The End Of A Slow Week

Christmas preparations are beginning to take a toll on my painting time, but here's this morning's work. Turns out Williamsburg's Brilliant Yellow Pale, straight out of the tube, is the exact color of vanilla ice cream.

Hot Fudge Sundae I, Guilty Pleasures Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Brightening Up

In looking at past iterations of this painting, I realize the pillars have gone from blue to hot pink to pale blue again; today I added a pink wash to them and some of the other light-catching details on the front of the building. It's brightened up considerably from how it looked the last time I worked on it, but the straight edges need to be straighter.

L'Auberge Provençale, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Glazing The Tiles

I spent a long time late yesterday adding a layer of green glaze to the entire back wall, and another glaze layer on the cupboard. Next time around, I'll have to add some lighter spots.

Waiting At Le Diplomate, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Pretty Cheyenne

I have yet to do justice to Cheyenne; her skin is very fair and the transitions from light to shadow are very subtle. Adding to that is the fact that these little America series paintings are 8" square, and that doesn't leave a lot of room for modeling the forms. The nose and mouth are unfinished here; I'll get to them next time.

Cheyenne, America Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

A Dessert Twosome

Feeling very cranky today as a result of spending AN HOUR trying to fix a technology problem. Plus, it's raining. And I have a zillion preparations to take care of for the holidays. I just want to paint!

So, here's the latest:

Mocha Treat, Guilty Pleasures Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

And I couldn't resist getting back to the caramel:

Banana Cream Pie, Guilty Pleasures Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Tuesday, and Banana Cream Pie

More work here and there on the Tuesday painting. The light tower of bottles is sharpening up. Still much detail to do elsewhere, even on the ceiling.

Tuesday, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

Moving on this afternoon, I darkened some of the shadow areas on this one; the shadows had gotten overbrushed and they didn't have the contrast that they'd had originally. Also added a yellow glaze to the banana and re-drew the caramel drippings. The drippings are fun to work on, and next time around I'll be adding some paler color in places where they begin to thin out. Also some highlights!

Banana Cream Pie, Guilty Pleasures Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

The Holiday Painting

Sadly, this won't be finished in time for Christmas, but it's looking better and better. The freshly painted lights on the wreaths at the top corners of the piece really bring it to life! Did a lot of work on the walls and the customers today...

A Quiet Evening In Cambridge, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Another One Down!

Finished this, this morning:

Daniel, America Series, © 2019 (click on image for larger view)

Two Down!

I've gotten this painting as far as I can take it at this point in time; truth is, I could probably do what's called another "pass" and that would take another year... But I'm calling it done (for now— unless I decide to repaint the woman's hand three weeks from now). I am breathing a heavy sigh of relief.

The Gauntlet, © 2019 (click on image for larger view)

And I finished the hands and knees on Grace! So now that's done, too— 

Grace, America Series, © 2019 (click on image for larger view)

Some Yellow

There were a number of spots in this one that needed a light lemon yellow, most of them behind the bottles in the light tower. A few are highlights on the fake rocks.

Tuesday, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Grace Looks To The Finish Line

Another one from the America series that's almost done! Most of what's left to do is the hands and legs.

Grace, America Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Daniel Moves Forward

This is another painting that's on the verge of being done. I worked on the eyes, and while he still has a bit of a stare, instead of the relaxed appearance in the photo reference, at least he looks better. Also painted the shirt and apron, paying special attention to the form-creating shadow areas.

Daniel, America Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Close To Done

All that's left is a few reflections on the shop window.

The Gauntlet, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

A Shaky Hand And A Soft Brush

Shouldn't have had that second cup of coffee just before working on an architectural painting. And before the arrival of the new Snap! brushes, which hold a line better than the very soft one I was using. Darkened the wall at right and added a lot of shadows to the windows, pillars, and other places. And put in some more time on the grass, though I still don't have a handle on it.

L'Auberge Provençale, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Moved along to a piece that I had thought I'd finished. But I caught a glimpse of it and decided I was wrong; completely repainted the face.

Katie, America Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

Last but not least: after letting the paint dry for at least two weeks, detailed some of the darker wave colors:

Coming Of Age In The Year 2018, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

It looks darker than usual because now that the sun's setting before I finish working, I have to use interior lighting for the photos. Also, there's a lot of glare from the room light on the right side.

 

 

Almost Done

I might just use this entry as a temporary place marker, as I hope to get back to working on the hands today. If I do, this piece will be finished! I painted in all of the reflections on the right side, and they're quite wet, but they shouldn't get in the way of doing the hands. Off to have breakfast now.

The Gauntlet, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Chugging Along

The preparations for the Thanksgiving dinner are going well, and most of the domestic chores have been completed, so I actually had an hour to work on this today. Cleaned up some details that were unfinished; repainted the face (again!) and finished the mannequins' necks. This will really be done before mid-December!

The Gauntlet, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Not A Good Week For Creativity

Since Thanksgiving is Thursday, and we have folks coming for dinner, there's a lot of housecleaning and food shopping and cooking to do, so I am having to swap my brushes for the vacuum hose and the duster.

I'll be lucky if I get time to work on anything other than this:

Île Flottante, Guilty Pleasures Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

The Pigment Disappointment

I am trying not to be too negative today, but the pinks and purples I have available are not doing the job. If you could see how the reference photo looks on my screen, you'd know what I mean; those colors are bright and hot, hot, hot; and all I'm getting out of the tube paints is dull, greyed-down hues. I'm going to have to look at different manufacturers from the ones I normally use and see if anybody has something more like neon.

All of the work on this one today has been on the light tower, the bottles, and the stacked-upside-down tumblers on the right side.

Tuesday, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Porch And Pillars

The architectural paintings are always a pain in the neck. A lot of artists say, "well, I'm never going to get the line straight anyway, so I might as well just put it down in a sketchy manner," and go their way. Why it's important to me to make the line straight as possible, I don't know, but there it is. So I struggled today with the lines of the windows and ceiling and door on the porch as well as the pillars (which, besides needing straight edges, also taper from top to bottom). Though the painting looks like it's done, it's not. Much more to do.

L'Auberge Provençale, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 I also attacked the grassy front lawn, if attacked is the right word. Here I'm taking some pointers from my abstractist friends and laying the paint down in brushy layers.

Utilizing The Fan Brush

Last week I watched a video of watercolor artist Judy Wengrovitz painting a scene that looked like it was set in the Rocky Mountains. She used a fan brush to create grasses in the foreground, and she held the brush vertically, not horizontally. This should not have been a revelation to me, but it was; I'm not always the brightest bulb on the string.

Anyway, this morning I decided to use a small, rather stiff fan brush on the wood grain below (holding it on the diagonal, of course):

Cherry Cobbler, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Earlier I used the same palette as in Hot Fudge Sundae II to work on the wood grain here: 

Hot Fudge Sundae I, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

All Of The Colors In A White Bowl

When you look closely at something, you see all kinds of colors. In this bowl, the light changes from one side to another, and as a result, the colors change ever so slightly. They are also affected by the reflection of whatever's nearby. Here's what I used on this bowl— I might need to refer back to it in the future if I end up overbrushing the background color onto it:

Titanium White
Ultramarine Blue
Dioxazine Purple
Winsor Red Deep
Yellow Ochre Pale
Gris Froid

Strawberry Shortcake, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Still some redrawing needed on the right side...

A Highlight

I thought I could get away with just working the highlight on the box behind the fire extinguisher without smearing yesterday's paint all over the place. It's a little spotty, but makes more of a statement.

In Case Of Emergency, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

A Little Night Work

I did get back to this! Painted some more wood grain detail on the left side of the sundae.

I worry now about some choices I made last year: One was to work on some commissions. I needed the money, but the paintings took a lot of time away from my own stuff. The other decision was to create a cohesive series (i.e., the desserts) to satisfy The Art World. We artists are always counseled to have a "body of work" that all looks the same in terms of content and style so it will be recognizable on the market.

The dessert series, while fun to work on, is again keeping me from other, more exciting work. I fall in love on a regular basis with moments in time, and when I fall in love I want to put that idea down on panel or canvas as soon as possible. Lately I just feel dragged out and unenthusiastic about working on the same things over and over.

Hot Fudge Sundae II, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

More Wood Grain

I might get back to this one later tonight, but for now, here it is with the addition of some refined wood grain on the right side.

Hot Fudge Sundae II, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Democracy In Action

Worked on this while watching the impeachment hearings. Had to wipe out the lacy doily in the foreground; it's very complex and it would be better to draw in all of the tiny holes rather than paint them in and find out later that they're in the wrong spot. Mostly painted the two dishes and the tablecloth below the fold.

Chocolate Mousse, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

This Did Not Go Well

Painting— at least, the kind of painting I do— isn't easy. I wrestled with this for a good hour or so, and still had to wipe off the paint in the upper right hand corner when I stopped. That corner is supposed to be brilliantly lit, very white, and instead all I get is a streaky mess. I'm very disappointed and am stopping for a while. Certainly this one will have to dry before I get back to it.

In Case Of Emergency, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Two More For Today

Added more depth to the wood grain to this one:

Mocha Treat, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

And worked the background on this, despite some interruptions that threw me off for a while:

 

A Quiet Evening In Cambridge, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

Feet

The Mannequins are all wearing the same shoe style, so that makes painting their feet somewhat easier. Their "skin"  varies in color according to how much of the red background is bouncing around in the light. I still have to work on their hands and necks, and after that lighten the woman's face again, but then I'll be done? Maybe?

The Gauntlet, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Warming Up The Wooden Tabletop

The wood grain actually is fun to work on; while it's important to get all of the lines going parallel to each other they don't have to be the exact same width. And I like building a richer reddish background with the use of glaze layers.

Two Spoons, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Morning Work

I was trying to finesse the whipped cream area on the little treat at upper left yesterday but got sidetracked; got back to it today along with the one below it and some of the slate platter.

Choose One, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

More Bits

 Today I used a small T-square to straighten out the vertical lines on the right side that act as supports for the shelves of the light tower. Also worked a bit on the bar and those weird rock shapes below it.

Tuesday, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

Then moved on to the Banana Cream Pie painting, which I'm worried is looking less realistic and more visually cluttered. Oddly, the greenish plate is a combination of Cadmium Yellow, Ivory Black, and Raw Sienna.

 

Banana Cream Pie, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Three For This Morning

First: an attempt to make it more obvious that the young man is in an elliptical area of light water, then surrounded by darker water. I had to brush over some nice, undulating lines, but it was the only way to make the point. Meanwhile, the darkest paint is STILL not dry from the last session, making it hard to place lines where they need to go.

Coming Of Age In The Year 2018, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

On to the next one; sharpened up the vertical lines on the right side.

 

The Gauntlet, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

And; more work on the face and hands:

 

Cheyenne, America Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

Poor Daniel

There have been constant distractions today. The heating system is being replaced, so guys are going in and out of the house every two or three minutes (this is not an exaggeration). Phone solicitors are calling. And what really bugs me is when someone wanders into the studio and offers advice on what he thinks I'm doing wrong. This has the effect of making me irritated and then I start making truly bad mistakes; mostly errors in judgment about color and value. I'll just pick up something with my brush that's kind of what's needed in a certain spot, but then the value turns out to be wrong and I get even more frustrated.

Poor Daniel— as a result of my misery— now looks ten years older and very unhappy.

Daniel, America Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Quilting, and the Christmas Painting

I darkened the quilting on the lower right side below, but need to add some of the tiny floral print that goes on it. That will wait until next time.

The Promise Of Evening, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

 

Worked solely on the blue sweater girl.

A Quiet Evening In Cambridge, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Two Desserts

I figure if I keep hacking away at the dessert series I'll finish something, sooner or later. At any rate, they all look pretty good to me right now; it's just a matter of keeping at it.

Chocolate Mousse, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

 Pot de Crème, Guilty Pleasures Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

A Few Changes

The trees just looked naked to me, so I brushed in some paint to indicate tiny branches and perhaps leftover leaves. Also worked on the front of the building.

L'Auberge Provençale, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

More Redrawing

I badgered a friend into posing for me in the same pose as the guy front and center in this painting; even just the scratchy, sketchy work I did on it today looks better than the original. Maybe I should get people to pose for all of the most visible customers in the shop!

A Quiet Evening In Cambridge, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

Done, Re-Done, And Almost Done

I actually finished the Katie piece from the America series a little while ago. I think. Maybe the upper eyelids need a bit more definition? But for now I'm calling it done.

Katie, America Series, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

Yesterday I went back to this next one; it's been bothering me for quite a while, as I thought the shadow of the rose on the wall should be stronger.

 

The Last Rose Of Summer, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)

 

And I've just about had it with this one; there are a couple more places that need work but I'm ready to be FINISHED. Next week?

The Gauntlet, © 2019, work in progress (click on image for larger view)