3 Graces (Journey - part 3)

In the selection above ↑ I used a bowl scraper to apply the paint, 

which I think was Transparent Yellow Oxide (and cold wax of course).

Just a note that whenever I mention a color of paint, for this journey,

it will always be mixed 50/50 with CWM.

The progression below ↓ was using a brayer,

one of the ways you can compress - 

which is a very useful technique when

using CWM + oil.

I rolled the brayer over a paper towel (that had a design) which

left a delicate design in the paint.

Adding the blue and the thick paint ↓ to my "Graces" made

things pop. We will see if it stays around.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Day.

Are you ready for 2020?

See you next time and thank you for checking in!

3 Graces (Journey - part 2)

  

The great thing about the cold wax and oil mixture is that it's

quite quick to set up once you have the base layer down. It is ready for

more layers the next day, or even 8 hours later.

The recipe I am using is to mix about 50% cold wax medium
(I am using Dorland's) and 50% oil paint. 

From the last stage to the one above,

I added paint with a brayer,

and also used a palette knife.

My palette is earthy warm colors (so far) and as you can see,

in the progress photo below, I re-lined my figures because I didn't want 

to "lose" them under paint layers. 

I used a burnt umber oil paint stick made by Shiva and Jack Richeson
- these are the kind I have below.

There are a couple on the market. 
Another brand is R&F Pigment sticks. 

I haven't used that kind.

I will try to keep "finding" my figures

as I work with the layers I am applying.  

My goal with this piece is to have many layers of CWM and paint

so I will have something to scrape and gouge into.

Speaking of gouging and scratching,
I took a photo of the other tools-of-the-CWM-trade I have been using
for this painting. There are many, anything you can
think of to help you make marks! 

Below is a photo of the Dorland's CWM (Cold Wax Medium) jar,
Citrasolv, various palette/painting knives, a brayer, a bowl scraper (green), 
a black plastic fork, and some tissue paper. The blue box
is a "wet palette" keeper. It does well keeping the
oil/CWM from drying out too much.

Until next post ...
since it is getting close to Christmas,
I wish everyone a

Merry Christmas!
&
Happy Holidays! 
🥗

Come on a journey with me

This journey is one of exploration. 

I have not been there before. 

I don't think you have either, and

I wonder if you would like to tag along to see where we go?

It began around March 2019 when the screen in our bathroom window

developed this image (above) from condensation drips.

It looked a bit like a figure ... a Giacometti-type figure.

I didn't think it would be possible to get a photo of it, 

but it came out ok.

Then,

I started thinking 

about this idea as a painting. 

The sketch (below) was from March; 

am tentatively calling it 3 Graces.

 Painting began

in July.

Charcoal on an underpainted canvas panel   10 x 8 inches 

The panel stayed like this until December.

I am going to use Cold Wax Medium with oil paint.

First layer is a light value.

I will journey through this painting with you by my side.

 I don't know where it will end or when.

It will be an adventure.

Thank you for checking in.💕

🎨

Treadwell Ditch Trail "A Lovely Hike"

Along the Treadwell Ditch Trail, Douglas Island, Juneau, Alaska.

A Lovely Hike  (b&w)

I just finished a commission painting that was a no pressure painting. How many commissions can you say that about?

I did what I wanted to do and the client was happy.

Here are progress photos that I remembered to take!

This panel (a gessoed masonite board) was meant for another painting,
but I abandoned that idea.

My sketch (and notes) from a photo that the client took. 
I originally wanted to take my set-up and go out to the trail and get the painting started.  

Time got away from me and winter began, so I didn't do it.

The following photos show the mark makings as I stumbled through.

I knew I wanted the vanishing point about 1/3 up from the bottom.

To me the photo showed the trees all "almost" pointing 

toward another vanishing point up in the sky.

I think if you had hiked the ditch trail, you would recognize it in this painting.

I have hiked it many times and love it. From our house, doing a circle route,

the hike is about 7 miles.

The most fun was painting the understory and the path, 

trying to leave some of the underpainting showing 

but giving the feeling of lots of senescing vegetation.

I want to go hike it soon again!

A Lovely Hike (Treadwell Ditch Trail)    24 x 18   oil on Masonite   ⓒ Teri Gardner Robus

Thank you so much for checking this blog.

 I appreciate you!

Plein Rein 2020 new calendar time!

The plein air painters of Juneau, AK 
(Plein Rein Painters - this link is for the facebook page) 

have made a calendar for many years

and I have been involved for a few of the recent calendars.

Our method of selection is quite democratic; 

we submit up to 3 images

and then on one day we show up

and vote for 14 our favorites. 

One for each month, one each 

for frontispiece and the package cover.

This year my painting (painted IN June) is the June 2020 calendar page!

I am honored to be in this famous calendar.

I never did blog about this group plein air outing, 

so I will now ... here are the photos from that day.

Above photo is the original scene from where I was standing

  (out-standing in the field ... 🤣) ... sorry ...

I remembered to take some progress photos!

My fav wildflower, if I must pick, is the Shooting Star.

Dodecatheon jefferyi

There were a ton of them out in the wetlands 

of Eagle River (a bit of the river is showing in the painting).

Shooting Star Blanket       oil   en plein air   8 x 10 inches

Please note: this painting is now in a private collection in Austin, Texas.

Thanks so much for checking in ... happy fall and happy painting!

🎨

Conundrum (art exhibit)

I'm not in a conundrum,

this is the title of our show.

Front of postcard

Back of postcard

Challenge #1 

We didn't know when we did our memory painting challenge 

that we even wanted to have a show!

(Note: Patrick painted over his cat painting, I cannot find mine;
so two of these are photos - the gray & black one on bottom L and the reddish cat at top R.)

Challenge #2

Challenge #3

Challenge #4

Challenge #5

Challenge #6

Challenge #7

Sorry I didn't crop some of these photos ...

Challenge #8

I decided, upon suggestion of my husband, actually, to put paint swatches up for the challenges with a limited palette, to show what we used. 

I missed the close-up photo of the swatches for challenge #2.

Us 4

We had a great time at our opening! So many people!

Wish you could all see it in real life. I hope some of you Juneau people

go before we take it down. 

Let me know and I can personally guide you on a tour!

Thanks for checking this blog, I so appreciate your interest!

🎨