Another Evening at the Bistro - original oil figurative painting

I hope everyone had a great Fourth!  Most places in this part of the world nixed the fireworks display because of the wildfire danger, but we had one here in Junction.  I watched from my back porch - it was actually down at the city park on the Llano River - but still a good view and the show was really fine!
This painting is on 8 x 10" archival canvas board.  Thanks so much for stopping by! 

WIP Portrait of Sue - original oil portrait in progress

This isn't finished, obviously, but it's off to a pretty good start and will be completed in the next day or so.  When somebody comes to my house for a visit, I'm always so thrilled when they're willing to pose for me!  Thanks for looking!

More Tango Sweethearts - original oil figurative painting

Here's my favorite reason for putting paint on board - my tango dancing couple who never tire of this wonderful dance.  Check out this site for dancing info and how-to.  The painting is 7 x 5" on Gessobord.  Thanks so much for visiting - I'm signing off now from the hot, dry inferno that is Texas these days.  Stay cool!  Sold

Lindy Lines - original watermedia figurative drawing

This evening, I drew many pages of dancers in my Borden and Riley pad of paper for pens.  I used Caran d'Ache watercolor crayons, but didn't add water.  The crayons have such a soft, almost gooey feel when they meet the paper and I love them.  I've been painting lots of oil pastel pieces and a few oils - will probably post them soon.  But I love to draw my dancers - they're my absolute favorites.  I love their energy!  Thanks so much for stopping by my blog - stay cool!

The Mechanic as the Model - original watermedia portrait drawing/painting

This painting is one of those fun things that is quickly drawn with watercolor crayons (Caran d'Ache) and then with a very wet brush, just go a little crazy.  It's always great to have a live model, especially when you find a regular guy who can hold a pose.  The painting is done on Rapidograph paper for pens - which I think I've mentioned before is practically an antique - and it will wrinkle a little, since it doesn't like to get this wet, but after being weighted down for a day or so, it's perfectly fine.  Oh, and it's 12 x 9".  Thanks for dropping by.

Seaside - original oil figurative painting

This painting is on 5 x 7" Gessobord. Sold

The last few days have been ones of experimentation for me.  I spent (wasted?) lots of time today working with oil sticks - not oil pastels - but it was just so messy.  I don't think I've even gotten close to figuring it out, but I'll keep at it.  Here's the result below, although it's not finished and probably never will be.  Do any of you use oil sticks and have some tips for me?  I'd love to hear!

Thanks for stopping by!

They're Really Jivin'! - original charcoal figurative sketch

This drawing is one of those 'draw it and don't look back' things.  Fun and fast - vine charcoal, with some white pastel on grey mat board - the image is about 8 x 8".  I love it when I can hear their feet hit the floor and I did with this one.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

More Drawing Exercises - original charcoal portrait sketches

On these hot, steamy summer nights (91 degrees at 10:30 p.m.), I plunk myself down in front of the TV and draw whatever's in front of me.  These old library book cards were around because I had thought of doing something with them - maybe not drawing - but they're a portable size, so they were pressed into service.  Since the actors are moving around, the resulting sketch uses a lot of memory drawing, which is good training, I think.  Sometmes, the sketches end up with different eyes or noses or mouths from the "models" onscreen.  I just "borrow" the next person's feature and plug it into my drawing.  So, they're not anybody, but a combination of several faces.  I have dozens of these practice pieces - here are a few. 

Thanks so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio! Sold

Waiting at the Bar - original oil figurative painting

She kept glancing toward the door.  As I was leaving, I passed the guy she was waiting for and - nosy me - when I looked back, she had a smile on her face and her eyes were fixed on him.  I'm always happy when these little stories end well.  This painting is on 10 x 8" archival canvas board.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Seated Nude IV - original charcoal/pastel drawing

Here's a sketch on warm grey pastel paper, using charcoal and touches of black, grey and white pastel.  It's on 12 x 9" paper, with the image about 9 x 6".
While I love drawing from the posed model, I had a good time this evening doing little sketches from the TV, where, because the people move constantly, my drawing will always have one person's mouth, another's eyes, etc. - it's a great drawing exercise, I think.  Does anyone else do this?  I'm sure I'm not the only one.  Maybe I'll post some of them tomorrow.  The latest ones are on vintage library book cards.  Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio! Sold

The Dance Hall - original oil figurative painting

This painting is on 11 x 14" Fredrix archival canvas board.   I was going to describe

my summer self-education in drawing and my new adventures in oil sticks (not oil pastels), but

trying to post on Blogger tonight is difficult and is driving me so crazy, I just want to get out of here - maybe

tomorrow's posting will be easier!  Hope all is going well for all of you - thanks for stopping by!

A Kiss At The Bar - original oil figurative painting

This painting is on 6 x 6" Gessobord.  Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio.  I have to hurry to get this post finished so it will be ready for picking up by Daily Painters.  Please check my latest posting on my oil pastel blog.  Thanks again! Sold

The Print Shirt - original pencil portrait drawing

This 13 x 10" drawing began life as a pose taken by the little girl, but then I realized the futility of having a youngster try and hold a pose for a long time, so I took a picture of her and mostly drew from that.  Drawing from life has its limits when dealing with children.  Actually, I don't think I could hold a pose for any length of time.  I cringe when the model doesn't show and we have to take turns posing.  Just like waiting to give a book report in middle school, I always hope the session will end before I must take my turn.  This is on wonderful Stonehenge white paper and instead of using charcoal, as I usually do, it's done with a graphite pencil.  Pencil just has a sort of softness that I like for children.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  Sold

A Sketch Begins - original oil pastel figurative drawing

The model got tired and got up, so, of course, I had to stop.   Every single time that I've tried to finish something after the model left, the drawing lost its life and emotion.  Even if the model returned, I wouldn't work on this drawing any longer because I had the "feeling" while I was working on this quick sketch and I just don't think it's coming back.  Sometimes "unfinished" works better, anyway. 
I used 9 x 12"Sennelier Carte d'Art which has a rough finish that helps me stay loose. Check out my blog for oil pastel to see my work there.  Thanks so much for visiting Hackberry Street Studio - I'm always glad to see you here!

Reclining Nude IV - original charcoal/pastel drawing

I loved the wistful look on the model's face, as if she had a pleasant scene that she was turning over in her mind as she posed.  As in the last post, I used Strathmore 403 9 x 12" taupe paper.  I'm a paper fiend - I love it and have way-y-y-y too much of it.  There's just something that happens when I stand before a blank piece of paper with charcoal in hand.  Sometimes a good drawing is the result and sometimes not.  But I still love the moment - filled with possibility - just before the drawing begins!

Thank you so much for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio! Sold

Nude with Arms Raised - original pastel nude drawing

This was a beautiful pose, but not a long one, so I just drew part of the model.  As you can imagine, this one was hard to hold even for a little while.  No matter what else I do, I always return to my first love, black and white nude drawings.  This drawing is about 10 x 7" on Strathmore 403 paper, which is actually oil pastel paper.  It's just an all-around great surface.  Also, I used General's black and white pastels.  There are also a couple of greys in the set, as well - but this time, I just used black and white on the taupe paper.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog! Sold

Straw Hat - original oil pastel portrait sketch

This was a really strange straw hat that the model was wearing - sort of flat all over.  I would love to go back to the days of wearing hats.  They're such a great finish to an outfit and are SO romantic - like all the women in hats at the recent royal wedding. 
This sketch is on 12 x 9" Colourfix black paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Solitaire - original oil figurative painting

I play solitaire pretty often so maybe that's why painting someone playing the game appeals to me.  It's a no win - or seldom win - game.  In fact, I read the other day that a player only wins one out of 31 times.  Terrible odds, but I keep at it.  I even have a book on the different types of solitaire.  I play Klondike, which is the kind my grandmother taught me and from what I can tell, it's the one most people play.
This painting is on 7 x 5" Gessobord.  Thanks for visiting Hackberry Street Studio!

Preparations II - original oil pastel figurative painting

This oil pastel is on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking - hope everyone's having a great weekend!

Cello Practice - original figurative oil painting

This quick painting is on 10 x 8" archival canvas board.  I've been wanting to do a painting of a cello player and this is an oil sketch toward that goal.  I'll do a few more to better understand the position of the player and the instrument before I do a larger painting.  This was fun - thanks so much for stopping by!

Crazy Jive - original mixed media figurative painting

In this drawing/painting on 12 x 9" Yupo paper, I used everything but the kitchen sink - as they say.  First, a very few graphite lines, then marker; next came Caran d'Ache  Neocolor I (a wonderful wax crayon), then NeoArt crayons, which are richly pigmented water-soluble oil pastels.  I'm just fooling around with different media and maybe I'll find a new love.  I'd love to hear of your experiments with new media - if you'd like to get in touch, just click the "Contact Me" in the right-hand column.
Thanks for stopping by!  Sold

Tango in Black and White - original charcoal figurative drawing

I could do charcoal drawings all day long.  When I do them, I don't worry about much - just let go and see what happens.  That's when happy accidents occur - well, they're not always happy, but most of them are.  Vine charcoal is my favorite for just about any kind of drawing.  I like the really soft sticks because they're capable of smoky atmospheric effects as well as fairly sharp lines.  When I go into the art store, after I've finished picking out the main things I want to purchase, I always get extra charcoal and a kneaded eraser or two.
Maybe this drawing will become a painting, but in any case there are passages in it that please me.  No planning on my part, just happened.  Maybe there are some things to change, but if I start fooling with it, it'll get tight.  It never fails.   
This drawing was done on Strathmore Bristol 6 x 6".  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Ginny Again - original oil figurative painting

This is another Ginny pose.  It's on 14 x 11" archival canvas board.  Hope everyone survived Friday the 13th.  We had phone and internet outages all over the area today, 'til late tonight, but FINALLY we're back in business!  Have a great weekend - thanks for stopping by!

The Oriental Panel - original oil painting of a nude

Here's this afternoon's effort - oil on canvas, 16 x 22".  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Ellie with a Cigarette - original portrait drawing

This is a contour drawing that I did too quickly.  You know the drill - feel as if the pencil (in this case a marker and litho pencil) is actually touching the model and go very, very slowly.  But I get impatient and besides, I kind of enjoy the weird things that happen when I do.  Like Ellie with a Cigarette.  It's on 12 x 9" Yupo paper.  Thanks for visiting my blog!
PS. check out my oil pastel blog for my latest posting there.

Lexie in Line - original charcoal portrait drawing

Okay, maybe a little goofy looking, but sometimes I just get the urge to do a line drawing.  They don't ever seem to turn out perfectly, because I spend a lot of time just looking at the subject, rather than at the drawing itself.  Almost a blind contour, but not quite.  This has always been one of my favorite drawing exercises. 
I hope all you moms out there had a wonderful Mother's Day!  Thanks so much dropping by Hackberry Street Studio. NFS

Another Couple at the Bistro - original oil figurative painting

I just love the blues that decorate this little establishment - juxtaposing warm and cool of any hue is thrilling to me and it's probably why I've always loved this place.  Plus there are always plenty of people to observe - and then paint.  I'm sort of a gossip in paint.  Instead of saying "you should have seen so-and-so at such-and-such a place", I just paint them.  But you're safe!  In almost all cases, I don't know my subjects and only make teeny little sketches - maybe just a turn of head that's hard to remember otherwise.  I do just a few lines, more akin to a gesture than a full-fledged sketch, and then I make them 'my people', anyway.
This one is 5 x 7" on Gessobord.  Thanks for stopping by!  Sold

The Tango Lesson - original oil figurative painting

The painting comes from my many visits to tango demonstrations where you sit on the floor to watch the various dancing couples.  It's 11 x 14" on panel.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

A Gentle Creature - original oil painting

Here's a sweet thing I visited with the other day - a totally different subject for me - but I did enjoy it.

This painting is 5 x 5" on Gessobord.

At last, the fire seems to be out - I'm so happy and grateful to so many, many people who saved our homes!

Thanks for stopping by!  Sold

A Little Drawing Exercise - original charcoal figurative drawing

I know.  This is just a teensy bit weird, but everything is either not finished, or not dry enough to photograph without very shiny spots.   These tiny drawings are great drawing improvers, I think, and every time I attend a drawing group, I do some of these - they're perfect for positive/negative.  The whole thing is about 14 x 14", so you have some idea of how small the individual drawings are.  They're done on Canson Beverly drawing paper, which probably isn't produced anymore.  I have lots of drawing paper on hand - some from years ago - that I'm sorry I can't find in stores these days.
We still have the fire in our county - it's about four miles from our small town - and it's really unnerving.  Sincere thanks to all the firefighters who are battling the blaze - they must be exhausted by now.  We are so fortunate to have our local firemen, plus selfless volunteers from around the area and the Texas and U.S. Forest Services and other government agencies to defend against this monster.  It has burned over 10,000 acres and we are hoping it can be contained soon.  It hasn't helped that we've had over 100 degree temps and 30 mph winds.  What a summer this is going to be!
Thanks so much stopping by - it's always great to see you here!  Sold