Study: Little Tomato Pin Cushion

4" x 4" acrylic on watercolor paper

Back from summer break with my family.  We just returned from an epic road trip ----a 14 state camping adventure of the middle of the US. There were so many places I wanted to stay to paint. At the top of my list would be Iowa. The rolling hills of corn and sorghum doted with farms with red barns and old silos was breathtaking. So much space, texture and color in the landscape.  I didn't expect it and I didn't  take any photos. It was all too big for a camera.  I'll have to go back some day and stay awhile.

Flowers for Pupa

Oil pastel on paper, 12" x 9"

Another oil pastel from the dining room table.  I did this over five days here and there when I had time. Each time I set to work on it the light was different and the flowers had wilted more so a I really made a lot of it up.  Below is a the first impression of these same bunch of flowers that I had done in the end of December.

Acrylic on canvas, 6" x 4", 12/2013

Figure Study #13

14" x 11", acrylic and oil on paper

I did this study in two session----last Thursday and today. The first two hour pose I did in tones of green with acrylic (below), then the second I painted over it in oils.  I could barely sleep last night with the anticipation of getting to add the color today. Even though I didn't get to finish it completely and there's some funny parts I'm pretty happy with it. 

14" x 11", acrylic on paper

What's New --- Verdaccio

Figure Study #12

10" x 8", acrylic and oil on primed paper

I did this a couple weeks ago at the open studio two hour pose.  I began by doing a green tonal underpainting in acrylic and then finished it with oils on top as sort of an experiment.  At the time, I saw  a lot I wanted to change and planned to paint more on it at home but I never got to it.  Now I'm kind of glad I didn't mess with it.  I even like the yellow and blue preliminary sketch marks coming through.


Then something very different:

Verdaccio Study #1

14" x 11" Oil on linen

This is the verdaccio style painting I've been working on for a couple of weeks. The underpainting is complete and next I'll start adding color in thin transparent layers.
I'm taking an informal class with portrait artist Debra Richardson to learn her verdaccio method.  She provided the reference image for this study. Everyone in the class is using the same picture; it's super interesting to see how different each is turning out. I am eager to finish this one and to start another but of my own image.