In the studio 4/6/2014
Two Cakes is 48″ x 48″. Unfinished, of course, as are most of the paintings shown in the “In the studio” posts. The left-side of the small container holds my standard medium: cold-pressed linseed oil+turpentine, + drops of copal varnish and coutrai drier. When I want firm, and fast-drying passages, I put the same mix
Painting: Keith in Front of a White Chair
I finished this painting three days ago. Keith in Front of a White Chair, is fairly large (for me) oil painting measuring 36″ x 48.” It’s kissing cousin to this painting, which is also 36″ x 48.” Read moreCleveland Museum of Art Opens RenovationsOne thing i always do is I try to get the drawing right.
In the studio 3/30/14
Here is a photo of some recent work. The top painting is my son John aboard The Betty Jane. I applied paint to the large, middle painting or the first time yesterday. I spent the two previous days working on the drawing exclusively. It’s called Dinner in Trenton. The bottom painting is a small-format version
Bad easel
I listened to songs by PJ Harvey during this morning’s painting session (actually drawing session). Her songs are filled with the kind of poetry that tears you up–just what I like. Many of her songs are inspired by history, like WWI. That’s pretty unique. Anyway, I found a temporary solution to my slipping easel problem.
Complementary neutral tones
The eye loves complementary neutrals. The eye will accept the ‘truth’ of a well placed neutral faster than it will a piece of carefully crafted modeling. Nature abounds with complementary colors. I remember as a child being amazed by the green shadows cast by the light streaming though the red curtains of my bedroom. What
In the studio 3/23/2014
Here is my usual weekly post about what’s cookin’. The top painting is ‘Deb.’ The lower painting isn’t very far advanced but I think you can get a sense of what’s afoot. It’s called ‘Antique Shop.’ To paint this large piece, I had to prop the easel’s cross-box on my knee to keep it from
Palettes
Here is my general. all-purpose palette. It has a good assortment of every color group and the core neutrals I always mix. You can do just fine with fewer colors–three or even fewer from each group is certainly workable. When I was younger, I had a very limited palette because I had a very limited
Studio mess
As this photograph demonstrates, I need more studio space. Not shown are the larger–5′ x 6′– paintings that are precariously stacked on one another. My separate storage area is overflowing with even larger paintings, like Black Lake (72″ x 96″), and other large, primed canvases ready to be worked. We are planning to buy a property