Friday, November 5, 2010

In Profile - #29 FC & CP series

Just off the easel with #29.  I decided this piece was going to be a "one shot deal".  It had a very faint burnt sienna value wash applied a couple of days ago, but I wanted to try the Masonite panel out alla prima style.

It was also a bit of a relief to return to a simpler composition - one of the Echo cliffs silhouetted from the side.  From a distance and without direct light, they take on a completely different look.  To me, they look great from all angles.  And off in the far distance, unassuming, is our eventual destination:  the Kaibab plateau and its erosional masterpiece.  At this point in the day, a row of thin cumulus clouds began to develop towards the west, their edges brightly lit by the sun.  So, they remained.

In Profile - #29
9x12   oil on gessoed panel

I found the surface of this panel to be too slick for my liking; the paint seems to "slide" around, which made painting the clouds particularly challenging.   This did force me to use more paint, which I've been trying to do.  But, I think I'd like a bit more tooth, which another coat of gesso would probably take care of.  

I'm off to work on #30 and the re-gessoed canvas and see how that works...

And here is a different take on "fall colors":  desert wildflowers in fall bloom.  These were taken during our trip to Canyonlands on the long day hike along the Confluence Trail:

A type of sunflower - always cheery

Pretty in Purple 
These also are found around Durango

A type of primrose?  
This was the only plant of its kind I saw on the trail.


Lone blossom

Beauty and the Beast
Delicate purple flowers surrounded by an invasive non-native weed:  Russian thistle, aka "tumbleweed"



5 comments:

  1. The flowers are beautiful - I admire your 'stick- to-edness' about your art. I try to be like that - but it's hard!

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  2. Hi Helen - it takes a bit of work to discipline oneself to paint and/or draw regularly when there are other distractions. But, with long and short-term goals in mind, I am more motivated. Seeing progress and improvement helps as well.

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  3. Thanks, Jala - Nelson gives a wet nose kiss and some head-butts in return :).

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Your thoughtful comments add value to this blog - thank you so much for taking the time to leave them!

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