...And One More For Good Measure.

Not so much pain in my shoulder and arm today (and it occurred to me that the achiness was probably due to painting the kitchen ceiling more than my art work) so I headed back to the studio. I know it's hard to tell what I worked on in this one; it was the three figures clustered together on the right.

W. 44th Street, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

In August, I hope to actually finish a number of paintings.

My Arm Hurts

This week I worked on 13 separate paintings. That's fewer than I wanted-— 15 would have been nice; 3 a day is my goal— but now my arm and shoulder are aching, so I'm starting the weekend early with a nice little cucumber/basil drink. Here's one from today:

An Embarrassment of Riches, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Now, here's the problem with yellow. If you try to darken it, it looks green. And in order to make this particular image work, three of the daffodil blossoms in the center of the arrangement need to be much darker, that's where the drama visible in the original reference photo lies. I've got to figure out how to capture that contrast between the lights and the darks without the yellows going green.

And a Couple More

Stockton Street, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Whole Foods, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

5, 6, and 7

We might lose power due to the oncoming thunderstorm, but I wanted to post these. Worked on 5 paintings today, and made good progress!

Here are numbers 5, 6, and 7 from the apple series.

The Arrow of Time, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Decomposing Apple: Two Views

I've just been poking along on the nine small panels that make up The Arrow of Time, but it's time to get it done. Here are panels 5 and 6. Six isn't finished yet, but I'm going to prioritize it and the last three in the series.

The Arrow of Time, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)
I also got a little further on this one:

Evening Sky, Avon, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view

Making Some Changes

Well, there's definitely been an evolutionary process going on with this one. First I had to work out the problem with the left side shelves, as mentioned in an earlier post. Then today I reworked the area that had previously been hidden behind one of the mixing cups. I took it out and sketched in the hand, holding a tumbler or lowball glass, whatever they're called. Then it looked like the composition was unbalanced, so I've added a pineapple juice can. And I darkened the entire face. Fortunately, I had the sense to wipe the darker face paint off completely before it dried, because it really wasn't working.

Here it is with the disastrous darker face paint.

Bartending, Mt. Washington, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Can I Pull This Off?

Some of this is fun: I like the challenge of getting the color of the wall just right (it's under tungsten lighting, so it should have a more yellow cast) and of gradually shading it as it goes from top to bottom. The figures are fun. The background will be easy— the lights and signage in the distance won't be hard to do.

But then we get into the type on the Rita's sign, which has to be perfect. I can't do perfect. I see phenomenal work on the internet by artists who are Photorealists, or Hyper Realists, and as much as I'd like to, I just can't rise to that level of illusion. But I do want the painting to be believable, and the lettering on the sign has to be really precise or it's going to be incongruous with the rest of the image.

Rita's, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

No Birds

Waiting For The Birds To Return, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

No Slouching Today, Part 2

I did get back into the studio, and started another painting. I'm not going to post a photo of it yet, because it's still in the earliest stages, but I did do a lot of work on the figures in Rita's.

Rita's, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

No Slouching Today

First thing I did this morning was watch the latest episode of The Great British Baking Show, which I'd missed Sunday night. Then I got to work. Here are the results— and who knows, I may get back into the studio again later this afternoon. But at least I feel like less of a slacker.

Reception From 5 - 9, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view). Worked on some of the half a million picture frames, the glassware, and the shelving. 

Counterpoint, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view). Worked on the figure third from left.

A Woman in a Red Hat, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view). Worked on the hands, the water glass, and the flatware; added a little more hair in front of the cheek.

Back on Stockton Street

Stockton Street will take a while to complete, but at least I'm filling in the blanks, eliminating the white space. The reference photo was taken on a rainy day, and one of the people on the sidewalk is smiling as she holds out her hand to test the rainfall. The different postures and facial expressions are what make the scene interesting, I think.

Stockton Street, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Back and Forth, Pink and Blue

This ocean painting looks much better in person, and I've been surprised at how well it's coming along in the last week or so. I mentioned in an earlier post that I hadn't had much hope for it, but it's really pulling together. There's a lot of interplay between the ocean blues (cobalt, ultramarine, indigo, blue grey and azul) and the pinks reflected from the colorful clouds (various magentas, alizarin, etc.) I get a good feeling when I look at it now.

Evening Sky, Avon, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

This next one, Whole Foods, is great fun to work on. Today I concentrated on the frosted glass and the bikes and bike bars in the foreground.

Whole Foods, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

And then of course, there was Pershing Square. I tried to work very carefully not to smear the painting I'd done yesterday. But that heavy concrete overhang kept calling to me.

Pershing Square, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Pershing Square People

Today I worked mostly on the pedestrians, trying to make minute changes in color and value, defining edges, etc. That overhang on top of the cafe interests me, though, and I'd like to clarify what's going on there architecturally the next time i work on this one.

Pershing Square, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

End of the Week

It's been a reasonably productive week, though my hurt back kept me from doing more painting. But here's the day's work:

Tending Bar, Mt. Washington, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Counterpoint, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Stockton Street, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Hope you enjoy!
 

Rita's and Whole Foods

Worked on these late yesterday and today. Some progress, albeit frustratingly slow.

Rita's, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Whole Foods, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Two Views of the Atlantic Ocean

Both of these use roughly the same color palette, so I usually paint them both at the same time. The Evening Sky one has suddenly come together, now that I've put a lot of work into the ocean— before today it was just a chaotic mess that I didn't think was ever going to look right—

Evening Sky, Avon, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Atlantic Ocean #10, Dawn Phase, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

More Bartending

I'm bothered by the fact that you can't see the hidden hand behind the container. The reference photo doesn't show what's going on, and neither does any of the other shots that I took. Maybe I should get somebody to pose for me, and paint in the hand instead of the container.

Tending Bar, Mt. Washington, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Back to Rita's

Although I didn't re-do the left side awning, I did get to work on the wall and the thin green circle on the signage. That was slow going, I can tell you, and yes; it was done freehand. There are a couple of places where I'll have to go back and clean up the line, but it's a good start.

Rita's, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Saturday Painter

The cat's asleep in the living room. Hubby's taking a nap in the family room. I'm relaxing with the help of a martini, having trimmed the shrubs in the back yard, finished mowing the lawn, and sanded the kitchen ceiling in preparation for repainting. Also called one of my very best friends in the world to wish her a happy birthday.

I also did some painting! Why, I ask, can't I concentrate on painting instead of yard and house work?

Stockton Street, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

A Quiet Evening in Cambridge, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Frosted Glass Windows

One of the things I love about the painting of the Whole Foods Market is the soft, diffused light coming through the lower part of the windows. It looks like frosted glass, but maybe what I'm seeing is a layer of film applied to the glass. Anyway, I worked on the right-most panel, the window frames and the lower half of the windows; I like the bottle of window cleaner just visible through the glass over near the right. Of course, there's a lot more finessing to do.

Whole Foods, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

More Ocean

Atlantic Ocean #10, Dawn Phase, © 2016, work in progress

Some pretty green tinges in the wave crest in the center.

Wobbly Lines

I added the previously mentioned crosswalk lines at the bottom of the image, but they're wobbly right now. Next time I'll use tape and straighten them out.

Pershing Square, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

The crosswalk lines do pull the entire image together.

Stockton Street Update

The latest on this painting.

Stockton Street, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Screwing Up

OK, so, I spent an hour this morning slowly, carefully working on the red and white striped awning on the upper left side. I did my best detail work, and finally nailed it, got every edge perfect, using the fine filberts that arrived just before the weekend. Then, in a lapse of judgment, I turned the painting on its side to finesse the circular signage. Got the edges on that right, too. Lifted my hand from the panel to see red paint smeared all over the awning: I'd stupidly been resting my hand there.

Had to wipe the whole thing off. You can see how the black area is messed up now. I'll need to repaint the entire background. But I did get to work some on the wall.

Rita's, © 2016, work in progress (click on image for larger view)