Rockabilly - original figurative water-soluble pencil drawing

Looking out the window of the restaurant, I saw this fellow as he listened to a friend.  I was ready with my sketchbook, water-soluble pencil and a brush with the water reservoir.  It's so quickly done, but I loved the gesture and his concentration.  This one is about 11 x 5".  Thanks for visiting!

Ink Folk Dancer - original figurative ink drawing

I was pleased with this one - not easy to draw when someone is dancing - they just go off and leave me working on three or four steps ago.  Funny thing - didn't realize I was drawing on the other side of a jive dancing ink couple that I enjoyed doing - something about her foot that I hadn't captured before, plus a turn in her torso.  I never finished the guy, though, and instead, will probably just use the girl dancer in another drawing or painting.  I love the way these dancers move in and out of my life.  Never know when I'll see them again, but they're always there, just waiting to dance for me.

Both drawings are from my mixed media sketchbook, about 5 x 8".  Thanks for looking!

Seated in a Red Chair - original oil figurative painting

I love it when the model is on a break and takes a "pose" that's natural for her.  Then we can ask her to hold it while we paint - works out great for all of us!  This painting is on 8 x 8" canvas.  Thanks for looking!
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Girl with Tablet - original oil pastel portrait

I just colored over the notan I did in the previous post and realized, too, that I had not included some shadows in the original.  Oh well, a learning process and a really great guide for further work.  Years ago, I took a portrait class in pastel in which we did something similar - the underpainting wasn't black and white, but color values instead.  This coming week, I'll be concentrating on that way of working.  Thanks for stopping by!

Nude Looking Down - original oil pastel nude

I did this one over an oil painting that just didn't make me happy - which is why this one is on Gessobord, instead of Pastelbord.  Done quickly - on autopilot - it's 7 x 5" - thanks for stopping by!

More Hot Tango - original oil figurative painting

This 8 x 8" painting was done on Gessobord.  It's the middle of the day and somehow, I'm not as loquacious (guess that applies to the written word, too) as I am when it's much later in the day.  Much, much later.  Night owl stuff, actually.  That's the long way of saying this will be a short post.
Thanks for stopping by!

The Pitch - original charcoal figurative drawing

I've been obsessed with this left-handed pitcher thing - I suppose you can tell - and I'm getting closer to what I'm looking for - such joy when that happens!  This drawing is on 11 x 14" Strathmore paper. It is ridiculously late, but really couldn't sleep without getting this to a certain point.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Doodles on My iPhone - original iPhone figurative drawings

While I was waiting for family to finish shopping at the Apple store this weekend, I decided to doodle  a bit, since I had never used this app before.  The "models" didn't stay put, of course, but I just used my finger and drew a few of the shoppers as they waited.  I LOVED doing this and no one ever suspected what I was up to.  I have lots of them, but am only sharing a few.  I know they look like some kind of crazy shorthand, but every mark means something to me, plus jogs my memory, and I can use them for "real" pieces.  Thanks for stopping by!

Bronc Rider - original figurative water soluble pencil drawing

I drew this piece from a photo that I took at the rodeo here in Junction.  I learned my lesson about attempting to draw rodeo participants from life.  The ride was practically over before I was really even  started.  This year I didn't attempt to draw while the event was going on and instead, just took photos.  Seems to have worked out well - my only complaint is that my great photo talent (not) has given the photo kind of a grayish look, when it's actually black and white.  I used General's soluble pencil and loved it.  The drawing is about 10 x 8" or so.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sketch of Luci - original chalk drawing of a nude

I did this one on Strathmore toned tan paper - and I enjoyed working on this warm colored surface.  Not real toothy, but it was perfect with the compressed pastel sticks from General Pencil Co - in this case, black, white, sanguine and sepia.  I am always so happy to find art media made in this country.  General Pencil is not just an American company, but I really enjoy working with their products - and I LOVE their Primo Euro Blend charcoal pencils and sticks - they remind me of the Ritmo pencils of years ago.  Thanks for stopping by!

A Winter Stroll - original oil pastel figurative painting

A little fun thing on 5 x 7" Guerilla carton board - a support that I love.  It can be found at Judson's Art Outfitters and has the look of the cardboard paintings by turn of the 20th century painters, but is archival. Thanks for visiting my blog!

Country Evening - original oil figurative painting

Here's a group of western dancers two-stepping their way through a Saturday night - on canvas, 11 x 14".  Not a bad way to spend the evening, either.  Speaking of evenings, I was lucky to see Huey Lewis and the News on Sunday night - they're still just wonderful and their a cappella singing is lovely (if one can use the word "lovely" when referring to a rock band) - it was a great evening!  Thanks so much for stopping by - I'm always delighted to see you here!

Whispers at the Bar - original oil figurative painting

It seems like months since I've posted.  I've been away, then much wonderful company for the week of spring break.  So now I'm back with another result of my spying at the bar.  This is about 9 x 9" on gessoed panel.  Although I didn't post for awhile, I was actually doing art - just not sharing, I guess.  This painting was originally 9 x 12", but I didn't like part of it, so just sawed it off.  I've done things like that before.  One time I was in an art show where I had originally planned to submit a complete figure, but I decided I only really liked the top part of the figure, so I just tore everything off from the arms down.  It worked - looked lots better than if I had included everything.  Plus, much cheaper to frame! This one, you can probably tell, I did in a hurry.  And meant to, so I couldn't kill it with my overworking thing.  I just sort have to force myself to let it go.  Sigh.  Art is hard sometimes.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Flamenco Practice - original mixed media figurative painting

I vacillate between 'this is interesting' and 'this is crazy'.  Right now, 'this is interesting' has the upper hand.    I was fooling around with a piece of Yupo and some watercolor crayons, watercolor, ink, graphite, and finally, some oil pastel.  It's about 10 x 7".  Thanks for stopping by!

Winter Evening - original oil figurative painting

I guess I painted this in reaction to the cold weather we've been having - even here in Texas, although I know it doesn't compare to the north and east of the country! 
Usually, I don't use so many warm colors, but again, I guess it was the need to feel warm and cozy.  Here's hoping we've seen the end of the cold.  This painting is 8 x 10" on archival canvas panel.  Thanks for stopping by!

Playing Bach - original oil figurative painting

I painted this 8 x 8" on Gessobord while listening to the Audible.com presentation of Paris 1919 by Margaret MacMillan; just finished listening to Europe's Last Summer by David Fromkin.  Kind of on a World War I kick here.  Both are really good and I recommend them.  Plus, as I listened, I ate Luden's cherry cough drops, a carryover from childhood that is as wonderful as I remembered.  It's almost worth it to have a cough.
What do y'all listen to when you're painting?  Or maybe you find it distracting.  I do occasionally have to run it back if I lose track, but for the the most part, I can now hardly paint without listening to music or a book.
The photo is shiny, as the painting is still soaking wet, but I wanted to get something ready to post.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

"Cozy" - original ACEO oil pastel figurative painting

This tiny (3.5 x 2.5") piece is on Art Spectrum Colourfix ATC (Artist Trading Card) paper, the smallest version of their wonderful pastel paper.  It's wonderful for oil pastels, too.  I have this orange chair - my all time favorite - and it's so snug on a cold evening, plus perfect for models, as well - even when they didn't realize they were going to be models.  Working this small without sharpening my oil pastels forces me to be loose, which I hope will carry over to larger works.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Orange Robe - original oil pastel figurative painting

Here's more fooling around on the carton board.  One of my teachers - many, many years ago - read a survey to the class in which one of the findings was that orange was the most disliked color in a painting.  I am always disregarding that, because I love orange - can't wear it, but can use it in paintings like crazy.  So sometimes, when the model wears red, I just take it into the orange range.  The size is 12 x 9".  Thanks for stopping by! Sold

Tiny Backward Bend - original acrylic figurative painting

This little 4 x 4" acrylic on Gessobord may be part of the show at the Dutch Art Gallery in Dallas, Texas, opening next weekend.  Usually I paint in oil, but acrylic proved just perfect for the occasion, since I was in a rush.  The drying time is fantastic!  There basically isn't any.  I may try this again.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Geisha with Flower - original oil pastel figurative painting

This is a really quick one - not because I was in a hurry - but it's just better for me so I don't kill it.  Did this on Pastelbord - just the right grittiness - and loved every touch of the oil pastel on the surface.  Yum!  It's 7 x 5" - thanks so much for stopping by!