Arrrrrggggghhhhh

I know. I know. Any thing worth doing... but why does it have to be so difficult.


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Jim's advice to my last post...

"...just go to the studio and paint."


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overcoming fear

It sounds like I'm going to give some advice on how to overcome fear. Well, there's no advice coming form this corner other than "face it head on"—to borrow the words of a diva.

small oil studies

I continue to paint smaller oils, 9x12 and smaller. I'd like to paint larger but I'm not ready to paint bigger... maybe it's fear of the unknown. For now, I'll keep doing these little pieces.

Many of these small oils are sketches for larger pastels--how's that for an ironic twist?




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Location:studio

apple pie

While shopping at Eastern Market, we bought some apples to bake pie. We chose a mix of sweet and tart varieties. However, before we could enjoy a pie I felt compelled to paint the apples. I was paticularly drawn to the color variations in the red apple and the leaves on the greeen apple.

This was painted in oil on stretched canvas. It was fun to paint the shadows and reflections on the apples. Looking at this now, I don't remember if the red apple was lopsided or not but I think I'll repaint left side to give it a more pleasing shape.



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Location:studio

and the pastel

This is the pastel. It is 36x18 on prepared panel. I was taken with the landscape beyond the foreground trees even though the trees are my focus.

continued exercises with pastel and oil

This small oil is 8x4 and was a quick study. I painted it rather quickly. Hmmmm. I am becoming more familiar with the oils.


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OUTLIERS

I just finished listening to Malcolm Gladwell's OUTLIERS on audiobook. It was so good--as are all his books--that I started from the beginning to listen again.

Now to work on those 10,000 hours. Or, start again.

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an exercise in pastel and oil

Since I started painting in oils--yet again. I decided to work on the same composition in both pastel and oil. This has been my project for the last couple weeks. I continue to struggle with brushes but i love mixing. I think I'll do the exercise again.



Pastel




Oil
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Richard McKinley Demo

On Sunday, prior to the opening of the Maryland Pastel Society's biennial exhibition, Shades of Pastel, I along with many other MPS members will have the opportunity to see Richard McKinley do a deomonstration. Richard is an incredible artists and generous teacher. Check out this short video of one of his demos.

another oil

painting in oils

In preparation of the Scott Christensen workshop in Colorado, I'm painting in oil using Scott's palette.

oil color charts are complete

Wow! When I started making these 12 color charts I thought it would take me a couple days. Instead, it took me a couple of weeks with each chart taking about two hours.

You may ask, "Was it worth it?" and I'd reply, "Yes, it was." I learned so much about this palette. Not only did I learn how the colors interact when mixed and how to consistently tint the colors. In addition, I learned that each color is different in its opacity where some colors are more transparent than others.

The true test of my efforts will come when I set out to put the pigments to use and how easily I'll be able to anticipate the mixture.

color chart 12 - bice

Vasari Bice

color chart 11 - silver point

Vasari Silver Point

color chart 10 - jasper

Vasari Jasper

color chart 9 - cedar

Vasari Cedar

color chart 8 - shale

Vasari Shale

color chart 7 - adobe

Vasari Adobe

color chart 6 - shiprock

Vasari's Shiprock