Lila's Gaze - original oil pastel portrait painting

This painting began as a life drawing, but the model couldn't stay, so I took a photo, which isn't nearly as much fun as drawing from life, but you take what you can get when it comes to posing.  I did this one on a piece of Mi-Teintes board, which I love, and the drawing started out wild and crazy, with colors here and there, but then got a little more traditional - with more local color.  It's such a total pleasure to work - especially with the Senneliers - on Mi-Teintes board.  Love the texture!  And it comes in such beautiful colors, just like the Mi-Teintes paper.   This piece is about 16 x 12".  Thanks so much for stopping by!  And if you have a minute, please check out my oil pastel blog.

On My Easel - A Good Book and a Glass of Wine - original oil figurative painting

Many changes need to be made, but I'm going to just let it sit for awhile.  Of course, the model's gone, so this will be an interesting project.  Maybe I can corral someone to pose with a book and a glass of wine.  There are worse things.  It's 14 x 11" on stretched canvas.  Thank you for stopping by!

Chess Players - original oil pastel portrait drawing

Not being much of a chess player myself, I was totally absorbed in the expressions of the players and since I only had them for a little while, they were my focus.  As for the chess pieces, they were on their own, plus, they kept moving!  Go figure. 
Sorry for not posting more often, but it's that time of year - today it was my Lizzano tomatoes, which I'm actually growing in pots where the deer could get them, but I've wrapped them in netting.  That's a huge pain, but an absolute must in this area. 
Okay, back to art - this drawing from life was done with mostly Sennelier oil pastels on light green Mi-Teintes board, 16 x 20".  If you haven't tried this surface, you should really check it out.  It's the textured side of Mi-Teintes paper, but in board form.  I think this surface helps to keep drawings loose, because it's tough and time-consuming to work in a tight manner on this board.  My opinion, anyway.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Sketch of Lisa - original oil pastel portrait painting

I worked on two oil pastel paintings today - the idea was to post one to my oil pastel blog and the other to this one, but the other painting isn't ready, so here's the little (7 x 5") sketch for Hackberry Street Studio.  This painting/sketch was done from a drawing from life and I allowed myself a short time to do it so it wouldn't be overworked.  At least, I hope it isn't.  Mostly Sennelier, with a few Caran d'Ache on Pastelbord.  Digging through my 'stuff', I found a bunch of things that I forgot about and I suspect will be showing up here in the coming weeks.  Do you do that?  Find things to resurrect?  Such fun - sometimes they work, sometimes they don't, but it's fun trying!  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - oil pastel portrait sketch of Cindy in progress

 I don't know if I'll "finish" this one, or if it's already finished, but I'm just not inclined to work on it any further - will begin something else, instead.  The lines please me and I don't want to cover them up.  I'm having lots of company right now, so I'll probably concentrate on drawings for another week or so.  It's just so easy to pick up where you left off with a drawing - no messiness to it.  Unless you count the charcoal that I somehow get all over my face.  This piece is oil pastel on Mi-Teintes board, 11 x 12".  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - Sketch of Dancers - original oil pastel figurative sketch

I am sort of obsessed with the way this woman has her arm around this guy - a 'hold' I guess I'd call it.  Lately, I've done a bunch of drawings of women with their arms like this, so I guess that amounts to an obsession.  It will pass.  Thanks for stopping by!

Lindyhop Lovers - original oil figurative painting

I was pretty happy with this one - of course, there are always things to fool with and I might do that here and there, but overall, I'll mostly leave it alone.  I do love visiting with my little dancers - we're never apart for long.  It's 7 x 5" on Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

On My Easel, Another View of Linda - original oil portrait painting

 

 This is one of the trickiest poses, and I don't think I've completely succeeded, so will finish it tomorrow - and will, among other things, darken the left part of the canvas.  But I'll be working from drawings, since the model won't be here and that's such a challenge!  Oh well, no one ever said art is easy!  It's 10 x 8" on archival canvas board.  Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Nude in Mixed Media - original mixed media drawing of a nude

This is a drawing that I did from life several months ago and just forgot about.  I came across it today while I was going through and (I hope) organizing some of my things.  (This project is endless, I tell you.)  The gestural lines were drawn on Yupo, using wax crayons (Caran d'Ache Neocolor I).  I added a little watercolor - which, of course, doesn't adhere to the wax lines, then applied touches of watercolor crayons (I LOVE those things!) and just generally had a great time.  It's about 12 x 9".  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Saturday Night Two-Steppers - original oil figurative painting

Was I actually there tonight?  Well, no, but back in the day . . . .   This one is on 6 x 6" Gessobord - thanks for looking!

The Nude in Watermedia - original painting of a nude in watermedia

This painting is one that I did from an old drawing while I was watering the lawn at my studio.  We can water twice a week and this was my day.   Having been away for several days, it was nice to be back  -  there's no place like studio!   I used mostly watercolor sticks with touches of pan watercolors, and a couple of ink lines.   It's about 11 x 17" on Yupo.  Thanks for stopping by!

More Tango Luv - original oil figurative painting

This one was tricky, but she insisted on that position with her left hand - she loves touching his face while they dance.  So, what was I to do?  When a woman's made up her mind, well. . . .
Painted in oil, it's on 7 x 5" Gessobord.  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - A Modern Tango - original oil figurative painting

I probably should say 'original oil figurative experiment' - but that seems to be my approach to my artwork.    One of my painting teachers told me not to fiddle with the work - just start another painting.  Must remember that, must remember that.
This tango position is one that I see a lot now, but I don't think it has much in common with the original Argentine tango - a lovelier dance there never was - but it is definitely dramatic!  Sorry it's so shiny, but I wanted to get it posted and in a couple of days, I will post a bit drier version.  This one is on 7 x 5" Gessobord.  If you get a chance, please check out my oil pastel blog.

Tango Moment Again - original oil figurative painting

 

The second of my series of three 14 x 11"  tango paintings that I've done recently.  They will be available at Artworks in Austin, Texas.   No matter what else I may paint, I always come back to tango - just the beautiful way the dancers move in unison.  The steps are gorgeous in themselves:  He knows his part and she knows hers and they work beautifully together.  

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Tango Drama Again - original oil figurative painting

 

 

It's actually raining here - I was beginning to think it would never happen again!  As if it had forgotten how or something.  So, I'm going to go to bed and just listen to the beautiful sound of rain and feel so happy that I got all my pinks planted today!  This painting is on 14 x 11" Fredrix paintboard.  Thanks for looking!

Tiny Geisha - original oil pastel ACEO figurative painting

I did this little ATC or ACEO while listening to The Last Gunfight by Jeff Guinn.  Delicious.  It's a bit of the hard truth about the Old West and pretty much nothing like the western movies I loved in my childhood, nor even much like my all-time favorite movie, Tombstone.  I could watch that movie endlessly, I think, if I didn't have a ton of other things to do.  Tomorrow, I'll be back in reality, Old West style, listening to the last half of the book while I paint some tango dancers.  I realize westerns and tango dancers don't have much in common, but it's fun to lose myself in two entirely different worlds! 

Now a bit about my little painting.  Although tiny, these little ones do take time and some effort to get into the picture plane everything you want to say.  Sometimes, though, I just crave sitting bent over my table to work on these minis.  It's on 3.5 x 2.5" illustration board.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Three More - original charcoal nude drawings w/touches of white pastel

This is a drawing that I did over several weeks, one model one week, then another model a few weeks later, then the third model maybe a month or two after the others.  Different models elicit different responses from the 'drawer', I think.  Instead of gray, the support is actually light green Canson Mi-Teintes board, which I love, but it's hard to find.  Thankfully, ASW still carries it.  It has the textured side of the Mi-Teintes paper adhered to board and I always find the textured side encourages looseness.  The drawing is 16 x 20".  If I don't post before Sunday, I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!  Thanks for stopping by! 

The Spanish Model - original oil pastel portrait sketch

The model was originally from Spain and had a sort of playful quality - really great at holding a pose, too.  This was a quick one, of course; these short sketches have to stand or fall on what's put down on the surface in a short time.  I think quick studies can be one of the best drawing improvers, plus show a bit of the artist in an unguarded moment.  It's on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thank you for visiting my blog.

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!

On My Easel - original mixed media figurative drawing

Ten days since I've posted!  Bad girl!  But I've been sketching like a maniac - everything in sight - but nothing really finished.  Well, of course, this one isn't either, but it has a little color to it, and I haven't put anything on my blog for awhile, so here it is.  This drawing is one that I sketched with charcoal in a life drawing group and I decided tonight to add some color with oil pastels.  Don't know if I'd do it again, or if I will even "finish" this one, but these experiments are good for the soul and sometimes lead to great discoveries.  Re the orange under the chin - it really was more orangey, but I scraped it off.  I was inspired by an actor on TV tonight with this marvelous orange color under his chin maybe from what he was wearing, I don't know - could not look at anything else - don't remember the show - just orange!  Anyway, hope y'all had a great weekend and thanks so much for stopping by!  Oh and it's charcoal and oil pastel on oil pastel card, 14 x 8".

Woman with a Fan III - original oil figurative painting

I've been working on several things today - especially since I've decided to spend 5 to 6 hours a day on art.  Without getting distracted!!!  Such a noble ambition, I hope I can accomplish it!  Always the good intentions, then - a phone call, something in the garden, nice weather - a million excuses.  This painting is 20 x 16".  Thanks for stopping by!

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!