I’ve begun a new painting in my Monday (aka “weird” class). I’m including a photo here of the original (photo from a calendar) and my very beginning efforts.  This is the class where we trace lines from the photo, transferred on to the canvas.  I think you can see the trace lines so you can see what i’m talking about.  Canvas is small — 9″ x 12″ (compared to 18″ x 32″ for the red boat house painting).  So part of what i’m needing learn is painting in small spaces.  (By the way, don’t pay any attention to the sky in the original.  The photo is on very glossy paper and it reflected too much light from the ceiling.  I think you can still get the idea.  I’ll include a better reference photo next time.)

I didn’t realize it has been a month since i posted anything on this site.  I’ve been working on both the red boat house painting and the painting from my other class (which i’ll note in my next post.

For the red boat house work, i’m calling it done.  There are surely improvements to be discovered or made but for now i’m over it!  I’ve learned a good bit during these 3 months (yes, it’s been that long on this piece!) and i think i’ve reached the point of diminishing returns.  I’ve reworked a lot of the painting in the past month.  i don’t think the amount of effort i’ve put in is reflected very well in the photos, but on the other hand what i’ve learned isn’t reflected too well in the painting either.  that is in part because i repainted several areas several times to try to get a better feel for what i was doing. For example, most of the sky has been repainted.  That “green mountain” has been done and redone 4 or 5 times.  Etc.  I did a lot of the work at home, trying out various techniques, and then requested feedback in class.  Today i told teacher i wanted to paint (well, repaint, of course!) the little islands in front of the mountains; and i wanted to add mist in the mountains.  ( I see from my November 10th posting that this painting had mist in one of its prior iterations.  Just take my word — it’s been taken out and put back in a couple of times since! — Ah, the beauty of working in oils!)