chalfonte window

Started out well but 1) I overworked the shutters, exacerbated by going back before the paint was dry! Should have just put in a wash and left it alone! and 2) I was enjoying adding purple so much I didn't to assess what I was doing in time to stop ...
But, okay, hopefully I learned not to make those mistakes next time

birgit o'connor magnolia class

Getting there ...
One thing I am learning about myself is that I'm a lazy and sloppy painter! I do not change my water or clean my palette enough-- leading here to some grayed out light pinks that should be brighter. And I am constantly doing things like putting the heel of my hand in a wash or dropping my loaded paintbrush on the paper!
Also, I already knew this was a weak spot for me, but I really need to be more considerate about values!

more wip

Sorry all I have to post are wip! Having one of those weeks: can't seem to finish anything (the house is half clean, the garden half weeded ...)
I felt a little influence of Birgit's class as I began this: thinking about filling in shapes.

birgit o'connor class in progress ...

Working on the magnolia painting that attracted me to Birgit's online classes ...
It's difficult for me to be patient and wait for sections to dry, so I have some wobbly edges where she has crisp ones. But I like being able to take this up and paint just a few pieces if that's all I have time for (which has been the case this week).

The actual painting, a la Birgit, is a bit anticlimactic, though it's a pleasure to see the subject emerge.
The important part is what she does beforehand: evaluating and manipulating the reference until she has a pleasing simplified design--that is the thing I am learning in her class that I most hope to apply to my own original paintings.

dappled shadow refs

 Finally got these downloaded; now to use them for practice!

Delaware Breakwater Light

Lots of work + chores = less ability to focus to paint. I have started a couple of little beach scenes, but have been too distracted to work on them much.
The simplicity of this scene fit my mood and time constraints!

birgit o'connor class

I signed up to do an online class with Birgit: the one I chose features a beautiful tulip magnolia.
To practice, I did these two exercises from her books.
She paints on 300lb paper, and these are on 140lb, which is all I have, but I may invest in the heavier paper as she does a lot of wetting.
I think the class will be a challenge for me mainly because it's very process-driven, which I most assuredly am not!

North beach, fort de soto

Painted the top one on location, finished (such as it is) the bottom one at home.
My friend Mike and I pulled our kayaks into the shade, popped open a beer, and painted a bit.
So I can hardly complain ...
But, I am never happy with my dappled shadows ... these are too dark, and too vibrantly purple!

Subjects to study (thus far): palm trees, dappled shadows

Treasure island

I love this subject. This is my first attempt to paint it.
Tried to unify all the little shapes in the chairs by starting with a wet in wet underpainting ... not entirely successful.
But I think it's a subject that would benefit by being done larger--this one is 7x10--where I could really let the colors mingle.

More incoming tide

Another go.
The difference in color of the underpainting and the "final" painting is due to my photographing them at different times of day ... it's been so damp here, had to wait all day for the underpainting to dry!

Incoming tide

I watched an Alvaro Castagnet video and, since I'm taking a workshop with him next month, decided to try his method of starting with a wet-on-wet underpainting.
This subject--from a photo I took of a receding tide from my kayak--doesn't, to say the least, lend itself to his dramatic style: once my underpainting was done, there really wasn't much for me to add!
But, I did feel myself to be a little freer in the underpainting, thinking of it as a fou dation that would be painted over!

song sparrow

A quick sketch ... too quick as I misplaced the eye. He reminds me of Paul McCartney.

new paper

Marshes. On new paper!

damp paper :-(

 No plan/inspiration today, so I decided to make up some dune grasses ... It quickly became apparent that the paper was defective, very absorbent. I've had this problem before; I think it may have to do with dampness + age. Perhaps it's a kind of mildew? I live in a humid area and this summer has been especially bad. I am feeling mildewed myself.
Going to keep my paper in large ziplock bags, as I do my yarn, and see if it helps.

North Beach, Fort De Soto

 

Another painting from a photo I took at Fort De Soto last winter.

All that brown stuff is supposed to be wrack, mostly dried grasses, washed up along the tide line. I don't think that's very clear ... but it doesn't really bother me! In fact, as I was painting it was the part I was most frustrated but now I like it the best and dislike the rest!

Fort De Soto

Back on track, trying to paint something 5 days a week.
This is this morning's effort.
Not too happy with it, but that's usually the case when I try to paint palm trees ... just never happy with the shape of the fronds, or the color, really: the lower fronds in these were dry, brown and light tan.
I should do a palm tree sampler; get them right before I try to make a painting of them.

Back to work ...

tomorrow, after a week of fun with visiting friends.
This is the beach at Cape May Point, with Atlantic storms on the horizon.

Hot hot hot

Crazy hot and humid here. Spending as much time as possible at the beach with my houseguests.
Tried to paint at the beach yesterday, but the paper went limp and spongy!