Moonlight in the Everglades

Sometimes the best results come from the experiments or the risk taking.  This is a small oil painting I did from an art book.  It was unusual colors and something I would not have thought to do on my own.  Which you should always be looking for new ideas and sources of information.  I am always trying to figure out how to translate something into a painting.  Seeing something is terms of light and then translating it into paint pigments is not easy and you must take your lessons and tricks from where you can find them.  Plus practice and experimentation is the only way to grow.  Not all of these things work, and many will never been seen by anyone else, but some times they work and can be added to the lessons learned, or saved to be re-worked or retryed another time. 

Afghanistan Men

This is a pencil sketch of men gathered against the cold in Afghanistan.  I did this seven years ago and today I would clean up the design by enlarging the men, capturing the tree differently with better highlights.  I would simplify the wall and the tree shadows.  This is the secret of the artist to take the scene and consciously improve the design, this is too much a copy of the actual scene.  Future tasks await me.

Afghan Girl Part 2

SO no thunderstorms tonight, not like last night, I had to shut down the computer and wait for the power to go out.  (Not too long though).  Tonight is another pencil sketch of an Afghan Girl with a shawl.

Afghan Girl

This is a pencil sketch of an Afghan Girl holding her sister.  It will be a painting one day, but for now it is in the sketchbook of ideas.

Weekend Work - South Dakota

This is an oil painting I worked on over the weekend.  I had previously blocked in the basic colors but I had trouble with the shadows and rock work.  I think i have mostly fixed those and now will work on the design of the horses running on the ridge line.   I am not satisfied yet with my experiments so I will plan them out and then add them.

What I did on my Fourth of July

Our daughter Kerri had my wife and I come to her work at the Rolling Hills Country Club to watch the fireworks.  I took advantage of the waiting time and sketched Kerri working the Bar at the tenth hole.  She was busy making drinks and hustling around for supplies.  I practiced memory sketching and catching glimpses of her profile and the rear 3/4 head shot.  The front 3/4 head shot did not work and has been erased from memory and the world.  I did these with a drink, a mechanical pencil, and a small sketchbook.  It was a great evening.

Happy Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July!  A mountain watercolor study for the holiday.