old paintings

Also found these, from my first watercolor class, which I took at Cooper Union in NYC, my father's alma mater.

The instructor focused on glazes. These have a flatness and lack of strong value contrast that appeals to me.

I wish I could remember her name, she was a good teacher and really got me interested in watercolor.

old drawings

Cleaning out my flat file and found these drawings for the drawing class I took in college. I won't tell you how long ago that was. But several of these buildings are now gone, replaced my mansions.

la bella luna

Trying to paint the full moon!

John Marin copies

Trying to copy a couple of Marins.

Difficult but engrossing.

Learned a couple of things:

He uses a lot of black-- or at least that's what I used to approximate the colors on my reproductions: both grayed and full strength. Or mixed with colors, esp. greens 

He uses shorthand marks: squiggles and upside down Vs for trees; small slashes for grasses.

He doesn't mind outlining.

My colors lack the subtlety of his (my copies are about half the size of his, and done quickly). And I'm not too good with the charcoal.

But I did feel like it helped me gain some insight into Marin's practice.

more practice

                             

8x10

I'm bringing a 12x16 block of paper to Maine, and a smaller rough Arches pad.

Leaving for Maine before dawn tomorrow.

This morning I watched a great 2-part video on YouTube by James Potter on how to mix color.

I'm posting my attempt to try his method below. But don't judge what he's offering by my results!

practicing

                               10x11

More practicing Maine-like subjects.

Leaving day after tomorrow!

classwork

                           7.5 X 11

Landscape studies from a class with Salty Water Art.

I tried out a sheet of rough Saunders Waterford paper.

I'm not entirely happy with the results but it's not the paper's fault: I let the paper get way too wet and as a result the colors look tired to me.

started ...

this painting of my friends' dogs. I've been wanting to paint them for a while. Maybe it's because of David Hockney but I think they're a very appealing subject.

I stopped here, at the "you're about to mess this up" stage--already made one mistake I hope I can fix--and will see tomorrow if I have the courage to carry on.

morning sketches

Gina and I are keeping up with our pre-ma8ne practice: 1.5 hours of quick sketches. Followed by a huge breakfast.

maine preview

                               9x6

                                 10x6

A little Maine preview.

I feel like the greens are too green! But I am trying not to shy away from strong or intense color.

Realizing all the places I want to go--Scotland and northwestern Ireland; Pacific NW; Maine; the Maritime Provinces--have a lot in common.

revisiting

                                                                       10x14

A return to the subject of the Highlands. Plan to spend a lot of time this winter with all the photos I took.

One week from today I'll be landing in Maine for a week of painting with my friend Gina.

This is the first spread in a little travel sketchbook I'll be bringing.

Susan Abbott recommends beginning tour travel sketchbook before you reach your destination-- a great idea.

I kept a little sketchbook in Scotland that turned out to also be a chronicle of where we stayed, where and what we ate, who we met. I really treasure it.

A couple of pages from the Scotland sketchbook.

Photo of a juvenile black-backed gull who followed me along the shore a bit this a.m.

Idk why it's sideways ... Happens sometimes.🤷

classwork

                             8x11

.                              8x10

Took an online class with Richard Scott, my third, and I really recommend his classes.

Richard studies John Singer Sargent's paintings and passes on his observations to students--which is great.

And after the class you have access to the video for two months.

I hope to try these again!

studio tour

I'll be participating in a studio tour in early October. Thinking of using the tour to thin out my flat files by putting out a basket of older paintings at low prices. Maybe a buy one, get one half price. People love that.🙂

plein air

Morning sketching session at an old schoolhouse near my home.

Continue to struggle with tree shadows cast on grass.

plein air

In order, yesterday's 1.5 hour plein air sketching.

I'm trying to be more exploratory and more experimental in my plein air practice: spend a proscribed amount of time and sketch what's in front of me.

Here I used Micron pen, Tombow marker, watercolor and watercolor pencils.

fla

                               11x15

Looking at this photo, I think this isn't quite done. But it's my first try at a photo I took last winter in Gulfport, Fla.

Definitely going to paint it again, hopefully.

maine

                              8x8

Going to Maine in about two weeks with my friend Gina to paint for a week.

I want to try to practice simplifying and getting dark darks before we go.

morning sketching

Second morning sketch session this week.

The idea is get out early, go somewhere close by, draw what we can in about 1.5 hours.