February 16, 2011

Saratoga Gold

Saratoga Gold (12 x 24, pastel)
click to enlarge

In honor of the windy weather we have been having on Whidbey Island over the past several days, I thought I would post this little piece of the storm just outside my studio.  I love this kind of weather. Well, except for the power outages. That's a bit of a bother.

Waves from the island to all, 
and always, 
cheers,
Sandy 

February 14, 2011

Heart Stealer

Heart Stealer (5 x 7, oil on panel) sold

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY
from Miss Biscuit and Me

February 11, 2011

Carry Hope

Carry Hope 6" x 12" oil on panel

Six inches tall, nine months to completion....I'm not sure that is going to work well in a production mode but some paintings just won't get off the easel until they are ready. This is one of those. For all that I put in to this piece I am a bit sad that I started it last May before I started making my own panels because I am not thrilled with the texture of this one. I used a Dick Blick 3/8" canvas panel for this oil painting and you can see the texture pretty clearly in the image below (especially so if you click on it).


I am considering using this piece as a study for a larger piece but if I do that math, it will take me 5 years (60 months) to complete a 20 x 24 and I'm not sure I'm up for that. On the subject of birds and girls...take a look at this amazing painting by Karen Martin Sampson (on her blog: http://karenmartinarts.blogspot.com/).

Thanks to all for stopping by. Happy Painting!
Sandy

February 04, 2011

Red

Red 16 x 20 on Byers panel

Four more days, four more glazes and I am pretty certain I am done with this one. Even though trucks out in fields aren't my usual subject matter, I really enjoyed working on this piece because, just as with most all of my work, I used my own photo reference for this. As you know, I had lots of time at the easel with this piece so that also meant I had lots of time to reminisce about the source of the photo.

I recall my husband (Larry) and I taking a trip to Eastern Washington and, like I often do when we take trips, I had my window rolled down with my camera halfway hanging outside just waiting for something to catch my attention. You can probably imagine after miles and miles of nothing but wheat fields, just how excited I was when we zoomed past old "RED!" I snapped my one-chance picture and that was all I needed. Just that and my sweet memory. I wonder if they ever sold any hey off that old truck. Oh, and by the way, Larry says that's a c. 1970 International.

THE GLAZE: Below is a photo of the next-to-the last step when I thought I was done but I just kept staring at it waiting to find out why I didn't really care for the finished piece as much as I did the washes. That's when I decided to add (yet another) thin glaze of  white, yellow ochre and ivory black to a) give the hill a bit more distance and b) to add a little more sunshine to the hill. I wanted to get more of that golden cast back that was in the inital glazes. I also ended up adding a few more details to Red.

My Palette
For the majority of  the painting, I used:
  Ivory Black
  Cad Red Deep
  Mixed White
  Cad Yellow Medium

for final glazes on the sky I added ultramarine blue
for final glazes on the hey I added yellow ochre

My Panel
All-in-all, I am happy with how my Byer's Board held up to all the glazing and some of the scrubbing I did with this piece. I will certainly be using it again!

Thanks for coming by to see the end result.

May you find peace at your easel.
Cheers,
Sandy

February 01, 2011

Glaze upon glaze upon glaze

    

Goodness me, that's a lot of glazing! I'm on my 7th coat and still have a way to go.  I decided to use Galkyd Lite for this experiment and I am finding this a real test of patience for me. I enjoy the process of working with a pretty well thought-out value study and building up slowly but alright, already - it seems like I could have actually built the truck by now :). I still have several layers to go and thought you might enjoy seeing the process so far. 

The Galkyd Lite was nice to work with but I must say if I didn't have a full-on VOC (volatile organic compounds) air purifier in my studio, I don't think I could handle the odor. Oh, the things we do for love.





More to come...later.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Happy painting, all!
Cheers,
Sandy