Best Friends

sold

I have always loved horses - and the special relationship between this girl and her horse has been a joy to paint!  With so much on my plate recently, it took me a while to find the quiet I needed to really focus on this work.  Even settling down with my oils took discipline.  Once I started, the rhythm came naturally, albeit slowly.  As I worked, I found myself leaving more brushwork loose.  Is it too loose?  When in doubt, I walk away, to return with fresh eyes tomorrow. A special painting with a special story deserves only my best.  Painting number 2529 in 2529 days. 

Upon the Horse

Upon the Horse
Pen and Ink on paper, 6x7

I have recently had a longing to draw in the western theme, and my civil war reenactment photos were the perfect aid!  Using my favorite superfine black Pitt pen, I have drawn this completely.  I have so many of these pens, in so many colors, but I continue to return to my one favorite!  It is the same way I am with brushes.  I must have hundreds, and I end up using just a few. Different ones for different mediums, but just a few in each.  I have only started to draw people in ink, and the trick is to leave them loose.  I will probably have to do a great many of them before I am truly comfortable with the process!  Drawing number 1325 in 1325 days :)

Watering the Horse

I have lately been wanting to draw some horses and riders, using my reference photos from the reenactment we had out here a few years ago.  I am using my Pitt pens and sketching in the figures loosely.  Too scared to jump in with the ink directly, I did a light sketch with my mechanical pencil.  This allowed me to make sure my proportions were right between horse and rider.  It was fun to sketch them in ink, so fun that I did another one!  Drawing number 1279 in 1279 Days :)

Watering the Horses
pen and ink on paper, 6x7
purchase here

Going Home

Going Home
Acrylic on masonite, 7x5

I had limited time to work on this painting, in between the busy appointments of my day.  I worked quickly to block in the color, and I put a little more finish into those masses - as I was thinking ahead without realizing it.  I must say, these figures grow more natural by the day!  This is another painting from my reenactment photo treasure trove, and I am having so much fun painting these!  As I look at this now, I may have put a little more polish on the horse than necessary, and perhaps I need a little more definition in the foreground.  As it is already getting late, I will let it rest for the night, and look again with fresh eyes in the morning.  This painting makes 1168 in 1168 days.

block in

After the Ride

After the Ride
Acrylic on masonite, 7x5

Oh, what a very busy Monday this has been!  I’ve squeezed so much into this day, my head is spinning!  Coming to my easel late (once again), I resist the urge to paint something easy and fast.  Staying on track, I choose another of my reenactment photos, this one with three figures - a man and two horses.  I start with a color block in of the forms, but in my haste I forgot to take a photo of the block in!  The values are always the most important part, so I work them into this first step, making all else that comes after a breeze.  The forms unfold naturally as I dry brush on the acrylics.  I am using a limited palette, and no medium or water to thin down the heavy body paints - which is what makes these paintings so rich with color.  My palette is almost to the stage of replacing the paper layer in my sta-wet palette......but I always stretch this out as long as possible!  Painting number 1167 in 1167 days.

Unpacking the Horses

Unpacking the Horses
Acrylic on masonite, 7x5

Yesterday’s block in was the hardest one yet, but today I’ve turned a corner.  This block in seemed to unfold in such a natural way.  It was another complicated composition, and this time, I started with the mass of the dark horse and rider, and treated them as one.  As their angles came together, I connected the masses of the other two white horses.  I considered changing the color of the right one, since white is a questionable color to have going off the edge, but I liked the color - and kept it.  I simply grayed it down, so the bright white would not lead the eye right off the panel.  The landscapes were also a little awkward in acrylic at first (since I always use oils en plein air), but I am also getting more comfortable with them.  I am trying to paint multiple figures each day, all month long, and then see how far I’ve come by month’s end.  Just imagine if I can squeeze in 100 figures this month - what a long was that will go towards improving my skills!  Painting number 1166 in 1166 days.

block in

Adjusting the Reins

Adjusting the Reigns
Acrylic on masonite, 7x5

I didn’t realize what a challenge this composition was until I started the block in.  With this method of acrylic figure painting, there is no sketching first, only a laying in of masses.  I began with the background mass first, allowing the horse and rider to emerge as the background tightened in around the forms.  As you can see from my block in image, the man was out of proportion.  So, I adjusted him as necessary to align him with his horse.  With these small figures, I continue to wonder how much face definition is the right amount?  When I look at my reference photo, there is very little detail, only shifts in value, so this is what I paint.  I am letting my right brain take over, and ignore my left brain telling me there are eyes, eyelashes, eyebrows, etc, in this teeny tiny mass.  When I can’t see them, they shouldn’t be painted.   I really love the light in this landscape, and want to do it justice!  This is my 1165th painting in as many days, and another from my civil war reenactment photos.

initial block in - proportions are off....

Greeting the Rider

Greeting the Rider
Acrylic on masonite, 5x7

The photos I took during our civil war reenactment have proven a treasure trove for paintings!  Now that I am concentrating on figures, I am choosing photos with multiple subjects - giving me more to work on in each painting!  I am painting small at only 5x7 inches, so these figures are small.  I want to become so comfortable with painting them, that the strokes can be loose, yet define them clearly.  I spend about 30 minutes on the color block in, and find that I am capturing most of the painting at this point.  Finish work is just making the strokes more poetic, and marrying the colors a bit for good color harmony.  Most importantly, I want those figures to be accurate in form and gesture.  I am including quite a bit of background landscape, and it has been some time since I have painted landscapes in acrylic.  I am using the same methods as the figure and portrait work, only applying them to the landscape - which is certainly different from my former technique.  This painting makes 1162 in 1162 days.

color block in

To the Barn

To the Barn
Oil on wood panel, 7x5
auction - bid here

Some days are so hectic, that by the time I make it to my easel - I REALLY need my painting fix!  I had sketched this one out a while ago, and then I switched gears to another theme.  It was a treat to return to this, the composition and sketch already complete.  It left me to mindlessly paint with brush and palette knife and oils.  When there are no distractions between me and the panel, I can quickly lay in that paint - almost as if the oils just roll of the brush!  I wish it weren't so late, I would go right on painting.  But alas, its been a very long day and I have another one ahead of me tomorrow.  Painting number 810 in 810 days.

A Horse to Water

 A Horse to Water
Oil on panel, 12x9
purchase here

This beautiful, balmy day finds me "pumping up the color" in this landscape.  Perhaps I am being influenced by the barren winter landscape, and rebelling with my bolder hues!  I can't quite decide whether this is finished or not, so I will let it rest on the easel and look at it with fresh eyes tomorrow.  My wood panel was first primed with a pumpkin orange color, which can be seen peeking through here and there.  I do love painting on that color - it adds to the energy of the paint.  I have a whole stack of bare wood panels - just waiting for my attention.  If only there were more hours in every day!  Painting number 788 in 788 days.

Halter Me Not

Halter Me Not
Oil on hardboard panel, 7x5
bid here

I am moving to a smaller format on this busy day!  It takes far less time to paint a 7x5 than the 18x14 of yesterday.  Using some of my wonderful reference photos from the civil war reenactment, I have stayed with the colors in the photo. With all of my recent winter paintings, I am longing for the long summer days - and GREEN! When will spring ever arrive? With it, arrives SO many plein air events that my calendar is already very full!  I already have the next 6 paintings planned out - I wish I had time to start another today!  I do still have some panels to prime.......This is painting number 773 in 773 days :)

Coming Home

Coming Home
Oil on wood panel, 7x5

Working again on figures tonight, I am including a horse and a rider.  A little known fact - I was obsessed  with horses when I was in grade school!  I read every horse book I could get my hands on, I drew them all the time, filled a 3-ring binder with stories of them, and even "played horses" on the playground with my friends!  I know how really weird this sounds, but it is was SO much fun!  I still love horses, and I am finding that I really love painting them.  Getting figures right at this small scale is a challenge - but I feel that after 30 days of doing so, it should become natural!  I guess we'll see!  Painting number 768 in 768 days :)

Back in the Saddle

Back in the Saddle
Oil on panel, 8x10

Another day of coming late to my easel.  I had picked my subject out early, but without time to sketch it in.  Then, one thing after another soaked up the hours, leaving me a 30 minute window - or wait until tonight.  Well, 30 minutes is just enough time for me to really get in the zone, and I can then HARDLY pull myself away from the easel!  With grandchildren to pick up, I just couldn't risk it.  So, it was nearly 9:00 when I started this one (with grandchildren settled into playing a game).  I think that I will declare this month "Figure February"!  I have been wanting to dedicate time to figure work - right down to tiny "carrot" figures in a street scene, and now is my chance.  A funny thing has happened with so many days of painting.  The more I paint, the more critical I am of my own work.  Little things just pop out at me, things I would not have noticed a year ago.  I also paint faster, and I get right to the point with my values and colors.  The values and temperatures are so much easier to see and paint, too.  I can remember when I didn't understand temperature at all.  I guess all good things come with practice!  Painting number 767 in 767 days.

Returning Home

Returning Home
Oil on wood panel, 10x8

We finally have a bit of snow for today - only a dusting at present, but still a wonderful accompaniment to the winter landscape!  I am painting in the western theme again tonight, I think this one if done.  The barn image was supplied to me by a dear friend, and the horse and rider are from my own reserves.  With a hint of fading light in the sky, lantern light pours out from the barn onto the horse, rider and snowy ground. For this color, I have used yellow earth by Terra Grezze D'Italia oils. I have never liked yellow ochre, and I use this color in place of it always.  It does not have the greenish cast that yellow ochre does.  This particular paint is coarsely ground, and has a wonderful texture - different from all other varieties of paint.  I also have an olive green and a red earth shade - but I seldom use them.  This yellow earth is always on my palette.  I am having so much fun with this western theme - I wonder how many I'll do before I feel the pull to move on to another subject.  This is painting number 764 in 764 days :)

End of Day

End of Day
Oil on wood panel, 10x8
purchase here

The idea for this painting came from a dear friend today - just when I couldn't decide whether to go grocery shopping or paint!  Well, I never did get those groceries - so I'm hoping the snow isn't too bad tomorrow!  This painting was a study in values and "marrying" the colors of cool and warm by sprinkling them around the scene.  I brought the composition together with reference I had from the civil war reenactment and my vast supply of barn photos.  I rarely do this, I normally just paint from reference, all the parts already in the shot.  This painting is good practice for the next one I have started in the same theme!  Painting number 763 in 763 days :)

In the Saddle

In the Saddle
Oil on wood panel, 12x9
purchase here

Tonight my husband and I had the honor of walking our younger daughter, Michaela across the basketball court at halftime.  She has been nominated for Winter Warming Queen.  The game was super exciting - with our team winning at the very end!  To top it all off, much of the family went out to dinner afterwards.  Super fun!!  Earlier in the day, I barely got this painted before having to head out to Michael's basketball games - which we had to leave early to make it to Michaela's event - we actually RAN through the parking lot in our formal clothes!  I'm sure we looked ridiculous!  I pulled out some reference photos from our civil war reenactment of August 2013 to work from, only I changed the pasture to how it looks today with it's winter color on.  The pensive pose of both rider and horse has attracted me since I first took the photo, and it feels SO good to finally get it down in oils!  This is painting number 762 in 762 days :)

Back in the Saddle

Back in the Saddle
Charcoal on pastel paper, 9x11

Drawing again from reference photos I took during our civil war reenactment, this is one of the soldiers (Chris Stockton) riding with Quantrill on their way to Lawrence.  This old charcoal medium lends itself well to these historic renderings.  I am using the powdered charcoal for most of the background work and the early shading on the horse.  For tight areas, I have used a charcoal pencil and small paper tortillions dipped in the charcoal for applying the powder exactly where needed.  I have always preferred graphite for these drawings, largely because of the very refined finish I can achieve with it.  But, as I work with this darker, messier medium, I find I like the earthy coarseness of it.  It somehow adds a rawness and deep dark shading that graphite could never reach.  I also used a color of pastel paper that has an aged look to it, almost a pinkish tan - and I like it.  I toyed with using a sepia tinted charcoal pencil, but decided against it as the powder would simply not match (and I am still playing with my new supplies!).  This drawing makes 449 pieces if art in 449 days.

The Long Ride

The Long Ride
Charcoal on pastel paper, 8x10

Wanting to work on this image today, I chose the "vintage" medium of charcoal.  Having learned so much about drawing when a child using this medium, I have only done a sprinkling of these charcoals in recent years, and am exploring a bit with paper.  Passing over the bristol, I had these Strathmore pastel sheets in assorted colors - and picked a white one.  I don't think I've ever used them.  Right off the bat, I didn't like the texture - like tiny pockets all over the surface.  Since the tooth should aid the charcoal - I forged ahead.  I got an early birthday present from my middle son - powdered charcoal - and I tried it out on this piece!  The really cool thing about the powdered charcoal is that I can dip my finger in and spread it on for quick coverage of larger areas.  I even dipped a tortillion in and spread it directly on the surface of the paper.  Wonderful control of a messy medium!  I drew this with reference that I took the day of the civil war reenactment last August - this man acting as Quantrill.  This is artwork number 447 in 447 days. So fun to play with new supplies!

"Quantrill"

"Quantrill"
oil on panel, 12x16
Civil War Reenactment

This man made such a striking image on his horse as he galloped up into the yard, to ask permission to water his horses.  Returning to discuss with his men the recent events leading up to this night, he stayed on his horse as he supported his cause.  Each man voted whether or not to raid lawrence, and the decision was made.  They each went back to their horses, jumped on and left to set up camp - if only to sleep a little before the 40 mile journey.  Last Saturday was the Civil War Reenactment of Quantrill's Raid on Lawrence on our grounds.  The play was great fun, and very informative.  All in attendance seemed to really enjoy the whole day.  After a closing narration, all were invited to walk into the pasture to talk to the soldiers on horseback, and see their canvas tents set up, just as they were 150 years ago - in 1863.  What a great way to bring history to life!  There are a couple of things in this painting I want to adjust, so, I think I'll return to it with fresh eyes tomorrow.  This is painting number 235 in as many days.