plein air

Some plein air sketching this a.m. with my fried Gina. We're going to a 3-day workshop in Nova Scotia in September and are going to practice for 2 hours Friday mornings.

I did these 4, about 5x7, in the order presented here. I always start out timid ... it's good to keep going.

catbirds

                                6x10

                                 7x11

A good number of catbirds in the yard this summer, which suits me just fine: they're beautiful and I love their song.

Such an elegant bird but I haven't painted them much. To me these are both a little overpainted--I kept trying to get it "right," whatever that is!

I think I would like more direct, and wetter, washes ... The catbird has such a recognizable silhouette and such simple colorings and markings, there is probably more room to let the washes run wild.

birds on bouys

                                11x15

Preoccupied with this subject lately; it has such potential.

Here's the "culmination" and all the efforts leading up to it (each 7x11 or smaller).

I think painting the bouys a few times was helpful, even if I havent mastered how to do them!