Monday, February 11, 2013

By the Sea

First I am having real bad computer problems... haven't been able to use the computer for more than 30 minutes... may have to do a complete reformat of my C drive and build up the computer from scratch... not something that I look forward to....but what the heck... there are worse things....

This is the first of maybe a series of seascapes... these are my two small grandsons player at the sea in Crete this past August.  Oils and palette knife with a little brush work on the figures.

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 May do some tweaking on the figures... had problem when I had to re-work the background... this took several sittings... when will I be able to paint on one sitting????


Monday, February 4, 2013

Trees

In the later part of November Heleni , our workshop instructor, mentor, and friend suggested that we try painting outdoors.  The weather has cooled down and the cold of winter had yet set in.  So a few of us lugged our easels and tables outside to the roofed area at the entrance to our community center. This also corresponded to renovations that were started in the auditorium which forced us out of the main room to a much smaller room or outside...luckily the weather during December was mild and only once did we have to rush inside because of a sudden rain!!!! It was during this time that I did these tree studies...the closest thing for me for plein-air painting. All were done in oils on cloth covered cutting board, or kappa board or massonite. All were done using the palette knife!

Two studies of the HUGE Eucalyptus tree near the parking lot and library. 30 x 40 cm

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Click to enlarge

One study of the Chinese Flame tree that lines many of our the streets. 34 x 48 cm

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Two of some Palm Date trees and Washingtonia. One 34 x 48 cm and one 30 x 40 cm



Date Tree
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Washingtonia
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Sunday, February 3, 2013

Uri the Footballer

High Kick



Here is a little oil sketch of my grandson Uri. Done on a gesso-ed  corrugated cardboard. I find using odd pieces of cardboard, matte boards and other recycled stuff lets me be less constricted.   This was done from a photo taken a year ago when he was three and half.  Link to picassa album.