France - Apricale -The Conversation - Two Men

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France - Apricale -The Conversation - Two Men  11x14  Oils on masonite panel

This painting was inspired by a photo on Jilly Bennet's blog Menton Daily Photo.

To create the stone wall, I used a painting knife for the first time then a brush to put in the shadows. All in all I think that the stones are believable. :-)

Early Morning Golfers

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Early Morning Golfers  12x16  Oils on Masonite Panel

These golfers are the first out on this morning. The time of day is supposed to be just after sunrise with subdued light and a little ground fog here and there.

I've been glazing the background trying to deepen the dark shadows under the trees and I have more work to do.

I also want to sharpen up the golfers, they seem to be blurry (NOT my camera this time!)

Chef On Break Before Dinner Hour

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Chef On Break Before Dinner Hour  12x17  Oils on stretched canvas

The chef is taking a break before the dinner rush speaking to two of his friends.  It's almost dark and the lights are beginning to be turned on.

I will probably darken the darks a bit more. But for now, I'll call this one "finished"!

Day Laborer - Coosa Valley, Alabama

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Day Laborer - Coosa Valley, Alabama  9x12  Oils on Masonite Panel

I saw a photo similar to this in the National Archives website that "told me" that I needed to make this painting . I got this far in about three or four hours over two days.

I might make a larger version if the mood strikes me.

The white rectangle on the side of the building is (should be) a sign of some sort. The space needed something and a window near the stairs didn't make sense to me.  AND I need to straighten the "sign".  :-)  Perspective, perspective perspective.  Sort of like gravity - it doesn't stop.

If you see yourself or your work and you do not want it to be here, please send me an email and I will remove the post.

May 3, 2010 - updated photo.

I think that I improved the perspective on the notice but the printing leaves something to work on - in another time.

I'm beginning to like this painting!

Menton France - Old Man Reading Newspaper near archway

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Man Reading His Newspaper   17x24 Oils on canvas panel

This painting is inspired by two of Jilly's Menton Daily Photos.  The man walking through the arch and the stariway on the right is one photo "Up Down and Roundabout". The gentleman reading his newspaper is from another photo "Old Wall, Old Man".



 April 21, 2010  -  update.

I did some of my fiddlin' - put the other leg of the bench in, and put the vertical things in the hand rail (what are they called anyway?).

Henri Rests A While

Henri Rests A While  12x16  Oil on canvas panel

This painting of Henri is another really wonderful from the blog Menton Daily Photos by Jilly.

After reading Jilly's narrative accompanying the photos of Henri I think that he's a guy that I wouldn't mind "hanging out" with.  There is another photo of Henri on "his" page that I might attempt but his expression in this photo spoke to me.

Thanks, Jilly for letting "us" look at your world!

I thnk that I'm not going to do any more with this, but . . . .   I think maybe his eyes need some attention.

The Eyes

The Eyes  9x12  Oils on canvas panel

I "found" this photo in "Georgia - Between Caucasus and Black Sea", the blog of Jemal Kasradze

Mr Kasradze is a professional photographer in Georgia, Russia and does (in my humble opinion) beautiful and thoughtful photography.  I'm confident that you will agree after you visit his web site.

 

House of China - Eureka Springs, AR

House of China 16.5x24  Oil on panel

From several photos taken last summer in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  Beautiful little town with many, many turn of the century homes and buildings.  A real fun tourist stop!

The House of China sells asian things. I'm not a shopper, so I don't know what to call the things in the store. But my daughter and my wife sure did enjoy buying a few things!

Bon Fire on the Beach

Bon Fire on the Beach 11x14 Oil on Masonite Panel

I had to stop "messing" with this painting. I don't know that I'm happy with it - yet but I'm going to let it rest then take a look at it in a couple of weeks/months. Some paintings seem to just jump out of my brush onto the canvas but this one . . . grrrrr Perhaps it wasn't meant to be?

I finally figured out why my post formatting was being weird?!?! There's a SETTING to use the "new" editor or the "OLD" editor. I chose the OLD EDITOR and badda-bing, badda-boom I'm a happy dude. It probably doesn't matter, though. YA THINK??????? DUHHHHH!!!!!!!! But I'm grinnin'!

:-)

Weekend Shoppers

Weekend Shoppers 11x14 Oil on Canvas panel

This appears to be a family (tourists?) out shopping on Main Street in Eureka Springs AR. This was in the summer on one of the hotter days we had a few months ago. I'm guess that this is Mom and Dad out with their daughter. I go to look at and photograph the people - Melissa likes to go into the shops. This works out really well for us both.

I had problems with lighting this painting for the photo. I keep getting glare this is the best of many. I'll try again today to see if I can make a digital photo with a smart camera. The camera is smarter than the operator, that's for sure! :-)

Eureka Springs has many natural mineral springs. Two web sites where you can read more about it are: http://www.eurekasprings.com/ and http://www.eurekasprings.org/

We always stop at Bubba's BBQ - really! :-) Good BBQ and real people work there.

This is pointed on one of my home made Masonite panels covered with canvas. These panels have the look of canvas without the "bounce" of stretched canvas. The Masonite is reinforced with 3/4 inch square pieces of pine glued in place. I use better quality carpenter's glue clamped to the frame while the canvas is glued (and back stapled) to the Masonite with rabbit skin glue then I apply 3 or 4 coats of tinted Gesso. Presently my panels are "only" 3/4 inch thick. I'll make some thicker "gallery" panels later. I'll explain it mo bettah if anybody who is interested reads this far and lets me know with a comment.

Sidewalk Espresso

Sidewalk Espresso 18x24 Oil on Masonite

This is a composite from three or four photos that I found online plus a couple of photos that I've taken myself. I took many liberties and moved things around, added stuff here and took stuff away there.

Why does the dude on the left have two cups in front of him? Is it because the waiter is trying to make a move on the lady in red? Maybe the innocent waiter has the lady's check and is about to put it on the table. AND why is the dude wearing sunglasses inside? hmmmm Might be that he's sly and giving the lady in the jeans outfit a good long look.

The lady in the jeans outfit sat near the dude, but not too close. She probably doesn't trust somebody wearing sunglasses that has two cups of coffee on his table. Little does she know that he's more than a little burned up that the waiter hasn't been around for a while and wouldn't be very good company right now.

What ARE the specials today?

Solving The Worlds Problems

Solving The Worlds Problems 12x16 Oil on Masonite

This is my submission for Karin Jurick's Different Strokes From Different Folks (DSFDF) blog where she posts a picture and artists make their art. It's fun - for me, anyhow. Check it out.

Two guys, maybe in a barber shop, or waiting for new tires to be put on their cars. The guy on the right is doing all of the talking the guy on the left just wants to get out of there.

This is my first painting in a couple of weeks (more or less) as I've been moving my art stuff from a bedroom in our house to my studio. (See earlier posts). I'm not completely done with the studio; probably never will be. :-)

One of my next art projects will be working on rendering body parts. e.g. hands with fingers. Sheesh.

Walking Point 1966 Vietnam - No. 2

Walking Point 1966 Vietnam - No. 2 7x15 Oil on Masonite.

I used more color in this version and didn't let as much of the tinted Masonite show through.The darkest darks are Torrit Grey with some green mixed in. Then a WHOLE LOTTA green! There's some reds and oranges in there as well, although not very much.

It's funny (to me) how different a painting looks after it's been posted. Even after "tinkering" with it with photo editing software. Long story short, I see some things that I'll touch up after a while.

Right now, I'm going to get something cool to drink and go sit on our back yard deck. The "something cool to drink" will be a cocktail of Crystal Light Lemonade & Fresca. Whoooo doggies!

Two Men On A Park Bench

Two Men On A Park Bench 16x20 Oil on canvas

Two friends in the park. One is looking at or reading from a brochure or pamphlet. Is the guy with the pamphlet planning a trip? Will the other guy go with him? Maybe they're deciding what to have to eat later.

I did a small oils sketch last month to see what I could see with this composition, and etc.

I'm happy with this painting. There are some things that I might tweak later but for now - I'll sign it and call it "DONE".

Two Dollars An Hour

Two Dollars An Hour 24x30 Oil on masonite.

5/1/2009 - - Photo of the painting was updated I can't seem to get the painting in focus!!!!
5/3/2009 - - Photo of the painting was updated
5/8/2009 - - corrected the title 2 dollars an HOUR, not 2 dollars a day.

I'm done with this - just a few thing that I needed to "fix" e.g. their feet/shoes for one thing. See the April 20 post to see two preliminary sketches.

All in all I'm satisfied with this piece. The idea came from a photo in the National Archives. The folks in the photo hoed sugar beets in fields sunup to sundown for two dollars an hour.

Now I'm in one of those "be careful what you wish for" situations - sort of similar to a dog chasing a car. Now that you have it, what are you going to do with it? :-)

5/1/2009 - As two of my friends pointed out, the feet of the person to the viewers left needed "fixing" so I tried to get that done. I'm going to stare at the painting for a while making a list of things that I think need tweaking. Then I'll study that list and decide which "fixes", if any, will be done.

5/3/2009 - I fiddled with a couple of things. The "major" change was adding color to the shirt of the third guy from the right. I'm pondering (big word) whether or not to suggest trees and/or buildings in the far background.

5/8/2009 - Original photo by Bill Gilette, near Fort Collins, Colorado, June 1972. National Archives, Records of the Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.archives.gov/press/press-kits/way-we-worked/way-we-worked-photos.html

Two Couples Looking At The Sea

Two Couples Looking At The Sea 8x16 Oil on masonite.

Updated version 4/25/2009.

Here are two couples looking out over the sea. The couple on the left has either just arrived or is taking a last look before leaving. You decide. The people on the left are relaxing in the sun doing a little reading. Both have sweaters so the weather might have been chilly earlier.

I think that I'll make a larger painting of these folks - move 'em closer together, have them make new friends.

Watching The Tide Come In II

Watching The Tide Come In II 7x15 1/2 Oil on masonite

Just another "quickie" to play with my water soluble oil paints. I'm beginning to like them a bit more - if only the paint didn't smell so bad. The smell goes away quickly, I guess. The paint also handles much differently than "regular" oils. They don't seem to cover as well. I'll use my regular oils to make my "permanent" paintings.

This panel was tinted with a "tan" which I left exposed here & there on the beach - and (inadvertently) elsewhere.

I made a mistake by typing this in MS Word then pasting into Blogger Post Editor. Blogger isn't happy with that sort of stuff. I sure won't do THAT agian!!!! :-( I had to edit out a bunch of junky HTML that Word inserted.

Sketch #2 for "Two Dollars A Day"

Two Dollars A Day #2 8x10 Oil on masonite

This is my second try at water soluble oils and another quick study for a 24x30 painting of field hands hoeing sugar beets for two dollars a day - hence the title.

I moved the person on the right a little closer to the rest of the folks and reversed the person on the left.

I think that I like this composition more better. I'll work on their clothes in the larger painting - I'll do it with "real" oil paints! :-) I don't like this "pretend" oil paint very much.

Watching The Tide Come In

Watching The Tide Come In 12"x12" - diptych. Oil on masonite.

A little change of pace. Hardly any green in this (these) diptych. I was going to do a 7"x15" (another scrap of masonite not wasted) but that seemed a bit boring. So . . . . this diptych.

By the way, the horizon is FLAT in the painting - the camera chose to bend it for me! The camera and I fight an honorable battle. The camera usually prevails. :-)

Friends On A Park Bench

Friends On A Park Bench 8"x10" Oil on masonite.

This is a study for a larger - 16"x20" - painting. I'm uncomfortable painting trees and greenery that remotely resemble trees and greenery. I usually am (I think) to tight and I try to "loosen up". So this is a warm-up painting to get me comfortable with greenery.

I got really loose doing this after studying some work done by artists whose landscapes I admire. Isn't the internet great? I can sit in my room and browse through art from around the world.