see more of my paintings at paivieerola.com/gallery!

In the Gallery Corner

Kultakätkö - Gold Cache, oil on canvas, 2023, by Paivi Eerola, Finland. — Kultakätkö – Gold Cache, oil on canvas, 2023

Our library room is on the darker side of our house, but I think that the lack of daylight and a heavy atmosphere goes well with the books and nostalgic-style paintings.

Art in a library room. Paintings by Paivi Eerola.

Displaying different sizes of canvas paintings on the same wall looks great but needs planning. I made a plan in Photoshop first, and then we hung them all at once.

Above the Aquarium

Ohimenevää tämäkin - This Too Shall Pass, oil on canvas, 2021, by Päivi Eerola — Ohimenevää tämäkin – This Too Shall Pass, oil on canvas, 2021

People often say that all my canvas paintings express the underwater world. That hasn’t been intentional because I am actually afraid of deep waters. But my husband has had aquariums for decades, and they must have affected my art.

Art above aquarium. Oil paintings by Paivi Eerola.

The painting continues the aquarium view. And it was not planned at all!

Best Lit

Saalistajan maailma - Predator's World, oil on canvas, 2024, by Paivi Eerola. — Saalistajan maailma – Predator’s World, oil on canvas, 2024

Our dining area has special lighting for a big painting – LED strips in two directions that have adjustable color and intensity.

Setting lighting for art. Led strips. Oil painting by Paivi Eerola, Finland.

The colors of any painting are highly affected by the amount and color of light.

When I Wake Up

Yön kuningatar - Queen of the Night, oil on canvas, 2022, by Paivi Eerola, Finland. — Yön kuningatar – Queen of the Night, oil on canvas, 2022

The bedroom is our darkest room, but every morning when I wake up, I look at the wall that is filled with my paintings.

Displaying framed cross-stitch pieces and canvas paintings side by side.

There is also a collection of my cross-stitch projects. Stitching is just a hobby but I like the combination.

In the Hallway Gallery

Lumikin maa - Snowwhite's Land, acrylic on canvas, 2021, by Paivi Eerola, Finland. — Lumikin maa – Snowwhite’s Land, acrylic on canvas, 2021

I love our yellow hallway and how the color unifies a mixed collection of paintings. Displaying canvas paintings can be this easy!

Displaying canvas paintings on a hallway. Artist's home.

This narrow hallway was super boring before we painted it and added art on the walls.

Entrance Art

Vanitas, oil on canvas, by Paivi Eerola, 2021. — Vanitas, oil on canvas, 2021

Our house has a space right after the entrance where I often change a painting to one that feels current. I also decorate the top of the sideboard cabinet that’s under the painting. Now it’s time for some darker art.

Displaying a canvas painting on Halloween

Happy Halloween!

Painting a Childhood Dream

Posted on August 29, 2024August 29, 2024Posted in Abstracts, Animals, Big ProjectsTagged canvas, oil paints4 Comments

A childhood dream came true when I finally made a painting with my favorite subject.

Saalistajan maailma - Predator's World, oil on canvas, by Paivi Eerola, Finland — Saalistajan maailma – Predator’s World, oil on canvas, 100 x 80 cm

I’ve always wanted to paint mammalians, but reaching this point has taken a long time. The best must be protected before it comes out exactly as it is meant to be!

“Predators, Right?”

Oil painting in progress. — The enjoyable beginning.

In July, I picked a brush, and said to myself: “Predators, right?”

As a child, my friends talked mostly about horses, but I was a lion girl. I drew a lot of lions and antelopes: predators and prey. I had learned from nature books that the world works that way.

When I went to school, my parents bought a black and white television. Back then, my favorite profession was lion tamer. I wanted to be the new Joy Adamson!

“Paint What You Want!”

It is easy for a child to draw what she wants, but an adult is more critical.

Painting a childhood's dream. A detail of an oil painting called Predator's World. By Paivi Eerola, Finland.

After seeing life and understanding all its complexity, prey and predator are no longer separate, but part of a whole.

And to get hold of the whole, we have to get in touch with our inner self and grow our skills.

A detail of an oil painting called Predator's World. By Paivi Eerola, Finland.

Art is like a meadow that grows seed by seed.

Love and sunshine are needed!

I try to speak softly to myself when I paint. Like it would be a child who paints, not an adult. I hope this friendliness also comes through in my classes!

Your Childhood Dream?

Painting big and detailed takes not only friendly self-talk but also patience. That’s why I like to practice with smaller drawings.
Big or small – we are on this journey together!

Painting a chilhood's dream. Predator's World, oil on canvas, by Paivi Eerola, Finland

What was your childhood dream? What subjects did you draw as a child?

Four Art Mediums – Four Projects in Progress

Posted on August 8, 2024August 8, 2024Posted in Abstracts, Animals, Big Projects, Crafts, Digital, Flowers & PlantsTagged canvas, embroidery floss, oil paints, software, watercolor pencils8 Comments

Many Mediums – Many Versions of Style

I am not overly excited about the word “focus.” I have one artistic vision, but I don’t limit art mediums much. I think my style is evident in whatever I do. This year I have allowed myself to stretch even further than before, and embrace the challenges that different art mediums bring to me.

Cross Stitching – A Cat in Progress

Do you remember this cat from the course Magical Inkdom? In April, I asked what drawing should be my next cross-stitch design, and you voted for the cat.

A cat drawing for the course Magical Inkdom. By Paivi Eerola of Peony and Parakeet.

I have now made a design based on the drawing. To make sure that there are no errors in the chart, I have been stitching it myself first, going through every detail. The stitched piece is nearly finished as you can see in the picture!

Cross Stitch cat design by Paivi Eerola.

While stitching, I came up with the idea of including different colored versions of the cat to the final instructions. Maybe a black cat at least. What do you think?

I hope to get the chart for sale before December. This is a project I have been working on in the evenings.

Oil Painting – A Big Painting in Progress

My main medium – oils – were on a break for a few months so it was really nice to get a new painting started in July.

Paivi Eerola and her oil painting in progress.

I work slowly from one layer to another, letting the painting dry between the sessions. Here’s where I am now.

Paivi Eerola and her painting in progress.

In the photo above, I am wearing a patchwork skirt sewed from the fabrics that I designed many years ago. The motifs are based on my drawings and knits.

I have still quite a lot of work to do with the painting. I hope to get it finished in October.

Digital Art – A Virtual Artwork in Progress

Transferring my painting style to digital three-dimensional modelshas been a year-long project. Watch this video to see what I made last spring for the project. The project is now coming to an end in September. I still have some things to adjust and add, but most of the things have been done.

A snapshot from Unity game engine scene view- creating an artwork for virtual reality. By Paivi Eerola.

Sadly, the photos are nowhere near the overall experience that can be watched with VR glasses.

Using VR glasses to experience digital art in 3D.

There’s a lot of movement. but also interaction: a user can move around, open a flower, create new objects etc.

Virtual reality artwork in progress. Using digital 3D modeling for creating art. By Paivi Eerola. — Click for a bigger photo!

Still images are not the same as seeing everything in moving 3D, but at least you get a glimpse of the atmosphere. I will make a separate video in September where I will share more of this project.

Watercolor Pencils – A New Course in Progress!

I am super-excited to announce that a new course will begin in September 16, and the registration will open next week! The course is called Joyful Coloring, and it’s about using watercolor pencils for colorful happy art.

Sneak peek to the course Joyful Coloring.

More about the course next week. I hope you will join!

Using White as a Color in Painting and Drawing

Posted on April 25, 2024April 25, 2024Posted in Color, Doodling, Finishing, Flowers & PlantsTagged canvas, gel pens, oil paints4 Comments

In this post, we explore the color white and find ideas on how we could change the way we use it in art-making.

Käännekohta - Turning Point, oil on canvas, 50 x 61 cm, by Paivi Eerola, Finland. — Käännekohta – Turning Point, oil on canvas, 50 x 61 cm.

I posted this painting about a month ago, but I still had to fix it! You might not notice the difference, but it matters to me. I have changed the center of the painting so that it is more abstract.

Painting over details with a thin brush.

A long time ago I thought that it doesn’t matter if I don’t like some detail of my work or if I don’t like some of my work in general. I thought there would always be someone who would like it.

But the longer I’ve been painting, the more important it has become that I have to be a fan of my own work. When you are a beginner, quantity is more important than quality. But I’ve been working for a long time and the equation has thus turned the other way.

Before and after - fixing a white painting. — Before and after. I changed the center and some other details.

I know some would prefer the more realistic flowers, but I don’t! I have too much reality around me, especially now when the weather has been too cold to be spring.

Living in a White Country

This painting is also special because it has so much color that is difficult for me – white! There is far too much white here in Finland. Even if now is the end of April, we got a lot of snow a couple of days ago!

Spring in Finland - snowing can still happen.

I think white is a terrible color because it is full of emptiness.

Artist Paivi Eerola and her oil paintings.

Finnish people usually have white walls and white furniture, but our home is full of colors. I love to display my paintings on this yellow wall.

Not One White But Many Whites

In the recent painting, I wanted to play with pastels and show the side of white that is often not talked about.

A detail of a white oil painting by Paivi Eerola. Many whites and pastel shades in one painting.

For an artist, there is not just one white. There is a warm white that holds the promise of the sun. There is a purple-toned white that falls in love when it sees a deep cold red. There is a white that allures you with a hint of sweet mint. So, many whites, not just one Finnish white!

It’s exciting to mix various whites and then see how the pastel colors slowly begin to appear. You need a lot of white and just a little bit of color to get the toned whites and pale pastels.

Titanium or Zinc White?

The most common white in paint tubes are Titanium White and Zinc White. In oils, you have to be careful with zinc white because it can cause crackles. I mostly use only Titanium White. I would love to use Zinc White because it’s more transparent. In this painting, I have tried my best to bring the soft transparent effects mostly with Titanium White, but it’s not easy!

Vapauden puolesta - For Liberty, oil on board, 45 x 45 cm. By Päivi Eerola, Finland. — Vapauden puolesta – For Liberty, oil on board, 45 x 45 cm.

In acrylics and gouache paints, you can use Zinc White more freely.

When White is Not Needed

Beginners think that adding white on top can fix everything. Ten years ago, I was madly doodling with a white gel pen. What went wrong, got covered with white circles. But white also can make the piece busy and destroy depth. Here’s a quick example of the small collage piece that I made in 2014 (here’s the old blog post with the video too). The first is the old piece and the second is a photoshopped version showing how I would fix it now.

A collage piece that lacks depth and has too much white and a demonstration of how it could be fixed.

When I tone down the white, the image gets clearer and the depth grows. The highlights in the central parts get more attention and it’s easier to know where to look. I wish someone would have pointed this out to me back then. It took a lot of time to realize this!

If White Were a Person …

I am pretty sure that if White were a person she would say: “I have much more potential than you think. Stop seeing me as a blank background or a quick fix to a piece that lacks contrasts!”

What’s your relationship with White?

Color the Emotion

Tag: oil paints