Work In Progress | "Poolside"

Surprisingly, after just one month of daily painting it is strange not to have a finished painting to post everyday.  I have started 2 new paintings.  Something I realize I don't think to do often enough is to snap a few pictures of my paintings as they progress.  Plus, I can see things that need improving better when I look at a photo (similar to looking at your painting in a mirror). 

I took the original photograph of these adorable girls while I was on a cruise recently.  Only kids were brave enough to get into a pool when it was in the 50s outside.

I toned the canvas gray.  After it dried, I drew in the figures with a burnt umber & ultramarine blue mix. I'm kind of liking the dark lines left from the drawing lines that are still showing. Now I have to decide whether or not I will leave them.  

Another couple of layers and this study for a larger painting will be complete.  

Work in Progress
"Poolside" 12x12" oil

HH4 Challenge - It was all about the ripples

I found myself surfing art YouTube videos instead of painting this morning.... I confess, I was actually procrastinating since I needed to unpack my supplies from Dreama Tolle Perry's 3-day workshop which ended yesterday.  It is a mystery!...can anyone tell me why it is my supplies seem fairly condensed (for me) when I go to a workshop, but fill the car when I pack it to go home?

I had a wonderful time...Dreama is a fabulous artist, instructor and person.  I learned so much from her my brain is officially full...at least for this week! OK, now I need to get going and finish the painting I started in class yesterday before it gets too dry.  Dreama's method is wet into wet.   More about Dreama's workshop tomorrow.  

Challenge #11 - My Pick

Once again, it was my turn to pick the Hilton Head Four (HH4) bi-monthly challenge.  The pressure was on!  I've had this photo set aside waiting for me to paint it.  I love paintings of people in water and when I saw this young girl floating on her noodle I couldn't resist.  I love the colors in the water.   Painting water seemed like it should be fairly easy, but how do you really paint ripples in water?  Just figuring out how to approach it was a bigger challenge than I thought it would be.   I also learned the weather is wonderful in Florida in February, but the traffic is brutal and the pool is always full of grand-kids... just say'n!

 

Noodling Along, 12x12, oil on RayMar panel

In the order of who is up next for the picks.....

Chris Werst.   

Christ never fails to think out of "my" box. She always goes somewhere I would never think about be it her colors, cropping or style.  She sent her submission to us saying she did the painting then decided to wipe it off and start again.  She decided she loved the look and kept it.  It is like looking through water.

  "Ripples",  Regula "Lulu" Scheifele

"Dunkin"  Maria Bennett Hock