March 26, 2011

Pool House


Acrylic on Canvas Panel - 8 x 10 inches

A return to one of my favorite subjects and once again, I've managed to crop it poorly and failed to capture the warmth of the afternoon in Sonoma. It's also fussier than I'd intended. Oh, well.

March 19, 2011

Madrone Jazz


Acrylic on Cardstock - 4 x 6 inches

I found myself at the Madrone one night, and this jazz band just showed up and started kicking it out. I did a bunch of quick sketches and took a few snap shots. I knew I'd have to try and "remember" a lot more than my sketches and snaps would reveal.

This was a quick stab at rendering a scene, but I can easily tell I'm missing a lot of the warmth that was there. Though an OK study, it just feels too cool and monochromatic. (which is nice if that's what one is going for). Guess I'll have to give this one another go. Bigger next time.

March 15, 2011

Pomello Set


Acrylic on Cardstock - 4 x 6 inches

This one really didn't take much longer than the first two. I'd already worked out some of the issues (and had mixed up a bunch of paint puddles) so things went fairly smoothly.

I also didn't really go over strokes that much, since I was getting better results, and I noticed that with the paint so wet, going over strokes really just wound up removing paint. (I know, "fat over lean" but I didn't really want to get into that with this one).

March 12, 2011

Pomello Trio


Acrylic on Cardstock - 4 x 6 inches

Picking up where I left of with the still life. That first one was a 15 minute study. This one was closer to 30. Still trying to stick to one-stroke per color but I did have to go over a few spots that were way off.

March 10, 2011

Lincoln Impersonator


Marker on Cardstock - 3 x 4 inches  SOLD
For the latest Daily Paintworks Challenge, Raymond Logan is having us honor Lincoln's birthday (a little late) and has made the guidelines quite generous.
He hinted that he was partial to woodcuts. I don't actually have the tools for woodcutting, nor any experience, but I do like doing scratch board type stuff, so that's the approach I took.
With portraiture, if you get the eyes right you're halfway there.
I didn't get the eyes right.

March 7, 2011

Pomello


Acrylic on Cardstock - 4 x 6 inches Destroyed
I've been trying to follow up on Carol Marine's "one stroke per color" technique. It's so contrary to how I usually work, but I do like a challenge. For more of a Marine approach, I'm not painting from photos, but from actual live fruit from my kitchen. I know, what a concept!

March 4, 2011

FlaskBerry Big



Acrylic on Canvas Panel - 8 x 10 inches - Bid on this item

I thought I'd give the Daily Paintworks Challenge another go. I knew I could do better on the color of the fruit, and hopefully concentrate on the one-stroke approach. Oddly enough, once I got into it I wound up adding a lot more than simple brush strokes. Guess I was just enjoying painting too much.

March 3, 2011

FlaskBerry


Acrylic on Cardstock - 4 x 6 inches -   SOLD

For the latest Daily Paintworks Challenge, Carol Marine has suggested trying a piece where you mix the color you want, place it in one brush stroke and then move on. Deceptively difficult, especially for us beginners.
The flask was easy enough for me, but that blasted strawberry! So many little surface details getting in the way of seeing the overall planes and shapes. Squinting helped, but I feel I dulled down the glowing bright colors of the fruit. I'll be trying this again tomorrow.