Last of the Sunday Night Sketches.




(Click image to enlarge).

Posted above is a very small collection of my many quick sketches produced during the two year run of the Sunday night portrait group (Morristown, NJ). The final session for the group came to a close this past weekend. I will miss everyone who attended over the years and all my best to Chris and Danielle who started this fantastic venture. Thank you.

Fields of Gold

This is one of the last plein air paintings I completed in 2012. It was started on location as a demo for my students. I stayed an extra hour after everyone had left to finish up. As you can see I had an incredible view rolling hills and farmland and a real opportunity to use atmospheric perspective to push the distance in the painting. I remember a very curious yellow jacket that was enamored with my paints as well that day. It didn’t seem mind which bug spray I used to try to discourage him/her with; just adding to the many exhilarating experiences of plein air painting.

Painted on: 2" cradled archival wood panel.

Medium: Artist grade acrylic.

Dimensions: 12x12 inches.

2 Gourds

We’re into the autumn season. So, here’s a season appropriate still life for you. Gourds make such interesting subjects to paint and these two offer a nice circular eye path to follow with their “pinstripes” and stem directions.

Medium: Artist quality oil.
Painted on: Ampersand Gessobord.
Dimensions: 6x6 inches.

Pastel Sketch of "Bill"

This is a pastel sketch I did of “Bill” our model for an evening at a local drawing group that I attend. I used a 5x7 inch grey toned Pastelbord made by Ampersand. I’ve included a picture of my drawing before I started to layer the pastel on top of it. The dark area on the bottom right of the drawing is just a shadow from my camera phone. (Click on the image above for a larger view).

Although I want the initial drawing to be as precise as possible I know that it’s only a starting point. I will make many small adjustments throughout the painting process. It is to be expected that the model will sit slightly different after each break, shift, tilt or a change expression during a session. Maybe these slight changes could be better for the painting. Over the course of a few hours many decisions must be made for the integrity of the final image.

This painting is unfinished and I find certain freshness in that. Much of the “process” is still evident and that can also give life to a painting.

Even though I haven’t posted in quite awhile doesn’t mean I haven’t been painting. Here I am hard at work in a beautiful poppy field during the grand opening of the Duke Farms in Hillborough, NJ over the weekend.

Duke Farms is one of the largest privately-owned parcels of open land in NJ. Created by James Buchanan Duke and preserved by his daughter, Doris Duke. This is a huge 2,000 acre property with 18 miles of roadway, 9 lakes, 45 buildings, 2 ½ miles of stone wall, 35 fountains and more subjects a painter would know what to do with…basically a plein air painters dream!

"Poppy Field" is one of 3 paintings I produced during my first time visit. I look forward to a long season of painting and exploring this great new resource.

Painting info: "Poppy Field", 8x10 inch Oil on RayMar panel.

Better Days

Detail #1

Detail #2

This pear has seen “better days”. When I buy perishable items for a painting subject I intend to paint them as soon as I get back to the studio. However, sometimes I can’t always get to them right away. They slowly turn bad and become more interesting! With pear skin scars, punctures and bruises; I really enjoyed playing up the textural  qualities of this subject.

Medium: Artist quality oil
Painted on: Ampersand Gessobord
Dimensions: 6x6 inches

Golden

Complete Painting

Detail #1

Detail # 2

By creating soft edges, reducing color intensity and using value contrast; I’m able to make the standing pear recede into the background. To demonstrate value contrast, compare the darker value highlight in Detail #1 to the lighter value highlight in Detail #2. To demonstrate color intensity, compare the standing dull yellow pear in Detail #1 to the more saturated yellow and yellow/reds in Detail #2.

Medium: Artist quality oil.
Painted on: Ampersand Gessobord.
Dimensions: 6x6 inches.