She Loves Her Cowboy - original oil pastel figurative painting

This painting began as a sketch for an oil painting, but I ended up enjoying it so much, I just decided to post it - kind of abstract, but gets the point across, I think.  This painting is on 5 x 7" Pastelbord.  Thanks for stopping by my blog! 

A Little Smile - original oil pastel portrait sketch

Here's more of my portrait sketching - this one using Sennelier oil pastels on carton - a newish surface that I love, reminiscent of the tan card used by Toulouse-Lautrec.  Lovely to work on, it's available from Judson Art.  This sketch is 12 x 9" - thanks so much for visiting my blog!

The Participant - original quick portrait sketch from life

This young woman was a participant in a life drawing group I attended recently and I did this little sketch while the model was getting into the next pose.   My subject would have made a fantastic model!  She had a beautiful face that reminded me of a Renaissance painting and it would have been great to sketch her when she turned her head my way, but she seldom did, so I have to rely on memory.  That's one of the things I love about life drawing groups, it's always so relaxed, and between poses, there are people sketching the other attendees, the room, the easels, you name it!  It's a life drawer's fantasy.  I drew her with vine charcoal on 12 x 9" Strathmore drawing paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

The Barrel Racer - original oil figurative painting

It's been awhile since I've posted anything because I've been felled by cedar fever, which is a common and sometimes debilitating complaint here in central Texas.  It's an allergy to cedar, which is what we call juniper in this area.  Today has been better, though, so I'm back to my blog.  This painting was done from a drawing I did at a rodeo some years back - really just one of my scribbles - but I let it alone after I finished - huge though the temptation is to fool with it.  On Utrectht archival canvas board, it's 8 x 10".  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Oil Sketch of Deb - original oil portrait drawing

This is kind of dark, but I wanted to paint on an ochre stained canvas for a change and just had to go with it.  Deb's quick little sketch is painted on Utrecht archival canvas board and is 12 x 12".  Thanks for looking!

Reclining Nude - original oil painting of a nude

This painting is still so wet, but I wanted to post something tonight, well actually, it's morning, now.  I did this very quickly from a life drawing - set my timer and didn't go back to correct a thing.  I painted this while listening to The Day of Battle by Rick Atkinson - it'll probably take another day or so to finish this interesting book.   I just ordered An Army at Dawn from audible.com, which is the first in the trilogy.  I am so used to listening to books and love it because I can do other things - like painting or drawing - while I "read".   I highly recommend it!
Thanks for stopping by!
 Oh I forgot - got so carried away with the book I'm reading that I almost signed off for the night before I remembered to say it's 8 x 10" on archival canvas board.  Sweet dreams.

The Mandolin Player - original figurative oil painting

 

Although I'm not really finished with this painting, I just decided to go ahead and post it tonight.  It's on a 12 x 16" archival canvas board.   I'm going to make some changes, but I just don't know what they'll be, yet.  Sometimes, if I just forget about a painting, then weeks later, I'll pass by it and think 'oh yeah, I know just what it needs'.  The back burner is the place to put things when I need to figure out what should be done.  We'll see if it works this time.  Thanks for stopping by Hackberry Street Studio!

Lexie's Despair - original figurative oil painting

The inspiration for this painting was my model, Lexie, taking this pose with her face in the sofa pillow.  It appeared that she was in despair, as if things just hadn't worked out for her.  (And maybe she was tired of posing?  Could that possibly be?)  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Black and White Flamenco - original ink and stick drawing of a dancer

I did this drawing on Borden & Riley Paris paper for pens, 9 x 12", using a balsa wood very, very thin dowel - so thin that it could almost not be called a dowel, with both permanent and non-permanent inks.  It's so important to work quickly doing this even though it's far from perfect, because I seem to lose the momentum if I slow down.  I did a lot of scribbling plus some brushwork, too.  Thanks so much for looking!

Chaos - original charcoal life drawings

Sort of weird, I know, but I just like to draw the model in really short poses over other really short poses.  Previous poses are often obliterated, but I'm mainly interested in line variety. This is vine charcoal on Strathmore drawing paper, 18 x 24".
More about the knowing people through drawings thing I mentioned in my previous post.  When I said I was looking for line variety in the above paragraph, it's one of the things that thrills me about drawing.  When I was little, one of my aunties - I loved her dearly - would always draw for me 'the old, poor cow' and laugh and make fun of her inability to draw. Well, I LOVED those drawings, but I didn't know why.  Now I understand that she had just naturally and unknowingly used a weighted line.  The 'old, poor cow' was simply beautiful!
Thanks for visiting my blog!

Sketch of Sandra - original charcoal portrait drawing

 

I think vine charcoal is ideal for portraits - it has such a soft look, but it can also make a sharp line.  This model was done fairly quickly, as I was going to also paint her and I had only so much time to do both.  Although I like to paint, drawings are my favorite.  Every time I attend a master painter's show at a museum, his/her drawings attract me first.  Often, I will spend most of my time with the drawngs and only a few minutes with their paintings.  Drawings are like fingerprints to me - that's how I sort of "know" the artist.   This is vine charcoal on 14 x 11" Strathmore drawing paper.

 When I was very young and people came to visit my parents, I always asked them to draw a picture for me.  That seemed so natural to me, but to people who don't draw, it must have been like being asked to sit down and play the piano.  One time, my mother said that a friend - I suppose someone that she and my father hadn't seen in a long time or that they didn't know well - was coming and I was NOT to ask him to draw a picture for me.  The guest arrived and settled down in his chair and I simply climbed up in his lap with a paper and pencil and asked him to draw a picture.  I remember that I was careful to face away from my parents when this was taking place. They must not have been too pleased, although I don't remember any comments after their guest departed.  I didn't mind very well, did I?  But I did get my drawing.  Sold

Tuesday's Pose - original charcoal nude life drawing

Oh my gosh, I loved this model - her poses were ones that I'd like to spend a lot of time drawing.  Somehow, I never felt that I captured her the way I wanted and I hope the next time she shows up, I'll be there for another try.  Drawing from life is the very best and it helps me - and I'm sure everyone who does it - in so many ways.  I always think I know how everything fits together, but I always get my comeuppance in life drawing groups when I can observe.  It's all about seeing, really, and I'm still working on it. 
This was done on Strathmore drawing paper and is 24 x about 16".  A note about a new discovery - well, new to me, anyway, is Utrecht vine charcoal - I bought the assorted pack and it's great.  They weren't kidding.  There are so many thicknesses and such variety in the sticks, although they are all a pleasure to work with - haven't found one yet that's too hard or scratchy.  Thanks for stopping by!

Red Floor - original oil pastel figurative painting

One of my favorite haunts - cafes.   Much like bars, except people don't generally loosen up in restaurants the way they do when it's late and the booze is flowing.  Nevertheless, a great place to observe people.  
This painting was done on 7 x 5" Pastelbord with mostly Sennelier oil pastels.  I love using these juicy sticks against the gritty Pastelbord.  It really grabs oil pastel and holds it for several layers before the tooth is filled. 
Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Sketch of a Seated Nude - original oil pastel drawing of a nude

Hi All - I'm back from my trip to Italy and ready to get back into my drawing/painting groove - not a rut, mind you, but a groove!  Happy New Year to all of my friends out there in the Blogosphere!  This drawing is done on Strathmore 12 x 9" oil pastel 403 paper (now marketed as Pastel pad) which I absolutely adore - it's my go to surface.  It's been around for years - mentioned in Kenneth Leslie's book on oil pastel.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Dance Party - original charcoal figurative drawing

Happy 2013 everybody!!!  Hope this is your best year ever!  Right now I'm waiting for my plane to Italy, so if I don't post for awhile, you'll know I'm busy sightseeing and drinking in the art.  Have a great time tonight and the rest of 2013!  Oh and also, this drawing was done with vine charcoal on Strathmore drawing paper - it's about 14 x 16".  Thanks for stopping by!

Dancers at the Winery - original oil figurative paintings

Here are some of my dancers on the wall at Junction Rivers Winery in Junction, Texas.  It's a not-to-be-missed place for wine (of course), bistro food, gifts, and conversation in my hometown on the Llano River. 
I hope everyone's having an enchanting Christmas Eve and looking forward to a joyful Christmas Day!  Thanks so much for stopping by - and Merry Christmas!

Bailoras - original charcoal figurative drawing

Bailoras (actually it's the same one in different poses) from sketches I did years ago.  Vine charcoal on Strathmore 14 x 17" drawing paper.  Thanks for looking!

Tango Memory - original oil pastel figurative painting

I painted this on 5 x 7" Pastelbord - another, as I've said many times, wonderful surface for oil pastel.  Oil pastel stays put on any surface, but it really stays on Pastelbord!  Skin is particularly fun to do on Pastelbord - just something about the way the medium can be layered on it.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Contact me at chadwell.arts@yahoo.com and also, check out my oil pastel blog.

Inkster Passion - original ink figurative drawing

 

I don't think I've posted this before - it's something I did on-site from life - but I came across it today and remembered that it was to be the basis for a painting.  What pleases me about this little drawing is that although it's not 'perfect', I did it from life with a ballpoint pen and it has all the emotion I observed in that tango couple.  It may never become a painting because when I've done a drawing I really like, the painting that follows is always a disappointment to me.  It's on 11 x 14" paper, but it probably looks best at about 10 x 10". 
I added Junction Rivers Winery on the sidebar, where a few of my dancer paintings are on the walls at the moment.  It's one of Junction's most interesting places to be and if you're anywhere near our little town on the Llano River, you should drop by and sample their award-winning wines and delicious food.  It's great to have such a charming bistro here - you will just love this place!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
To inquire about a painting, ask a question or make a comment, please email me at chadwell.arts@yahoo.com.

The Model and Roger - original oil pastel figurative painting

I thought this was a cute pose and painted it on 12 x 9" Colourfix great, gritty pastel paper.  It's wonderful for oil pastel.  Two things, though, Roger is a lot more white than this and I kind of cut off the top of the painting with my bad photography.  Oh well, this is today's effort, anyway.  Thanks for stopping by!  

Tres Bailoras Again - original oil figurative painting of flamenco dancers

 

Here are more of my flamenco dancers - well, maybe not "my" dancers, since they seem to have their own ways of doing things.  They appear, then disappear - returning to my easel when they feel like it.  I'm always happy to see them again, though.  This time, they're on 16 x 20" Fredrix paintbord.  Thanks so much for stopping by - always glad to see you here!

Little Girl Drawing - original charcoal portrait drawing

I just had to capture this little girl as she drew.  She was totally involved in what she was doing - aren't all artists that way!  It's always great to have a bit of charcoal handy - you just never know.  This little drawing is about 8 x 6 1/2".  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Another Saturday Night at the Dance Hall - original oil figurative western dance painting

Here's a painting I had sort of forgotten - just kept passing it by and not really finishing it, so in my current studio cleanathon and general rearranging, these two steppers have been rediscovered.   The painting is 16 x 20" on Fredrix paintboard.   I love the surface of the new Paintboards!  Fredrix seems to emphasize the mulimedia uses for this product, but it's also great for oils.  Thanks for looking!  See what's going on at my oil pastel blog!  Sold

Lexie with an Apple - original oil pastel figurative drawing

Here's a drawing of Lexie holding an apple - I just liked the looseness and relaxed quality she had while she took a break.  I did the drawing from life, then filled it in with color after she left.  It's all oil pastel - Sennelier and Caran d'Ache - on Sennelier oil pastel paper - about 15 x 12".  Thanks for stopping by!
 

On My Easel - original oil figurative in progress

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and lots of turkey and dressing (plus cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, green beans, mashed potatoes, fruit salad, pies of all kinds - Thanksgiving's my all time favorite meal)!  Nothing like being with family to celebrate our good fortune - my wish for all of you!
Here's something I've scraped down twice, but now maybe it's on its way - on 8 x 10" Pastelbord.  Much more work to be done, though.  Thanks for looking!

Sketch of The Model with a Wineglass - original charcoal figurative drawing

Really good model with a moody look to her and great at holding a difficult pose with shoulder forward, leaning on her arm.  Maybe a painting in this - I don't know.  It's always just fun to draw, whether the drawings become paintings or not. Drawings are my absolute favorite art thing!  This one is vine charcoal on Strathmore drawing paper, 14 x 11" - thanks for looking!

A Little Flamenco - original charcoal figurative drawing

I scribbled and curlicued this on 14 x 11" Strathmore drawing paper with the fabulous and wonderful General Primo charcoal sticks.  I didn't realize that I had these sticks - I thought Primo only came in the pencils that I love, but at some point I purchased the sticks and promptly forgot.  Hmmm.  I wonder what that signifies. These sticks are great to work with - they're square, so you can make a nice edge or turn them on their sides for broader strokes.  Thanks so much for stopping by! Sold

Nude Looking Down - original oil painting of a nude

I am including the beginnings of this fast little painting.  I think that maybe I should have left more lines.   Being such a line person, why don't I do that?  Either I don't know when to stop, or I feel I must do the expected and cover the canvas.  Does anyone else have these problems?  This painting is on 10 x 8" Fredrix Paintboard.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Chat at the Bistro - original oil pastel figurative painting

She likes to talk.  He's willing to listen.  An unbeatable combination!  I used wonderful Pastelbord - 8 x 10".  Thanks for visiting - give my oil pastel blog a look!

Profile - original acrylic portrait painting

Here's another of my acrylic paintings, which I loved doing because I found her profile so interesting.  I ordered some acrylic 'uncommon blues', as they were billed, from ASW and am looking forward to working with them - maybe they'll be inspirational in my new acylic painting endeavors.  This is 10 x 8" on Utrecht archival canvas panel.  Thanks for stopping by!