Muddy Path on a Grey Day
8 x 10, oil on panel
What a mess this day was. Wet, mucky, stick-to-your-boots mud. And it was darkish too. What a day to paint outside! The challenge was to bring some life into all the dark. There is some but I strive for more.
Shack at the Silo
9 x 12, oil on panel
Another muddy day in England (and very windy too) but with a bit of fleeting sunshine. This shack was so overgrown and had such character it drew me in. The door actually kept on flapping open and closed in the wind. This one was fun to paint. I don't do many structures for fear of getting too caught up in the details. One day buildings will be something I will conquer but they just aren't pulling me at the moment. Here I had found a somewhat sheltered area to set up in but my painting buddy decided to plop himself in the middle of the unplanted field of puddles and... more mud. His painting blew over into the mud several times.
Untitled
8 x 10, oil on panel
This is part of my commitment to learn how to paint the moving clouds. There is such drama and energy in this kind of cloud cover as the sunshines peaks through in varying degrees so quickly. I do not consider this to be a success (among other things I think the composition is trite and uninteresting) but I did get a bit of insight. I did 2 other small studies of the clouds and learned even more but the photos of those paintings are pending the battery recharge on my camera.
A better photo of the post from the other day. This was not a plein air painting but I think I am starting to take some of the things that I am learning en plein air and applying them to my studio work.
Sheep Study
5 x 7
These little guys are right outside my window so I don't even have to pack up to do them from life. I am after getting their shape and values in as few of strokes as I can. I am pleased with what took place here. The bottom one is headless because the neighbor came out and tossed them some bread and they moved. I will be doing more of them as I take advantage of my opportunity of having them so close since I won't be here forever.
ps - I am still not pleased with my photos. These are not scanned cause they are all still wet.
