"Red Barn and Tractor" oil 16 x 20

As a plein air painter I usually paint smaller canvas-covered boards but today I stretched a 16 x 20 and chose this scene on Vancouver Island because of the reflection of the barn opposite, plus the tractor is a good centre of interest for me.

"St.Charles Lane" oil 11 x 14

A glimpse of the sea is your reward when you wander down the lane to the Ross Bay beach in Victoria, BC.

I have painted this scene twice before and I guess I may paint it again some day - my reward is the changing colours and the painterly challenges.

Your comment (see below) will be appreciated.

Ronald the Relentless

"Stan and Helen's, Gonzales Bay" oil sketch 11 x 14

Located on the beach at Gonzales Bay.

This is my loose sketch done on the beach in about an hour this morning. It was a mixed tide for a couple hours, so my navy friends tell me.

I scrapped this work after trying to establish contact with the owners of the house. Sulky Ron.

Click the image for a bigger view. Feedback is essential for this emerging artist...

"Dinghy Launch" oil 12 x 16

At the Oak Bay marina it's fine and clear now but a windy week left a lace of leaves at the water's edge and kelp patterns still appear on the beach.

Messing about in small boats is the thing to do when you live at the coast. Will a leisurely trip around the bay give you the same lift in life as a motorcycle ride? Boating or riding? Press "no comments" to be the first to drop me a note.
Thanks
Ron
Oh, and click on the painting to see a bigger image...



"Slow" Acrylic 8 x 10

There are times when a great big truck can seem so very small, especially when being commanded by a mere slip of a girl - I mean flag person of course!
The painting is a partial - and this blog is interactive so I'd like your opinion as to whether you miss the rest of the vehicle - would a fuller rendering of it really add to the painting?
Reply by hitting "no comments" below.
Thanks,
Ron

"The Bush at Cattle Point" 6 x 8 Acrylic

Today my lovely lady and I went plein air painting at Cattle Point on Vancouver Island. I felt like a quickie sketch and nailed it in an hour and ten minutes, is this rendering too loose for your taste?

 Hit COMMENTS to add your piece. Click on the image for a bigger view.



"Piper's Beach" 8 x 10 oil

When we first settled in Canada some twenty years ago we lived in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.  Then my favourite outdoors spot was Piper's Lagoon. Last week we went back to see family, and my brother-in-law and I took time off to paint the beach at Piper's Lagoon en plein air.

If you know Nanaimo too, do you think we should have turned around and painted the lagoon instead? Use COMMENTS to reply.



"Triumph TRP 650 cc" oil 6x8

Three generations of Wilsons have owned this 1969 Triumph police motorbike. My dad, me and my youngest son.
By being truncated (my late dad's favourite word) we believe the cognicenti are able to ID it 'cos of its configuration. Are you with us? Please leave YOUR comment below.

"Indian Motorcycle" Acrylic 6x8

At the annual Moss Street paint-In last week three bikers recognised the vintage bike in my painting and came over to say hi!

Success! I teased them about looking like accountants and we all had a good laugh.

Check out my general work on Fine Art America - go there and search for "Ron Wilson."

Cheers Guys! Ride safely.

QUESTION:  I have used my 'artistic license' and I've cut up the motorbike - does this spoil the image for you? Replies wanted, hit COMMENTS below.

"Moss Street" acrylic 11 x 14



Left alone, the forest floor develops all manner of supportive life - light filters down and around on a perfectly sunny day.

I was drawn by the colours in the range of lights filtered by the leafy ceiling. I chose acrylic paint because of it's utterly clean end-result, and I avoided actual "drawing" - instead I moved the brush from light shape to light shape, letting the spots of colour tell the story, the details kinda took care of themselves without being overstated.

"Stuart" 8x10 Conte pencil on Bristol paper

Stuart was our sitter at the session of the Goward House Portrait Painters today. We're on a summer break until September but I'll be back with more Plein Air and Studio work in the meantime. Watch this space.

"He-who-follows-Buffalo" 11x14 oil on canvas mounted on panel

"He-who-follows-Buffalo" - click on it for a bigger image. Post a COMMENT.

"Willows Beach - wading" watercolor 7"x10.5"

Three busloads of kids appeared while we were painting in the rain this morning. No problem - they got even wetter by wading on Willows Beach on Vancouver Island. School's day off?

I like switching between the different painting/drawing media - oil, charcoal, acrylic and today - watercolor. K I S S of course.
Click the image for a bigger view. Post a COMMENT.

"Heritage Truck 2" 8 x 10 Acrylic paint

"Heritage Truck 2"

This old truck seems to be moved about the grounds of Heritage Acres on Vancouver Island.

I like its faded beauty. Once upon a time it was a really useful pickup to someone.

If you can name the year and make please post a COMMENT.

Thanks,

Ron

I guess you know by now that you can click on't for a bigger image.

"Willows Beach 2012" Acrylic 8x10

Using acrylic paint this time, I joined my fellow Al Frescoes Plein Air painters at Willows Beach, Victoria. Perfect weather. Click to enlarge.
Please post a COMMENT (see below).

"Trevor" oil 11 x 14

"Trevor"

Trevor sat for us at Goward House today. We gather on a Tuesday for three hours each week. Each artist can invite a sitter to pose for the small group of about a dozen portrait painters. It's darn good exercise, we develop the eye and the lessons learned do visit upon other genres such as landscapes and still lifes. Of course the sitter gets to chose a painting of herself/himself to take home by way of thanks for sitting for us.
You can enlarge this image by clicking on't...
Your reaction is invited - click on COMMENTS or use the more direct email facility by clicking on the tiny white envelope. Thanks,
Ron

"Walking the Dog" 7.25 x 6.3 oil

"Walking the Dog"

Who is walking whom? The owner? Hmmm-- anyway it's great to be out together in the morning sunlight.

Email me by clicking on the tiny white envelope below or POST A COMMENT to share your reaction with my viewers...fancy a walk?

Thanks,

Ron

"Lahaina Homestead" oil 10 x 12

"Lahaina Homestead"

The roof seems typical of the architecture I found in Maui. I guess it suits the climate very well.

"kim" 11x14 oil

Our sitter at the Goward House Portrait Painters today is Kim. I must say, she did a good job of keeping still for the three hours that it took us to get the portrait done.

YOUR comment will help this emerging artist - me! Thanks,
Ron

Study "Hawthorne Method of Painting" 6x8

Charles Hawthorne (1872 - 1930) says use a blunt knife to paint then paint something that is NOT PRETTY.  So I chose this good-looking John Deere

tractor, not my usual flowers.

He says avoid drawing, just put a spot of colour in the right place then another CORRECT value and colour next to it. I did everything he told me:

I missed my brush and I missed my drawing and I used an awful lot of acrylic paint but had FUN - just like he said I would....it was a useful study and I learnt a lot by reading "Hawthorne on Painting.".

What do you think? (See COMMENTS below).

"Woodwynn Farm 2012" Acrylic 8x8 inches

This is the main building of the 100-year old Woodwynn Farm on Vancouver Island, a wonderful remnant of an era gone by.
Click on it for a bigger view, and see this work on my Fine Art America site where my painting is for sale.
Your reaction is welcome - see COMMENTS or click on the tiny white envelope to send me an email instead.

"Tessa" 11x14 acrylic on Foamular

Foamular is rigid insulation used for insulating buildings - my son Tim works in construction and he had a few pieces lying around. I'm experimenting with this support, believing that it should last as long as a house. In any case, acrylic takes to it very kindly, binding with the millions of tiny bubbles on the surface of the insulation.

Tessa was our sitter at Goward House today. Click on the image for a bigger view and press COMMENTS to give me some feedback. Questions gladly answered, simply click on the tiny white envelope to send me an email if you choose not to use the COMMENTS facility.
Ron

"Gonzales Observatory" oil 11x14

Strong sunlight plays on the white-washed observatory making everything else around it quite dark. Plein Air painting, Victoria BC. The yellow blooms are Scottish Broom which has been designated as an invader species but it certainly spices up the palette for an artist...click the image for a bigger view - also, drop me a COMMENT please. Or click the tiny envelope to send me an email.

"Red Berries Roadside" oil 6 x 8 inches

A riot of color along the rural roadside of San Juan Island, Washington State.


Lately my Facebook friends have been sending me encouraging messages about my loose brushwork, so this new painting approach is in response to your encouragement. Thanks you guys.

Click on it for a bigger view.
Your COMMENT will help me. Thanks, Ron

Chinese Gate of Harmonious Interest - oil 16 x 20

Click on the image to get a bigger view.
I wore five layers of clothing so I kept warmish - several people came up and spoke. Barbara Hay even took some flattering photos of me. Here's one:

At the Opus Paint-out Challenge in Victoria, April 21, 2012.

"Red Boat and Mt.Baker" Acrylic 6x8

This vessel was a common sight in the waters of the Oak Bay Marina, opposite the Glen Lyon School property. It stands in the shallows because of its twin keels. I was drawn by the reflections in the water and the majestic Mount Baker in the background.
Click on't to see a bigger picture. Please COMMENT.

"Clover Point" oil 6 x 8 and "Ross Bay Beach" 8 x 10

A plein air painting done in a little over an hour this morning, leaving me time to try another study (see below).

Keith Hiscock gave me superb advice as to how to tackle the sand, at the bottom of my painting.

He said to add a little texture 'cos the sea above is pretty strokey, and texture on the beach ties the brush treatment in harmoniously. I tried it, and he's right.

You know by now you can see bigger images by just clicking on them.

Your COMMENTS are invited.

The Turban" oil 12 x 12

Captain Bill introduced today's sitter, Kulbir, a Sikh who had also worked with him on BC Ferries.
Click on't image for a bigger view. Drop me a COMMENT (see below) if you will....

"The Boat Pond" Acrylic 8 x 10

When it's full sun I get to saturate the canvas with colour, especially if it's contre jour on that day. The boat pond in Victoria BC is where shorebound sailors can exercise their seamanship from a municipal bench.
Our master stretched his legs out, creating a interesting shadow below.

"The Yellow House" oil 11x14 Banfield Park

Today I chose a complicated scene way out of my comfort zone - trees, roads, buildings, etc. (photograph above) and reduced it to a two-hour oil sketch en plein air.

It was a wee bit stressful but I did it.  Sometimes it's good to step outside of the comfort zone and to tackle a subject that one wouldn't normally paint.

I liked the repetition of the windows and pickets - two, two, four, four....and the pavement of course.

As exercise it's worth it. I don't think it's the greatest painting since sliced cheese, yet it taught me a lot. 

This building is on the Craigflower Road above Banfield Park in Western Victoria BC.

"Sheep May safely Graze" acrylic 8x10

Lambs abound at this time o' year -- daffodils bloom and new-born lambs stick by Ma.
Click the image to see more. COMMENT and send this artist your message (see below)

"Diane" 10 x 14 oil portrait

Midway through my painting did I see a badge on Diane's jacket that she is a recipient of a new heart, an operation she had in 2004. The badge invited questions. What a great idea.
Anyway, I was in the company of at least a dozen portrait painters at Goward House today and I chose to do a profile.

"Hot Heart" (chillies) 6 x 8 oils

These red chillies have a curl at the top of their stems, so in composing my arrangement I twirled them around until I saw that they made a heart shape. Voila.
The image is clickable should you want to see a bigger picture. As usual your COMMENT is invited (see below).

"Sailor on Watch" acrylic 6 x 8

Having been in the merchant navy myself, I love sea dogs. Rest easy.
This guy will look after your stuff...

"Tennis Player" iPad2 digital rendering 6 x 8

Drawing with a finger on a tablet is becoming the must-do art thingee these days. Here's my iPad2 rendering with an ArtRage app.

Technology apart, I'm still moving within the bracket (whether in oils, acrylics, w/c or pencil), still striving to nail a personal style, a recognizable signature....
You can click the image to see a bigger picture.

COMMENTS encouraged...is there a Wilson style?

"Nicolle" conte pencil

You can click on the image to see a larger picture - it's Nicolle at today's session of the Goward House Portrait Painters -- I chose Conte pencil 'cos these sessions are a wonderful way of experimenting with different media without offending the sitter. I mentioned the deal in an earlier post - you sit and then you get to take home the portrait that you like best.

"Maria the Second" oil 8 x 10

We never see ourselves in profile, but others do - if the likeness is reasonable our friends and family may just recognise us.
Anyway, our sitter at the Goward House Portrait Painters Group was Maria, our second Maria. (Scroll down to see my first Maria).
I like contre jour 'against the light' lighting even though I was running the risk of her not recognizing herself by me choosing her side view.
The purpose of the group is to stretch and practise - and I found the benefits of these exercises visit upon all my other media - drawing, still life, wildlife (!) and landscapes. Accuracy and interpretation is what I aim for.
The painting time was just over an hour. Click on it to see a larger view. Add a COMMENT which is great feedback, good or not good...

"wicker waits for thee..." acrylic 6 x 8

As the seasons turn, the garden waits for us to sit a while. Busy bees need a breeze out in the open - if only for a couple minutes or so. I liked the contrast between the turning leaves and the new Spring grass. Maybe I'll take time to go and sit and ponder over the positive points of life...

"The Cookhouse Theatre, Maui" oil 6x8

A flourish of color at the Cookhouse Theatre on Maui - I think I responded to the old-style building with its corrugated roof and top vent for the Hawaiian heat. Great stuff.
Click on't for a bigger view and your COMMENT (link immediately below) will guide this emerging artist, thanks!
Ronnie

"Mount Baker in the winter" oil sketch 6x8

It's TINY - only 6 x 8 inches and it took me 39 minutes to sketch in in oils. Why so quick? Well, there was a chilly little wind a-blowin' at Willows Beach in Victoria BC this morning.
Click on it for a bigger view and leave a COMMENT (below) to guide this emerging artist...

"David" 11x14 oil

Danish-born Canadian David sat for the group of Goward House Portrait Painters today and charmed us all with his gracious persona...

Benefactor, inventor, and art collector.

"Green Bottle" 11 x 14 acrylic on plywood

I bought this bottle from a thrift store for three dollars (empty) because I like the way that light filters through the glass. All I had to do was to add the two brass goblets to complete the composition.

"Blue Ford" acrylics 11 x 14

The funky Blue Ford is the third in my series of old cars. I believe it is a 1934 model but you Fordies can put me right....
Most car paintings are tight and photographic but I wanted a loose, brushy look.
I learnt to spread my colours so that there are little spots placed here and there, adding I think to the harmony.
As you know by now, you can click on the image to see a bigger picture - also drop me a comment should you have a thought about this piece...see the COMMENT option below.