Need to stop messing around the mountains

I call the mountains are done. If I kept working more, I would destroy them. I need to stop touching them. The mass shadow parts got good warmness/coolness and values. I'll work on the foreground shadow part to make them a little darker, then go back to cloud to finish this painting. This would be the last update.

Sky/Clouds were filled

Sky was quickly and completely filled with proper values of clouds with soft edges because I used only a No.8 soft flat brush. I'll add sharp edges later with a smaller brush like No.6 or 4. But otherwise sky is done.

Adjusting face shapes and background colors

Kept working on shapes around the face. Then adjusted some values and colors on the bucket and the door. Now I need to lighten values on the body.

Can't decide colors yet...

Although the shadow part of the mountains are getting closer to the right values, I still can't decide or find the colors I want to put on the hightlight part of the mountains. I might need to stay away from it a little while and work on the clouds. Then I might be able to find the right colors in the context.

Refining Mountains

I guess I started putting too much detail of the house and the field. So I decided moving away from that part and started refining value changes on the mountains and their slopes. At the same time, I'm refining the shadow shapes.

Still minding only bigger shapes

Although I started making each shape clearer, I'm still focusing on only bigger shapes or masses to get them right. And it's about time I need to shift toward values next. Currently they are too dark. But it's ok at this stage.

Getting darker values right

As you can understand based on the angle of sun light, it was almost sunset time. Then the shadow part was quite dark. But in human eyes, those color and value variations were still recognizable, which I tried putting on tonight in the foreground. Although the colors of river aren't right yet (it should have reflected the above blue sky), I think I got the values about right. I also put the one of eye catching shape, a house, at this early stage to check the composition. It actually counter balancing the heavy masses on the right side of the canvas, which is good.

"Porsche" Block-in

Initial block-in. As usual a little too dark except the sun-lit part. I'll tune the rest in to get better values.

Finished block-in

Tonight I spent another hour to finish block-in. Bigger shapes are now roughly defined. I'll start putting more value/color variations inside of big masses next.

Initial Block-in Stage

Started initial block-in. I kept reminding myself what I've learned over the weekend from Jim Lamb. Composition, composition, and composition. Combination of shiny hills and a strip of sun-lit ground including a house would be the attraction of this painting. I felt how small the house was, compared to mountains and clouds in the sky.

Jim Lamb Workshop Day 2

Today we went out a future townhouse site near downtown Langley, where we could see uphill pasture behind the property. Well, this almost ended up a disaster today. I originally thought I could put more into this 10x13 canvas but when Jim asked me "what is the main attraction on the canvas? Give that part enough space to appeal." I didn't know about my composition. And I couldn't quite decide what to do. As the result my initial block-out painting didn't have any focus nor structure. Then worse, all canvas was covered by muddy colors and nothing stood out. At that time I'm almost gave up but Jim suggested I re-draw based on what I have on canvas and led my focus onto the blocks of patterns. Then I started putting more rich colors to salvage this piece. At least it pulled together again and created distinctionable painting. Although of course I still don't like the outcome I got, mediocre is better than disaster. I also realized I needed to use softer brushes for plein air. Hog brushes scrape everything underneath instead of leaving a new layer on top. I'll keep this on a wall to remind me what I need to try and learn.

Jim Lamb Workshop Day1

Yesterday(Friday) I took a day off at the office and took care of some stuff and rode off to Whidbey Island via Skagit Valley. It was very nice evening although I was caught by a heavy shower on I-5, which caused me to get off the hwy near Stanwood earlier than I planned. I took some good photos at Skagit Valley before got to my motel in Oak Harbor. Then I rode into Langley early morning for Jim Lamb's workshop. Since weather was nicer than we expected, we went outside for en plein air. The photo above is my outcome at Useless Bay. It was mid afternoon and low tide. Sand beach got much bigger by the time and showed interesting shape. I didn't miss that and painted it. I think I got the values right especially the Kitsap Peninsula and sky&clouds above it. I need to take some more practice to make sand colors though.

Cat painting after years

The second piece for this month is my neighbor's cat "Porsche". I haven't painted any cats since "Comfortable Place" back in 2005. Although this is not for commission, I thought it was about time to paint the old female cat that was born in Oklahoma last century. I love Porsche in the way she returns to my affection toward her. 14"x17". I started initial drawing tonight.
When I took this photo she was on my neighbor's shaded back porch. So, what kind of brightness/values I would put on her would be the key.

100th Painting

This is the 100th painting since I started keeping records. I've reached this milestone in just about 10 years. I wanted and want to produce more. Like 12 pieces per year.
Mountains are northern-central WA just north of Riverside along US-97. I'm not sure if the far mountain is on WA side or Canada side. I took the photo on my way to Spokane then Idaho during my last vacation.
14"x23". I'm trying to fix drawing problems at this early stage.