Mad Jive - original oil figurative painting

She looks a little wild, hence the title.  The struggle to make things loose continues.  This one is 7 x 5" on Gessobord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

On My Easel - Sketch for Flamenco Guitar - original charcoal figurative drawing in progress

Here's the plan - I will paint this in oil, with a few minor changes and it will be wonderful.  In my dreams.  (Picture of me with mouth curved down).  The same pose, more or less, is on my oil pastel blog today.  Usually since I'm such a 'drawer', the drawing or sketch is better than the resulting painting.  Maybe this time it'll be different!  Did this on 12 x 9" Canson illustration paper using a Prang charcoal pencil - the kind with the string - and I loved it!  It has a wonderful feel to it and covers well and quickly.  Thanks for stopping by!

Portrait of Julee - original oil portrait painting

This was a fun thing to do - trying to keep it loose.  In order to do that, I painted the whole thing with a #14 Bright and then made sure not to fool with it when I got home - always my downfall.  This piece is on 6 x 6" Gessobord.  Thanks for looking!

The Thursday Nude - original watermedia drawing of a nude

This little study of the model was great practice and I never seem to get enough of that!  I used a Derwent Intense crayon with a watercolor brush on Yupo.  It's about 7 x 6".  Thanks for visiting my blog!

At the Soirée - original oil pastel figurative drawing

This drawing happened quickly - I had been thinking about this tilt of the head, so I just experimented.  There wasn't a model in sight, so I simply had to make do.  And I just let it be the way it is - pretty loose, my favorite thing, actually.  For the support, I used multi-media artboard that I purchased from Jerry's and I love it!  I think it'll take lots of abuse and the surface is wonderful - accepts everything I've tried.  I'm SO thankful to be living when there are many art products available - no grinding colors myself - ugh!  The artboard is 10 x 8" and I left a little border around it, so maybe it's about 9 x 7".  Thanks for stopping by!

Blue Jivers Again - original ink and watercolor figurative drawing

I must have a new fave - black ink or marker with touches of blue watercolor.  Actually I love so many kinds of media - no end to the fun!  As much as I adore my tango dancers, I'm crazy about the energy of the jivers - they never tire.  For this 6 x 6" Bristol paper piece, I used a black Sharpie.  Other favorites are Prismacolor markers and Itoya.  Added a little watercolor just for fun.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Sketch of Moira - original oil pastel portrait drawing

I've drawn and painted this model before and it was great to have her as the model again. She holds the pose so well - I'm not at all sure I could do that.  This drawing was done on 14 x 11" Art Spectrum Colourfix paper,  using gloriously gooey Senneliers.  Colourfix is thought of and advertised as a surface for soft pastel, but it is absolutely perfect for oil pastel - its surface allows the application of multiple layers.  If you like working with oil pastel, do give this paper a try.  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!

They Say It's Good for the Heart - original oil pastel figurative drawing

Nothing like a little glass of wine for heart health - don't know if that's true, but lots of folks swear by it - plus they love the cure.  This drawing is done with Senneliers on 9 x 12" Art Spectrum Colourfix paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Snuggle - original oil pastel figurative painting

This one's been around for awhile, but I just never thought to post it.  I used Sennelier oil pastels on Colourfix paper and the painting is about 8 x 8 1/2".  Thanks for stopping by!

Smoky Tango - original figurative oil painting

Sort of a departure for me, this one - a little more abstract.  I think I left it pretty loose.

Above is a photo I took of my friend, Rosemary, who is a wonderful artist, after my demo at the Kerrville Art Club in Kerrville, Texas, on Tuesday.  She's helping me get my stuff out of the meeting room and back into my car.  It was a fun afternoon doing a charcoal drawing, which appears on the monitor in the background, and visiting with other artists!

This painting is 8 x 8" on gessoed panel - thanks so much for stopping by!

On My Easel - The Flapper - original oil figurative painting in progress

Here's what I was working on today while listening to a book that deals with the 1920s, Only Yesterday, which I had to read in college, but which I get much more out of now, plus The Sleepwalkers, by Christopher Clark, about the events leading up to WWI.  So, it follows, I guess, that I want to paint a flapper.  This is only the very beginning of this piece as you can tell, and I hope it will turn out well, but, sigh, hoping is no guarantee.  It's on 10 x 10" stretched canvas.  Thanks for looking!

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!

More Rodeo - original oil figurative painting

Rodeo - dusty but wonderful - I love it!  This painting is on 10 x 10" gessoed panel.  Thanks for stopping by!

Red Skirt - original oil figurative painting

I've been seeing lots more variety in the attire of flamenco dancers, lately, and really like this trend. Seeing really good, emotional flamenco is such a wonderful experience - not to be missed!  Thanks for stopping by! 

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!

Bronc Rider II - original watercolor pencil figurative drawing

Here's another drawing from the rodeo here in Junction a few weeks ago.  These guys really earn their points - and for those who think the horses aren't well treated - they are beautifully cared for and truly valued by their owners.  I also did a painting from this drawing, which I'll probably post at some point.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

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!

Ink Nude - original ink drawing of a nude

The model was actually texting as I drew.  After doing an outline on Yupo using an Itoya pen, I put lots of blues and reds on the drawing, using watercolor sticks, then rubbing it off.  The green is plain watercolor.  It's about 8 1/2 x 6 1/2".  Thanks for looking!

WIP - Lexie's Reflection - original oil pastel figurative painting

I have some changes to make to this painting.  It's on 12 x 9" Art Spectrum Colourfix paper in aubergine.  Not sure about the mirror frame - may just do away with it since it's so close to the edge of the painting.  I seldom paint reflections, but couldn't resist giving it a try.  Thanks for looking!

Nude on Blues - original oil pastel nude painting

Today's offering is a nude that I did with creamy Sennelier oil pastels on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Love doing these quick exercises!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

On My Easel - Jive Happy - original oil pastel figurative In Progress original oil pastel figurative painting

This drawing is on tan 12 x 16" Pastelbord.  I'm trying to keep the "drawingness" of this piece - pretty happy with the couple on the right - now to work on the other dancers.  Thanks for looking!

Livy Reading - original oil pastel figurative painting

There's nothing like a good book - right now, I'm reading (or listening through audible.com, I should say) The Sleepwalkers by Christopher Clark, about the events that led
to WWI.  Have read many books on this subject and am also reading the Maisie Dobbs mystery series which is set in the years immediately after the war.  Good to mix mystery and history - my two favorite subjects.  I'm wondering if other artists out there listen to books while painting.  Anyway, I'm not sure what Livy's reading, but she does seem engrossed in her book.  I painted Livy on 10 x 8" Ampersand Pastelbord, using mostly Sennelier oil pastels.  Thanks for stopping by!

Polka Dot Bow - ACEO original oil pastel portrait painting

I could spend every minute doing ACEOs.  They're so much fun and it's easy to just let go and be expressive. This one makes me happy because of her expression.  It's painted on illustration board and for some reason, the oil pastel seems to dry - as dry as oil pastel ever gets - very quickly on this surface.  It's 3.5 x 2.5", of course (being sort of obsessive, I just had to go and say it!) - thanks so much 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!

On My Easel - Texas Heat - original oil pastel figurative painting in progress

It is SO hot here - and BTW where is El Nino?!  It's triple digits day after day, although tomorrow it might be in the high 90s.  I was actually sitting here, thinking 'wow it's going to be cooler' - that's what happens to the mind under these searing circumstances.  But maybe, just maybe, it will finally cool down a little bit, anyway.  This oil pastel is done on 14 x 11" Pastelbord.  Not through with it, but really fun to work with creamy Senneliers on the slightly gritty surface.  Art heaven.  Thanks for looking!

Two Step Lovers - original oil pastel figurative painting

There's nothing like the Texas Two Step - lots of that going on around here.  This little - 7 x 5" on Pastelbord - is one that I did yesterday while listening to some of my country music CDs.  Can't beat the two step!  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - Original Soft Pastel Portrait Painting in Progress

I was fooling around with soft pastel and although this portrait does look like the model, I'm not totally thrilled at this point.   It's about 18 x 15" or so, on Canson paper.  Sometimes if I just set something aside for several days, I'll suddenly realize what I need to do - hope that happens with this piece!  Thanks for looking.

Lady in a Hat - original oil pastel Artist Trading Card

I love doing these tiny "just a taste" cards.  This one is done on Art Spectrum Colourfix - my favorite surface for these little 3.5 x 2.5" pieces.  I used unsharpened Sennelier oil pastels - makes it looser and no way can I get it too tight.  Thanks 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!