old truck

OK, I decided to re-do my old truck. Now the grass surrounding the truck is very dark, but I am going to have some light colored flowers sprouting up around the truck and I need those darks...

The hood shape on the truck isn't exactly what I want yet, but you get what I'm going for. I'm not sure if I'm happy with the inside of the truck yet either. I'll be refining the rusty areas more also, and I have since darkened up the color of the steering wheel.

More in the next day or so...

Some new art...

Just thought I would show you the progression of my latest painting. I used a photo that I took in California this last trip as my reference photo.  My sister sent me some new pastels and I finally took the plunge and purchased a projector so I can easily transfer my photos to my painting surface.

 I did my research and got the one that I wanted and bought a stand and an adapter to use with my smart phone and I was up and running.

I  projected the image on a piece of watercolor paper taped to the wall and basically drew around the image onto the paper.  This is just for practice after all.

The next time I do this step, I will use a much softer pencil, maybe even use charcoal, because the colored pencil that I used left an impression in the paper that I wasn't happy with.

 Then I taped the watercolor paper to a piece of wood that I previously had cut to a standard painting size. The  painters tape serves two purposes for me, it allows me to use water on the paper if necessary without getting a ripple in the paper...

It also allows me to mark the image area of my painting precisely and removal of the tape will leave a very clean painting when I am done. Since this is a pastel painting, you need to be mindful of smudging...

 I had initially wanted to put a figure in the painting, but it just never worked out, so I gave up on that...

I like to say that she and I had artistic differences and that she stormed out of the painting.

 

 

 In the reference photo, the sand was full of footprints that I had decided to use for texture and part of the story of the painting,

but in the end, I decided on smooth sand and turbulent waves...

It took me several days to complete the painting and in general I'm quite happy with it.  It was a practice piece and there are some things that may not be exactly "right", but that's ok.

Hope you like it. Tonight is the start of daylight saving time, so enjoy the longer days to come and remember to do plenty of art.

poor pitiful me...

Well, it's me again crying and whining because I have a cold.

I had the pleasure of visiting my sister two weeks ago and I had a thoroughly good time. I love hanging out at my sisters' guest house, but this time I was invited again to stay at another friend's house and I decided to do it.

This friend happens to be a guy and he is really a good friend and we laughed most of the time I stayed there.  I felt really comfortable while there. There was one morning I wasn't sure about an aroma I noticed, but I figured out it was his dogs. They have no shame and never warned me at all when they were going to be flatulent.  Didn't they know I was a guest? How dare they. Humph.

I stayed in a part of San Diego that I'm not usually in and wasn't quite as intimidated by the drivers this time. I think I might be able to handle the traffic in this part of the county. I  normally don't drive when I go to visit my sister, but I'm getting braver, so next time...who knows?

Sister and I hung out with friends...

We picked fruit...

We shopped...

We went to the beach and took photos to paint and draw from...

The waves were beautiful that day...

She even indulged me and took me to Poway to take a picture of the funeral home that was the setting for a reality show some years ago.

Anyone remember the show Family Plots? Well, of all the things I wanted to see, that was one of them...

We had fun together, as we always do. I needed a break from the snow and cold weather that we have had here on the East Coast. I even extended my stay when the return flight I was on was cancelled before we even got off the ground due to a cracked windshield.  Finally got home, the only bad part about it was that my seat mate coughed and sniffed the entire flight home and so I'm blaming him for my cold. I got a sinus infection on the last trip out...perhaps I need to boost my immune system if I'm going to be traveling.

Weather is warming up here at home now and I'm much more likely to get back in the artist groove.  Sister is sending me a care package that has new pastels in it and I've ordered some new art equipment, so hopefully new and interesting art is in my future.  I'll keep you posted.

Take care and remember that art...it's just a walk in the park.