Saturday, July 31, 2010

"Gulf Sea Oats"


Oil on RayMar - 8x6
SOLD
This panel was painted from sketches and earlier paintings of the view of the Gulf from the dunes at Cape San Blas State Park.
 
Here is my evaluation, and I welcome critiques.
  • Sky - OK, I like the hint of yellow in the clouds and the use of ult blue with a hint of cobalt blue.
  • Gulf -OK, but it could be a little more to the green side of blue. I used a #6 synthetic bristle to do the waves.
  • Dunes - sand is too brown. It needs to be more gray/blue with more blue in the shadows. These dunes are almost as white as snow.
  • Dune on the left - too dark and too loosely executed.
  • Dune in the foreground - much to much, it's too busy, and ill defined. The bushes are too con color.
  • Sea oats - I like a few points that came from the use of a palette knife. Still the color is too same across the picture and too yellow.
  • Overall design - the painting is too busy to see if the design works.
  • My wife, Patty, suggested that the dune on the left is too tall and seems to dominate the design. It could be shortened to the horizon line or just above.
  • Value / Contrast - the values are too close with not enough contrast.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

"Breaking Late"


Oil on canvas panel - 6x6

To purchase, contact me

When storms have made the slope of the beach more steep, the waves break later and closer to shore. This is what I have tried to capture in this painting. The sky is overcast, and there are no clear reflections. The water color seems to be more green and gray.

I have done waves several times in pastel, but this is my first effort in oil. I am pleased with the result, and encouraged to do more seascapes in oil.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Bright Morning


Oil on canvas panel, 12x9

To purchase, contact me.

This is another study of the a palm thicket and the dunes at Cape San Blas. The painting began as a sketch and water color. I have tried to capture the heat and bright sun of a summer morning. The painting is oil on canvas panel.
This is a view of the secluded beach and dunes near where my son Rod, my father-in-law, and I spent many, many hours fishing.
A personal note:
As a painting progresses toward completion, it seems often to take a life of its own. It moves steadily away from the view before me and even away from my original intention. I do not know if this is a result of my inner "natural artistic eye" or the product of my artistic inability together with some conscious or even unconscious compensations. In either case, I am pleased with this result even as it has moved beyond my original scene and impression.

Path in the Pines

Pastel 12x16 on LuxArchival 100 This view of an old path through the pine woods has held my attention for years.  The woods are now a housin...