Cityscape Work In Progress

I don't usually post works in progress because it bothers me to see all the things I need to fix but it has been two weeks since the last post and I wanted to post something!  This is an 18 x 24 oil on linen cityscape of NYC on a late September afternoon.  There is a lot of scumbling, scraping and repainting here.  I like to build up texture slowly with thin layers which is why it takes so long to finish these paintings!!  Hope to have the finished version in a couple of days.

Time Square Nocturne

Well, it has been a long Summer and Fall!  I have just finally been able to get back into a regular painting schedule after several months of personal obligations and travel.  I did manage to get a workshop in with Donald Jurney last month in the Adirondacks in the midst of everything.  I will post some of those paintings in the coming days.  The painting above is finally finished!  it is the oil version of the pastel study posted back in July.  It is 20 x 20 and looks great in my new gray green frames from Randy Higbee in California.   I am happy to be back painting and back to blogging!  Hope some of you are still around ; ) !

Saratoga Sunrise

"Saratoga Sunrise", oil on linen, 5 x 7

This little painting was one of my first experiments with indirect painting.  I didn't intend to paint in layers with this little study as the underpainting was done in opaque rather than translucent paint.  Paintings done in an indirect manner usually start with a translucent underpainting followed by layers of thin glazes to build the color.  I like the soft effects you can get with glazes but I also like the bold, fresh quality of paintings done in one go ("alla prima").   There will be more posts on indirect painting as I experiment with this method in the coming months.   This painting is currently at Mimosa Gallery in Saratoga Springs NY as part of their small works exhibit which is on view through February 17th.

More Thick Paint

"Sunny Breakfast"  6 x 6, oil on linen

I continue with the thick paint experiment.  I really like the process of painting this way.  It's a lot more fun than having to worry about lines and layers.  I liked the way this little study came out but the question is how it would stand up to being painted much larger (30 x 30).   I tried a couple of rainy day cityscape studies today and the alla prima thick paint technique did not work out so well.  The reflections and wet surfaces require more transparency than I was able to achieve with a loaded brush so I scraped my board a couple of times and will try again tomorrow.