Different Strokes Painting - NOT

Nope. I didn't make time to paint the latest DSDF subject. You'd think 3 weeks time frame would be plenty of time to get to it, but it just didn't happen this time. I think this might be the first I have missed since it started last fall.

Wow, I just had to go back to Karin's site to see how long she's offered this challenge, and the first was last September! I didn't participate in the first one, but every one since... until this week. I guess I shouldn't feel guilty.

I've been a bit sidetracked with other artistic outlets... my weekly plein air group on Saturdays, and just started a new painting class with one of the guys in the plein air group on Monday nights. He's formed a small class of 4 students and he is helping us with oil or acrylic painting. I don't think I have ever used oil paints, so figured I'd give it a shot since the Saturday painters seem to have so much fun with oils (and they can continue to paint if it rains, while I sit in the car, keeping my pastels dry....).

I was going to wait to post some of my progress in the class, but figure you might be interested in seeing what's going on. I know there are features that I haven't correctly shaped or colored yet, but I'm taking my time. I think I've made pretty good progress so far. I'd like to finish this one up this weekend, so that next Monday I can begin something else.

Reference Photo:

Week One Progress:

Week Two Progress:

Plein Air Saturday - Jeffrey Mansion Park

Plein air group met at Jeffrey Mansion Park in Bexley today. What an interesting place! Again, it was a dreary rainy day. I only had about 45 minutes to work on my piece (in between sitting in the car due to the rain), so didn't get very far and its not a very good photo.

This tree had very interesting leaves -dusty green variegated with PINK! Wow. A couple of the last photos in this post might show the leaves better. (As always, click on the photo to enlarge.)

Plein Air Saturday - Lower Hoover Dam

Today, the plein air group met in Westerville, below Hoover Reservoir dam. It was a cold dreary day for July! It was about 65 degrees with angry clouds. After we finished, it poured most of the afternoon.

Here are a few views of the area:


Here is my finished painting. It was hard to capture the clouds in the photographs, but my painting really nails it. Again, we were painting in an area with greens, greens and more Ohio greens....

'Hoover Path', 8x 10, soft pastels on suede mat board

Plein Air Saturday - Coffman Homestead

"Coffman Homestead Catalpa", 8 x 10, soft pastels on suede mat board

Saturday, my plein air group met in Dublin Ohio. Some of the group painted in old Dublin, but a few of us painted in the Coffman homestead park. I wanted to paint this great catalpa tree, with its 'cigars' hanging down. Catalpas are one of my favorite trees.

It was a dreary overcast day and after about an hour or so of painting, the thunder started and it poured all day long. I didn't get my painting done while there, but finished it today. I had originally drawn in the garden gates, but I couldn't capture them, so rubbed them out. Obviously, I tend to paint a bit more yellow than reality. To me, my final painting reminds me of the south, with a high key color and this could almost be interpreted as a live oak with spanish moss.

Worthington Pastel #2

Worthington Square Flowers, 8 x 10 soft pastels on suede mat board.

My final entry for the Worthington note card fundraiser. Next week the entries are due and will be judged and awarded.

Below shows the final painting on the left along with the photograph (although I chopped off the right side of the photo in this view).

Pastel - Everal Homestead Path

'Everal Homestead Path', 8 x 10 soft pastel on suede mat board

I'm having lots of fun painting these dappled shadows in the last few pastel paintings. The photo used for this painting was taken a month or so ago while I was out on a bike ride. I used the camera on my cellphone, and am surprised at the quality of the photos from the phone.

Below shows the pastel on the left and the photo on the right. I obviously changed a few things. I am pretty happy how this one turned out.

Different Strokes Painting - Rower

'Rower at Rest', 8 x 10, Chroma acrylics on gessoed mat board

Here's my latest entry into Karin's Different Strokes for Different Folks challenge. This worked up pretty quickly and although there are areas that bother me, it was telling me it was done, so I stopped!