Something Fishy Is Going On Here.

 "The Fish Market"

By James Swanson/ Traveler Linda Hanlon

16"x 20" oil on canvas

Here's the journey of this painting and learn more about it below.


Something fishy is always going on here, it's the Seattle Public market or better known as 
Pikes place.

Pike's Place in Seattle

 Old friend and Traveler Linda was there showing some out of town guests around and took a few photos of the place for me.

All photo's are from Linda's album

What Seattle is known for these days.

Traveler Linda's travel story: 

One interesting thing about these fish is that there are snapper in there....which are from the Caribbean area, not from the NW. Often, the fish are more typically NW fish.

The photo of Linda's used for making the painting.

Traveler Painting "The Fish Market"

I've been looking to paint a still life for this project for a while. I also have wanted to paint a fish and Linda's photo was able to do both for me. Here are the steps to this painting The fish Market:

Initial oil sketch on canvas. 
I wanted t paint this painting in a very fast and deliberate way. 
The use of simple strong strokes, with clean color is what I wanted to accomplish in it.

My palette of colors for the start of the painting. 
The major colors for this painting are figured out first here on the palette.

The dark colors are painted in first. 
Using a variety of warm and dark colors I try and 
establish depth for the painting.

The mid-tones are painted in next. 
There was a lot of different temperature grays I saw in the fish. 
Getting the right combination of grays was key to a successful painting.

Color is now being added at this point. 
This is where have some colors figured out ahead of the painting pays off.
 I get to paint non stop and know my colors will work together.

Painting is almost totally blocked-in.
Time to adjust colors and drawing.

Most of the details are in at this point.
 Just a few finishing touches and all that will be left to do is the type on the sign.
I don't usually paint type in my paintings because it stands out so much.

Done. In keeping with how I wanted to approach this painting, I didn't o crazy and try and put in too many details. Instead I let my brush strokes do the talking along with the color.

 Details from the painting.

Framed and ready to go.

"The Fish Market"

By James Swanson/ Traveler Linda Hanlon

16"x 20"Oil on Canvas

This painting was a very fun and challenging one to do. Painting fish I knew would be fun to do and the price signs not a much. My big thanks goes out to my old college friend Linda for providing me with this challenge. I am also glad that this painting will be traveling back to it origins and to Linda. Thanks again.
And if you have been some place interesting lately and have a story to tell contact me here or at www.theartistandthetraveler,org.
Until next time, see ya.

The Woman in Red.

 "Indian Red"

By James Swanson / Traveler Claudia B

20"x16" oil on Linen panel

See the painting take form and find out more about it below.


One of the great things about this world painting project besides meeting a bunch of new people is reconnecting with some old friends.

All photos are from Claudia's India album.

 Traveler Claudia B. is one of them. I met Claudia years ago when we both were starting out in Advertising. She was an artist in the studio and I was an art director who would send her things to draw up for client presentations.

One Claudia's on the street photos.

We lost touch after I moved to another agency, but I am glad to say we have met up again. Here is Traveler Claudia's India Travel Tale.

The Market

Traveler Claudia B. Travel Story: I believe we were in Hyderabad for a bit, waiting to catch a plane to Jaipor (my memory escapes me).

The Temple.

We were at the market to buy flowers for the temple which was across the street from it. It's the photo of the older woman in the doorway. We bought flowers for alter offerings.

This is the photo that caught the artist's eye.

The girl was the reason I wanted to take the photo but she was too shy so she turned around and I got a pick of here going under the tarp which I thought was just so perfect. I loved the red dress and all the colors in the market so that was the reason.

These are from the first time I went to India. I had a camera but didn't use it. I just found myself wanting to sketch.

 The Traveler Painting "Indian Red" I was working on a painting for Greece last year when a friend brought Claudia B's travels to my attention. I didn't realize that this Claudia was the same old Claudia I knew years ago because she had married.
Claudia B's job as a textile designer takes her to India every while in a while. Her album of her trips I found fresh and personal. I was drawn to the girl in red by the same reason Claudia was drawn to take the photograph. The painting steps to Indian Red.

The oil sketch. The dark colors in this painting I wanted to be warm ones. I used a mixture of Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna  in the under painting to start.

My palette of colors to start the painting. I always premix a few colors of each painting before I paint.  Doing this helps me keep my paintings fresh and clean.

The darks have been painted in, and now the main colors of the painting are put in to create the structure of the painting.

Simple block in. There is paint all over the canvas now it time to start pulling out some details.

Finally I paint in the dress. I worked everything around that dress and the girl but didn't work on them until the rest of the painting was almost done.You see I didn't want to spend more time on her and the dress than the rest of the painting. for her to fit she had to be painted in the same manor as the rest of the painting.

Done. Everything is in there in the right space.

 Details close ups from the painting

Framed and ready to go. 

  "Indian Red"

By James Swanson / Traveler Claudia B.

20"x16" oil on Linen panel

This painting is one of those paintings that seemed to paint it self. Traveler Claudia has quite an eye of scenes and captures some very nice shots. And by the way this painting won a big prize in the first art show it was in. Thanks Claudia, I'm happy to call you my friend again. 

This project relies on old and new friends in the quest to travel this world. If you want to become a new friend contact me here or at www.TheArtistAndTheTraveler.org

Until next time, I'm off to do some fishing with a friend.