Natural directional lines

In this painting I’m trying to emphasized the natural directional lines of the photo, along with the strong contrast between dark and light colors to draw the viewers eye into the canvas.

Lawrence Block

Dreams are like stars...you may never touch them, but if you follow them they will lead you to your destiny.


Lawrence Block

Secrets of success in 8 words, 3 minutes

Netherlands series of oil paintings

I forgot to mention that this series of paintings will be from photographs my sister- in-law took while on a business trip in the Netherlands. ( Thanks Jenny, great camera work ! )

I started this painting incorporating the same techniques as the last.

Liquin to get a water color affect

I used the Golden palette of colors with the addition of  Daler-Rowney's Yellow Green and Terre Verde. I also uses quite a bit of Liquin which helped to get a water color effect. This is a small painting 6"x 17 1/2".

loose charcoal sketch directly onto the canvas

I’ve been wasting a lot of time painting directly onto the canvas while continually correcting drawing errors with paint. This just go for it attitude has not been a very productive way for me to work at this point in time.


For the next series of paintings I’m going to do a loose charcoal sketch directly onto the canvas, then paint right over it. I figure with the drawing already worked out on the canvas, I won’t have to fuss with proportions. Then I can just dive right into the painting process.

Shut up and go paint something !!

I’ve been checking out some artist blogs on line and I’m inspired yet dumbfounded by the amount of oil paintings some people are capable of producing.


There level of commitment and discipline to art is extremely intense. At times I question my own work ethic and often find myself stewing over the question....am I really doing all that I could ?

I can daydream of oil painting all day, but an 8 hour a day/ 5 day a week job has a way of draining the life out of my antistatic spirit.

By the time I stand toe to toe with the easel, that bolder sized motivation I had at the start of the day has been grinded down to a pebble, leaving me snow blind and confused staring into the abyss of a blank white canvas, forever having to rummage through the depths of my soul for the energy to lift the brush to the canvas....... Uhhhhh... Wait !.......

Lol..... I just read that back......too much drama, I should just shut up go paint something !!

Slow Art