plein air in fresh snow

oil on board

This one is from last December at Skokie Lagoons. We had our first significant snow that morning, but it warmed up enough as the day went on that it was all gone later. I was painting under a tree, and started getting large plops of snow on the board I was painting on. (About 20% of this was done at home, tweaking things.)

Field Museum outing 2/05/2016

I went back to The Field Museum last week, mostly staying in the bird area and working in a Strathmore Toned Tan sketchbook.

marker and gouache

Pheasant-Tailed Jacana and Parasitic Jaeger

colored pencil

Great Black-Backed Gull

marker

White-Tailed Deer

Field Museum outing 1/13/2016

I took advantage of a free day (for Illinois residents) and went to the Field Museum last week, with art supplies in hand. I worked as fast as I could, not stopping for lunch, and got 3 pieces done (or started).

marker in Strathmore toned tan sketchbook with white gouache

I have always marveled at the massive antlers of the Irish Deer skeleton they have on display.

(I added the gouache highlights at home)

watercolor and gouache

I started this in watercolors and struggled as I do not have 3 hands and did not bring any kind of easel, so I took it a good bit farther at home.

pencil in Strathmore toned tan sketchbook

This is either a Blackbock Antelope or an Indian Gazelle

Figure Drawing (at the zoo)

Yesterday I finally did something i've been meaning to do for a while. I went to the zoo and drew animals from life. I have been drawing a lot from photographs, but there's nothing like the challenge of drawing a living, moving creature in front of you (that doesn't know you want it to stay still). The ostrich was the hardest, as I liked one particular head position it went into, and I had to keep waiting until it did it again.

An alpaca that everyone kept identifying as a llama (understandably)

2 recent plein air paintings

Along the path at Harms Woods

gouache in Stillman & Birn sketchbook

Kessem Pond at Emily Oaks Nature Center

oil on board

I have been trying to get out lately to paint while fall colors are happening and before it gets too cold. Hope to do so some more next week.

Last Summer Portrait

oil on canvas board

This is the last painting I did in Ken Minami's class at EAC. I feel a little bad as I managed to age this lovely young woman by a few decades, but I still was pleased with the painting so here it is.

What I made on my summer vacation (2015 edition)

I went to Michigan City, IN and South Haven, MI this summer.

Below are the drawings and paintings I brought back.

watercolor & gouache

Lake Kai

pen & ink, ink wash and gouache highlights

My attempt at catching a fleeting light/color effect in the sky

gouache

A scaly-barked tree that caught my eye

gouache

attempt at painting a nocturne

watercolor

study of a wave

pencil

ubiquitous plant

pen & ink, ink wash and white pencil highlights

The sloop Friends Good Will, which sails out of South Haven harbor daily

pencil & marker

colored pencil