January Thaw

With one painting finished and time for another, I continued to paint. My fingers were cold. I had some little texting gloves, little knit gloves with the finger tips off. They helped! The geese continued to squabble. No one came around. The time before a Loudonville police man had stopped "to take a look" and said I would be safe in the area. He had pulled someone off today on the main road, probably for speeding, so I knew he was patroling. By the time I was finished painting I was really cold and had to go! No restrooms opened now. I opened the car door and squatted, sitting on the edge. I hoped no one could see. I had no choice.

Spring's Promise

Another challenge. Spring trees. I did not realize until Johannes's classes how much I clone everything, trees, tree limbs, mounds in the water, everything! Even after I finish and photo, I see clones. It seems when I fix the clones I even clone the fix with something else!! I am learning so much. I still feel my work is not as dramatic as it has been..perhaps when I get the basics down, I will start getting to the one color per stroke. Maybe need to make more dramatic value study. I think I am so worried about not going over and 8 on the value scale that I end up making everything mid tone.

Winter Lake

Decided to send in my homework early to be able to get some criticism! I had used the modeling paste and painted without the Gesso. Definitely needs Gesso. I am learning a lot, to not use the photo as photographed but to do the value sketch and stick by it. To change the shapes to abstract, make more interesting shapes and lines. I wanted this to be a moody painting and I feel I accomplished that. So much to think about, hard edges, soft edges, where to put them. I am sure Johannes will find many things to work on.

North Lake Park

 
This was done at North Lake Park in Mansfield. I was intrigued by the red car and the shadows across the road. Rather difficult with the incline. I added the people and the ducks when I came home. There must have been 30 white ducks and 200 Canada Geese with all their babies. They are owners of the road and it is difficult to make them move! They weren't agressive like some Canadas.

Mifflin Lake Bridge

I had trouble photographing this one. Lots of glare. I really like the original. I did the value study and am learning to use the knife. At times frustrating as sometimes the paint won't go on the canvas, or won't go on top of other paint. Debra taught you do it with a feather touch. My hand shakes or jerks and it goes where I don't want it!

Clearfork Spring

Why do I pick such a complicated thing to paint plein air. I try to be simple....I liked the contrast of the little jutting out of land against the lake but then.....the sky was easy, the background hills worked but then the trees...oh the trees and the branches and this branch wouldn't stay in the foreground and that one wouldn't stay back so it was no 3 hour painting...much longer but I do like it now.

Morning Breakers

This was a commission with a lot of free rein. Lake Erie scene for a dentist's office. I wanted something calming and pleasant. The area is around the wildlife center between Catawba and Toledo. I truly want to go back there this Spring when the wading birds are migrating. So I put in the darling little Sandpipers that run back and forth around the waves and I wanted a pleasant scene so I did a morning sky. The painting was a success. It will hang in a show in April in Mansfield, but the dentist claimed it and ordered another painting.

Lake Erie Docks

It is finished. Due to the picture being so dark I had to improvise the dock and the rocky ground and lightenup the land masses. The sky isn't exact but it got so wet and thick with paint I was afraid it would blend too much. I had difficulty getting the hot pink color of the sunset. Emile Gruppe says that titanium white swallows up color and that zinc is more transparent. My white is Gamblin's mix of titanium and zinc. I will pick up a small tube of zinc for the future.

Sunset at Lake Erie Beginning

The photo I am working from and the blowup which loses color when blown up. And the painting so far. The photo taken by my granddaughter already has good composition. The colors aren't too difficult but the hot pink of the sun and reflections is difficult. It was so thick with paint I had to let it dry and will work more on it today. The Spark+ My granddaughters favorite photo of the dock at Lake Erie,and my desire to present her with this gift for Christmas.

Mohican Gazebo painting

I guess I am paranoid about posting that I will be gone for a few days. I spent two days in Mohican Park and got one and half painting done. This was done in the morning. I chose to put the gazebo top in the bottom third side and bottom of the 8x10 canvas. This photo will have to be straightened to post on Fine Art America. The Spring colors on the far side of the lake had to be adjusted for the painting as they were too brilliant. The water changed continually and the light was changing so I had to decide what would stay. I will post the photograph on the next blog so you can see I changed the trees to make the composition work better. I also worked on the details at home, darkening in places, putting shadows and lights on the trees, putting shadow and light on the floor of the gazebo. I heightened the colors of the sun on the leaves also.