THE STUDIO!

  

The studio is pretty much finished now and I've moved into it!

Oh boy... did it fill up quickly!  I've since switched the small drawing table out and replaced it with a 3' x 5' drafting table which will be much more useable with its flat file drawer and larger work surface.

While going through the flat file drawer and organizing all the papers (found some beautiful Twinrocker Handmade Watercolor sheets in there!  YEA!) I just might have to put those to good use.

First Final...

I think it's finished but there's always a possibility that I'll find something that I want to change when I look at it tomorrow. The photo shows the image as it is placed on the paper.  I left a lot of extra paper around it to allow the for more flexibility in framing and matting. 

Right now, though, it feels done.

The cedar fence post went much easier than I thought it would even though it was the most complicated part of the composition. The whole process has been very enjoyable in spite of the "false start" involving some nasty masking fluid stains.

Here is a closer view of the finished painting to show a little more detail...

Fence post...

I'm sorry that this photo seems a little washed out but it's just a 

quick snapshot.

I've started the fence post and the texture is in on the top part. 

Next I'll be adjusting the tone of the fence post so it won't 

"take over the painting". Right now the tones are a little too

close to the ones in the antler so I'll darken it up some and add some

color to it. Probably some ultramarine to cool down the shaded 

side and some burnt umber or burnt sienna to the sunny side.

More Progress

All the leaves are in now. I am enjoying seeing all the stages line

up in my blog. It's interesting to watch the image develop.

While I'm working through a painting it seems to move so slowly

that I don't even know how it happens.  I get in the zone and 

work along listening to the tv or radio in the background and the 

time floats by.  I'm sorry I couldn't find a good way to make a 

video of the process but I'm sure it would be like watching grass 

grow anyway. 

Maybe I can try it next time. 

I'm not really fond of being in front of a camera but I think it would

be interesting to make a video of a painting in progress .  I'll have to 

work on that with my son Kabe who would probably do something 

terrific with the production of it.  Even though his specialty is audio,

he has a good eye for video as well. 

Moving along...

After another day of painting...

It looks like the berries, stems and leaves were less intimidating

than the fence post.  It all seems to depend on my mood when 

I sit down to paint. I really prefer to work from "life" meaning 

from the actual item rather than from a photo.  

In this case, I had to work from other references because I

couldn't very well bring the fencepost and wire home with 

me and the berries that I picked from a shrub on our property 

when I was doing the drawing had all disappeared when I was 

ready to start painting.

This means that I'm working from a photo, from memory and from 

"Berry Red", a painting that I did last year.  This is a pretty good 

photograph from my little point and shoot camera but the red berries are 

a bit more saturated in the actual painting.

I think that it's coming along pretty well now... what do you think?

Commission progress...

Today I was able to put in some time on the painting so I decided to work on the antler. These seemingly simple items are sometimes pretty tricky. It's like trying to draw grass!

I think I'm pretty happy with the results even though I'm sure I'll have to go back into it and bump up the contrast a little once the rest of the elements are painted in. This would be a very monochromatic piece if it weren't for the leaves and berries!

It's anyone's guess which part I will do next. I'm never sure myself until I start painting.

Moving forward...

Here is the painting at the masking and background stage...

The masking is still in place and the background is mostly there.  I always add small touches to the background as the painting progresses but this gives me a pretty good base.

I've now begun painting in the barbed wire just because it seemed like a pretty safe place to get started.  I normally will work through one element at a time until the entire work is completed.

What's next?

I'll probably start working on the fence post so I can judge how light/dark the leaves should be to stand out sufficiently. But then, you never know!   

Moving forward...

I've now finished the pencil overlay for the painting and it's been transferred to the paper.

I apologize for the (poor) scan of the pencil drawing on the painting.  It's very difficult to get a really good image of the drawing since it has to be done very lightly on the paper. I had to enhance the scans and piece the sections together to get the whole image into one file.  As the painting progresses, I will be able to get better images (less white paper and more tone for the camera to record) and it will, hopefully, give you a better idea of the progress.

I'm using Arches Cold Press 300 lb paper so that I can put in a nice wash background on it without any buckling.  The surface of Arches watercolor paper works well when I have to mask out the "whitest" areas of the painting, in this case the antler and the fence post.  I may mask out all of the subject since I'm planning to do some "spatter and smear" texture on the background... similar to the background on "Antler", the large painting that the client originally cited as their favorite.

I think I'll handle the background more as a vignette on this painting though...more like the background on the sketch, instead of a full background.  It should give the painting a slightly lighter feel.

I'm now looking forward to starting to paint!

A new commission...

This is the beginning stage of a newly commission that I am working on.

The client was interested in purchasing a painting but the images that they were initially drawn to were a bit larger than they wanted. They gave me a list of their favorite pieces from my website and we began a discussion about the possibility of a commissioned piece.

They'd never been through the process before so I sent them a pdf file explaining commissions, what the process was and how they would be kept "in the loop"  We discussed size, budget and a number of preferences to be considered and a few days later they told me to go ahead and work up some sketches.

These were the first three sketches that I did.  

They requested a combination of some of the elements from the original sketches and a bit of barbed wire (from "Barbs & barbed wire") and I did a new sketch.  

I took the antler out with me and photographed it hanging on a barbed wire fence.  I actually took several photos, using an assortment of antlers that I have collected but this one had the best light and shadows to work with as well as just a better shape overall. 

I added the branches with the red berries to the image later by combining the original sketch and the photo in Photoshop.  (I really love that program for working out the little details.)

I'll go back to the original photo as a reference when I'm painting the final watercolor.  The contrast will have to be toned down on the post just a bit and I'll work from an actual clipping from the Pyrocanthus bush in our yard.

The client requested only one change to this sketch...they wanted the branches to have a more natural position on the far left. They felt that it appeared that the branch was clipped off and floating in the air (which it was!) so I changed it slightly to join it into the other branch.  The change was simple & the clients are happy.

Perfect!

I'm a little bit sad...

I made a decision this month to give up my lovely studio.  I've been so busy at working on our "new home" that I haven't had any time to go to the studio and paint over the past two months. You can see what's been going on there if you go to "the trailer dailies" that I've been posting on my website.  I finally updated the pages on Wednesday night so it's now pretty complete.

That was only half of the reason, though, why I've decided to give it up...

With gas prices going up and the impending move to Canyon Lake, I decided that I will paint at home for a while. It's about 20 miles (one way) from our property so the round trip costs me dearly!

I'll still be painting again when the dust clears from the construction and I'm looking forward to it.  The longer I stay away from painting, the more I miss it.  I'm trying to see this as a "summer sabbatical" which will end soon! 

Since I haven't been painting much, I thought I'd put up a photo of the watercolor painting that was recently accepted in the 23rd Annual Conservatory Art Classic at the Bosque Conservatory in Clifton, TX. There were 159 works accepted from 859 entries. I've been told it's pretty difficult to get into this show so I'm thrilled to be chosen.  The show will be on exhibit from September 20 - 28.

 

"Tiny Pumpkins, No. 2"

14" x 11" 

Transparent Watercolor on Twinrocker Handmade Watercolor Paper

Also in September, I will be part of a three-artist invitational exhibit at the Ray Goldstein Gallery at the Dell Jewish Community Center  in Austin, TX.  I'm looking forward to this show since it will be the first time that I will have a showcase of my work in oils, acrylics AND watercolor. I'm grateful to the selection committee for inviting me and I'll post additional information when it's available.

A step forward...

Me, standing next to "Three Tulips" Watercolor 24" x 12"

photo courtesy of Gaye Sekula

"The Gallery at the Hacienda de las Rosas" show is now over and it was a lovely weekend event. Some of my good artist friends, Kay & John Reinke and Gaye Sekula were also in the show along with 9 others.
There was a nice crowd of art lovers at the reception on Friday night and lots of others came by to see the show over the weekend.

Now that this milestone is behind me, I can get back to work on more paintings for Art City Austin in April! Come see me at booth #114 on April 12 & 13.

Paint on...

I've been busy, not just lazy...

I haven't posted in a week but that's not because I've been slackin'.

Here is one of the paintings that I did this week.  This one is a little larger that the previous ones but it's probably a simpler one.  

"Antler"

Transparent Watercolor on Twinrocker Paper

16" x 20"

I'm also doing a redo of a painting that I started on Saturday last.  I found out the hard way why you should let a watercolor dry overnight before removing masking fluid from the Twinrocker paper that I'm using!  I got anxious and started removing it too soon and the paper tore.  I mean it really pulled the surface off!  I was really bummed. But a lesson was learned.  Fortunate for me, I learned two lessons at the same time... you also can't use masking fluid over an area that has been painted with the Cadmium Red family!  Yup, just took the paint off almost to the paper!  WOW!  Won't do THAT again.

Coming Events!

Does it seem that I've been busy lately?  Well you're right!

There are two events coming up in the near future.  

I've been invited to exhibit in San Antonio at the Antique Rose Emporium in "The Gallery at the Hacienda de las Rosas" annual fine art show on March 29 - 30. I'll have several of my watercolors on exhibit along with a number of outstanding area artists. Try to come by!

Art City Austin is also coming up (April 12 & 13) and I'm painting like a fool...

If you would like to visit me there I'll be in booth #114.  Come by and tell me that you found me through my blog I'll have all of my watercolors for sale on site and I think they look better in person!

I'll be watching for you!

"Tiny Pumpkins 2"

"Tiny Pumpkins 2"

Watercolor

14" H x 11" W

Another view of the little "pumpkins."  Actually they're gourds, I am told.

I tried something new with this one.  I painted the entire background before painting the gourds. I think it was a bit easier that way but with such simple shapes that makes sense.  If I were to try that with a leafy subject it would probably be a bit more difficult.  I think I'll try that next!

"Red Berries"

"Berry Red"

13'" H x 10" W

Watercolor

This is the newest of my paintings and I tried something new. I decided not to trust in masking fluid when putting in the background on this one because of the delicate stems in it.  Masking fluid is a wonderful tool but it is TREACHEROUS!

There is nothing so disheartening as finding a missed area after you've removed the mask!  Those little failures always seem to show up in a conspicuous area and they're so difficult to fix.

So this time I decided to carefully paint in the background freehand.  I think it was pretty successful but it certainly was tedious.

"Tiny Pumpkins"

"Tiny Pumpkins"

Transparent Watercolor   9-1/2" H x 15" 

I'm back at it.  It's been a challenge to get back into my watercolor mode after working in oil for a while.

It's interesting. Now it seems that this would be a much easier subject in oils! Just a few months ago, I would have said just the opposite.  Funny how that is!

I'm actually having some fun with these new paintings which are so different from my previous ones.

Compare this to one of my previous ones...

"Shasta Cone and Driftwood" 

Transparent Watercolor  10" H x 12" W

two more

Here are a couple more...

One of the hardest things for me is trying to 

decide WHAT to paint.  

Some new watercolor paintings...

I've been working hard to get back into the watercolor routine by doing a series of small (6" x 6") paintings. I'll move on to some larger ones after these.

I have to have a bunch of watercolors for "Art City Austin" (formerly called the Austin Fine Art Festival) in April as well as for the Antique Rose Emporium's "Galleria in the Hacienda"

I've been trying to focus on oil paintings lately but both of these shows have requested my watercolors so I have to change hats for a while. I've been completing these little paintings in about 2 days each so I should be able to have quite a few by the end of March.

I'll post more as I finish them.

The commission has landed!

My two commissioned watercolor paintings for the St Regis Princeville in Hawaii.

I'm not used to working from photos but that was all I had available to me for these. I think next time I will require a trip to the location so I can work from the actual plants!

There's the ticket!

Just dropping in...

This week is going to be a really busy one. I've gotten the approval on the commissioned watercolors that I'm doing for a hotel in Hawaii and the ARToberfest Show is about to break at the New Braunfels Art League. So much to do in so little time!

I've done the sketches and committed the first watercolor to paper. I'm just about to begin the painting of "Neill's Coral Tree" so I thought I'd post before I get too busy. The sketch above is the initial drawing that will be transferred to Twinrocker Watercolor Paper. I'll try to photograph the work as it progresses.

I hope to be able to post at least every other day so I don't get too far behind.