Catch up

Lots of time has passed. It's been hot and busy.
Let me see....
I guess I need to bring you up to date on the Alaska painting.
It hasn't gone as well as I had hoped.

This is from about a week ago.

This is what it looks like currently. 

 I think I need to let it sit for a while.

In the meantime.... I went to Wawasee for a Plein-air paintout.

That's a technical painting term for being outside in the heat and painting.

And in case anyone is watching, you are suppose to be having a great time. Ha!

It wasn't all that bad and we got to connect with friends from around the state and have good things to eat. There are some perks to this whole painting thing.

I didn't do anything to put in the museum but it was more "learning".

Here's one. That's a boat parked in front of the cottage.

Just thought I'd help.

And this is a sketch of the boys standing on a dock nearby.

I told you... I don't do figures but... this is a start?

I think the boat next to them was sinking and they were watching.

Kind of funny.

To get on with my story.....

The next week was a full 5 day workshop.

Like from 9 in the morning until 6 in the afternoon.

It was the hottest week I can recall.

We watched demos, painting our little hearts out 

and then bore up under critiques.

"It was the best of times and it was the worst of times."

I actually wiped off the first 3 days of my paintings. 

I never wanted to see them again.

However, I did learn A LOT!

Now all I have to do is put it into practice. 

In fact, I guess most things we do in life, 

if we want to improve, we have to practice.

Well here is an attempt at the back of a house.

It was a nice little scene and I liked the barrel.

Maybe I should have painted just the barrel?

And...

This is a piece from Fox Island. 

I traded with another painter so all I have is this picture.

I think that pretty much brings you up to date 

except for the books I have been leafing back through again.

 

These are some of my favorite standbys.

Some not very instructional but inspirational.

Seems each time I go through them I find another little nugget 

that I can incorporate into my artwork.

That would be the end of my story to date but I am surely looking forward to adding to it.

Each new day brings new adventure and surprises await for those patiently watching and looking.

Bye!

Paintings

I worked on the Alaskan Mountain picture. I find that clouds are rather illusive. They looked pretty easy but when I really got into them, well let's just say they were more complicated than I first thought. My instructor said they needed to be contoured and shaped, not just all white.

So I've been studying clouds lately. They really do have different colors in them. And oh that gray/blue stuff. It's all over the place. Well here's the first attempt. I may do some tweaking though.

You see this one has water in it too. 

Yep, I do love the water no matter where it is.

But we'll get to that later.

Have a blessed day,

Bye