Out of The Trash

                          

Summer Shade #2, oil,  8" x 10" in progress.

The results of my forth session, (two of which you've seen), with this little landscape that I pulled out of the trash.  Not little to most of you, but smaller than I'm comfortable with.  I'm using my smallest brushes and I'm back to my original palette of primaries.  It needs to be grayed down a bit and the tree needs a swipe here and there, but the composition is there and there's hope.

I've learned over the last few days that I have to prep my knee for painting standing up; the way I go about it, painting is like exercise.  That means giving it a ten minute moisturizing massage first to loosen up the scar tissue so I can put in an hour plus moving about. After that, the knee needs icing.  In spite of the care,  I am  learning a lot painting with an eyelash and my little finger and I am glad to be back in the studio--even if it's just for a short time.  :-))  

Sky Blue Reflections

Sky Blue Reflections, working title

Stamped with my name, but an UNFINISHED landscape, in acrylic, on a twenty by twenty gallery stretched  canvas. In spite of the best made plans to open the studio doors at ten, life kept getting in the way. Four days (not in a row) was the best I could do this last week. Life gets in the way--as does style. The style of this painting, my affinity for macro close ups of details in the woods and my fondness for line is probably a good indication that a painting every two weeks is me. So be it.

And it's also great that Data Recovery Group got all of my photos, videos and documents off that external drive! I am most thrilled to have back the family pictures and the stupid videos of me making a fool of myself  that I wanted to delete, but the kids said no.  I am grateful to them and thinking one terabyte for the next laptop in my life. My data was only 38 GB. One terabyte is 1000 GB.  An external drive or SkyDrive storage is only for backup. What a hard lesson.

Finishing Up

Self Portrait With Hood, Charcoal 

Halfway There, oil

SELF PORTRAIT WITH HOOD, Charcoal

Darkening the ground pulled the hood back and pushed the three quarter profile forward. It also added a bit of drama as if hoods aren't drama enough. This baby is done. The easel has been cleared for whatever is next--probably another self portrait with hood. I like the drape of it.

HALFWAY THERE, oil

While palette knife painting isn't my favorite, that's the tool my hand automatically went to for this nearly plein air piece. When I showed it to you a couple of posts ago, it wasn't finish. Now, it is. A smear of cold sunlight, a few dashes to designate the boats stored on shore and some lightening up of the shadows cast on the lawn by the condos bordering this park-like setting did it for me--all it needs is my John Hancock as soon as the impasto dries. As the sun came out for Easter weekend and the temperature hit sixty degrees, the plein air easel has also been cleared for action.

It was great to be back in the studio.

HAPPY EASTER AND HAPPY PAINTING!

A Little less; A Little More And Bingo!

A little less color was had with a little more "black" added to Spring

A little more density was had with more  deeper colors added to Fall.

Winter at a healthy weight

Summer at a healthy weight

ALL FOUR CORNERS OF MY FOUR SEASON PAINTING WILL STAY DOWN NOW THAT THEY WEIGH THE SAME. With multiples balance is everything.

I knew I'd have to go back into these things, that's why I left them propped against the wall so long. Well, their weights have been evened off and their edges have been painted mahogany--actually a mix of umbra, alizarin and dioxinine. Tomorrow or later, I am going to oil them out.  I like that process. It gives a nice oil painting finish. Then I'm going to hang them. In a month, I'll varnish to ward off dust. polishing silver is easier than bringing a painting to its finished state. I'll photograph them when they're mounted on that Chinese red wall upstairs. After that I'll stop boring you to death; I promise.