"Faye" 6 x 8 oil

Faye was our sitter at Goward House Portrait painters in Victoria BC today. First I did a face-on sketch in charcoal just to warm up (I won't show it here). 

It is our last session before the Summer Break and everyone did very well ...

 

"Farm Fence - Saanich" oil 8 x 10

I was drawn by the curving fence.

"Poppies and Wild Roses" (Saxe Point) oil on canvas board 6 x 8

Painting from my heart with no commercial agenda in mind, only deep respect for the medium and application. I love what I do, and hope you do too ...
First I sketched the scene on my blank white canvas using thinned Cadmium Red then applied the main colors with a broad brush, only hinting at detail, allowing some of the underpainting to show through.
I use water-soluble oils. Some call it water-mixable. I like the Grumbacher Max oils mostly but I also use COBRA from the Netherlands (watervermengbare olieverf) and ARTISAN by Winsor & Newton water-soluble oils too.

Click on the image to see a larger view then press your BACK button to return here. Your COMMENTS are always helpful to me.
Thanks
Ron

"Trish" pencil portrait 9 x 11

Our sitter at Goward House this week was Trish. 2B graphite pencil on Robert Bateman bristol paper.

"Hillside Morning" oil on canvas mounted on Baltic plywood 6 x 8

Moss seems to gather on a remote stony outcrop, especially if the only passing traffic is the occasional deer. My friends always want to know where this is - well I'll give you a clue = Nanaimo on Vancouver island where I lived for a couple years.

"Saxe Point Musack" en plein air 11 x 14 oil on canvas board

Although the sun was shining on Vancouver Island this morning we were greeted by a chilly sea breeze - which was good 'cos it makes the tree bend al la Group of Seven and it was no problem to cheat the cold by throwing on a sweater. Following the sale of an earlier painting of mine which was done with juicy brushwork a little light went on in my mind - bing! So I went thick impasto today. 'Hope you like ...

"Marilyn" oil on watercolour paper 10 x 12

Firstly I sketched Marilyn's face with Conte pencil just to get the drawing done, then I wet the entire paper with ordinary kitchen cleaning spray. While the paper was wet I used a paper towel to wipe the whole paper down and started applying oils - (water-soluble oils).

I'd never done this before so beware if YOU try it.

Marilyn was our sitter at the Goward House Portrait Painters this week. The likeness isn't accurate - I was going for how I imagined Marilyn might FEEL inside ... so the painting is expressive rather than an accurate representation of who she really is. A different reality, if you like.

"Jess" 9 x 12 oil

Figure session at Goward House Portrait Painters last Tuesday.

"Japanese Lantern" 8 x 10 oil on canvas, Baltic ply

This is my study in greys - a stone lantern about man-height at the bottom of the Glendale Gardens in Saanich, Vancouver Island. Painted en plein air,  two-and-a-half hours in the wind and dust!