Really Red Tango - original oil figurative painting

Here's one I think I forgot - discovered it today.  It's 7 x 5" on Gessobord.  Thanks for looking!

Sketch for A Little Waltz - original charcoal figurative drawing

I had models (my wonderful family) over Thanksgiving, and am planning to paint from some of the drawings.  This piece is one that I'm hoping (fingers and toes crossed) to make into a painting that's less detailed than usual.  It's on 12 x 9" mixed media paper, and drawn with vine charcoal.  Thanks for looking!

Four Futures - original charcoal figurative sketches

Hope you can make out these quick charcoal sketches on 6 x 6" Gessobord that I will begin to paint tomorrow.  The top two are tango dancers and the bottom two are already jiving away.  Can hardly wait to bring them to life and I think just for fun, maybe they'll be a little more abstract than usual.  But that remains to be seen.  These little dancers usually get their way. Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Two-Step Sweethearts - original acrylic figurative painting

I almost never use acrylic for a painting.  To me, it's mainly great to use in brush drawings, but using it today for this piece just reminds me of the good qualities of acrylic.  It dries really fast, which is enough to make me love it.  And I don't feel so constrained when I work with it - for instance, the fat over lean that's so crucial in oil painting.  I vow here and now to continue doing some of my stuff in acrylic.  (Fingers making "X" over heart.)  This painting is 7 x 5" - thanks for stopping by!

Jive Scribble - original charcoal figurative drawing

Trying to capture the energy here - will probably end up with a little painting from this one.  I did the drawing on Strathmore 14 x 11" Mixed Media paper - actually more of a sketchbook, I think, and I really like using it.  Also used General's Peel n Sketch charcoal pencil.  Thanks for looking!

Another Tango Kick - original figurative oil painting

Another little tango painting - these tango dancers are never far away from me.  Lots of brushwork here - it's 7 x 5" on panel.  Thanks for stopping by!

Jitterbug in Lavenders and Blues - original Sharpie and watercolor drawing

I have had this brown Sharpie ultra fine point for a long time and just never used it, but am so glad I finally got around to it!  Always a fan of black and white, I am beginning to appreciate other colors of ink and there's nothing better to draw with than a Sharpie, which comes in tons of colors.  I drew this on 5 1/2 x 8 1/2" watercolor paper, then painted with watercolor.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Sketch for Torrid Tango - original charcoal figurative drawing

Loving the tango as I do, it's always fun to draw or paint dancers of this emotional and elegant dance.  Well, I'm not so sure this is pose could be called elegant, but it's definitely emotional!  It's matted to about 14 x 11 1/2".  Thanks for stopping by!

Redhead Tango - original figurative oil painting

Just for fun, I used slightly different dancers this time - he doesn't have his hat and his partner is a redhead.  I love the colors in red hair and those redheads who have a greenish tint - well not really green exactly, but a greenish undertone - are fascinating.  I LOVE painting them.  And I was so interested in the way she has her head turned while he plants a kiss on her cheek.  A devil to paint, but I enjoyed it.  This painting is 6 x 6" on gessoed board. Thanks for looking!

Jivin' Blues - original mixed media figurative drawing

Just totally fooling around - well I guess that's obvious.  Sharpie and watercolor on Yupo - 9 x 12".  Thanks for having the nerve to look!

Two-Step Sweet Talk - original oil figurative painting

Tonight they're two-stepping at Barney's and loving every minute.  I never tire of my little dancers, whether western, tango, or jive - I LOVE them all!  This was fun to do on 7 x 5" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for looking!

Jive Happy - original acrylic figurative painting

More crazy jivers doing their thing on a 12 x 16" panel.  Usually I paint in oil, but sometimes acrylic is such fun and I find it really liberating.  Another great thing about acrylic is that it dries so fast - gotta love that!  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Tango Love - original oil figurative painting

This painting is 10 x 8" and because my little dancers have their own lives (over which I have little control), the pose just sort of happened.  Very emotional, I think, and such a pleasure when they take over and do what they like.  Thanks for stopping by!

Jive Drawing - original oil pastel figurative drawing

Here's a just for fun thing I did with Sennelier oil pastels on Art Spectrum Colourfix paper - just perfectly gritty - 12 x 9".  Thanks for looking!

Tango Flourish - original figurative oil painting

They're still dancing the night away as I paint them.  This one is on 7 x 5" board.  Thanks for looking!

Tango Fire - original oil figurative painting

"Tango Fire" is painted on 6 x 6" gessoed hardboard and, as always, it was much fun to visit with my little tango dancers and see what they're up to.  Thanks for stopping by!

Six Jivers - original acrylic figurative drawing

Every now and then I like to get out my size "0" or "1" bright (brush) and black acrylic paint to work from memory or terrorize those around me to 'hold that pose' - they don't even realize it's a pose - and draw quickly without regard to accuracy.  I was working on one pose when I discovered a beautiful ear on one of my 'models' - white ear against the black shapes behind it. Yum!  A tiny discovery, to be sure, but something I might not even notice unless I'd gotten busy with brush and acrylic - one of my favorite drawing methods. My post tonight is one that I did from memory and is on 14 x 17" paper.  Thanks for stopping by!  PS -  It's raining!  That's a big deal in central Texas!

Ink Jivers - original mixed media ink figurative drawing

They're back and seem to be enjoying themselves, as they always do.  Drawn quickly - I know you can tell - using an Itoya pen and Crayola, this little piece is on cold press watercolor paper, 5 1/2 x 7 1/2".  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Another Tango Charm - original figurative charcoal drawing

This type of pose always renders me speechless - I'm amazed at how easy the dancers make it look - one of my favorites.  It's on 14 x 11" Bristol board paper.  Done with charcoal with touches of white charcoal.  Thanks for visiting my blog! Sold

Little Black and White Tango - original charcoal figurative drawing

This drawing is about 6 x 6" on Bristol paper.  Thanks for looking! Sold