Plaza Inked

This is my week of a hundred cars-  and by gosh,  I am going to get them in!   I love picking a focus and attacking it!  True as it is, I keep getting sidetracked by all the spring beauty bursting forth all around me!   This drawing has another 20 cars in it,  and plenty of tiny people with dot heads and dash bodies!  I am in this drawing,  behind my easel,  and more prominently located than the last one!   Can you find me?  Painting number 1557 in 1557 days  :)

Looking Across Broadway

Finding a scene where there are plenty of cars is harder than you might think - especially if you live in the country!   I tried several local grocery stores, but the view just didn't strike me as "painting worthy".  The Country Club Plaza,  however is a mecca for this subject matter, and the backdrop is always amazing.  I have started hiding a tiny plein air artist (me) in these pen and ink street scenes!   I may be talking to people, or maybe I'm alone,  but I'm always standing in front of a painting on my easel, with my hat on!!  There are 24 cars and 50 people in this drawing......can you find me?  Drawing number 1540 in 1540 days :)

Artists Painting the Plaza in ink

Painting cars in the landscape has always been a challenge.  I tend to avoid them,  or better yet,  ignore them completely.  So,  they are my self imposed challenge of the week.  100 cars in one week.  I begin by drawing them,  because the media is less forgiving than paint.  I need to be held to the line!   Even though this is focused study,  I want it to be strong compositionally, not just 100 cars lined up hood to bumper.  What better place than the Country Club Plaza for an amazing backdrop for all the mundane cars?  I look at the shapes that make up each car individually,  and draw just that shape.  I start with front of car,  then the angles of hood and wheel,  next the roof,  finally the back,  treating it like I would a figure.  All figures are angles,  get the angles right and the figure is right.  It's a struggle,  but I'm hoping it will be a breeze by 100!  Drawing number 1536 in 1536 days :)

Rush Hour Sunset

Today,  I am experimenting!   I want to achieve that "staring into the sunset" feel for this painting,  and I'm using a rather unusual subject for me - a street scene from town!  When I'm in Belton for a sunset,  the best open sky view is from the Kohl's parking lot.  I first underpaint the sky with a cad yellow ball (sun) that gradates out to a cool sienna/alizarin shade at the edges.  I place my sun off center for best composition.  I do all of this in acrylic.  When dry,  I start negatively painting everything by placing in the actual sky color in oil.  In this case I have a Naples yellow/ochre mix.  I scrape back to the wires,  but all else is shaped by the sky color.  I want to add "100 cars" to my monthly goal, so I start here with 4!  I add taillights to the cars,  and - voila - I think it is finished!   I might just go out and paint the windmill in the same way! Painting number 1524 in 1524 days :)

oil on panel, 6x6
purchase here