Upon the Horse

Upon the Horse
Pen and Ink on paper, 6x7

I have recently had a longing to draw in the western theme, and my civil war reenactment photos were the perfect aid!  Using my favorite superfine black Pitt pen, I have drawn this completely.  I have so many of these pens, in so many colors, but I continue to return to my one favorite!  It is the same way I am with brushes.  I must have hundreds, and I end up using just a few. Different ones for different mediums, but just a few in each.  I have only started to draw people in ink, and the trick is to leave them loose.  I will probably have to do a great many of them before I am truly comfortable with the process!  Drawing number 1325 in 1325 days :)

Watering the Horse

I have lately been wanting to draw some horses and riders, using my reference photos from the reenactment we had out here a few years ago.  I am using my Pitt pens and sketching in the figures loosely.  Too scared to jump in with the ink directly, I did a light sketch with my mechanical pencil.  This allowed me to make sure my proportions were right between horse and rider.  It was fun to sketch them in ink, so fun that I did another one!  Drawing number 1279 in 1279 Days :)

Watering the Horses
pen and ink on paper, 6x7
purchase here

The Old Pump

The Old Pump
Oil on panel, 10x8

This old pump has been out in the pasture since the mid 1800's, and it still works.  It never freezes, no matter the temperature, it will always draw water from the old well.  I can remember pumping water out if this when I was little, splashing and playing in it with my brother - but only if the cows were out in another pasture!  There is a lot of palette knife work on this one - lots of thick, juicy strokes.  Since we have such a cold, overcast day, I have played a bit with the grays - pushing them warm and cool.  This painting makes 402 in 402 days.  I wonder if I'll be able to make it down the lane tomorrow, the snow is still to deep for my car!

Watering the Horses

Watering the Horses
Oil on panel, 12x6
Civil War Reenactment

When priming panels, I got a little carried away with the paint.  I like to mix my own acrylic tints, and I was experimenting with burnt sienna and dairylide yellow.  First coat was a little too fleshy, so I poured a little paint directly on the panel - and it was pretty strong!  You can see plenty of the color popping through the greens!  When I started, I was fighting the strong color a bit.  It was harder to see what I was doing, and harder to gauge my values accordingly.  But, as I worked, I found that the energy that was coming through as a result was pretty fun!  This is another painting from the civil war reenactment, and in this one the men are watering their horses at an old pump that has been here forever.  I can remember playing with this pump as a child, making the water fill buckets - to toss at my little brother!  Getting ready for another sleepover birthday party - so I have to get back to work - painting number 240 in as many days :)