And A Bluish Cast To The Door

I thought I'd try making the door a light blue instead of the usual white, but it's not working. Will change it back next session.

                     Variations On A Theme 2a,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view)   

Perhaps This Is Done

 I think I've learned as much as I can from making this copy. It's difficult to paint the distant foliage without actually being at the scene. I might try to do one more glaze of soft blue at the base of the mountains, but that's all; I'll try to apply what I learned about color and contrast to some of my own scenes.

                    After Cindy Baron,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view)    

More People

Worked on the faces and some of the fruit in the background; haven't painted this in months and months, but I want to move the street corner series forward.

 

                  Stockton Street,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view)   

A Crowd

 Today's work was mostly on faces.

                    4th Street,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view)   

People

I got a little bit of work done today. It really feels bad not to be painting, but right now there's SO much yard work to do.

                      Spring Street,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view) 

                      Another 4th Street,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view)   

House Paint

 I tried to eliminate the greenish cast on the house in the background as it didn't seem to work well with the pinks and peaches of the roses. That was a mistake. The color I used to cover it was too grey, too somber; I ended up wiping off as much as I could and using a lighter blue but it still looks sad. Maybe I'll make the house color yellow next time.

                      Somerville Roses,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view)  

Meanwhile: I painted the tree back in on this one. Maybe it's done now? Or maybe it needs just a few more touches of bright yellow?

                      A Sunset For Karla,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view) 

 

Forgot About This

 Did more painting on this one yesterday; again, the learning process is ongoing. Here I'm using washes of blue across the mountains in the background. And everything is a matter of choice regarding warmer/cooler, lighter/darker. I'm conscious of making the areas further away lighter and bluer, and adding some cooler tones to the golden foreground where it meets the sloping edge.

     After Cindy Baron,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view)         

The Eyes Need Work

 I'm trying to utilize all of the good advice I've gotten over the last two years about painting the face. It's been working well on the Waiting At Le Diplomate painting (below) but I'm struggling withthis one. Part of the problem is that the model was looking up, and I really wanted a side glance; trying to redraw the eyes the way I want them to be is proving a challenge, as I'm having to fake it concerning structure.

Meanwhile, I made a useful discovery yesterday: Permanent Carmine is much better for flesh tones than the cadmium colors I've been using. I especially like the way it mixes with ochres and siennas for anybody with a tan.

     Untitled Mulberry Street Piece,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view)        

Stopping Before I Screw Up

The eye on the left needs more work, but I'm going to let the paint dry before I get back in there with a fine brush. Overall, I'm pleased with the way this is moving forward.

                Waiting At Le Diplomate,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view)   

One Of Those Days, Part 2

 Finally, I decided to resuscitate the fire extinguisher painting, which has been languishing for a very long time. I wanted to lighten the background wall of the box, behind the extinguisher. I'm not sure it worked. I'll let it dry and then see what to do next.

           In Case Of Emergency,  © 2021 (click on image for larger view)  

One Of Those Days

The sporadic technology problems drive me crazy. And today there were two separate issues; no, three, actually... and I am so tired of it.

So I tried to calm down this morning and get into a Happy Zone, because it is impossible to paint when I'm riled up about something. I queued up some soothing music and got down to it at the easel, starting with one of the Hot Fudge Sundae paintings. Paying strict attention to the lighting on the whipped cream rather than slathering on the white paint proved beneficial; the cream looks more believable now, so that was satisfying.

Hot Fudge Sundae I,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view)   

Moving on, I got tired of trying to tell myself it was okay for the raised brush strokes on the little sunset painting (the ones where the poplar tree had been) were okay; they were really not okay, and every time I looked at it it bugged me. So I bit the bullet and scraped off most of the most egregious ones with a tiny sharp blade, then repainted. I'll post the images below.

 

          As Far As The Eye Can See,  © 2021 (click on image for larger view)  

Planting, Not Painting

It's Spring. I have bought a lot of annuals and perennials that need planting, also some seeds; time is of the essence, and I'm spending a lot of it outdoors lately. Got to the easel this afternoon (since it started to rain), and worked on the painting below, mostly on the figure and its reflection in the mirror. 

Baby Needs Shoes,  © 2021, work in progress (click on image for larger view)  

And Some More Color

 Am I getting carried away with this? Should I tone it down a little?

             A Sunset For Karla,  © 2021 (click on image for larger view)