Pasture by the River

photo of painting "pasture by the river"
“Pasture by the River” 7in. x 5in. Prismacolor pencil on paper, mounted on Letramax single-weight illustration board.

A small river can be very relaxing, especially if there are a few cattle grazing in the distance in a pasture on the opposite bank. This pencil drawing is a preliminary sketch for a possible painting. A quick colored pencil sketch is a great way to capture the moment, or key aspects, for later reference in the studio. But in this case, my sketch is not done so quickly; it’s more “finished,” which allows me to better understand how I might best approach the painting.

$60 – Buy on Daily Paintworks

Hazy Day Statue

“Hazy Day Statue” 7x5in. Prismacolor pencil on paper, mounted on Letramax single-weight illustration board.

I spent a fine morning at Vaux-le-Vicomte, the château of Nicolas Fouquet, Marquis de Belle Île, Viscount of Melun and Vaux. The great estate has magnificent gardens and statues. I was drawn to this statue, where a light early morning fog seemed to enhance the distance. This colored pencil sketch is a preliminary for a possible painting, and allowed me to explore the hues, soft morning light, and values of the view. As a preliminary sketch, there are flaws, available as is.

$45 – Buy on DailyPaintworks.com

Following the Sun

“Following the Sun” 5x7in. Acrylic on MDF.

“Following The Sun” A colored pencil drawing of my 14-year-old kitty, Paris, who spends her mornings and afternoons following the splash of sunlight around the living room. She’s my sole companion at home, and thinks of me as a “cat with a can opener.” Her outside friend, a stray named Snowberry, lives on the front porch and Paris tells me whenever Snowberry is hungry. I’m not sure how she knows. I’ve not worked with colored pencil for a couple of decades– I once used them to do advertising art “roughs” and “comps,” but not for fine art. Painting and drawing is difficult for me lately, so I’m looking to gain insight into new approaches to drawing and painting by working in colored pencil. This is my first effort to learn by working in colored pencil. I used a single Prismacolor pencil (cream “PC914”) on a scrap of the black cover of an old Bienfang drawing pad. Smooth surface. Difficult to erase if I mess up, so I tried not to mess up.

NFS

Paris Royal Comfort

paris royal comfort, kitty
“Paris Royal Comfort” 7x5in. Acrylic on MDF.

For more than two decades my two kitties have kept me company, and very pleasant company at that. One kitty is gone now, and this pretty girl, Paris, remains with me. Although she’s getting older, and has sustained a back injury that makes it difficult for her to get around, she’s nevertheless happy, curious, a bit of a fighter, and very affectionate. This is her favorite spot on the loveseat for watching Stark Trek and other shows with me in the evening. Either here, or in my lap.

NFS

Endangered One

endangered one, bengal tiger

“Endangered One” 6x6in. Acrylic on MDF.

I met this fellow some years ago at a Big Cat Rescue, only to learn much later that the animals (about 300 of them) were being abused and neglected. Today, the previous owner is gone, a new organization has taken over the care of the cats, and many of them have now been moved to more suitable forever homes. Fortunately for me, I have photos of him, so wherever he is today, this painting is in honor of him. As one of my collectors said when he saw this, “The Bengal Tiger is one of God’s most beautiful creatures.” Agreed.

SOLD