Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Process

A while ago a great artist and friend of mine, Ray Bonilla asked me to post my process.  It's taken me a seriously long time to sit down and do that.  Here are some step by step pics of a couple of pieces that I actually chronicled.

My process first begins with photographing my subject matter.  Most of the time that subject is horses.  I use a Canon T3i with a 70-300 zoom lens for most action shots. I used to use a Canon Xsi. I paint on wood panels, mostly birch that I buy at Lowes and cradle with 1x2's.  I do use some pre-made wood painting panels as well.  My smaller pieces are usually the edupanels from blick.


Blessing of the Hunt
My photographic reference: I crop and grid it in photoshop, sometime adjusting the contrast as well.

I start drawing using a grid with thin paint on a recently toned board, this time in paynes gray, which is what I use for a cooler image, I use burnt sienna for a warmer piece
Then I start to build the values still using a thin layer of paynes gray and erasing some of the tone with a brush dipped in mineral spirits


I start to work in the color.  I don't always do this in the same order but typically I start in the focal point. I use a muted palette so that my focal point can have the punch of color.  I also tend to have a little of the background color in every color I mix.
 







Another piece, Out in Front 
Once again started with a photograph.  I take thousands of pictures when I'm shooting and once and a while a photo composition works, often tho I have to remove or add elements to make it work right.  The horses in this piece just worked.  I did remove the tower on the left because it was distracting. 




I didn't feel the white was working with the other whites in the painting.  So I changed the color of the lead riders clothes






Thursday, February 28, 2013

This weekend I participated in Maui Open Studios, it was a great event and I met loads of art people and future friends.  I had at least 30+ visitors up on our hill per day.  Here are some photos of the event, I'm due to post some new work photos, I just haven't taken them yet.  Promise I'll get them up.

Opening Night at the Tropical Plantation

With some of my work at the opening

My little studio

not a bad back yard

Waiting for folks to come in.

My little studio :) with a rainbow of course


the day had it's share of wind and sprinkles... and beautiful rainbows

2 great ladies that found their way up the mountain. 

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Has it really been that long

It's been a very busy year, and I am sorry that it's been so long since my last post.  I will be posting several pictures over the next few weeks of new work, my work process as requested, and pics of my studio.  This weekend I am having an open studio... I am participating in an island wide open studio's event and will have my studio open from 11-6 both Saturday and Sunday (February 23-24).

More to come very soon.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Maui Painting Excursions

Super excited to share my new school here on Maui, I'll be teaching plein air painting and lessons in my studio (still under construction) starting soon.  Maui is so beautiful, I can't wait to share the beauty of it with some students. Check out the website http://www.MauiPaintingExcursions.com. Below are pics of the studio under construction.


View from inside the studio


The studio from behind
Inside coming along


Sunday, March 18, 2012

Art Maui 2012

Super excited, just found out last night that one of my paintings was accepted into Art Maui. 513 paintings were entered and 142 were selected. http://artmaui.com/ The show opens on the 26th at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center http://www.mauiarts.org/

I'll post photos of my process soon

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Newest Project

almost forgot to post this here. Painting the National Parks... this is what Conner and I will be doing for the next year.