A View of The Woods

This is a spread from my larger Illo sketchbook. I was sitting on the grass over looking the beach at Mackenricher State Park just outside of Fort Bragg. It was foggy and very atmospheric. This was an attempt to capture that. Fog really forces you to see values.

For Your Dining Pleasure

This guy was the entertainment at a restaurant this past summer in Noyo harbor. I was able to get a quick sketch and photos while we waited for our orders. This painting was done from one of the photos. I was intrigued by the reflections in his sunglasses. I painted it on a piece of Fabriano watercolor paper which is my current favorite.

Dad's Watchful Eye

I did this sketchbook spread in Fort Bragg, California while sitting on a cliff over looking the beach. The person lying down had on jeans and wasn't paying too much attention to girls playing in the water. I used my larger Illo sketchbook with a fountain pen for the initial drawing and added watercolor later.

Noyo Fish

This is an image from one of my many favorite places to sketch in Fort Bragg, California, Noyo Harbor. People actually fish under the bridge. It's always fun to sketch the locals while they fish. One can find some very nice dining in this area also.

Ocean Fishing

A lot of people were out fishing this year. I took the opportunity to sketch a while they were busy casting their lines.

Bridge Fog

This painting started out as a sketch that I did in ink while Pam was driving over the San Rafael Bridge. I used some Canson drawing paper and randomly divided the paper into sections as I sketched. I added the pastel this week. Its always fun to work on these little sketches because they take me back to where I was when I did it.

Before Day

The sky fascinates me with its handiwork daily. I took the photo for this painting in my gym parking lot. It was early morning and the sky was about to sing. I worked on Uart 600 grit paper with variety of pastels. Painting the sky, in my opinion, is largely about nuance as opposed to bold hard strokes.

Flowers In The Fog

This years birthday trip to Fort Bragg, California was a success and challenge in many ways. We had a beautiful place to stay that overlooked the ocean and we decided to step out of the box with our dining habits. I did a ton of sketching and photographing. This sketch is of the flowers that grow along the beach and the ocean in the background. Fog was setting in but the flowers were still crisp.

Since I don't drive well on curvy roads, I get to be the passenger. I sketch the road as we go along. As I was drawing this one Pam asked me if I ever got car sick. This is a double page spread in my Rabisco sketchbook from Portugal. I almost finished this sketchbook during our trip. The paper is top quality and its perfect for sketching.

Bright Eyes

This person showed up in some of my photos and I just had to draw her. The challenge here was to get her eyes correct and I think I did. I have never spoken to her or know much about her but she has an amazing face to study and paint. The photo was taken during the day and the reflections had numerous colors. She will show up in more of my figurative pieces.

Before the Heat

This is what the sky looks like in the morning before the searing heat of the sun. To me this is the best part of the day. I took poetic license with the colors.

Poe's Raven

The photo that inspired this image was taken at Abbott's Lagoon on the Point Reyes National Seashore. I was testing out a new wildlife lens. This crow was sitting on a fence post squawking up a storm. I took poetic license with the colors and used masa paper as my surface.

Masculine Quandry

I am continuing to explore my sketches done during a performance by Ballet Austin. I love sketching during any event. I have even gotten good at sketching in the dark. I like the line quality you get when you really can't see much of what you are drawing. Masa paper with gesso was my surface of preference because of the irregularities in the paper. It makes one want to explore and get close.

Missed My Exit

I have missed my exit when it comes to skies like this. I like the various layers of color and the way they harmonized with one another. I also liked the challenge of trying to mimic the textures of the lower clouds. This image was meant for pastels.

Gate Keepers

I remember seeing these gentlemen at this very location almost every day as I went about being a child in Commerce, Texas. They would sit on the side of the house and check out everything. We lived "across the tracks" and this house is close to them. I took the photo that inspired the painting many years ago...perhaps in my twenties. When I was growing up, I was taught to call our community "the Norris Community". The younger generation refers to it as "the Hole".

Exit Wounds Inspired

A few weeks ago I went to see "Exit Wounds" a production put on by Ballet Austin. I sketched the dancers when I had enough light. This image was inspired by one of those sketches. I found some Masa paper that I had treated with gesso. The underlying image was done with ink applied with a bamboo nib. I later added watercolor and gouache. I tried to maintain the same line integrity that I was able to achieve in the initial sketch.

Natural Abstraction

This is another Ben White sunrise image. I am enjoying this series. This is a gouache painting on blueish grey card stock. When I first opened this image up on my computer the first thought was God's natural abstraction. I of course took license with the colors I chose to use.

Ben White Sunrise

Before we sprang forward with our time, this is what Ben White looked liked on my way to work. I loved the way the light was just kissing the landscape...as if saying wake up. These colors make it hard for the artist in me to drive. Self preservation always takes over and thankfully I get to work safely.

Bales In Snow

It feels as if winter will just not go away. I don't mind much because I like cooler weather. This painting was inspired by photos of a friends ranch when we had our first or second round of snow. Hay bales are one of my favorite subjects. I'm attracted to their imperfect symmetry.

A Fresh Start

This is the view I get just as I go down the hill on West Lynn on my way to work. I like how the lights and darks balance one another out. Add in the sunrise and you have perfection and the anticipation of a new day.

Busy Commute

This is what Bee Caves Road looks like early in the morning when its rainy and foggy. This scene makes me think of classical music because that is what I listen to in the car to avoid road rage. It also makes me feel cozy. I'm inspired by the morning sky and the effects of weather on the landscape. Gouache and grey card stock are what I'm using in this series.

Church Shadows

I had finished work on this painting for the night, so I put it away and started playing with ink. The next day I couldn't find it. I shrugged it off and went about the day. Later on I lifted my clipboard to find this piece stuck to the back with black ink. It came off surprisingly easy. I liked the resulting image. Thus, the title. The subject is the church that I grew up in. It was torn down years ago.

Sunrise Impression

This is another sketch inspired by my morning commute to work. My goal was to keep the painting loose and abstract. I like how the lights reflect on the surface of the road. The sky drama is always a treat for the eyes.

Commute Beauty

One of the nice things about going in to work early is that you get to see the sun rise. Another advantage is less traffic. This is a little gouache study that I completed before the pastel version I posted on Instagram yesterday. It's a view of part of the Austin skyline as the city starts its day.

Inquisitive Eyes

This is a new addition to our family. He is my sisters first grandson. Of course he is being spoiled rotten. I caught a shot of him as he was being held by his grandfather. His eyes are what drew me to the image.

Snow Covered Bales

My workout partner shared a few pictures of his ranch in the snow. Of course being obsessed with hay bales I had to do this little painting. I liked the fence lines too. This is a little trading card image. I really like working small. Its a challenge to put in detail. My intent is to frame up a few of these little jewels for my gallery. They don't take up much space and I think they draw your attention.

Just Look Down

I did this painting from a thumbnail on my computer. It was one of many images I had taken over at Redbud Isles. I also used an ACEO as my surface to force me to minimize details. Water is a great surface to paint because it reflects, deflects, distorts, etc. All in all a great mystery to constantly explore.

Another face for you.

One more. I'm using artist tiles that are 3.5 squared. Easy for all kinds of sketching.

Last one. Enjoy the snow day. I am.

Judgement Time

This is another painting to go into my portrait project. I enjoyed using color in this painting. I focused also on the surface texture of my brushstrokes. It is one of our many retired judges that still sit in when the presiding judges can't. If my memory serves me correctly, this is from the yogurt shop murder proceedings.

More Faces

Happy New Year everyone. I hope this year came in as quietly or as noisy as you wanted. This post should put me at about seven portraits. These were all done on Artist Tiles that I purchased on Amazon. These are people that were around during our recent holidays. I kept a stack of artist tiles handy to capture a face or landscape and to practice quick sketching.