Sketches and experiments in oils

At lunch time, I go downstairs and sketch on a piece of paper the everchanging ocean at Martin's point. I am trying to translate these sketches into paintings. Without the help of a camera, you have to rely on your memory and creativity. I also bought these cheap golden frames from Michael's and I'll try to see how the final products would look in those frames. I took the pictures quickly so I can post this as I haven't posted for a while, so I appologize for the low quality of the photos..One of the photos is of the blue berry barrens from a sketch that I did when I lived downeast..

Self Portrait

When I look at a picture, I feel it is so easy to paint. However, the reality of watercolors is very harsh!! After a careful drawing, you start to paint, and things go out of hand. I had a different vision in my mind for this painting, but I am posting it any way.

Random Subjects

Passing Shower

I bought this book from Marden's for 3 dollars. It is a collection of photos about "Work". The pictures are great. This is of a goat herder from Syria. It brought childhood memories to me. We used to visit my aunt in Syria during summer break. She had a simple but hard life. She had a pinkish brown goat that she used to milk in the morning. I know some people dislike the taste of goat milk, but the whole experience of milking, then heating the milk, with a thick cream layer on top, was magical to my childhood eye. A young herder would come to the village and pass by the houses, then he takes their goats to the desert where they feed on wild bushes.
In this picture, the sun is trying to break through, while a light shower is still passing over this herder and his children..

Bucks Haabah

This is from Bucks Harbor around my old house in Down East Maine..The area is desolate but very inspiring..This is probably around March last year, or like they say Maaash..

Stormy weather

2 new paintings

Last week I destroyed 2 paintings..This week I tried to be patient..It is hard to paint while running after the kids, but I managed it!! The lines may be skewed because I took the pictures from a weird camera angle..The real paintings are more perspectively correct..

Watercolor tragedies

This weekend I spent a good amount of time on two paintings..Both were going great. However, right at the end, the final touches, both were destroyed..I did have some "distractions" which I attribute to this disaster!! My advise: if you are not in the mood or getting tired or distracted, leave the Watercolor alone!! Come back the next day with a fresh heart and finish the job!!

Cape Neddick Lighthouse

I am working on a few paintings for our new medical center. We'll be moving in November, but I have to submit them before the end of this month. This is the first one. I got the picture from the internet. The sky in the picture was completely blue, so I created the clouds. Also, the picture had a small red shed and a white picket fence. I eliminated them as I thought they would create a compositional imbalance. I am trying to convey a sense of early spring, where the winter clouds are still lurking around, but the sun bravely shines and tries to kill the chill in the air..

Weekend Painting

I finished the Vietnamese Guy w the cigarette..The other one I did on Klimanjaro paper I just bought... It is much cheaper than Arches and still professional grade..I think I am happy with the results..

Cigarette

Shirt still needs to be painted, but I wanted to post it any way..

Martinspoint..

These are 3 recent paintings..I have done a few other sketches but decided not to blog them..

The brick building is Martinspoint Health Center in Portland. This is where I work as a physician. I went yesterday morning into an island called Mackworth Island, and I did the 2 landscape paintings. The other one is facing south east..There was this sail boat that stayed in position for an hour so I was able to put in the picture. The tide kept on changing, and the sun was making me lethargic, but I decided to finish them on the spot!


The third is a painting of Gabriel, my son. I wanted to achieve an old movie character to it, so I laid an orangy wash over the whole paper. Then I started with the details.. I feel that I got too technical, so I am abandoning it for now. Watercolors need to be fresh and never overworked. I will consider working on it again later, otherwise it might join the rest of the paintings in the unwanted portfolio...And yes, he was sticking his tongue out!!

New paintings

Watercolor

This is a 10X14 done in roughly 25 minutes including sketching time..I thought it was good for someone who hasn't painted in a while!

Jude

I didn't mention that God has blessed us with a new son, Jude. This is my first painting of him. God bless and protect our children, they are so precious!!

Gaby Again

I did this very quickly with no planning at all. I almost threw it away as it doesn't look a lot like Gaby. However, it was a nice spontaneous exercise. May be I'll keep it for now!!

Gabe

Kennebec Rd Version 2

This is another version from my last post.
I like this version better.
In the real painting you could almost feel the sunny summer haze. The colors are also more transparent and in harmony. The camera again did not do this painting justice!!

Landscape

This is from a picture I took while driving home from Work in Machias..I have painted the same view a few times before. I started with transparent washes, and everything was going great. Then the foreground gave me some trouble. I glazed the foreground several times trying to achieve the right tone and color, but I ended up with a muddy look. A piece of advise: Learn to stop!! I think I should have stopped when everythng was looking good. It still looks OK I think!!

Moved

We moved to a new house recently..Basically needed some more space. The house we were renting was very small for 2 dogs, a baby coming anytime soon, and a child running all over the place. So, between the move, and long hours at work, I have not been able to do any paintings!!! I am going to try to do one this weekend. Probably, people are getting tired from seeing my sad looking portrait!!

Self Portrait

Portland

This is on congress street near the Museum! I would have liked the buildings to be a little more transparent..It still looks OK I guess!

New Portrait

Street Scene

New

This is a different version w warm neutral colors..

Another cow painting, different Interpretation

So, this time, I pushed the house to the right, moved the road entirely to the other side of the painting, made the machias river more evident...So, although, this is not a good impression of that place, it is a free expression of my imagination and creativity. I am a little looser here.
I am going to see how much I could push my imagination on this subject!

Gaby's

Cow experiments

So, I am trying to liberate myself from details.
The picture of these cows is very different from the painting..I tried to do different variations. The one on the bottom is the first sketch. In the last one, on top, I pushed the house more into the center, and I made the fence in the field drop down a little. Also, trying different colors. I think, though, I still overworked each of them. It is hard to tell yourself to stop. I will try a few more interpretations!