Two More Paintings

Well, I spent all day today in the studio doing the same thing I did yesterday -- working on paintings that were started as a demo in a class. Most of the time my demos only show a student how I would design the surface, what elements I would use from a photo or scene if plein air, and then what I do to get it laid in on the surface. And, sometimes a student will ask a question and I will use the demo to illustrate that point. Many times these are not even worth finishing.

When I come home from a class, I just tuck them in a shelf. I do decide now and then to pull some out to destroy them or see if there is anything that can be salvaged . . . or is there something I can do to have some fun. Something maybe I have been meaning to study and try, so I usually try it out on the demo. What have I got to lose.

So, I had one with these huge rocks in the foreground with much foliage behind it. The scene is from a workshop I gave a year ago in Sapphire Valley, North Carolina. I have a photo of the painting as it was (I forgot and did just a little to one of the rocks before photographing it), with just the initial blocking in. The painting is pastel on Ampersand Pastelbord and it is 14" x 11".

You can see how I decided to continue on the painting. I didn't really change anything, but just brought it up to a finished look. I'm not sure, but I think you can click on the image and a larger one will open. I need to try that and see if it is so. I think it turned out successfully. The only thing I am still a little unsure of is the two smaller trees on the right side. They look a little fake to me and I would prefer if they were less obvious. I'll take another look tomorrow. This painting is actually a little more detailed than most of what I do these days. I have been trying to simplify my paintings, but this one just did not lend itself to that concept for me.

Here is the second painting of the day -- one with a misty morning light. I have had problems in the past with creating the correct value to accomplish a misty look without it looking pasty. So that was my lesson for myself today, trying to keep it looking misty without it looking pasty! I thoroughly enjoyed working on this one today. I think it is working! Yippee! I have also posted a grey scale of this one.

When looking at the photos of the paintings on the computer screen, I can see just a spot or two that needs a little tweaking -- mainly to do with a shape I find a little bothersome.

The scene is from a photograph I took about a year ago when I was teaching a workshop in Ellijay, GA. We were at a planned development called Falling Water. This is one I might just decide to enter into one of my shows coming up. And the painting I posted yesterday called Much Gold -- at least I think that was the name.

What's up for tomorrow? We shall see. Weather is still iffy for driving, which is great and keeps me from thinking of things to do that would interfere with painting in the studio! Yes!!