ref photo

                      10x7

Another from Scotland.

I will go back in and refine some shapes, esp on the lower right, after I've had a little time to think about it.

This is a subject I wouldn't previously have felt comfortable with-- too many places where I'm not quite sure what I'm looking at.

I'm glad I'm more at ease with fudging it. That feels like progress.

ref photo

                       12x9

Back to my Scotland photos.

Hadn't planned to but now I think I may go back and add the water behind the bumpers.

Want to get back to my one a day practice: this week I will try to paint a photo I take on my bike ride. That'll get me on my bike every day too.

Winsor & Newton put out some throwback colors. And I bought them-- of course I did!

The 6 colors are in the left column: mineral gray, otswald gray, ultramarine ash, tyrian purple, cinnabar green, and Field's orange.

The orange has the wonderful property of quickly diffusing into water--it spreads beautifully. The purple and green are also vibrant and transparent.

The otswald gray is a lovely cool brown.

The last two colors are lovely but I would characterize them as weak: it's hard to get a good concentration--I painted these right out of the tube!

Also, the first 3 colors are all mixed of three different colors, something I try to avoid.

more shells

                    10x5

Not my best shell effort, but I'm glad to have finally done something.

The weather has been phenomenal here for August--breezy and cool--which should be stimulating but I've been terribly lethargic all week.

Probably because I had a big decision to make about getting some work done on my house....

Made my decision yesterday, and today I rode my bike and painted!

.                   8x4

Tried to capture the moon behind clouds on this little piece of scrap paper.

plus de contraste

Anonymous suggested this sketch needed more contrast, which I was also thinking. Let it sit for a day, then tried to bump it up. It could probably use more ... But I'm going to stop here. 

There's always a place to stop, whether you've achieved what you envisioned or not; a place where going further is probably not going to enhance what you have.

That place may be determined in the first brushstrokes.

oyster shells

                        8x12

Thought these were done ... But now I'm thinking they need just a touch more.

intentions ...

Brought stuff to do art with friends in FL, but it's been too hot. So today, my last day, I painted along with a couple of Peter Ulrich videos. Peter is a teacher at the Art League in Alexandria, VA.

Great time to paint a snow scene!

visiting

...my friend Robin in beautiful Dunnellen, FL. It's been a whirlwind but we did a little sketching under the live oak last evening.

Listed the birds we heard and/ or saw.

shells

                       9x12

Oyster shells and a mussel shell. I drew these loosely with a brush ... Hadn't planned: the shells and the paints were just there.

Never have thought about painting mussel shells before but they're actually interesting: more color than I at first thought-- blue, some underlying brown, a lovely silvery black-- and very pretty, delicate striations.

travel kit

Next week going to see my brother and my good friend of long standing; they live about 1 hour apart in FL. There'll be kayaking, swimming in the Gulf, eating and drinking. And of course some art making.

Here's my little selection of stuff: 6x8" waterproof packall pouch, clips, pencil sharpener, palette knife, water brush, white ink pen, water soluble black marker, permanent black marker, fude sailor pen, water soluble pencil, lead pencil, bamboo dip pen, wristband to dab brush on (thanks to John Muir Laws for this idea), kneaded eraser, little pans of sepia and Payne's gray paint, little piece of charcoal and wax crayon, black crayon, travel brushes, a fat soft Lyra pencil, water soluble walnut brown pencil, art toolkit palette and ziplock bag to keep it in.

This kit shows me how often, when I'm out, I sketch more than paint. I think it's a good development: in my case anyway maybe if helps me be more present with less anxiety about creating a painting.

Went to a pottery sale at a nearby art league yesterday.

These are only two of the eight pieces I bought, but they may be my favorites. I'm crazy for fluting.

Was hoping to buy pots for plants, but there wasn't a single one!

I may have to get back into pottery: I see a niche market.

classwork

                      9x12

                       10x7

Painted these in an online class with Megan Swoyer.

Megan's classes always help me loosen up a little, and she's got a great group of students.

Overworked my marsh scene a bit, I think. So I quickly did another, smaller version, below.

.                     6x8

still life

                       8x10

Fell off my reference-photo-day wagon. Not happy about it-- I hate to lose momentum: too much work to do, too much crap to take care of around the house ... Sometimes I wish I were back in an apartment and could call the super.

Met up with a friend for 2 hours of still life painting yesterday.

These aren't what I envisioned ... But oh well.

Used a paper recommended by an Urban Sketcher. 50% cotton, light, nice smooth surface. But you can't really push the paint around on it, not can you get a smooth wash. So good for sketching, but not for watercolor effects.

classwork

                      8x12

A scene in Cornwall painted in an Artefacto class on seascapes with R. Thorn.

The lesson was in two parts, and it really was a process of adding layers to refine shapes and values. A lesson I need.

I didn't always let it dry enough between layers, which led to some muddiness.

But all in all. I enjoyed it. And now want to add Cornwall to my next Scotland trip.

Just give me that whole northwestern shoreline!

ref photo

                      7x10

Another Scotland scene. I think I would enjoy painting Scotland every day.

But, for the sake of my challenge, I'll move on to another topic Sunday.

classwork

                     14x10

                     10x10

Marsh scenes painted in a class with Megan Swoyer at Greenbush Media. I enjoy painting with Megan and her group; always relaxing and fun.

ref photo

                         7x10

Back to Scotland. Water, rocks, grasses ... What could be better.

$2 bouquet

                         8x10

Didn't get to my ref photo painting yesterday.

But I went out to get some heat-tolerant herbs at NoFrills farm, a family owned farm that's been here for generations.

Got some beautiful and delightful smelling lemon verbena and some delicious Jersey peaches.

And this $2 bouquet.

ref photo

                       8x8

Another from my Scotland refs. I think this is outside Mallaig, but I'm not sure.

Very wet so I decided to just stop.

gulls

                     7x9

Unfortunately my front gull looks like he has a broken back-- the result of me trying to convey wind-ruffled feathers.

I may do another as I do like the subject.

ref photo

                       6x8

Another from a photo I took in Scotland last spring. I developed a fetish for chimneypots.

I think this was Nairn, chimneypot heaven.

I was thinking of adding a window ... Decided against it.

There's still a danger I may add some seagulls though.

ref photo

Today's reference photo painting. Wish I were back in the Highlands.

ref photos

.                      6x8ish
The 2nd and 3rd day of my challenge to do something with a reference photo from Scotland every day this week.

These are freehand studies in my sketchbook.

sketchbook

Someone online recommended this book, published in 1997 and I was able to get a used copy. I like the author's style and attempted a few copies-- which I hasten to say do not do his thoughful, subtle paintings justice ... But which were fun for me to do iny sketchbook on a rainy day.

ref photos

.                     7x9

A couple of friends and I were complaining the other day that we all have so many ref photos but we never paint them.

So I challenged us to use one a day... Can be small or large, finished or not, a painting or a drawing.

I decided for my first week I'll do a photo from Scotland every day.

Starting with this picture of lambs--I fell in love with lambs in Scotland ... And goats, and cows...

10 minutes

Have been admiring the sweep of this geranium. This morning I made an exercise of painting it: no drawing, except the vase!; paint loose and quick.

shells

A couple of shells. This is multimedia paper; I think they come out better on watercolor paper.

burchams farm

                        6x12

No plein air class yesterday due to the ongoing extreme heat. I painted this from a photo.

Also started a painting of the farmhouse, which I am going to try to keep light and loose.

.                      7x10

hosta

Hostas starting to flower!

And some lavender for a friend.

burchams' farm

                8x5 sketchbook

                   8x10 block

.                       5x12

Second outing at the farm.

There were amazing cloudy, changeable skies but for some reason I focused on the land! Those dark tree shapes compelled me.

I started with small sketches to try to figure out what went where.

Then small watercolor sketches where the idea was to simplify shapes and develop a plan for the greens--neither of which I did.

Then, finally, unhappy with the watercolor sketches, I started something that may work out!

My first little sketch, at the top of the sketchbook, was the best thing I did all day.