Sweet Tea - original oil portrait painting

Ahhh - sweet tea - the elixir of the South.  Has to be just right - no harshness - never ever boiled even for a second.  But it does have to have a real "tea" taste and be sweet - but not too sweet.  Sounds crazy, I know, but it has to taste just right and you know when it does.  Reminds me of that Jackie Mason routine.  This piece is part life and part photo - sometimes you gotta use photos - 10 x 10" on gessoed panel.  Thanks for looking!

Cinda's Necklace - original oil pastel portrait drawing

The necklace that the model, Cinda, was wearing interested me.  I wanted to describe it, but not let it take over the drawing.  So, I just left everything understated - 7 x 5" on Pastelbord.  Thanks for stopping by!

Nude Sketch - original charcoal sketch of a nude

It seems I got a little caught up in the model's face and never really "fleshed" it out.  She had such a lovely face and I was trying to do it justice.  Anyway, maybe I'll get another chance with this model - she said she'd be back.  Also, not totally pleased with how I took the photo; maybe I'll retake it tomorrow.  I'm such a nitpicker! Vine charcoal on warm white - with a peach tint - Strathmore 403, it's 12 x 6 1/2".  Thanks for looking!

Black and White Jive - original charcoal figurative drawing

This drawing is on Strathmore 403 paper, which is really formulated for oil pastels, although it's being touted as good for soft pastels, as well.  They should definitely mention that it's also a great and forgiving paper for charcoals.  I enjoyed drawing this one so much, not just because of the paper, but I had fun with my kneaded eraser.  I like to turn a drawing upside down to see if I like the marks and this one pleased me.  It's on 9 x 12" Strathmore 403 - thanks for looking! 

Sketch of Lexie Sleeping - original oil pastel figurative drawing

I started this sketch with watercolor, but after about three strokes, I knew it wouldn't work out, (as most of my attempts with watercolor do).  So, onward with my trusty oil pastels.  The support is 9 x 12" 140 pound cold press watercolor paper which worked out well - it's really a lot like Sennelier oil pastel paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

A Little Snooze - original soft pastel figurative drawing

This is drawn on black Stonehenge paper using soft - not oil pastel.  Much fun to do - thanks for looking!

Two Nudes - original charcoal nude drawing

Here are two more nudes from the latest drawing session.  Done on Strathmore drawing paper, about 14 x 9".  I drew while listening to "music" that sounded like pots and pans banging around.  I am not kidding - but it was a mostly youngish group and since I was the newcomer, I couldn't say anything.  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - Tango Portrait - original oil pastel portraits in progress

I started work on this one today and will let it dry for a few days, then come back and see where this little couple takes me.  When I look at it, I see all the things I should fix and some things that I can't fix without completely redoing it.  Arghhh - I tear my hair!  Well, not actually, but I feel like it.  This is done on 9 x 12" Pastelbord.  One of the nice things about Ampersand Pastelbord is that oil pastel gets pretty dry on it, so when I really load the support with oil pastel, it works to dry the pastel a little, so that I can work on it again.  I really appreciate your stopping by my blog - thanks so much!

Sketch for Cowboy Painting - original charcoal figurative sketch

I've done and redone and redone this one again and again - my painting teacher used to say 'just start another one', but since it's charcoal and easily erased on this canvas with hardboard backing, I just ignored the little voice in my head and went ahead with it.  I'll spray it well - have never done this before, but I hear it works - and paint over it, making changes as I go.  Anyway, it was fun and instructive, which I guess is another way of saying that I was learning from my mistakes.  It's 16 x 20" - thanks for stopping by!

Nude with Her Cell - original charcoal drawing of a nude

It's always so great to have a model, that if they need to talk on their cell - or whatever - it's okay.  Good models are hard to find - or maybe I should say - models are hard to find, whether good or bad.  This one was good, I'm happy to say.  Vine charcoal on drawing paper, it's about 13 x 6".  Thanks for looking.  Steaming in Texas tonight - after 11 o'clock right now and it's 86 degrees!

 

JiveHappy - original ink figurative drawing

My little jivers are back with a vengeance - well, actually, they are never far away.  I think all my little characters know I love them!  I've been doing lots of sketches that may or may not end up as paintings.  I'm a firm believer in drawing just for the sake of drawing - so whether they become paintings doesn't really matter to me.  This one is ink on 6 x 6" Bristol board.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

A Solitary Evening - original oil pastel figurative painting

This 7 x 5" painting is on Pastelbord.  I'm just waiting for the sprinkler system to wind down - but if my calculations are correct, it will be another couple of hours before I can go to bed.  Next time I'll start it a lot earlier!  We had some rain here in central Texas last week, but it's really, really hot, so I'm back to watering.  Have been busy rearranging my studio and throwing away tons of stuff.  I want to start using my little press again and I have to put it in a more prominent place, so I'm reminded it's there.  Of course, what started out as something simple - with just one objective - has now mushroomed and there are many objectives.  When it's completed, though, I think I'll love it.  Will post pictures, but don't hold your breath - this is definitely going to take some time!  Thanks for stopping by!

Summer Reader - original oil pastel figurative sketch

Here's a little sketch I did of a girl engrossed in her book - not the required reading during school terms.  The joy of summer - I remember it well!  This is oil pastel on 9 x 12" Strathmore 403 paper.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Livy on a Sofa - original oil pastel figurative painting

A bit of fun on 8 x 10" Pastelbord - thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio!

Tender Tango - original oil figurative painting

One of my favorite tango poses - she really trusts him!  This is on 6 x 6" Gessobord.  Thanks for stopping by!

Bareback Rider - original charcoal figurative drawing

This little charcoal drawing is one that I did in front of the TV last night while I was watching a rodeo. Working really fast is artistically invigorating for me and it's such good practice.  Also very challenging is that the format is only 6 x 6".  On Bristol board.  Thanks for stopping by!

Flamenco in Ink - original ink and pastel figurative drawing

I have some paper that I love - the color, anyway, it's a gorgeous aqua from Fabriano Tiziano - and I just could not make it work the way I wanted with charcoal.  So, I did one of my drawings that I've actually done before, but this time in ink with touches of pastel.  At last, a semblance of what I'm looking for.  This is not the best photo, as usual, photography is not my strongest point - the color of the paper is actually more aquaey.  It's about 20 x 26".  Thanks for stopping by!

Sketch of Shari - original oil pastel portrait sketch

The model was tired, I was getting a bit weary myself, and I think the feeling is reflected in this quick drawing.  I used dark green Mi-Teintes board, which seems to give a looser feel to oil pastel drawings.  It's about 10 1/2 x 12"  - thanks so much for stopping by!

Seated Model - original oil figurative painting

I finally got around to finishing this painting.  Not totally satisfied - always like the sketch better, but at least it's done.  It's almost as if I've been on vacation from my blog - and I have, sort of.  But always sketching and trying new things, such as some gorgeous aqua-colored paper, that was SUCH a disappointment to me; at least, a disappointment in the way I had intended to use it.  So, am exploring other ways to make it work.  This piece is on 14 x 11" Fredrix paint board.  Thanks for stopping by!

One Nude - original charcoal drawing of a nude

Here it is morning and I'm posting a drawing - usually it's late at night or in the wee hours that I post.  Actually, I think I like this better, but one probably can't change one's established ways.  This drawing was done from a seated position, so I was looking upward at the model - my favorite way to draw from life. Well, I don't mean that I like to draw sitting down, but there was no stand for her, so I sat down.  Standing is my favorite way to draw, but that only works for me if the model has a platform. This was a quick drawing, so there's a lot that could be 'corrected', but then I would probably lose a lot, too.  And every time - and I do mean every time - I do that, I ruin the drawing  This nude is one that I cut from a group of three.  There's some shading on the right from the nude that was there.  Just didn't like the others and I really loved this pose, too.  This was done on Borden and Riley Bristol Plate - and as much as I love Bristol, it's just a bit less forgiving for charcoal work.   This drawing is 14 x 5" - thanks for looking!

On My Easel - seated model oil figurative work in progress

I started the painting of my previous charcoal drawing on 14 x 11" Fredrix paint board - one of my very favorite surfaces.  My accompaniment today was the soundtrack, or at least, the music that was 'inspired by' - as they put it - Call the Midwife.  So many sweet songs are included - mostly from the late 50s, and maybe early 60s.  Will finish this tomorrow, working on my grays - they really need some oomph!  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Charcoal Sketch of a Seated Model - original figurative charcoal drawing

I was very fortunate to have some wonderful company for the past week or so and they just happened to be terrific models, so I have lots of drawings from which to make paintings.  Maybe my enthusiasm for the drawings will carry over into making the paintings.  For me, drawings are so immediate and don't even require me to think - just react to the model.  It's absolute heaven!  I did one painting from life, last week, that turned out really well, but the other one was a failure.  Except for the nose.  The nose was pretty good, so I wiped off everything but the nose.  This drawing was done with really soft vine charcoal on cream Strathmore drawing paper and is about 10 x 8".  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Seated Nude in Black and White - original charcoal drawing of a nude

This is a drawing I dug out from a few months ago.  It's about 12 x 8 1/2", done in vine charcoal on Bristol paper.  I love the way charcoal behaves on Bristol board - the way it copes with that slick surface.  Thanks for stopping by.

Nude on Blues - original oil pastel nude drawing

Here is a nude - I love back views - on gessoed carton paper.  It's really a pleasure to work on this paper which I get from Judson's - actually a site for plein air painters - but I buy from them and am always telling myself that any day now, I'll go out and paint the great outdoors.  This paper can be purchased from Amazon, as well.  Oil pastel just sings on it.  This drawing is 12 x 9" - thanks for stopping by!

Jumpin' Jive - original oil figurative painting

Well, I was trying to tone the bottom with a bluish-grayish color at the bottom - maybe I overdid it.  Ah the constant worry for artists - did I overdo? underdo? totally kill? - questions that zoom around in my head.  Oh well, there's always tomorrow.  This painting is on 8 x 8" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!

Stock Market Jive - original ink and oil pastel figurative drawing

More goofiness, but fun for me.  Always loved this idea of painting on treated newspaper and am interested in working on different backgrounds, such as incorporating dry point backgrounds in my drawings.  This one is about 5 x 9 1/2".  Thanks for looking!

Daily News Jive - original mixed media figurative drawing

Just fooling around here, using the stock pages from the newspaper as a drawing support.  I've tried many different ways of using newspapers as a drawing background - maybe it's the straight lines of the printed paper and the sober stock market news reporting vs. the squiggly ink lines of figurative drawings that attracts me.  Often, I will spray with 'make it acid free' or use various acrylic mediums over it to make it longer lasting.  For this one, it will be bonded to mat board with Studio Tac after spraying with the acid free stuff.  I used ink with some Crayola and oil pastel - it's about 4 x 9 1/2".  Thanks so much for visiting my blog! Sold

Little Friday Jive - original oil figurative painting

My little jivers - always cuttin' a rug - this time, on 6 x 12" canvas.  Thanks for stopping by!

Ink Jivers - original ink figurative drawing

I LOVE fooling around with these little jivers.  Here's one I did on 9 x 12" Bristol paper.  It started with a really thin ink line, then I put in some touches of a bigger ink marker and added water, which caused a softening of some of the lines, then I blotted in places and ended up with areas of pink here and there.  You might say this drawing is just one big accident.  But fun to do.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Grace - original oil portait painting

This portrait was done on Arches paper for oil paints, which is just super!  I love the way it accepts the paint and is also wonderful for oil pastel.  It's about 14 x 14" - I started it from life, but the model had to leave, so I finished from a photo.  Although I'm a real fan of painting the live model, you do what you have to do.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold