Number 53: The Homestead

The Homestead, 6x8, Oil on Gessoed Hardboard

I got the hankerin', that's Midwest lingo for 'I really wanted', to go out and paint something en plein air. OK. Bugs, not a problem. Wind, not a problem. But the HEAT!!! And the SUN!!! I don't think that the 'Red Badge of Courage' is about blood. It's about the lobster red color of my pasty, white Irish skin when it's exposed to the sun. Cover up, you say? In THIS heat?

Anyway, here's a farm that I've been admiring and have thought about painting for a while. There's just something about white farm buildings from across a corn field that is just inspiring and attention-getting.

I really like how the corn turned out in this one. The farm didn't turn out so bad either!

Enjoy!

Number 54: Another Portrait

Portrait, 10x8, Oil on Gessoed Hardboard

OK, so I've been reading all the books and watching all the painting demos that I've accumulated in my self study of oil painting and I ran across Jeff Watts' Gesture Portraits - again! And, again, I said to myself that he REALLY makes it look easy. I can do that!

Well, here's another portrait. I don't think I did TOO badly, but, no! It's really NOT that easy...

Enjoy!

Number 55: Jen's Sunset

Jen's Sunset, 8x10, Oil on Gessoed Hardboard

You may remember a post where I mentioned my first date with the love of my life, Jen. Go here to refresh your memory if it's as bad as mine, LOL!

Well, I promised a painting way back then and I finally got to it! Enjoy!!!

Oh! And Jen, I still love the shoes!  ;-)

Number 56: The Pilot House Restaurant

Pilot House, 8x6, Gessoed Hardboard

Early last year Jen and I flew to Philadelphia and drove to New Jersey to attend the engagement party of her sister, Kelly, to a super great guy, Anthony. The dinner party was at a restaurant called the Pilot House located in Brick Township. Besides loving art, I am also a foodie, and the Pilot House did it up right!

Anyway, this is a little color study from that day done in preparation for a 'little' project I've started which you will see here within the next week or so.

Enjoy!

Number 57: Rise & Shine

Rise & Shine, 8x6, Oil on Gessoed Hardboard

As my last post indicated, I'm back!

I couldn't think of a better way to get rid of the spider webs from the studio in my mind than to do a quick little nautical.

Since I enjoy sunrises, and this little piece represents my comeback, enjoy 'Rise & Shine'!

Back in the Saddle!!!

Life and work have gotten in the way long enough!
I'm back and will be painting a lot more! As a matter of fact, I'll be posting six little studies that I've done over the past week - some plein air, some portraiture, some from reference photos.

So stay tuned and I'll have them posted shortly!

Number 58: First Portrait!

First Portrait - 6x8, Oil on Gessoed Hardboard

I've been watching portrait videos by Jeff Watts and Morgan Weistling and thought to myself, "That doesn't look too hard!" So, I set out to see if I could actually paint a likeness of a human being and make it look somewhat like the human being I used as my subject.

I'm pretty happy with this little study! There are some details that I'm thinking "Hmmmm..." about, but all in all not a bad first portrait, if I do say so myself.

I also discovered that I really enjoy painting the human head, particularly the face and eyes.

Maybe I have a future in portraiture! Perhaps in the future, hehe! I have a lot of work to do!

Enjoy!

Number 59: En Plein Air - The Chicken Coop!

I had so much fun yesterday painting outside that I decided to do it again today!

There's an old chicken coop on the farm that was used by the previous owner to raise calves. I spent the last weekend clearing out all the tall grass and weeds from the fenced-in area as well as around it, not to mention fighting with snakes and a well that stopped working for a while! Anyway, I thought to myself that the results of my labor would be a good subject for a quick little painting.

My chosen subject. Pretty, huh?

Composition and layout...

In the Country - Chicken Coop, 6x8, Oil on Gessoed Hardboard

Yes, there are HUGE FOOTBALLS growing in my background tree! And I could have softened the hill top a little! But my main objective with this one was just getting the shadows and lights as well as the warm and cool foreground and background right. I don't think I did too terribly bad with either, so next time I'll work on edges too!

Number 60: En Plein Air, Round 2!

I got a wild hare, actually Jen (Thank you, Honey!), and went outside yesterday. It was absolutely GORGEOUS out!

I was a little hesitant, given my last bout with painting en plein air. But out in the country there are no people to watch, oggle, ridicule, laugh at you, talk to you, so I wasn't distracted at all - and I think it shows!

I picked out an old, short, unused grain silo with a farm gas tank next to it. I think that the bluishness of the silo and the bright orange of the gas tank caught my eye.

This one was SO MUCH FUN!!

My Subjects...

Set up and composition.

Yes, another new Open Box M!! I love them both!! They are so enjoyable to work with. I've put a piece of glass in the bottom and I can't believe how EASY it is to clean them now! Just a glass cleaning razor blade is all it takes!

In the Country - Silo and Tank, 6x8, Oil on Gessoed Hardboard

I really like how this one turned out. Yes, I could have opened up the trees a bit and worked a cloud or two in the sky, but I was so happy to be outside again that I just didn't want to muddle this one up!

BONUS!! Jen got some new photos of me painting outside, so I'll be updating my profile picture with something that makes me look a little more approachable, instead of Mr. Grumpy, hehe!

Number 61: Still Life - Mango

So, I haven't been keeping up with my painting like I should. Life has a tendency to zig when you want to zag. But things are settling down again, and I'm back to painting!

My Set Up - The Mango

And here is the first painting I've done since January - my 39th!!

Still Life - Mango, 6x8 Oil on Gessoed Hardboard