Full Circle?

About a year ago, I painted about a half a dozen old cars.  When I was done, I thought I would never paint another.  Well, since I did that green motorcycle, I've kind of rekindled the fire for these old cars.  To that end, here is the most recent.  This one happens to be a Model T roadster.

It seems as though I've forgotten how to paint foliage.  Actually, as I painted this, it seemed like I forgot how to paint everything.  I know thats not quite right, it just seemed like it.  Well, anyway, enjoy!

Quick Sketch

This painting for sale.  Watercolor 5 1/2 x 8 1/2. $8

Here is a quick sketch I did of an old car.  I know I have mostly moved on to other things, but I can't quite get away from cars and trucks.  I did this over the weekend.  It was fun, and quick.

I painted this completely with my waterbrushes.  I love how they provide a little extra water to your painting.  When you are outside, in the sun, they compensate for the extra drying of the paper quite nicely. I painted this one at home on my dining room table.  I really like how the colors ran together, but I think i needed to do more with it.

Smoke Stacks

If you have not been to Morro Bay before, then you probably don't know that there are actually two different thing that dominate our skyline.  The first is, of course, Morro Rock.  The second, which most people think of as an eyesore, are the smoke stacks of the power plant.  Personally, I think that the stacks have been here long enough that if they ever were to go away, people would work hard to find a way to restore them.  I've been working on a way to include them in a painting for a while now.  Well, I finally found one.  I painted this very quickly and loosely.  I think rock came out pretty good, and I even like the bushes in front of it.  I couldn't help but paint someone walking down the road.  All in all, I think its a pretty good representation of what they both actually look like.  Hope you enjoy.

Gus's Grocery

Ok, I will admit, Gus's isn't in Morro Bay, it's in San Luis, but its an institution and everyone knows it.  I had to give it a try.  Incidentally, if you want a great sub, Gus's is the place to go.

Some good and some bad on this one, just like the rest.  Seeing the scanned image, i can tell my perspective is still off a bit, but I don't think it really takes away from the picture all that much.  Some good coloring on the trees, and a bit ont he brick on the front of the store.  The stucco, I feel like I am having trouble with.  Soooooooooooooo many of the building here are all stucco, and if you know me, you know that i think stucco is like the laziest way to finish a building.  It rarely ever looks good.  Maybe I feel I am having a little trouble painting it because of the way I feel about it.    After painting the Bayside, I was told that if I made the windows totally dark, or black, that they would be much more dramatic.  I have to say, That was some good advice.  Well, I hope you all enjoy the painting.

Old Vines (Wisteria)

These are some old vines that are growing on a trellis on the College of Business lawn.  Looking at the painting now, I think I needed to add a little more shadow to the rear post, and though I didn't notice it while i was painting, I think I left out at least one post on the far side of the trellis.

There are two large sets of vines growing up, one on each side of the trellis, then going back across the top.  The closer vine is totally grown around an old timber.

A good effort for a 30 min draw/paintsession.  Hope you all enjoy.

Some More Sketches

Some of the sketching that I have been doing.  In order to paint better, I have to be able to draw better. I'm trying very hard to learn to draw what I see in the proper proportions.  Im kind of learning that you have to do a little drawing all over the paper and let them all come together rather than start in one area and move across the paper.    Some day i'll get it.  Until then you all have to suffer through my paintings and drawings.







This is gracie.

I like the couch in this picture.   I don't really care for the credenza.  The proportions on it don't quite seem right.  the blinds are down in the windows, which is why you can't see through them.

I sat on the front patio and did this.  You can see the step leading up to the patio.  A couple of little bushes and some sage.