The Man

Waiting
6 x 6
oil on doorskin

The days are hot now that summer is here and more of my spare time is spent outdoors swimming, cycling or running with not much time left to paint. I am getting out with my camera to the markets and after our trip to France I have a years worth of resource photos but I'm having trouble getting something on the canvas. I find quite often turning to an assignment helps keep me at it so checked in on Karin Jurick's latest posting. This DSFDF Challenge at first seemed daunting but I'm finding it to be increasingly easier to take the subject and focus on value and color, my two favorite components and so then the play began. I think this will be one of the last small paintings I do as I find the 6 x 6 format just a little too restricting and I haven't figured out how to frame them so they stand out well.

Getting Unstuck

Coffee Break
20 x 16
oil on canvas

This was one big project for me and having happily and with ease finished three quarters of it I found I was totally stuck the foreground which should have been relatively easy. No chance to hide or cover up as it is right there in your face. I even put it up on Gimp and created layers so I could change hue, value, intensity in order to resolve the issue. Although my Gimp painting looked okay no way could I transfer that to the real thing. Finally in desperation I threw some different combinations down and there we have the final product - for now anyway. Time to put this one away.

A good way to live

Seaside Cafe
6 x 6
oil on doorskin

Though I'm really a nester and a homebody I can see how travel influences your life and one of the things I've come home with is the appreciation of the slower and more relaxing French lifestyle. Long lunches, afternoon siesta's where the stores are closed and in the evening a glass of wine in a cafe overlooking the sea. This was a scene in Collioure on the Mediterranean where we were relaxing after our week long cycling trip.

Back to the Easel

Afloat
6 x 6
oil on doorskin

Am finally back to painting after being away for almost a month and it was very scary picking up the brushes again and having to reintroduce myself to my paints. A perfect start was the latest DSFDF subject by Karin Jurick which didn't inspire me a bit since I've now got hundreds of resource photos from our latest trip to France. Couldn't help putting a Mediterranean look to this scene. As usual once I started painting the fun began and I realized it doesn't really matter what the subject is. More importantly it is about color, value, line, intensity, shapes, composition and playing with all of these! I got so carried away and put so much paint down it wasn't sticking and I decided it was time to put this one aside and move on but I did really enjoy it - thanks again Karin for the challenge.