Reflection 6" x 6"

This one stretched my brain to the limit. I did the drawing yesterday and the painting today. That was an easy way to have a short painting session yesterday.

Green Study 6" x 6"

I haven't been mixing greens much lately so I worked on that today. I have been trying to limit the number of values in a painting: 3 to 5 only, so I've been mixing a dark and light for each object and then adjusting a little bit as I go. I'm going to mix up half tones next time.

50 Minute Apple 6" x 6"

I finished before the hour was up. I can see how one could learn a lot doing apples. I was just starting to get a sense of the light and dark areas. It had become too gooey to do any more.

Sardine and Anchovy Tins 6" x 8"

I knew this was too complicated to finish in 1 hour so I went as fast as I could and did a photo at the 1 hour point. It took me another hour and 45 minutes to finish. I fiddled around a lot with the photography trying to get the colors true. The background is still a tiny bit yellower than in the photo. I did discover that I get no glare if I lay the piece flat on the ground and photograph from above. This solves a problem I've had for a long time. I used the cloudy setting with a 1 1/3 light setting.
I used a panel that I had made with Windriver canvas. I love how that canvas looks with a finished painting but I have a lot of trouble getting the brush to move across it. Maybe more paint or a different medium would help.
I think I did pretty well today.

Bronzino Fish 8" x 8"

I noticed that the challenge on Daily Paintworks this week is "from the sea". I've always wanted to paint a fish so I got this little fellow at Newman's Fish Market. I decided to photograph outside so the colors are pretty true.
I used a painted over Raymar canvas which I really liked. Also my old medium: stand oil, refined linseed oil and thinner. Liked that too. The Rosemary Ivory brushes are pretty good for accuracy but they seem kind of wimpy compared to bristle brushes for moving paint around. So I used bristle for the background.

The Pear Again 6" x 6"

I would have liked to take a little more time to correct the drawing--but 1 hour is the rule! I tried a different canvas board and it didn't suit me. Also tried my favorite medium from long ago but I switched to plain linseed oil and liked that better.  Although it pains me to look at this  painting, I feel like I am remembering more about color mixing and paint application that when I paint less often.
Tomorrow I don't plan to have a time limit.

1 Hour Pear 6" x 6"

It seems like most days I should be able to fit 1 hour in for painting. My normal tendency is to paint for 5 hours or so. I get really absorbed--maybe too much. But I can't do that every day.
So I'll try this for a while. I got inspired to do this when I took Julie Davis' workshop and she said that when she started painting she would set her alarm forty-five minutes early and paint before getting the kids ready for school. Well, an old retired lady should be able to manage an hour a day. I guess it's really 2 with the clean up and posting.
I didn't like the gesso board I've used the last couple days. Will try something else tomorrow.

Life Drawing

I usually go to a life drawing session on Saturdays. Here are a couple of the 20 minute poses today.

Little House 8" x 6"

We've been having rainy, cold weather. I really wanted to paint outside on Tuesday so I went out to paint in my car. Sitting so close to what I was painting, I didn't realize how wonky the drawing is until I got home. But it kind of suits this funny, little house so I decided to leave it.

Second Persimmon 6" x 6"

So today's persimmon turned out a little better. I like that it's bigger. I decided I need to mix up a larger batch in the beginning which was a good idea. There was a phone call for my husband just as I was getting going and I had to take the phone out to him in the back 40 so I decided to give myself 5 minutes extra. I was greedy and took 20 min more. But that's OK I think I learned a little in those 20 minutes.

First Persimmon 6" x 6"

In an effort to paint more often I decided to give myself only an hour to paint after I've set up the scene and put paint on my palette. This was the first, yesterday. I am an incredibly slow painter. I made it just at an hour. Also have decided to stop fiddling so much to get a good photo and post. I just took this on the easel where my camera didn't have a setting for the lights I use (2 warm and 2 cool daylight tubes) but OK close enough. Unfortunately the blues don't show up.  I might continue cropping if it doesn't take a lot of fiddling.

Blue Rose Flour Mill

It took a little pushing myself, but yesterday I got out painting of one of our few dry days lately. It was in the high 40*'s which is usually too cold for me but yesterday it was OK. No wind and a few sun breaks. I'm trying working on my plan to do a quick color sketch outside then do a larger painting inside. It helps remove the pressure I normally feel to come up with a finished painting. Unfortunately, I'm still pretty slow coming up with the sketch.

Texas Hill Country 8" x 10"

I've been working on painting inside from color sketches done outside. I was in Texas taking a workshop from Julie Davis recently. I really love her work and came home with lots of things to think about and work on. This old outbuilding was one of many at the ranch where we were painting.

Portuguese Tree 8 x 10

I've been practicing clouds and trees lately. This one turned into a painting.  We spent some time walking in the Douro Valley of Portugal recently. An amazing experience.

Looking Through 10 x 8

A wonderful, summer day at Dorris Ranch today.  The yellow jackets were buzzing me. A little nerve-wracking. Maybe they like paint thinner One drowned himself in my thinner.

Priceboro Bend 6 X 8

I painted this in June, I believe. It is in a lovely farming area just east of I-5. I used to take my dad for drives out there. It was 2013 when I brought him to Eugene. He was failing physically and mentally. Although he was living in a facility, I spent a lot of time with him and handling his financial and legal affairs. I wanted to do that, but it took my focus away from painting. He passed almost 2 years ago. This is a long winded way of saying I am so glad to finally be focusing on painting again.

Firelight 8 X 10

We've had a lot of smoke in the valley lately because of all the forest fires that are raging in Oregon.
It makes for some atmospheric perspective that we don't usually get.

Mount Pisguah Trail 8 X 10

It was a lovely, warm summer morning at the back side of Mt. Pisguah. I love the tranquility of painting in this area.
It's been so long since I posted. I'm finally back to painting!