Dramatic Sky over Mount Pleasant

Hooray for another dramatic sky to paint in a string of stunners!  Looking up is all the inspiration I need to jump into another quick paint!  After last night's late night release of Taylor's newest album complete with a barrage of texting with my daughters most of the night, one would think I'd slowly approach this day.  Nope! I jumped up early and got cracking on my lengthy list of projects to prepare for upcoming galleries and plein air events.  In the middle of all that - streaming Taylor, of course, I found time to capture the beauty in the heavens again.  Just like little gifts offered from the sky, the beauty must be painted.  Painting number 5016 in 5016 days. 

Sundance Over the Farm

 I am always drawn to gorgeous skies - especially in the rural landscape!  Choosing a wide format -20x10, I am able to concentrate on what's really important about this scene. The forms and colors in that sky are a bit challenging!  I really try to see the subtle changes, so that every mark counts.  Looking twice, painting once - lol. By careful observation I can stay on track with my vision for this place.  I find that a much more effective way than dropping in masses, and then tweaking.  Painting is a journey, and this season finds me studying my subjects intently. Painting number 2864 in 2864 days. 

Nostalgic Barn

The Midwest is full of wonderful old barns, many of them falling to ruin.  When scouting out areas, it is a treasure indeed to find these in the most remote places!  This one's roof has seen better days, so it is time to paint it before it is no longer standing.  As today's class demo, the lines and perspective of this barn are good exercises in drawing.  Values then need to be laid down, and I choose a dark violet for this - but it could be any dark, it's just what a picked up on my brush.  Next, I place the lights, marking where the masses of grass change in the pasture.  I bring all to a finish with my limited supplies.  I need to tweak the brushes I carry in the small thumb box, there were a couple I reached for but didn't have.  My favorite tools are ever shifting slightly, as I add in new ones and weed out others. THAT is the trouble of switching back and forth between so many pochades!  Painting number 2072 in 2072 days.

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East Harbor Impressions

Sometimes, I start a painting en plein air that I'm unable to finish in the field.  This lakeside painting is just such a case.  Only half finished, we had to get back for dinner commitments, and so I stored it in my panel pack.  On the rare occasion that I must do this, there are a few things I do to make sure I have all the information I need.  Most importantly, I try to get all my colors marked loosely, even reflections, dots of highlight and sloppy masses.  I always take a photo before leaving, which gave me very little information here.  The sky was very bright, the beach very dark, and if I'd not already painted the color in, I would never have given that photo a second look.  Maybe I've left thay foreground TOO loose....... I'll take another look tomorrow with fresh eyes.  But for now, I'm letting this favorite spot at East Harbor rest!  Painting number 2055 in 2055 days.

oil on panel, 14x10
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