Pasted

I decided to paste this little sketch into my watercolor sketchbook for reference. I don't keep a regular sketchbook but am once again trying to get into the habit as I'm always impressed when I see others' books. They're so inspiring and sketching in general is just a good way to practice skills.

So I will once again, try to do more sketching. I can't promise I will, but I'm going to try. Do you keep a sketchbook? How often do you sketch? What kinds of things do you sketch . . . and how much time do you devote to sketching? I'd love to read your responses!

Cutler Road sketch
8" x 8"
(watercolor on paper)

Happy Friday, Happy Sketching, and Have a great weekend!

Froloff's Barns

"Froloff's Barns"
11.5" x 10.25"
(watercolor on paper)

Click here to bid.

I finished this last night. So glad to finally have accomplished this one.  Thanks for viewing my work.  Cheers!

Easter Hiatus

"Froloff's Barns" -- almost done . . .
approximately 12" x 10"

I'm back!  :)  Every so often I need to take a little break and catch up on "home chores" and other stuff. Usually when the household chores and other responsibilities catch up to me, I still pressure myself to paint and post, but find it very difficult to focus . . . on anything.  (Does that ever happen to you?) When this happens to me, I totally lose my painting mojo;  it's like my brain won't connect with my hands and it's very frustrating -- almost depressing. However, instead of fighting it this time and feeling like a failure, I decided to just give and and take a "vacation." I let go of the pressure to paint and blog, and allowed myself the time to just goof around. I picked away at my household chores only when I felt like it and eventually found myself in a much better place to paint. I must say, it was a welcomed rest. So here's the little bit of progress I've made as I ease back into my groove. Thanks for your patience! 

Getting There

wip-3

Still working on this one.  I've decided that I love painting stonewalls.  :)  Thanks for visiting!

Ahhhh . . . Progress

11.75" x 10.5"

I start getting a little anxious when I don't have a finished painting by midweek, or at the very least, a lot of good progress.  So I'm relieved that I can finally post some legitimate progress on this painting.  As you know, it's been hanging around the studio for a long time . . . but I pulled it out a week or so ago and was able to get a substantial amount of work done on it today.  It's actually even further along than when I snapped this photo.  So stay tuned!  Thank you for reading my blog.  :)

Back to the Barns

I haven't painted much in the past two days as I've been working on our taxes. So here's a painting I started a while back -- you may remember it. I put away (like I often do) and then recently (about a few weeks ago) I started messing with it again. I'm hoping to finish up the big shoe, the big bowl and then these barns in the next week or so.  And looking forward to getting back to my paintings!  Have a good day and thank you for stopping by.

I'm Still Here

"Tulip II" (in progress)
(approximately) 6" x 9"

I think for me, posting my "Works In Progress" sometimes is the kiss of death for them! But I wanted to prove I haven't been slacking in the studio. I've been finishing up a commission, but also framing some pieces for upcoming juried shows and starting new things to juggle. "Tulip II" is from a photograph posted on the Paint And Draw Together website . . . as is "Classic Tomatoes." (Check that site out if you never have -- I find it very inspiring -- whether you paint from one of their photos and post, or get ideas on how to photograph or approach your own still lifes).

Anyway . . . although I haven't done anything new to the "chair with the quilt on it" or the "Church Street Barns" paintings I thought I'd post them so that I'd feel a little pressure to finish them up in the next couple weeks.  The "pitcher with the flowers and quilt" painting is about 16" x 16" and a new one I just started. So I guess that's about it folks. Enjoy your day -- and keep painting!

Untitled

"Classic Tomatoes"

Untitled

"Church Street Barns"

More Updates

Oh my goodness, I feel like a painting/blogging machine these few days! :)  Obviously the painting in progress above is of the "chair with quilt" -- for lack of a better title at the moment.  So things are moving along with this one.  

Below, I've posted an image of the latch detail on the "Bittersweet Door" painting.  It was just too flat and bugging me, so I added a couple shadows to it and they made all the difference.  Now I'm happy with it.  So I wanted to share that with you. It's still up for auction over at DPW if you're interested.  I haven't changed that photo, so you can pretend it has the better latch now.

the improved latch detail on "Bittersweet Door"

click here to bid

Finally, I've attached the progress on my "Church Street Barn" painting.  It's coming along.  I'm doing a great deal of detail that I'm not sure will work or not.  We'll see.  I almost like going too far with areas of my paintings and then pulling back by washing out.  You can get an almost ghostlike quality that you can't get by painting directly onto the paper.  It's the same with highlights.  While sometimes reserving the whites are required, many times I prefer to pull out the color after the darks have been added.  It all depends on what suits the painting. Just something to think about.

"Church Street Barns"
12" x 12"

Ok enough of my lecturing . . . off to get my chores done!  :)

OOPS!

"West Road Barns"
SOLD

Oops . . . I was trying to edit the previous post of this painting, to mark it as sold and unfortunately I deleted it -- gaaahhh!  So here it is again, but without the rambling commentary.  :)