Getting back in gear

Sometimes following a show I have a hard time getting back in the normal swing of things. I spend weeks getting everything ready and organized, do the event, and then crash at the end of it. I took part of last week off following Art in the Park the previous weekend. This week has gotten off to a slow, creaking start, but the gears are once again moving. Most of the art from the show is still in boxes or leaning up against the wall, but I have gotten a few things back in place.

Here's another look at that piece in progress that I posted a few weeks ago. I am still loving it, which is good. I am not sure yet what the background should look like. I am leaning towards doing a scene around her, as if she is strolling through town. I think I might do it in muted colors, though, so that the dress doesn't get lost in it.

Any Greenville folks planning to be at the VIP party for Fashion on the Town tomorrow night at The Lazy Goat? I will be at the event painting live. Come see me!

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Already in love

I love this piece already, and it is only a sketch on a canvas. I decided I wanted to do a larger oil paint version of yesterday's walking dress, so I quickly sketched this gal on a 16"x 20" canvas. It makes me nervous, though, when I like paintings this early on in the process. Usually, as long as I am fairly happy with the sketch, I will start the painting, changing things as I go along until I love it. But, when I love a piece from the very beginning, as much as I love this one, I get hesitant to paint over the sketch.

Well, here's to bravely going forward, even if I might mess things up in the process.

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Paper Dolls can be Saucy, Too

I have been trying to play around with my paper doll poses, making some of them a little more unusual. This drawing is a sketch for a new painting that I started on yesterday. She has a bit of that pin-up girl saucy-ness, and it should be a challenge to paint the back views of her clothes.

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Wish you were here!

I spent most of yesterday working on the couple and adding in some color to the background. I like the contrast I am able to get by painting the background a dark color and overlaying the lighter colors. My next step is to paint in the letters and add some detail to the bridge.


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Unfinished, but in love

I adore the piece I am working on right now. It is working out exactly as I hoped it would, which, after the struggles I had with the last one, is a welcome change. I decided to do another vintage Greenville travel image, combining the modern bridge with vintage people and text. Before I started this one I had the image in my head of a couple pointing off into the distance with the suspension bridge in the background. I get a bit nervous when I like paintings this much this soon in the process, but the more I work on this one, the more it fits what I wanted. Can't wait to show you the work I did on it today!


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A handsome pair

Still working out the details on this piece, but I'm starting to like the overall look. I hope all of you are outside enjoying this beautiful weather today! Happy Friday.

To see her smile

I've been working on filling in the details on my Empire State Building picture. Yesterday I spent most of my time working on the figure of my grandmother- putting detail in her clothing and hair, adjusting her facial features. I am very happy with the likeness. I am very fortunate to have known all of my grandparents for a good portion of my life. This grandmother passed away when I was in high school. But I wish there was a way I could have known her in this moment- a young woman in New York, clutching her guidebooks and going to to top of the Empire State Building with her sweetheart. We don't think about the people we love having a life before us. I love getting these little glimpses into my family before I was a part of it.

Continuing on

Today I continued adjusting the initial drawing, and added in more of the mid-range and lighter areas. Also sketched in a few buildings in the background.

To make a painting

Yesterday I posted a picture of my grandparents on the top of the Empire State Building sometime during the 1940's. I get asked pretty regularly how I put a painting together, so I decided to document this one from start to finish. Someday when I have a good video camera, you will get to see pieces in action, but in the meantime photos will have to do.

I always start out with very thin oil paint, and scribble the whole piece onto the canvas. The thin paint is easily wiped off and moved around, until I am fairly happy with the layout. I also try to cover up as much of the white canvas as possible. I will later go back in and add the highlights and light areas back in. For example, the background is fairly light in the photo, but I went ahead and painted it all blue and will lighten it up later.


Next, I use a little bit thicker paint and, starting with the darkest areas, I begin adding in some details. I continue to refine the layout of the piece and move things around as needed.

Check back frequently over the next couple of weeks to see more of how this piece comes together!