Swim Paintings

About 5 years ago I began a series of swimmer paintings in oil. This one is 36x36" and is in a private collection. I took the photo at Stacy Pool in Austin. The process was long; nothing like the paintings I do from life. Most of the series is now sold!

Value Study in Oils

It's a challenge to get ALL the values in the scene before you. Try to identify the lightest and darkest areas and then key all other values to them. Thinking in terms of posterized shapes of light vs. shadow helps to simplify the scene into something paintable. Also using a small canvas and a big brush forces you to see and paint in simpler terms.

Figure Painting from Photos

I was standing on a ladder to get this photo of Bryn Leggett in a red wig. This oil is 8x10", done on a panel I had gessoed with a heavy texture. When faces are in shadow it's important to mix correct values for the whites of the eyes. These may still be a bit too light.

Bethany in a Blue Wig- Oil Portrait

Sometimes a painting just goes right from the start. That was the case with this one. I like the blended, wet edges and the expression on the face.

Girl in a Big Hat

This is another small oil painted from a photo of a wonderful model, Bethany. For several years I have been working on paint consistency, learning to handle thicker paint. It still doesn't come naturally! I like the blue-green tones in the shadows here.

Oil Portrait

This is 11x14 and I spent about 3 hours on it. Done from life from a model named Stephanie. I want to vary my edges more and have more variety in them: soft vs. hard.

Oil Painting: Girl in a Bathtub

This is of the same model as the Girl on White Sheets. Another painter and I hired her for a photo shoot in my house. Size is 8x10" I'm trying to paint with an economy of means (few brushstrokes and details) and emphasize the elements (usually light and color) that give a "feeling" component. Is that Impressionism?