48. Green and Red Study

9x12 oil/panel

I had these green apples and they are such a great color, just had to use t hem somehow.   It was fun seeing how the color bounces around in shadows, and reflects off t he white surfaces...I'm back to working quickly, so this was maybe 2 hours, or a little less... 

Here's the set up and the painting.  Yeah, I made my pitcher slightly taller - just wanted to created a more interesting negative shape.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  

47. Winter Baby

7.5 x 8 oil/panel

Yeah, I know, it's been more than a few days since I posted... I'm working on some important deadlines and something's gotta give... so the dailies have had to take a back seat. But today, I felt the need to "warm up" and have some fun in the middle of the hard work of finishing some more serious painting. I limited myself to an hour, and this took just under that.

I took the photo of this little Hereford calf when I was out on a run one day.It's usually not a great thing for calves to come in the middle of winter, though it happens. It was a really bitter morning, and I remember thinking this baby must've been cold, but he and mom and the rest of the herd seemed just fine. I think that wooly coat serves him well....

46. Orange and Blue

Orange and Blue 6x8 oil/linen

I have a couple of very important deadlines looming, and not much time to work on them, so I might default on a few dailies till I can get these done.  As it is, I am working early till late. But I did think it a good idea to 

warm up today with something simple, and I determined to work only about 45 min..  I found this blue goblet at a thrift store recently and wanted to paint it... and I love the combination of orange and blue - opposites or "complements" on the color wheel.

I've never painted cobalt blue glass before... very interesting.

Anyway, it's a simple set up and nothing fancy but to try to be purposeful with the brushstorkes and let them be.  And, for you painters out there, it's really important to keep your shadows thin and transparent... and remember the old adage, "cool light, warm shadows" - all the shadows here are warm in color, except where the blue of the glass really colored the white c loth as the light went through it...

45. Trail Crew, Pecos Wilderness

12x16 oil/linen

Actually started this one before Christmas, but had to put it aside until today.  The image was inspired by an old (1950's?) photo of Santa Fe National Forest rangers building cairns.  I think they were up in the Pecos Wilderness from the looks of the photo, but not totally sure.  This crew is wrapping up for the day and heading down off the ridge.

43. Star of Wonder

Star of Wonder 9x12 oil/panel

I just thought today about those Shepherds out watching their flocks of sheep the night that Jesus was born.

They saw the star, the angels and heard the message of the baby's birth, mostly because they were out there, outside, watching the night sky.

So, what if the Savior had been born in a different place and time?  Maybe it would have been somebody like this to see that Star.  Some ol' cowpoke, just watching the herd. 

Well, if was fun thinking about.
On a "painting" note, I found that painting moonlight meant two t hings.
1. all colors are practically gone.  They all fade to a greenish gray.
2. It's not as easy as that.
There should be no warm colors under moonlight, and though my photo seems to show a bit more warn tones than is actually there, just remember that in  painting moonlight scenes, use colors from the cool side of the spectrum.. For example, instead of cadmium yellow, use yellow ochre. Instead of cad read, use alizarin... But almost everything is mixed with ultramarine to cool it even further and lower the value as well...

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas, full of joy and peace and hope!

42. Connie's Cabin, plein air

Connie's Cabin, 8x10

Real quick, because Steve is waiting on me to go out for our run this morning. This was done very quickly (again, because he was waiting) maybe 30-40 min. looking out our window at my neighbor's cabin. It's a great view both morning and evening. 

There was so much glare coming in our big south facing windows that I absolutely could not see, sometimes wasn't even sure what color I was putting down, so I just trowled on the paint with th e palette knife to get the feel of it, and left it as is, pretty rough, but it was fun trowling on paint for a change! :-)

41. Team Ropers

Team Ropers 8x13 oil/panel

I started this one several weeks ago... put it aside till I could figure out where I wanted to take it, and then finished it a few days ago.   I wanted to try a little more palette knife, especially in the background with the spectators... So I left that whole area really sketchy and yet, hopefully, still communicating "spectators and bleachers"...  Thanks to artist friend Max Nelson from wetcanvas.com for the photo reference.