Sketching in Oil

After a winter that wouldn't quit, spring has finally arrived

 in the mountains of western North Carolina.  

Energy is evident everywhere and it's contagious!  I am 

out of the rabbit hole, back from western travels and...ready to paint!  

Thank you for traveling with me.  

Let's get back to the easel.

It's easy to use "spring cleaning" as a delay tactic when wondering just where to start on a new painting venture.  If I find myself dusting shelves or cleaning toilets I know I am sinking in that land called "procrastination."  So I gathered up a stack of 9 x 12 canvases, put them on the table of my studio with a paintbrush and pile of photos nearby.  This is my "warm up" station.  The theory is to tackle one photo and one canvas quickly....not agonizing over every little detail.  To get in, get out and be done in no more than 2 quick sessions.  Good or bad results don't matter; the deal is to get your hands dirty and your mind tuned up...like stretching before a run.

I was so enthusiastic on my first day that I forgot to take early photos....I could hear the mental clock ticking and wanted to get my session in before I lost my steam.  So here is what the first swipe gave me:

Please don't recall that I once swore never to paint cows....after a week with grandchildren the expression on this calf made me giggle so I had to do him.  I let him dry, went on to bigger stuff and returned the next day to finish up.

Done.  Remember, it's an exercise....trying to draw in oil and work with what goes down.  Warming up.

So today while out sketching on a nearby farm I met another cow...this one had the cutest harlequin face with a white heart and a triangle just below it.  I tried so hard to photograph her and of course she would glance down as soon as the camera came out. But I wanted to try.

Now, if there is one thing harder than painting (or photographing) a black dog, it is a black cow!

Nothing shows up!

See what I mean?

But I'm going to try and this time I captured the rough stuff for you to see.

Really rough...but warming up.

Time to quit for today.

I may actually start using a timer so that I don't get overly involved in these warm-ups and defeat the purpose.  But for now this is fine.  I'm sure this baby will morph a bit when I return.

I hope spring has you contemplating new projects and ideas.  I have a feeling that flowers will be next up on my agenda...they are so incredibly gorgeous right now; and I think I remember saying that I would never paint flowers, so it is about time!

Warming up....literally, figuratively and colorfully,

Cindy