Frequently Asked Questions
About the Paintings
- How closely do the images on the computer match the actual painting?
- What is the difference between image size and mat size?
- What is plein air painting and do you do it?
- Do you paint commissioned pieces?
About the Website
- Why is the picture somewhat blurry on my computer?
- Can I make prints or cards of a painting I buy from you?
- When do you update the website?
- I am interested in a painting that is no longer on the website. Where did it go?
- How do you choose which paintings to include in the archive?
- Who maintains the website?
Fairly closely, but it really depends on your monitor's resolution and the kind of computer you are using. They look very different on Macs than they do on PCs. I use a Mac in my studio, so I try to get the color to match the painting. Most of my paintings feature naturally bright, sunny skies with puffy clouds and feature some kind of water. I try to be as true to the original scene as possible with natural colors, so keep this in mind when viewing. If you're looking at a terrifying teal blue ocean, chances are pretty good it's a resolution issue!
Image size is the part of the painting you can see (inside the mat). Mat or frame size is the part of the painting and mat that actually fit inside the frame. This is the dimension you need when purchasing a frame.
Plein air painting is done in the great outdoors, on site. I have tried it, but find it too cumbersome for my liking (it involves a lot of extra work such as packing your gear, driving to the site, unpacking your gear, planning the painting, etc.). I prefer to paint in the studio from photographs (I have thousands of them on my computer). When the mood hits, I have to paint! Painting from photographs enables me to paint whenever the mood strikes without any thought to weather or location. I also do most of my painting upside down or sideways, and the photographs make this a bit easier than standing on my head.
Occasionally, but it really depends on the subject matter and whether or not I have taken the original photo and how well I "know" the subject. Some scenes are just not inspiring to me (even if I have taken the picture), which means the painting process is very difficult and the results may not be to my liking (or yours). I welcome suggestions of particular subjects or locations for future paintings, so please let me know what interests you.
I compress the digital images so they load quickly on your computer. This also prevents copyright infringement. If you are interested in seeing a better image of a painting, please email me and I will send you a larger, clearer image to view.
Definitely not. The paintings and all content on the website are copyright protected and the images belong to me. If you have a question about this, please contact me.
Immediately after a painting sells, when I have added new content, or if the current layout needs to be shaken up a bit. Here's a hint, the images on the home page slideshow usually change when the site has been updated. The site you're currently viewing is completely new!
Chances are that it is still available, but was removed to make room for new work. I like to rearrange paintings on the site so that they seem fresh and new. If you email me about a certain painting, I can tell you for sure.
I have one of your paintings in my collection, but I notice
it's not featured in the Painting Archive on the site. How do you choose which
paintings to include in the archive?
If the painting is not in the archive, chances are that I don't have a good digital image of it. Watercolors are really hard to photograph even with a great digital camera. I've been painting for a long time, so I don't have high quality images of much of my earlier work. This is a point of frustration for me, but I think the paintings currently in the archive represent the body of my work fairly well.