Today's Work



"6th and Constitution" 16x20 oil on gesso board (in progress)

      
                                                                                          Today I got back to work on
"6th and Constitution" but it was slow going because I was having a hard time getting into it.  I'm not unhappy with it and I do know where it is going but I just felt that I wanted to be at the beginning of something.  So, I put this aside for the day and started something new.
       The lower image is the painting I started and would like to have finished in one session today.  I ran out of daylight and could have continued under the studio lights but I felt the wiser move would be to leave it for tomorrow.  It won't take long to finish. 
       I think I am eager to see leaves on the trees again.  This has been such a pleasant and easy winter but the springlike temperatures make me wish for flowers and greenery.  So, today I indulged myself and printed out a photo of this locale along the Potomac where I have painted several times.  You might remember my Wide Water on the Potomac paintings.  Well, this is where I was standing.  If you go to my October 16, 2011 post you will see this spot in the last image on the page.  It is a photo of my easel with my friends painting behind me.  I was facing downriver and painted that scene but when I turned around I realized how attractive this view was. 

Untitled, in progress 12x16 oil on linen panel

   A word here about working from photographs.  I think the camera is a great tool!  As you know from reading this blog I am an avid fan of plein air painting but I also love working in my studio.  I find I can work well from a photo I have taken especially if it is a place well known to me.  I can remember the experience. It is for that reason that I don't work from someone elses photo unless it is a specific commission request.  I also think it is great fun to go to Photo Shop and crop an image and see something I might have missed on site. I can then make a thumbnail sketch from it for a painting. Sometimes that is more interesting than the complete view.  Ideally when doing studio work I have a plein air study, AND a digital photo of the subject.  I don't think the camera should be frowned upon when creating a painting.  I consider it a bore to replicate a photo and that does not interest me but as part of the process of creating a painting the camera can be a real asset.