360 & 2222

Outdoor painting (or as they say in France, "en plein aire") can be challenging.  I often feel like I'm painting for the first time when I do one of these.  Basically, you trudge out to some remote location with all your painting gear and your dog and try to capture the magnificence of the landscape before the sunlight changes all the shadows.  This limestone wall is being reduced by a creek and the forces of nature is something I drive past daily.   It is on the corner of two major roadways on the way to my house.

10 Mile Gallery

Mule Ears

A work in progress.  Inspired from photos I took on my many hikes in Big Bend National Park.  I'm trying to go for a Russel or Remington feel to the landscape.  I get thirsty every time I'm painting this one.

 

"Tame"

A still life using a limited color pallet.  Fun to do.  Fun to look at.  Its a garage painting; meaning, its the one you hang in the garage.

"Mic"
A knock off of someone else work.  On this one I started with a BLACK canvas and layered the colors on top.  It's done in acrylic.  Relatively fast to paint.  As much as I enjoy music, I discovered that I am not keen on painting the performers. Alas, there will be no "Cher" painting.

"8:02am"
During the attack on Pearl Harbor nine torpedoes hit the USS Oklahoma causing it to capsize at 8:05am.  This happened shortly before the USS Arizona was infamously sank.  
To do the painting I first created the scene in Maya 3D - the same software Pixar uses for their movies.  I found photos of battleship row and of the attack and downloaded 3D models of the ships and planes then positioned them as best I could.  Next I placed a lighting source in the computer scene to simulate the morning sun. The 3D software result is being used as my guide.  This work in progress is a test for me; using the latest technology to inform and inspire traditional art.

Hannah's Painting Part 2

A friend saw Hannah's painting and wanted one for his kids.  He requested that the bear be ripping into a fish and that there be a hunter in the scene.  This is the first time I've made a copy of a painting - something I do automatically now whenever I give away or sell a painting.

"Contact"

I felt like "A simple plane" fell far short.  I was dissatisfied with the mechanic.  I decided to change his costume and gesture and found a willing model to pose for me.  I took some photos did some sketches and painted a quick 5 x 7 'study' to see if it would work.

Doing this change made me appreciate the awesomeness of Photoshop when it comes to making changes.  On this painting I had to paint over the old character, sand down the bumps caused by brush strokes, then start over.  A simple plane indeed.