Vacation sketch

We had a great time at Babcock State Park this year. Unfortunately, it rained more that we would have liked, so our outdoor activities were somewhat limited.

On our only sunny afternoon, we were quite industrious, hiking to the famed Long Point to see a spectacular view of the New River Gorge Bridge. On our return to the park, we wandered down to the Glade Creek Mill to enjoy the scenery and sunshine.

I settled on a rock by the creek's banks, and drew this scene. I then tinted it with my handy travel brushes that carry a water reservoir in the handle, but I have to admit the results were less than stellar. I've used the brushes before while on vacation with some success (see this post to understand what kind of brushes I'm describing), but I was unhappy with this effort.

So, the sketch you see below is actually a new drawing based on the original sketch, and I will tint it using my regular watercolor brushes. When drawing I use pencil first, then go over that sketch with Pigma Micron pens in three thicknesses.

When I've added the watercolor, I'll post a new image.

Postcard promotion

I promise I will post about painting soon... or at least as soon as I put my brush to paper again.

But in the meantime, I had to share this wonderful card that I received in the mail today from Anne Finlayson at VMRC. That's my painting in the bottom corner, and I am so surprised and elated to see that they chose that image for the promotional cards for the show.

Anne also sent one of the color brochures listing all the participants. That piece also includes some images of the accepted artwork, and "Wisdom Watching" was included there! So I'm really happy and humbled to see images of my work alongside the pieces of other artists. "How did that happen?" pops into my head every time I see them.

So, as the card above indicates, the show opens May 29 and runs through June 30 at the Park Gables Gallery at the Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community, 1491 Virginia Ave., in Harrisonburg, Va. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Faces finished

Here are the long-promised close-ups of the faces in my most recent painting. So far all reactions to the painting have been positive, and I'm generally pleased with how it developed.

The faces have been developed using Jane Paul Angelhart's palette of transparent and semi-transparent colors. However, I did substitute one of her stalwart pigments, Holbein Olive Green, in favor of MaimeriBlu Sap Green.

I have found in difficult to work with the Olive Green in some past paintings because it pushes toward orange tones when glazed with reds and pinks. I found that the Sap Green was more neutral in skin tone applications. I want to test that idea further in my next attempt at a portrait.