I went out yesterday with the intention of capturing lots of photos from which to edit and paint from in the comfort of my studio (or condo)  when I happened upon a comfortable bench which provided a lovely view of the Flagler Museum.  Whenever I find a comfy seat and a good view I  prefer to sketch than photograph.  So here is the result of this fifteen minute drawing exercise.  I used a rapidograph pen to build the framework (or bones) of the scene.  The next step was to add shadows (flesh), followed by details(features).  Lastly, for the color (makeup) I used a limited number of colored pencils.  This is the four step process I use when doing these small pen and ink studies.  I made sure I took a couple of photos to capture the shadow pattern and a few passers-by I may or may not decide to use in a future painting and there you have it: A charming little reminder of a pleasant day outside and all the information needed to paint a large version at my leisure.  Hope you try some of these gem-like studies or at least enjoy looking at them from time to time.

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On the Rocks

This is an acrylic painting on an 8x10 canvas.  I am not totally happy with the outcome but I feel I am making good progress in this new medium.  I wanted to push it in terms of applying watercolor-like washes and thick strokes of paint as in oil to see what it would do.  I am happy with the composition so I will definitely attempt this scene again as I get more proficient with acrylic.   What I found is that some of the lighter tones came out very chalky which is the same problem I had when I began oil painting some time ago.  I am not too worried about it though.  The fact is I could do an outside color study of this size or even smaller very quickly and without a lot of mess with the acrylic paint and then finish it in oil back in the studio.  So, onward and upward.  By the way, this is the first actual painting of Palm Beach I have done in the two years I have been wintering here. 

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On the Fence

Another experiment in acrylic.  This time I wanted to focus on the types of brush strokes I can get with the paint on paper.  I am pleased with the similarities to oil but once again how fast you have to work in this medium.  I also notice that the paint dries much darker when it dries.  This is the direct opposite of watercolor which dries lighter.  Mmm, interesting.  Anyway, I have painted this section of Palm Beach before.  It is a little bed and breakfast over by the supermarket that we use.  There are all sorts of wild flowers and pots thrown around and mixed in among palms, some dead, some alive. I like the color scheme and the light effect very much. 

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City Place

This is a quick (10 minute) sketch I did this morning in City Place, Palm Beach's version of Faneuil Hall.  I had to stand because the one bench near my viewpoint was soaked from last night's rain.  Shortly after I finished the pen and ink sketch it poured again and I almost got caught.  The building on the left is the Himmel theater which features operas and plays year round and the neat building on the right is a Restoration hardware.  There is a giant group of office buildings between these two interesting buildings that I felt would add nothing to the scene so out they went. This is the biggest advantage of drawing/painting versus photography.  There are all sorts of shops and restaurants all along this strip which brings out lots of colorful people.  Add to this the music played all day, the fountains and lots of nearby restrooms, and this is a wonderful place to sketch.  When the rain subsided I came home and added colored pencil to the sketch from memory.  My goal today was to complete one colored sketch.  Mission completed.

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Palm Beach Marina

Okay, so here is the painting in acrylic.  As you can see I changed a few things from the initial sketch.  The biggest change was the boat shape in the focal area.  I felt that the big single boat in the sketch took too much away from the rest of the scene.  In order to correct this problem I opted to make several smaller boat-like shapes to create the illusion of a busier marina.  I am happy with that change and I think I captured the lighting of the day pretty well.  I am still cutting my teeth with the acrylics so I am not totally happy with the painting.  Acrylic is like oil and watercolor but has its own unique qualities.  It dries very fast so you have to think pretty quick on your feet.  Oil on the other hand takes forever to dry but you can manipulate it all day until you get it right.  Oh well, I guess it's a trade-off: a convenience of quick drying and non-toxic smells.  In any case, the weather is much improved down here now so I am anxious to go out to sketch again soon.

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