Juliette

9"x12"
Watercolor on Arches
Done in one of my life
drawing classes. I usually
only use charcoal and some pastels
but chose watercolor this time.
I like the softness that I
achieved, but should have
corrected the placement of her
right arm. It's not quite right,
so next time I'll do better. After all it is a
learning process and I learn
something everytime.

A Moment of Reflection

9x12"
Pastel on pastel card
This was painted from life using
a 250 tungsten lamp. Great
contrast in the lights and darks.

Workshop Nude

19x25"
Pastel on paper
In my last post, I mentioned that I
was going to a Margaret Dyer workshop.
Well, I did and it was a wonderful week.
I learned a great deal about painting
with value and not so much with color.
I could actually paint the figure in
any color, as long as the value was correct,
and people would understand it.
I came home with 15 unfinished pieces of work.
We had 4 different models who posed nude
or partially nude.
The whole idea behind a workshop
is to explore new ideas about painting
and not try to make completed pieces of work.
That can be stressful, if that is how
one approaches this type of class.
I went in with an open mind, willing to try
a different technique than how I
paint now. I don't think that I will ever
paint just like my instructor, (not that I want to)
but I feel that by implementing my new found knowledge
about values; my paintings can only improve.

Silhouette with Flare

8x10"
pastel on suede mat board
I was feeling somewhat bored with
the small fruits, veggies and plants.
Feeling uncreative. So, I needed to try something
really different. Today's painting has helped
the creative flow. This was fun!

The flares from this photo offered some

colorful, abstract forms that I wanted to

capture with pastel, plus the backlighting on

the figure, gave a nice effect. I will most likely

explore this type of subject again.

Crushed Velvet

16x20"
pastel on suede matboard

Civil War Reenactor

8x10"
pastel on suede mat board
I don't live far from the Pea Ridge Battlefield Park.
The park will conduct reenactments from time to time.
This man had such an authentic civil war era look,
that I had to paint him.

A Distant Gaze

5x7"
pastel on sanded paper

The Girl in Red

5x7"

pastel on paper