Another First Place Award, this time for Delane from the Texas Visual Arts Association's Portrait show at their gallery in downtown Dallas. This painting was also accepted into the Salon International exhibition in San Antonio, Texas. Delane is a family friend I have known since she was a child. I painted most of this from live sittings.

Colorful Building--pastel, 6x9"

The title says it all. Well, the late afternoon sun and shadows did their part, too.

"A room with pictures and a room without pictures differ nearly as much as a room with windows and a room without windows;  for pictures are loopholes of escape to the soul leading it to other scenes and spheres, where the fancy for the moment may revel, refreshed and delighted. Pictures are consolers of loneliness, and a relief to the jaded mind, and windows to the imprisoned thought; they are books, histories and sermons which we can read without the trouble of turning over leaves.”

Sir John Gilbert

River View from Downtown Kerrville--oil, 10x8"

I stood on a pavillion on a high bluff overlooking the Guadalupe River to paint this. On either side of me were the downtown buildings. This part of the river is in Louise Hays Park, where I used to play as a kid. They used to have water skiing exhibitions here.

Alamo Facade--oil, 12x18"

Latest Alamo painting, (#12 I believe) available at River's Edge Gallery in Kerrville. I feel that every one of these I do is a trip back to my childhood in San Antonio. Besides, I like seeing the sunlight and shadows on historic buildings.

Delane II--oil, 20x16"

I was recently notified that this painting was accepted in the Salon International in San Antonio. The dates for this prestigious exhibition are April 12 to May 3.

First sight-size drawing--charcoal, 20x16". Instructor: Steve Armes. http://www.stevearmes.com/

San Antonio's Alamo--oil, 11x14"

Available at River's Edge Gallery in Kerrville, Texas: http://www.riversedgegallery.net/

Gulf--oil, 12x18"

A back street  in a tiny town in remote west Texas yielded the discovery of this building from yesteryear.

Available at River's Edge Gallery, Kerrville  http://www.riversedgegallery.net/

Turtle Creek Bluff--pastel, 10x8"

Here we are just a few yards downhill from the Kalita Humphries Theater in Dallas, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Finish after refining edges, color, background: Donna--oil, 10x8"

Half tones added

Color in shadows

"Wipe out" technique: Even though I drew an outline of the face in this case, usually the canvas is covered with a raw umber wash first, and the portrait is started by wiping out the lights with a paper towel. The darks are painted in with a brush and dark raw umber.

finish in color: Rembrandt Style Self Portrait, Profile--oil, 10x8"

Next step - lights in monochrome

Next step of Rembrandt's approach: Add the lighter lights, using thicker paint.

Profile Self--oil, 9x12"

According to the Angel Academy of Florence, Rembrandt's approach to making a painting is thus:

1. Cover the canvas with a thin coat of greyed golden-brown paint (the field or unifying color).

2. Paint the darks of the subject with a darker version of the field color. There are now three values. 

3. The darks are elaborated.

This is the stage at which I am at here

Self - 3/2012--oil, 10x8"

My first experience using the Mattellson/Paxton flesh palette (Yellow Ochre, Terra Rosa, Indian Red, Raw Umber, black and white). Not much blending, the canvas was rough. I hope to do more with these earthier reds.

Delane 2--oil, 20x16"

I posed the model under a north light window. We tried many different poses, and I took lots of photos. Later, I selected this pose. I drew an outline in charcoal  from the photo on canvas using the sight size technique. I roughed in some darks, then had her come back for a couple of sessions and I painted colors and details. I finished from my photo.