More People at the Market

Figure 3

oil on treated paper

Figure 4

oil on treated paper

 

Figure 5

oil on treated paper

Above are a few more value studies of figures of people in markets in France. I went back to the original photos as references for the five studies. And before I started, I watched two of my favorite Peggi Kroll-Roberts videos. You can check them out on her website here (scroll down, these two are in sets 2 and 3).

My personal favorite is Figure 3. How about you? And I promise, there will be color soon!

A Judicious Crop

Tidewater Reflection left cropped

Tidewater Reflection top/bottom cropped

Tidewater Reflection as painted

5"x5" oil on treated paper

One thing about painting on paper, if you don't like the result you can always do some cropping. Which one do you like best?

Cirrus Over Tidewater

Cirrus Over Tidewater

5"x5" oil on acrylic on treated paper

$50 (includes 8"x8" mat for framing)

click here to purchase

I think I'll close out September with a couple more of the Tidewater paintings for which I've already done the under paintings. I wanted this one to be about the sky, and how better to make that happen than with the cirrus clouds (from a previous cloud study) that are with us so often this time of year?

Tidewater in Secondaries

Tidewater in Secondaries

5"x5" oil on paper
$50 click here to purchase

I'm enjoying playing around with color in this Tidewater scene. Alfred (Chip) Chadbourn, whose life and paintings we are currently celebrating in Yarmouth, was fond of the secondary colors, and used them frequently in his paintings. I took a leaf from his book for this one.

Tidewater Greens

Tidewater Greens

5"x5" oil on treated paper
$50 (includes 8"x8" mat for framing)

click here to purchase

I'm fascinated with this vista at Tidewater Farm. And the shady white pine and the breeze from the water make for a very pleasant painting experience. Here's the first of a series of color explorations of this scene. I added sap green and very little phthalo green to my normal limited palette.

Marsh at Tidewater Farm

Marsh at Tidewater Farm

6"x9" oil on treated paper
$50
click here to purchase

This is a demo I did for my plein air class at Tidewater Farm earlier this month. Underneath is a value painting in burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, and white acrylic. The color layer on top is oil paint. Just a quick thing, but so fun to do! We all agreed we could do a lot of paintings of this view, standing under the shady white pine tree.

"The White Dinghy"

 

 The White Dinghy

6"x6"
oil on paper
$75

Finally after a late spring, boats are going into the water in Maine. This one belongs to one of my neighbors. It's a classic.

"Rachel Carson Marsh"

"Rachel Carson Marsh"

8"x16" oil on Canson treated paper

Marsh drawing

Yesterday I discovered a wonderful place to paint the marsh in the Rachel Carson preserve in Kennebunc. It's hard to find a place where you can get some interesting structure and have a place to park. Often when I find a decent view, I'm lucky to get a photo by standing on the pavement in a spot where it would be dangerous to paint. So this was a real treat. And shortly after I set up, another painter showed up. Kudos to you, Gerard Blouin!

Hampton Falls Marsh II

"Hampton Falls Marsh II"

8"x16"

oil on Canson treated paper

This is my second painting yesterday afternoon. I'm pleased with it!

Here are a couple of photos of the process.

"Marsh at Hampton Falls"

"Marsh at Hampton Falls"

8"x16" oil on Canson treated paper

I spent a wonderful afternoon and early evening today in the marsh near Hampton Falls, NH. I started this painting there last week on Monday and was keen to get back. It's a great spot, and was so windy today that I had to use the open back of the minivan as a windbreak. Tomorrow I'll show you the a second painting. This one shows last week's weather.

Scott Christensen Workshop

"Plantation Drive"

6"x8" oil on Canson oil paper

NFS

 "Plantation Road" phase 1

A couple of weeks ago I attended a workshop taught by Scott Christensen, held at a wonderful spot on the Cooper river, near Charleston SC. Despite a lot of rain, it was an incredible experience. The focus was on making quality paintings, and the things one needs to do to make that happen. And how those things involve your brain more often than your paintbrush. I don't have a lot I want to show, but this one I was particularly pleased with, and I think it illustrates some of what we learned.

The phase 1 photo shows my initial stab at the painting. With Scott's help, it became the version at the top. Though the orientation and even value of the road was in reality more like the phase 1 image, I think the foreground of the finished painting is much more effective and gives a better flavor of the place. What do you think?