That warm feeling

 ...that's how this painting makes me feel.  Now we are heading out of Winter and into Spring, those chilly - freezing - bitter cold (you get the idea) days are receding,  some of my paintings have been on what I call "catch-up".  Having started them back in those 'chilly - freezing - bitter cold days'  and waiting for the inevitable Paint To Dry phase, I have now completed this 8x10 canvas panel.  

Something very nice about completing a painting after the long wait for paint to dry, but this painting certainly takes me back. When the fire was lit, those shorter days seem to be a memory now.

Oil paintings might take time to dry, but they are so worth the wait...

 

This is only a very short clip....

.....but had to share it here.  We were parked up having just walked the dogs

and when I looked across towards the sea, I noticed this bird

As I say it is only a very short clip....so don't blink

and as always click the image below

 

A new Oil painting

I say 'new' broadly speaking.

New here, but this painting has been in the background drying for a few weeks.

That's the thing with Oil paints, they need time to dry and for me to spend some away time, so I can come back to it and see it with fresh eyes.

I was happy with this and it's a local scene.

Friends who live on Exmoor took photos a while back and, of course, the inevitable happened

Me: "Would you mind if I did a painting from your photos?"

I'm really lucky that they are happy for me to do a painting (or two - eventually) 

and I think they anxiously wait to see the results.

So here it is:

~ as ever, click the above image and see a short video clip of it in some detail.

I didn't video the painting process this time....I forgot! ~

Trying a different style

It's always good to shake it up a bit and I've certainly done that with this latest oil painting. Seeing how others paint is always an inspiration to me - some I really enjoy, some I don't - hey that's art! However, I recently got inspired by the work of Turner Vinson and having asked his permission, which he kindly gave, I have tried out one of his demos.  

Yes, I learned from it - isn't that what it is all about, even when I go back to my own style. So here (do you hear a drum roll)...this small 5x7 

Titled: "On the River- after Turner Vinson"

Stonehenge at Sunset

 Waiting for various layers of paint to dry, this little painting of Stonehenge - 5"x7" Oil on panel, has taken a while to do. Along with other paintings in the 'queue of paintings drying' this one is now being considered Done ✅

It looks so tiny up on my easel

and was surprisingly fiddly to paint.  

I think the bigger paintings are far less challenging, but I do enjoy a challenge as you know.

The reference photo was used Thanks to a friend, Elizabeth Darlington, who was happy for me to use it for this artwork.  I always appreciate it when people are okay with my use of their photos.

"Stonehenge at Sunset"

Art Supplies

I have to say that I'm not someone who particularly loves shopping.  Okay, looking around the shops is one thing and I enjoy a bit of window shopping.  When it comes to shopping generally, it doesn't do it for me.  HOWEVER....that is until I go into an art suppliers....Wow!  Bliss or what.  

A bit of a distant memory nowadays though, but better everyone is safe during these very weird times.

So my art supply shopping is now done ONLINE....Yay!  and oh boy did I order the other day.  Which resulted in this BIG BOX OF CANVASES arriving 

Various sizes from 6" x 6" through to 24"x12 - I have enough to keep me going for some time.

Oh, and I also got Oil paper blocks too, Jackson's Art own brand.  It's lovely paper with such a

great texture to  it.  A delight to paint on.

So many THANKS to JACKSON'S ART SUPPLIERS

who were very efficient sending this out and supplying tracking to boot.

🎨🎨🎨

A tweak or two later....

I started this painting some time back.  One of those pieces that I needed to have some "Thinking Time" for.  Somehow the paint moves about when it's drying (no not literally), but for some reason when you leave a painting and don't look at it in a while, you go back with fresh eyes and actually 'see' what needs to be improved on.  

That happened with this Oil painting, and I was pleased to see it didn't need much work - in fact very little tweaking, only a few adjustments here and there and now I can call this one finally completed.

Work-in-Progress

Currently this one is on the easel.  I keep dipping into it every so often, then walking away and having a think about it.  Of course, when I come back and look with 'fresh eyes' I know the next move.  I like this process, the anticipation of adding the next area of Oil paint is exciting and daunting in one go.  There's nothing like the "Feel" of adding smooth creamy Oil paint with the brush, and then finally adding the "Finishing Touch Highlights" with palette knife.  

Watch this space!

#nopressurethen