My Latest Project

I have had a lot of trouble posting anything lately, hence being a little behind. This is a 16x20 canvas of a reference I took last autumn. Much left to do for it, but it is a start!

Looks Like a Nice Vacation!

This past week was a busy one! I haven't had the chance to sit and do anything, so I dug into my harddrive for something to post and came up with this one. It was one of my first few attempts at oil and now looking back, I wish I made a list of colors I used for the water! The way the weather is here, this looks even more inviting. This was done on masonite, a very solid surface I did not care too much for and abandoned that for the spring I can get in stretched canvas.

This week wasn't entirely a loss. I renewed my membership at the artcenter, so I can get discounts on classes and take advantage of the openstudio on Fridays. The openstudio is where artists meet to use the equipment and paint, sculpt, or just about anything while sharing ideas and getting critiques. Now that I'm renewed, I'm planning for this Friday. I haven't been since last September, so I'm really looking forward to this valuable opportunity! Also stopped at the artsupply and picked up a few colors and brushes I needed. Mainly cobalt blue and sap green. Those two I have read about quite a bit in landscape painting palettes from several sources. Got to give those a try.

Snowscape Test

This week, I'm trying a palette of colors and working out different possibilities with the photos I took last Thursday morning. This is an 11x14in canvasboard to test different options. I'm trying to translate color into the experience I had and that morning. I would have painted outdoors, but since my oils are made to work with water, my brushes would turn to ice! I could technically use turp, but then I would have to sit out there and freeze....any excuse to stay out of the cold. There was a very harsh wind coming off the water, so I don't think I could have stood it for more than the time it took to take pictures.

Now, in the comfort of my home, I'm aiming for a dominant neutral palette. French Ultramarine Blue and Cad Orange in various tones. You can see areas on the canvasboard where I did a few swatches of color in the sky to make a comparison. I plopped a few trees here and there to get an idea where I want them. I also tried to mix it up in the foreground with brushstrokes to denote the slush-like quality of the snow. Not too happy with the results yet. More playing around might lead to something.

The more I think about it, I have a feeling that this painting as a finished piece may not be appealing in the least. I guess I want to find out if its something that I can convey effectively. If people get a notion of cold when they look at it, I know I'm getting somewhere!

How Cold Can it Get?

Cold enough to say we finally got some snow. Not much, but worth heading out early this morning to photograph some reference material. I had to be quick, because of the rising temperatures melting off the ground cover. Still quite a gloomy and cold day which will make painting contrast difficult. I'm already formulating possibilities to overcome the flat appearance and lack of color and light. I may draw from several of my shots and sketch a complete lanscape and work out a palette in muted cool colors.

The above shot was a surprise to find. The below gives you a good indication of what it was like out there today..brrrr!

Assembling a Cabin (8x10in sketch)

Winter Sketch

Here's another oil sketch approximately 8x10 inches on canvasboard. Seems appropriate since we have had snow warnings this past week with no result. We live in a valley and when the temperature varies between 30's and 40's, incoming cold fronts don't have the strength to deliver snow. Instead, we get a lot of rain. I think the local meteorologists like to remain cautious to cover their bases. Still cold as gee-whizzes, though.

Sketching like this is helping me to get back on track. It doesn't take a lot of paint or time, usually an hour's worth of work. I want to do a couple more and then begin a large canvas and settle down to something I can spend time with.

My Son, A Budding Photographer!

Over Christmas, my son Stoy asked to upgrade our digital camera and add a tripod to practice taking pictures. It seems he is taking an interest in this after his grandmother, "Gran Lou" (who was quite a shutterbug herself). We thought it would be interesting that I manage his blog and post his work, so I added a link to that blog here. You can go directly from here: Stoy's Photo Blog. Check it out and leave comments! Enjoy!

Getting Wavy With the Gravy

Ben and Jerry's ice cream is certainly a work of art, even at the molecular level. My wife got a link in her e-mail to it and here it is. Check it out! The Ice Cream Collection

My favorite is the very first piece, not only in flavor, (that being coffee almond fudge crunch) but in the abstract sense. Would look good on an 18x24 wrap-around canvas!