California Coast

More efforts at simplifying.

9" x 12", oil on linen

15 minute field study

Here's a very quick, 15 minute field study I did this morning. Messy and fast, just the way I like it.

5" x 7", oil

Trailer

9" x 12", oil on linen

Diners

Okay. One more small painting for the day. Another backlit scene with diners at a window table. Simplify. Simplify. Simplify. If I keep saying it, maybe I can get there one day.

9" x 12", oil on mounted canvas

Barcelona Walk

I guess you could call this a BIG hint as to what the next city in the Virtual Paintout is going to be. I found this view of a Barcelona street and was struck by the bright backlighting. I did a couple of thumbnail sketches and then a full size value study before painting this one.

I purposely tried to leave out as much detail as I could. Trying to push myself beyond where I feel comfortable. I have to keep learning, stretching and trying something new.

12" x 9", oil on mounted linen

Field and Church

Okay. Here's the finished product of the one I started last night. I'm pretty happy with the results. You can see, by scrolling down, the backward progression, or is that regression, of the painting.

24" x 30", oil on gallery wrapped canvas

Burbank Tracks

Here's a small one from Google Street View that I did tonight. Tried to work fast and treat it as a plein air piece. The address is 452 N. Front Street in Burbank, California. The overpass is W. Magnolia Blvd. with the Golden State Highway behind me. I was inspired to check out this area from Bill Wray's recent plein air outings I've read about on his blog.

9" x 12", oil on masonite

Allen's Creek Barn

Here's one I did in the heat today. Felt like it was pushing 100.

9" x 12", oil on mounted linen

Morning Tracks

A few months ago I did a series of paintings from Google Street View that I called the State Series. One small 5" x 7" in oils from each state. I ended up with quite a few that I thought would make good BIG paintings. Here's the first. It was originally Suffolk, Virginia.

Including a pic of both together so you can see the size difference. The little one sitting on top of the big one.

30" x 40", oil on canvas

Storm clouds over town

We had quite the little storm roll through today. Our editor, Cyndi, took these pics. The first shows how the clouds looked as they came over the hill into town; the next shows the cloud bank as it moved over town; and the next shows a spinning hole, into which the clouds were being pulled, sucked, drawn, whatever you want to call it. Close call.

Failed Plein Air - Back from the edge?

I usually don't mess with my plein air pieces very much after getting them back home. Although sometimes I'll adjust a dark or light after looking at them a while out of the glare of the sun. Tonight I did something I haven't done before though. I took a complete failure of a plein air and turned it around into something I don't mind. I changed the composition, added a building where there was none before, and changed the color scheme. It was liberating and fun laying down the thick paint, knowing that I couldn't hurt the painting anymore than it was already suffering.

I'm including a pic of the failed try, the re-try and a detail shot to show the paint.

"Free Ferry Road Farm"
12" x 17.5", oil on linen

Above, the original done on site.

Below, the reworked, recomped, etc. etc.

On the Road to Angus

Here's one I finished recently. I used Google Street View to find this wonderful view of Scotland, and then put my own twist of colors and texture to it.

9" x 12", oil on linen

River Bottom Fields

9" x 12", oil on linen, plein air

Loafers

Here's tonight's painting. It's an oil, 24" x 30", on gallery wrapped canvas. Used a couple of new brushes on this one. Including two detail shots, as it was difficult to get a good pic of the whole thing.

Broadway & Broome, NYC

Below are two close-up pics of the finished painting.




This one is fairly large. Still contemplating...

26.5" x 34.25", oil on linen

Pink

I started this one last night. Did the sketch and a little color, then finished up this afternoon. Tried to catch the light in this one, leaving lots loose. ;)

24" x 28", oil on linen

My First Show

Florence Villa

Here's one I did today for the Virtual Paintout. I'm not really a high key painter. I usually like lots of contrast with lots of good, rich darks, but I tried something different with this one. I'm happy with how it turned out. I'm also including the prelim sketch I did in about 30 minutes on my lunch break today.

Comments are always welcome. Thanks for looking.

18" x 24", oil on mounted linen, Google Streetview Florence, Italy