Subtle Winter Sunset

I love when the sun shines on the snow covered landscape - even though it speeds up the melting!  One never knows how a sunset will unfold, so I prepared with the lines and dark values, waiting on that bloom of color.  This sunset set softly, with a cloud bank diffusing the hues. What began as gold quickly pushed pink, and then just popped with a magenta streak as I was already heading back!  That's so often the way of it.  It has warmed up to 30 degrees, and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time outdoors today.  The fresh air and rural surroundings feed my soul as much as painting out here does.  I may only have one more day of snow painting before it all melts away - 60s are expected soon!  Painting number 2965 in 2965 days.

Sunlight on the Snow

The giant snowflakes of yesterday shimmered like glitter on the lawn today.  All day long the outdoors called to me as I worked on household chores.  I was looking for that golden light to start to bloom over the landscape, and finally it did.  I am once again painting over an old painting on masonite, my substrate of choice.  After the brushwork was in, I topped off with some knife work to represent the drifts of snow.  Love this winter wonderland and especially love those balmy temps in the 20s! Such a great painting day!  Painting number 2964 in 2964 days. 

Winter Herefords

Giant snowflakes fell from the sky as I started my day, and fell steadily for hours more.  As 3:00 approached, the warmest part of the afternoon, the snow was still falling gently.  With just a couple hours of daylight left, I headed out to the pasture.  The snow was deep - nearly to the top of my boots! It is actually in the 20s today - and it feels so very warm to paint in!  I even left the neoprene layer at the house.  These beauties stopped for a while to model for me before marching back up to their hay.  They walk single file back and forth, and when one stops they all stop.  I love getting to spend time out in nature with my paint.  This simple process feeds my soul indeed.  Painting number 2963 in 2963 days. 

Sunshine and Cedars

Oh what a difference the sunshine makes!  The thermometer still says it's cold on this record setting day, but it was honestly very comfortable for painting!  After getting my car stuck in the deep snow half way up my lane, it was time to go paint!  I was plenty warm from shoveling, and did not get cold at all while painting. The warm sun glistening on that snow was mesmerizing as I worked my oils across the panel! The golden hour is my absolute favorite time to paint.  Standing in all that beauty is a joy, and getting to paint it is soul satisfying.  Who cares if I have to dig my car out every day?  So worth it to enjoy this!  Painting number 2962 in 2962 days 

Northern Flicker

These beauties have never been to my feeders before this weekend!  Two days ago, the baby of this Northern Flicker found my suet bell - and stayed on it all day!  From early morning until last light - he stayed there eating when most other birds had left for the night.  Then yesterday morning he arrived again in the snow.  He and both parents flew by the back windows, alerting me that the bell had been finished!  I hung another, and soon mama was on it, and papa was around back under the other feeders, grazing!  They were so much fun to watch, undaunted in the snow and wind.  This morning, it began again!  They finished the bell, I hung another, and topped off the feeders again.  I had plenty of time for sketching - because these guys camp out on the bells.  This is the last one, and they've cleaned me out of food again.  Guess I'm going to restock tomorrow!  Painting number 2961 in 2961 days.  So fun to have new friends at the feeder!

Snow on Cedar Path

This path is always changing.  Each day brings different light and the foliage transitions from one season to the next with subtle changes daily.  The snow is falling again, and we're expecting 4 to 6 inches - our best snowfall yet!  So, I am capturing the magic in oils while the gentle flakes fall, and the light is slipping away.  It was 3 degrees when I headed out here, and oh how thankful I am for this long down coat warm to -7 degrees.  That's what the tag said when I bought it, now I'm getting to really test it. With my various layers, I am toasty warm, and the deep furry trim around the collar, and my scarf, shield my face so well!  Thank goodness for good gear!  Painting number 2960 in 2960 days. 

Hackberry Path

My newest TWSBI Eco fountain arrived yesterday along with De Atramentis Archive Ink.  It sat in my mailbox for hours, hovering around 0 degrees. By the time we got home from dinner, and I brought my new goodies to the house, I was surprised to find the ink not frozen!  This ink is very water resistant, so I use it for lines that I want to remain through the water work. Since I just loaded the pen with ink, the fine nib was a little juicy, dropping more ink than I wanted. Add to that, this paper is very thirsty, so it really sucks in that ink.  For the midtones,  I added Robert Oster's Thunderstorm ink, moving it a little with water. This color of ink is well suited for winter. The original lines do not move when water is added.  This ink is not waterproof, and might move on a smoother paper. So happy to see the sun!  It makes this record cold snap seem so much warmer!  Painting number 2959 in 2959 days. 

3 Chickadees!

Those sweet chickadees are so fun to watch AND paint!  I've been spending a little time watching them each day with a hot mug of tea.  We have many different birds coming to the feeders - normally 25 or more at a time!  They fly from branches to feeders to the ground - all while visiting with each other.  Each day, I learn more about their forms, the way they tilt their heads and their postures.  I love to capture their little personalities with ink and watercolor, which is faster for me to use than oils.  That's enough reason to choose ink and watercolor on a 10 degree day  with the wind kicking up!  Painting number 2958 in 2958 days. 

Hedge Apple Trees in the Snow

It is so fun to explore a couple of hedge apple trees in oil today!  Twisted and interesting - their limbs stretch out in all directions.  We have a few very old trees and many younger ones, all decending from the dust bowl days of trying to reclaim the soil.  My grandparents planted them along the hedge rows, to create windbreaks.  They drop large lime green hedge apples that deer, squirrels and crows eat.  In fact, I saw a couple of them shredded to bits along the trail today.  I jumped into my painting without sketching first, and I realized half way in that I missed that sketch!  I might just do an ink and watercolor tomorrow.  There are two or three large of these calling my name!  They would even be cool in ink alone.  Painting number 2957 in 2957 days. 

Western Path in the Snow

After several painting days out in the teens, today did not feel so cold!  I think I'm actually acclimating to the frigid temps.  Working over an old painting (of sand and surf with seagulls), my scene today could not have been more different.  Often times I will choose a painting of the same season to paint over, so some of that old work can remain.  But today, I wanted a warm background for this very dark and snowy day, hoping those subtle colors would add vibration to the snowscene.  I like mixing things up!  Each of these last oil painting days, I have started differently in regards to color and underpainting.  I think it has helped me to keep things fresh.  Well, that and working fast in the cold.  No time to overthink when you're just trying to get done fast! Lol!  Painting number 2956 in 2956 days. 

Cardinal Pair

These cardinals are so fun to watch AND paint!  We have so many coming to the feeders, they perch on nearby branches while waiting.  I used my fountain pen loaded with Robert Oster's Thunderstorm, an ink that lends itself well to winter scenes.  With a little watercolor to fill out birds and branches, I was ready to head in.  I think it helped to have warm water in my water brush pen, it was very cold at 15 degrees.  I wonder what would happen if I worked sloppy wet in such temps?  Well, this miniature painting on 3x3 paper was fast, so there was no need for warming up or worrying about freezing ink.  I keep my supplies in the warm pockets of my down coat!  Painting number 2955 in 2955 days. 

Snow on Old Hackberry

Today finds me painting the second largest hackberry in our winter wonderland!  Relatively close to the house on this cold 11 degree afternoon, I took a warm up break in the middle.  I made the mistake of taking off my painting hand glove briefly, and those fingers got cold fast.  When it is this cold, it is so important to layer up, including a neoprene layer.  I keep a sherpa scarf over my face, reducing skin exposure, ending with a heavy  hooded down coat and tall rubber boots.  I don't like painting with a glove on my paint hand, but I have to when it's this cold.  I'm looking for good neoprene gloves for just this.  My fleece lined leather gloves are fine for a while, but don't keep my fingers warm towards the end.  I know that if they start to tingle, it is time to warm them up!  Painting number 2954 in 2954 days 

Snow at the Milk Barn

gifted

Oh my, it is cold today!  At 14 degrees, I painted this in three segments, warning up inside for a few minutes in between!  I really wanted to go diet to the pond, but it is just too far from the house in these temps.  I have my Altoid tin full of Richeson oils, which perform very well in cold temps!  Totally necessary for today!  I did paint with gloves, because I had to, and hard warmers were a must!  I love this old milk barn, and am happy to spend a little time getting it painted before the big game. Now, it's time to go in and watch my KC CHIEFS!! Painting number 2953 in 2953 days. 

Blue Jays

Today finds me sketching our blue jays as the snow starts falling.  Their brilliant blue feathers shine on this overcast day, begging to be painted.  With ink and watercolor, I capture their forms on miniature handmade paper.  On these small squares, I am zooming in a bit, breaking the edges with the forms.  It seems to happen naturally as I work, and I like it.  We have quite of few of these birds, some coming to the feeders, but most seen on lawn and field.  I can always hear their distinct call, and they play well with the others.  My Mom used to complain about how aggressive her blue jays were, but I don't see that here.  As the temperature drops, I paint faster, but not before those fingertips get cold!  Should have had my handwarmers!  Painting number 2951 in 2951 days. 

Chickadee Pair

I love sketching this sweet pair during the golden hour!  So many chickadees visit the feeders all day, bringing many other friends with them.  Surprisingly warm on this day before a winter storm advisory, I've been out tending the gardens, covering cabbage, kale, Swiss chard and lettuce!  I was so surprised to see a new little bunch of gourmet lettuce - in February!  I'm sketching today with my new TWSBI Diamond fountain pen loaded with Nutcracker ink. Instead of mixing inks, I simply went over the lines I wanted darker while they were still wet, allowing the ink to mingle.  I read some articles today about some bad chemical reactions that can happen inside a fountain pen when mixing inks willy nilly, so I think mixing on the paper best. I have so many blends I want to try with my favorite black... maybe I should buy the very inexpensive TWSBI Go just for that purpose!  If I melt the insides, it would not be a loss of one of my favs.  And, that pen is exceedingly easy to load and unload!  Painting number 2950 in 2950 days. 

Herefords Three

It feels like Christmas when a new fountain pen arrives in the mail!  This one is the TWSBI Diamond AL R in limited edition punch pink, and of course it writes like a dream!  The new ink is from Diamine Inkvent collection, Nutcracker. It is a rich red brown, but I couldn't get it dark enough in shadow areas, so had to use some Thunderstorm ink from Robert Oster to balance it.  I know this sounds crazy, but I might just expel half of that ink and add in black.  I'll try it out first with a dip pen. It really isn't recommended to mix inks, but sometimes I can't help myself!  The ink comes in this very lovely bottle, and perhaps I could get a deeper value with a brush?  I couldn't do that in the field, I don't carry any ink bottles with me.  That would be a disaster if the lid loosened up in a bag!  I've used my favorite Watercolor Confections palettes to wash in the color on that handmade paper.  Painting number 2949 in 2949 days. 

Grazing Cows

Unseasonably warm, it was a perfect February day to get outside!  It is always a treat to escape from my chores for some time well spent with nature, inks and watercolor.  I remember the days when my grandparents ran black Angus cattle here for many, many years.  When my mom was young, they had dairy cows and the endless milking morning and night.  Cattle in the pasture links me with my past, and I can't even pass them on the road without wanting to pull over and paint them!  Perhaps this weekend I can paint these darlings with snow on the ground! Painting number 2948 in 2948 days. 

Old Hackberry

This grand old hackberry tree is a giant in this pasture.  Not far from it, old rusted farm equipment is parked right where my grandfather left it many years ago.  Mike and the kids started to build a tree house here, and I hope they finish it one day.  How lovely it would be to lay on a blanket up there, staring up at those glorious branches, sketching of course! With a bird's eye view, there are a great many wonderful things I could paint up there!  Ink in my favorite TWSBI Diamond mini fountain pen and watercolor fill out this miniature 3x3 inch painting on handmade paper.  Love my time spent sketching this old beauty. Painting number 2947 in 2947 days. 

Old Oak

Today I am sketching skyward with this old oak! A witness to both daughter's weddings, this pin oak was planted by my grandmother when her son (Uncle Brian) returned from his service to the marines.  Also witness to two grass fires that swept up around it and past it, it has watched 6 generations of my family gather on the lawn.  With ink and watercolor, I capture this tree with a new perspective, loving the whole process of doing so.  Painting number 2946 in 2946 days. 

January Collage!!

To celebrate the end of the January #stradaeasel challenge, I downloaded an app (Phinsh Collage Maker)on my phone to for my January work.  I simply selected the pics on my phone and the app did the rest. I can see a few paintings were clipped off, but I haven't had time to give it a second look. It's fun to see a whole month's venues at a glance, and each is a memory of the day. Maybe I'll do this next month, too!