A Bit of Eve - original figurative ink drawing

Very quick drawing - a favorite method of mine.  This was done in my sketchbook with a fountain pen.  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - Landscape Pencil Drawing in Progress

This sketchbook work in progress is one that I started while out in the country.  I ran out of time so took a photo in order to complete it when I got home, but just haven't gotten around to it.  Am working on some figure drawings that aren't even finished enough to post.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

More Two-Step Sweet Talk - original figurative oil painting

I was just cruising around the internet, checking on Texas dancehalls, with nothing much in mind, and found several articles and ratings on these great places.  Click here to read about ten of them.
This painting is on 6x6" Gessobord.  Thanks for stopping by!

Piano Practice - original oil pastel figurative painting

This is painted on 8 x 10" Pastelbord, using Sennelier oil pastels.  Thanks for looking!

Sketch of a Girl Sleeping - original charcoal figurative drawing

The paper is really a little whiter than the photo shows, but anyway, here's a drawing I did of a young girl who just couldn't stay awake any longer.  It's on 14 x 17" Strathmore drawing paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

ACEO - Marcy - original acrylic portrait painting

Continuing with the acrylic paint, I did some ACEOs today.  These tiny (3.5 x 2.5") things are so much fun to do and actually are kind of relaxing.  Done on illustration board that I gessoed on both sides - didn't have to be gessoed, but I like the finish it gives to the paper.  Thanks for looking!

I Think Her Name is Janice - original acrylic portrait painting

 I've been using acrylic paint (again) and found it to be so great to use.  Best of all is the drying time - and for me, a looseness that doesn't happen when I use oil.  As for the model, I didn't write her name on the back of the panel as I usually do, but it was Janice, I'm pretty sure.  And warm colors - I almost never paint anything with such warm colors - don't really know what came over me - I don't think the background was particularly warm, but such a departure from my usual work.  It's painted on 8 x 10" gessoed panel.  Thanks for looking!

Joanna - original charcoal drawing of a nude

Another nude - this one in charcoal - about 16 x 12" on Strathmore drawing paper; thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - Nude with Background - original oil pastel drawing of a nude

This drawing may remain unfinished - I'm loving the background which has just been sort of abstracted and it's fun that she took kind of a glamour pose.  So maybe it's actually off my easel.  This was done with Sennelier oil pastels on a mixed media board, 10 x 8".  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - figurative oil sketch

Here's a sketch that I wish I'd had more time on, but that's always my lament.  Hope I get another chance with this pose.  It's 9 x 12" on Gessobord.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sketch of a Guitarist - original charcoal/watersoluble pencil figurative drawing

This drawing is on paper for pens, but I think it makes a nice surface for other media, too.  Will probably use this drawing for a flamenco painting.  Lately, I seem to be as interested in the musicians as the dancers  The paper is 12 x 9".  Thanks for stopping by!

Ponytail - original oil pastel portrait painting

Had a chance to do this one - would have liked more detail, but didn't have much time - it's on 5 x 7" Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking!

Monday's Nude - original charcoal life drawing

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  Here's a nude I did a couple of months ago - it's on 12 x 9" Strathmore drawing paper.  Thanks for looking!

Reading Catalogs - original oil pastel portrait painting

Reading catalogs is one of my favorite pastimes, especially this time of year.  All those beautiful things to buy!  This painting is done with Sennelier oil pastels on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking!

Line Jive - original ink and Crayola figurative drawing

Just fooling around with ink and Crayola  - these are regular Crayolas - the ones to die for are the construction paper ones.  Couldn't find mine, so I just used the usual in robin's egg blue.  This drawing is about 8 1/2 x 7 1/2" on Borden and Riley Paris paper.  Thanks for stopping by!

Searching for the Right Word - original oil pastel figurative

I was trying to make a composition with variety in the background - but don't know if I succeeded.  And tried not to make the model too abstract, nor too realistic.  I sound like Jackie Mason.  But you get what I mean about the painting, right?  It's on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  I love that stuff - could kiss it.  Thanks for stopping by!

Flamenco Sketch - original charcoal figurative drawing

Here's a sketch of a flamenco dancer done in charcoal on Strathmore drawing paper.  This drawing is about 8 x 14".  Have been watching "Great Artists of the Italian Renaissance" from The Great Courses.  It's just wonderful and the instructor makes what could just bore one to death, very interesting.  I've listened to and watched many of their offerings and recommend them highly.  Thank you for stopping by  (Originally, my drawing was cropped in the photo to 8 x 8", but I like it this size a lot more.  Always a fan of portraits and figures in a horizontal format.)

On My Easel - Steps to a Nude - original oil pastel nude in progress

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Here are steps I'm taking in developing a nude painting.  It began as a charcoal drawing (bottom photo) which I used as a "pattern" to do my 7 x 5" oil pastel on sand Pastelbord.  In step 2,  I covered my Pastelbord drawing with a light blue Sennelier oil pastel, then, in step 3, covered most of the blue with ochres and added bits of red.  I like the more raw version of step 3 and have to try hard not to overwork it - just add a little here and there and then call it 'finished'.  Just about done, I think. The feet were a real challenge because of the way they're tucked under her - so I may have to work on those a little.   Also, the original charcoal drawing of the face was too fussy, and looked as if I didn't even look at the woman who was posing, so in doing the oil pastel, I left the face pretty much alone.  Thanks for stopping by!

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On My Easel - The Midnight Oil - original charcoal portrait drawing in progress

I've been taking a course that works with design webbing and tried to do this drawing according to what I've been learning.  I don't know if I totally succeeded and when I do the painting, will probably bring her up on the page a little bit.  Or maybe I'll just darken the bottom of the painting.  Hmmm - much to think about - so I'd better get this finished before I worry about doing a painting.  This is done on Strathmore drawing paper, 14 x 17".  Thanks for visiting my blog!

Clara's Pnk Sweater - original oil pastel portrait drawing

I love horizontal portrait paintings - in this one, the model was sitting with her arm along the back of the sofa with an oscillating fan blowing on her (hence the hair flying out behind her) - just got started working and it was so satisfying to scribble madly with the lipsticky Sennelier oil pastels on Pastelbord, seldom stopping to add a lot of detail.  Thanks for stopping by!

On My Easel - Her Sketchbook - original charcoal portrait drawing in progress

She really seems pleased with her artwork and I'm looking forward to working on this some more and getting it finished - much to do, though, to get to that point.  Thanks for stopping by!

Taking a Break - original oil pastel figurative

Nothing like a little snooze between chapters - on 7 x 5" Pastelbord, using Sennelier oil pastels.  Thanks for stopping by!

Shelley's Blue Ribbons - original oil pastel portrait painting

I think this model has such a sweet face - a pleasure to paint.  I drew
very quickly, then moved to another location in the room for a different view.   I generally do that in a long pose, so I have a few different sketches/drawings/paintings instead of just the one pose for three hours, plus with three hours on the same pose, I tend to overwork it.   This is another piece using Sennelier oil pastels on sand colored 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Waiting Again - original oil pastel figurative

I hope he shows.  This oil pastel is on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking - have a great weekend!

Woman in Purple - original oil portrait painting

Another one of those I wish I'd had more time on.  The model had such a classic, old-fashioned - maybe even a medieval sort of look - I think it would have been great to have her dress up in period clothing.  Oh well.  This painting is 10 x 10" on gessoed panel.  This afternoon, I was spending time drawing while listening to a dark mystery where the main character was trapped in a locked room - it was chilling - and at that moment, a friend knocked on the door of my studio - nearly scared me senseless!  Took a little time to get over it, too.
That'll teach me - music while I paint tomorrow!  Thanks for stopping by!

Lee's Daughter - original oil pastel portrait drawing

This study of a young woman who posed ever so briefly was done on 7 x 5" carton board from Judson Art Outfitters or Amazon.  I love working on this stuff - give it a try.  Thanks for stopping by!

Lady with a Fan - original oil pastel figurative

This oil pastel is on 7 x 5" Pastelbord.  Thanks for stopping by!

Solace - original oil pastel figurative sketch

Listening to Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder as I post.  Love all that talent. Never paid much attention to bluegrass 'til I lived in Virginia and there was a bluegrass program on Sunday afternoons  - can't remember the station now.  Anyway, it wasn't long before I was hooked.  Sort of got off-subject here - this oil pastel is on Pastelbord, 7 x 5".  Thanks for looking!

Lainie's Tea - original oil pastel figurative painting

A little experiment with totally blunt (unsharpened) oil pastels on 7 x 5" Pastelbord - just to keep me loose.  Much fun to do and although I see a lot of things I could improve upon, I'm just leaving it and moving on.  Tomorrow I am definitely and absolutely going to have my country dance painting finished, but it might be too wet to photograph.  Well, we'll see.  Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

The Flapper Redux - original oil portrait painting

Here's what can happen to a painting that started out as something totally and completely different.  Check out The Flapper.  I can't really explain it, but I had much more fun with this version.  There are a few things to work on, but I'm essentially finished and now I'm moving on to a country dancers painting that I'm loving.  This piece is 10 x 10" on canvas.  Thanks for stopping by!