France: Oil Sketch on Canvas paper

France/ oil on canvas paper (will be mounted on board)/ 6 x 6/ 

This is a small oil sketch on canvas paper (6 x 6) size. This seems to be a great way to work out a painting (test composition and colors).
The surface of this paper is great for texture, scrapes back well and minimally "soaks up" the paint. This brand is Strathmore.

Child Study and Swim Study "Float"

Here is the study from last post completed. I warmed some of the areas of the face, added detail to the eyes and added some darks.









I swim almost every day. The next painting is inspired by this. I think it should be called "Float". I hope to do some more of these.
You can purchase it here

Float/ oil on paper mounted to board/ 9 x 12/ $175

Step by step

I am working on massing in the beginning of a painting and understanding planes. To help with planes, I purchased one of the planes of the head models and lit it today while I worked on lights and darks. To make this learning less painful, I am painting on canvas paper. If I paint something that I want to keep, I can mount it onto a support after it dries. Otherwise, the exercises can be discarded without too much sadness about the expense.

Dogs are easier than people. Here is a recent commission.

Sand Castles

Sand Castles/ oil on gesso board/ 5 x 7/ SOLD

I am working presently in oil to use thicker paint, lots of color and broken brush strokes.

Here is another small beach painting with these goals in mind.


I am delighted that a large watercolor which I showed in progress on FB earlier this year was recently accepted into this years's NC Watercolor Society Show. It will open Oct 12 and run through November 29th at Barton College in Wilson. For nearby friends, Judy Glover's painting was also accepted into this show. We would love to see you at the opening. I'll post more information and links soon.

Colorful Plum

I painted this on a board that to which I attached a piece of primed canvas. I then toned the canvas with a cool purple and allowed it to dry.
I wanted to paint this plum with a cool background color to push the dark warm plum forward. Because I love color, I allowed this cool to be clean and intense which seemed more interesting than the usual greyed cool.

Small studies with defined goals for a little while.

July Joy

July Joy/ oil on gesso board/ 5 x 7/ SOLD

I love the watercolors of Charles Reid (link) and Joseph Zbukvic (link). I love the oil paintings of Carolyn Anderson (link). If you have a few minutes, click on the links and see what you think.

As I work each day to improve, I see, in my mind's eye what each of these artists have mastered. They each paint realistic subjects into an abstracted beautiful painting. This is my quest and my desire.

This little boy has found his heart's desire. He expresses what I feel as I step onto the beach and feel the warm sand on my feet and the surrounding sunlight and hear the crashing of the waves. This is the same joy I feel as I paint and what I hope to feel some day when my vision matches my completed painting. Until then, I am thankful to keep learning.

Cheers!

Studies on Canvas Paper

This was photographed in room light with my i phone so the colors are not as bright as they really are.  Today, I decided to study applying paint: lights and darks, describing mass, glass and a little metal. I taped canvas paper to a support and did single small studies. I will do this again.