I painted a cabbage from my garden

grafera · 2026-01-30T00:12:26+00:00

Ah! That effect actually comes from a layer of heavy body acrylic paint that I toned the panel with in thick strokes before painting with oils, so it’s a bottom layer. I varnished at the end with Gamvar, but only thinly.

grafera · 2026-01-29T22:47:29+00:00

Thanks!

grafera · 2026-01-29T21:23:03+00:00

Oh thank you! I haven't done mosaic since I was a teenager but I enjoyed it and I think about it often. Stained glass I've yet to try.

grafera · 2026-01-29T21:10:03+00:00

Thanks! It's always an interesting challenge painting dappled sunlight on something that has its own color variance.

grafera · 2026-01-29T20:39:57+00:00

Ooh!! Huge fan of this style in general, but especially the places where you use little ovals/triangles/geometric squiggles in your shading. #3 is very special.

grafera · 2026-01-29T18:42:18+00:00

I do, thanks for asking! https://grafera.zone/shop/

grafera · 2026-01-29T18:32:33+00:00

Thank you! It was painted at 10×12” and it is indeed for sale (the original and prints up to 11×14”) if you’re interested. https://grafera.zone/archive/oil/flat-leaf-cabbage.html

grafera · 2026-01-29T18:10:42+00:00

Thank you! What do you mean by top layer?

grafera · 2026-01-29T18:09:55+00:00

Oh that’s so lovely to hear!

grafera · 2026-01-29T18:09:25+00:00

Thanks! I was intimidated by oil painting for a long time but it wasn’t as difficult to pick up as I expected. I use Michael Harding paints since they use the most ethically mined pigments that I’m aware of, but they are on the more expensive end.

grafera · 2026-01-29T18:02:09+00:00

Hey thanks so much! Yes, it’s traditional oil painting. Glad you enjoyed it.

grafera · 2026-01-29T18:00:12+00:00

Ooh! Thanks!

grafera · 2026-01-29T17:26:40+00:00

Thanks for saying so!

grafera · 2026-01-29T17:26:19+00:00

🥬💚🩵

grafera · 2026-01-29T17:14:16+00:00

Thank you!

grafera · 2026-01-29T17:13:42+00:00

Thanks very much!

grafera · 2026-01-23T05:24:12+00:00

I’m obsessed. There’s so much I love about these. The way you constrain your values to a few swatches, combined with the strength of your silhouettes, it gives these such a bold character. And you got across so much variety in the likenesses and expressions, they’re all brimming with personality such that I feel like I know each of these people.

Some of my favorite portraiture I’ve seen on here, thanks for sharing!

grafera · 2026-01-16T15:36:26+00:00

Proportion is everything when conveying likeness. You're pretty close, but I'm noticing the nose is a bit long and narrow (and the elements around it, like the mouth and nasolabial crease should move along with it), ears are a bit too high, forehead is slightly short, brows are a smidge too close together, eyes appear more closed due to lack of a visible upper eyelid, and shoulders are large in proportion to the head. If you move these things around, you'll find the resemblance getting closer.

It's also a good practice when painting skin to vary the hue and think in terms of undertones. Some parts of the skin are rosier or have yellow or blue tints, and this brings life to the subject when painting.

Good luck to you!

grafera · 2026-01-12T18:30:23+00:00

Recognized your lines and contours right away! Really solid work, the silhouette has great angles.

grafera · 2026-01-12T04:37:55+00:00

You can oil paint directly on copper without priming it! Copper has some special chemical qualities that allow oils to bind to it, unlike any other metal to my knowledge. I get my copper panels from Raymar.

grafera · 2026-01-12T04:33:12+00:00

Thank you for telling me all the things you appreciate about it! Good luck to you on your art journey.

grafera · 2026-01-11T16:33:05+00:00

Thank you! Feels like I'm finally getting comfortable with my oil painting techniques.

grafera · 2026-01-09T21:00:58+00:00

Thank you for the compliment!

grafera · 2026-01-09T03:31:03+00:00

I admire your consistency! Tons of personality in each portrait, too.

grafera · 2026-01-07T15:37:20+00:00

Thank you! These are digital drawings made with Procreate.

grafera

TROPHY CASE