Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy the day, your family, and all the things you have to be grateful for this day.

Quick Sketch practice - Virginia

This is a quick sketch to practice the techniques of quickly capturing landscapes.  It is rough but does the job.  I don't remember where exactly it was but it is representative of the countryside in Maryland and Virginia in the central to western part of those states.

New Mexico

This is another quick sketch of a New Mexico landscape.  The wife and I spent our honeymoon in the Enchanted State.   It is a state which lives up to its nickname, and has many funny stories of geographically challenged Americans not knowing it is one of the 50 states of America.

Pike's Peak from Garden of the Gods

This is a value study I did while trying to work out a painting of the view from Garden of the Gods looking towards Pike's Peak in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  This is an iconic view and it will make a good painting.

Eastern Shore Fishing Boat

This is a quick sketch of a fishing boat out on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  I spent part of the day painting but nothing is close enough yet to finishing to post.

Virginia Hill Country

I some times have an idea and I try and work it out in pencil and with chalk on toned paper.  This is from a sketch and photos I took out in Virginia.  I greatly simplfied the tree and will need to change the fence to make it more interesting.  The clouds need to be varied more also.  I did this a few months back, but I could not tell what was bothering me.  So I let it hide for awhile and come back to it.  I will redo this sketch again and improve it.

Franklin Booth - Old School Illustrator - Hand of God

Franklin Booth was a self-taught artist and illustrator from 100 years ago.  He was a master of line.  This is my rendition of his Hand of God, which is subtly hidden near the top of the drawing.  The small airplane is flying above the thunder clouds and probably that pilot needs help from the weather.