ArtStuff,etc.

I delved into some landscapes this posting. I don't do many landscapes but the reference photos I found sort of caught my attention with the misty and moody effect. Another is a canal in Venice and one is on the rocky coast of the northeast. I don't know where the river photos were from.

I've painted some new things over the past couple of weeks. Some may notice an evolvement in my later work. I'm becoming more loose and confident after taking a workshop by Alvaro Castagnet who hails from Uruguay. My wife and I spent a week in Vancouver, BC in mid-Oct. along with about 25 others we explored Alvaro's unique style and tried to merge it into our own. Additionally I participated in several workshops here in Raleigh, mid-November with the likes of Sterling Edwards. His style is different from Alvaro's but I like them both. One thing that stands out from the Alvaro workshop is the fact that all the paintings were were done with a palette of only five colors, mixed in different ways of course. Basically, thats all one needs. So here following is the latest and greatest. The first was done onsite near my house in Raleigh at North Hills Shopping Center. The second is looking at Parliament from Trafalger Square in London from a phot I took in May this year...

Painted a couple of weeks ago in Vancouver, BC.

Another version of my Montmarte Series.

I've tried to paint this a half dozen times. I finally got one that I think is good enough

This is a painting I did in my sketch book and now i've painted a larger finished version. Also, just for fun, I put in the reference photo and the actual painting of one in Rome.

Two from New Orleans and one from Rome. Who dat standing on dat street?

Here is one of my first paintings done from my recent trip.

I took this photo a few years ago. here is my study painting of it.

From a video workshop. This piece is approaching the style that I want to produce. To me its what watercolors are all about. The painting bleeding into itself without the blooming effect. This piece is 11"x 15". Anyway, I haven't posted for a bit, in part to try and regroup, reload and refocus on the kind of thing i've produced in this painting. Hopefully, I can continue to get better and refine this kind of work.

This is a finished painting of one of my last study sketches. It's in Savannah.

The first is in Spain and the second is in Savannah. What to paint next??

I like to sketch, either onsite or from photos. These sketches serve as models for possible future paintings. I can do several of these fairly fast and do value studies on them and even re-compose them to make the compositions better. You know, artists license stuff.

I think i've painted this one five times now. Starting to get it kind of right. maybe.

I painted this from a photo I took when in London. Anybody else ride this?

the re-work????

Took this picture(11x15 inches) on one of our trips. It may still need some additional work.

Its an old time art deco gas station. Crazy man.

I'm not altogether competent with landscapes nor is it something I look first at doing, but this one turned out pretty good. It was done in a Sterling Edwards workshop. The background is supposed to represent morning mist.

These are from a class I took with Judi Betts. I like this style of doing homes. It's a lot looser than I formerly painted and makes them more interesting.

I had a great deal of fun with these. They are promo pictures for my architecture business. I painted them with abandon and was throwing paint everywhere.  I think they turned out pretty well. At least i'm pleased with them. People are hard for me right now, especially people in action. I'm getting better though. It's those kind of details that make a picture come to life.

This was from a workshop I did at Art of the Carolinas in November. Had lots of fun. The picture is in Venice.

Many locals will recognize the Wilmington waterfront. This so far is one of my favs.

The first is an interpretation of a home I photographed last summer in Tuscaloosa. The second is a promo piece for some architectural projects i'm nurturing. The second was painted into a pen sketch which was then copied onto 140 pound Arches watercolor paper and then painted.

These are some preliminary sketches for possible paintings. Both are from trips abroad. Top is a shot in Venice and bottom is a shot from a very early synagogue in Spain, probably in the 700's. Top is pen and ink with some watercolor. Bottom is felt tip pen.

I've recently started painting and sketching again after a very long hiatus. I have not been to Australia but have always been intrigued with the opera house in Sidney harbour. Here is my attempt at a watercolor.(my primary medium) I have several people whom I follow at present and who inspire me. They include Sterling Edwards, Judi Betts, Alvaro Castagnet and Joseph Zbukvic.