Morro, California

This is a pastel I did while in Morro, plein air painting with my pastel buddies. It is 8x10 on sanded pastel board.

We went out to paint and get pictures. We started painting on site, but when the wind started to pick up we all ended back at the studio. I finished up the pastel when I got back home. Finished is not a good term, its more like I quit before I messed it up. I have a bad tendency to keep working a painting until I ruin it.

Shell and Avacados

Here is the pastel of the Shell and Avacado, almost done.
I am including a shot of my easel which is kind of a work of art in itself. I needed a kick so I ran out to my garden and picked geranium flowers. I like the result. Warms up the painting

Here is an update to the Shell and Avacado Pastel.

Not done yet, but pretty close

Pastel of Still Life Shell

I started this pastel in Morro from a still life. I took a picture of it because I knew I wouldn't finish it on site.

Beginning my oil painting

I started this oil painting (The Hen) last month but haven't had time to work on it since. story of my life.
I am working off of a photo that I edited using Adobe Photoshop Elements. I changed a few things around, made the chicken coop better, deeper, nicer, actually, than the one I have for my chickens. I have a white hen rather than the Black Aurstolorps I have because they wouldn't show up well in this case.
I sketched the picture in with charcoal. Then used Yellow Ochre and Payne's Gray to begin to get the tones.

I am in the process of clearing a place in the garage to begin the real setting in of color.

I must stand while painting. I walk away often, then turn to look at the paint I have added. This doesn't work well in my rather small studio. The larger the painting, which in this case is 24x30, the more I must stand back to view my work. Sometimes I will walk clear out of the garage, down the paved drive, to the side fence, which is a good 30 feet away.