I'm Still Painting

Not much to post recently. I'm back to work full time after my lovely Thanksgiving week off. Working doesn't leave much energy left for creativity.

I've been doing more studio oil painting, which takes more time - which I need to get used to. I am used to painting in plein air in the summer on the weekend, under the time frame of just a couple hours to paint before the light changes. I usually paint "alla prima" and let it go at that with little correction in the studio.

These recent paintings are deliberately slower as I am trying to work on my craft. Once I get more time, I plan on photographing all my recent paintings with my camera, instead of just the cellphone. Until then, I will share the current WIP (work in progress) below.

This is a scene at the local working farm metro park - Slate Run Farm. I am working larger than usual at 11x14, along with scenes which include many man-made objects - that I usually shy away from! I plan on finishing this piece very tight using a brush. Then I want to repaint the scene in a new painting and try to loosen up by using the palette knife. I may edit the composition some also. This first painting was a way to get acquainted with my subject.

 I wanted to get that sky in so it would dry some before I got much further. Even using a medium, it is still pretty wet after I week!

 I want my center of interest to be the far barn, so I lightened the red a bit more than reality to try to convey the sun hitting it. There will be more objects to draw the eye to that area.

I got a first layer of paint on all areas - still much to do there later. I worked really hard on this hay wagon (manure spreader, I think!), and then looked back and said oh "crap"(lol), I painted it way too small!!

 So I figured out its correct size proportionately, and mocked up a piece of paper to test.

Then rubbed out the first wagon version with a paper towel...... Always hard to do that!! But I've learned, it will be ok, I CAN paint it again. 

MUCH better! Still lots more work to be done on this painting, but can't get back to it until the weekend. Stay tuned!