Saturday, June 8, 2013

RECENT STUDIO AND PLEIN AIR WORK

Here is some recent field and studio work. I spent some time working on a larger versions of studies I did last year. The first is based on some trees I painted along Bull Creek in November. I punched up a shadow that was only slightly indicated on the original piece, and made some changes to the trees in the distance.

Fall Color on Bull Creek 12x16"
 I then did a new version of a study I did along the Colorado River in East Austin a few weeks ago. It was an overcast day when I did the study.

Gray Day on the Colorado River 11x14"

2013-05-18 Colorado River Study 8x10"

I decided that I need to learn to paint a cactus, and used photo reference I took last month. I still need to learn to paint a cactus, but this is a start.

Cactus Study 12x9"
Today I went to a paint out with members of Plein Air Austin. We returned to Formby Ranch, and I set up to paint another view of the cabin I painted last year. I'm told the cabin once belonged to J Frank Dobie.

Dobie Cabin 8x10"
I had some extra time when I finished painting the cabin, so I set a timer on my phone, and painted a 40 minute study of an Ashe Juniper (cedar) tree. I like doing these quick studies, because you don't have a lot of time to work a painting to death; you lay down a color and leave it alone. Plus, you have an excuse if it doesn't turn out ("I did it in 40 minutes!")

Ashe Juniper Study 10x8"