A new Start - Cherry Blossoms revisited

This is a small study for a possible new commission.   It will be of the DC Cherry Blossoms near the Washington Monument.  The Cherry Trees line the tidal basin and some of the other areas around DC.  There are two small pagoda like monuments near the tidal basin and this is one of them with the monument in the back ground.  This is the very basic block-in of the initial colors.  I have not added the Cherry tree or any of the blossoms yet.  I just wanted to get the basic design in and the perspective on the foreground pagoda right.

Pine Cone Sketch

My eyes were bothering me after a day at the regular job, so tonight's post is a Pine Cone pencil sketch.  Just something easy and relaxing with no eye strain.

Moving Water Study

Moving water is pretty hard to paint effectively, but you have to practice it to get better.  This is the basics of a close up of water rushing over rocks in a creek.  You can see the start of the development of the water and trying to capture the movement.  This is painted very thinly so it will dry fast and so I can add layers to it and improve its depth and appearance of motion.

New Mexico Field with Flowers Study

This is not an original design, but I liked the design.  I blocked this in and will continue to add details to the foreground field.  This will need to be worked more to give it depth and pop.

Irises Update

I worked on a few things today, and cycled back into somethings started but not finished.  I wish I could say I was a type of artist who could knock out a painting in one go, i.e. all prima.  But I am not there yet,  I usually start something and work on it a while until I get frustrated or the paint is too thick to mess with and then I return to it later.  The above two photos are of the Irises.  There was an intermediate step between them but I did not get a picture of it.  The painting is going good now and will need some refinement on the stems and a little on the petals but it is coming together now.

Sky Sunset study

One of the things I have been working on is to do as many starts (on paintings) as possible as a way to improve my painting skills.  This is a block-in of the Sun setting behind a cloud and its reflection in a small lake.  This will need a lot of work but it is part of the starts.

Another Night Nocturne

This is another Night Nocturne I blocked -in.  I will need to work on the reflection.  It is one of the harder parts of water, so I will continue to work on it.