slow down and using a couch

I am now using more patience and going much slower when I paint in oils. No bravado for me. I like saucy glazes and using a couch onto which apply them. (thanks Sadie) Thinking lean to fat I begin with turp layers. Next I apply a couch of 1/2 turp and 1/2 linseed  to the portion of the painting I am working on that day. It makes a wonderfully slippery surface, paint just glides. Wait between layers. At the end the couch is linseed, stand and no turp. Using this method allows me to play with my strokes and they can disappear or stand out, my choice. I wonder what will happen when I go bigger. These recent ones have only been 6x6. I wanted to SLOW down.
I am also wondering what will happen if I decide to do a closed grisaille (using white and burnt sienna), instead of a turp layer???
I want to go back to that swamp... love found and lost, how tragic!

early evening at the swamp and my passion for drawing revived

When drawing with long straight lines you start by estimating the longest tilts. Sadie calls it "building an envelope." Remember to spend at least 75% of the time just looking. Put your hand down between strokes. Figure out the major decisions first. gradually, as you whittle down the form, a contour begins to appear. Remember strength and integrity comes from the drawing. Color can not support poor drawing.
I have always done thumbnails. Now I will add a contour drawing to my repertoire. Sadie said that 25% of your painting time should be spent drawing. Integrity in your lines and form, that's the key. You need to look, look,  and look more. Why is it doing what it is doing?
This drawing was made on tracing paper with an H pencil. The tracing paper was taped to BFK. It is in it's "almost done" state. A little more refinement is necessary. In it you can see the straight line block in on the right. Some of the lines have disappeared and become more refined on the left. I will try a small landscape using my studies and this drawing. (sorry for the bad photo, it's difficult to photograph tracing paper.)

One last Florida painting. This one was done in the early evening and the drawing was done that same session. I will miss that swamp pool.

early morning at the swamp pool

It will be hard to leave my little swamp pool. I never knew Florida could be so beautiful. I could paint these swamp pools forever. I leave today. When I return home I will blog more about my amazing workshop with Sadie. I really feel this can be a life (art) changing moment. I have big plans. If you haven't seen her blog or website, sit down and give yourself a real treat. Here's her link.

oil on board
This is my small painting of my Nova Scotia rocks. While not a beautiful painting, it was an eye opener about many things. More about that later.

the nature of organic form and sunrise in florida

6x6 pastel on BFK
This is the pastel I did yesterday morning. The light haze rising from the water was so compelling. I sit now in Starbucks waiting to see what this morning's light will reveal.

While I wait, here are more tidbits from Sadie's wonderful workshop... Enjoy!

Put aside your verbal knowledge of nature. Visualize and remember these most important notes from Sadie.

The nature of organic form, whether the human arm or a sycamore tree, follow these tenets:

*It is always tapered, never parallel.
*It is always convex or pushing out, never concave. Even when something looks concave it is really made up of a series of convexities.
*Everything spirals-trees and arms included. It spirals in both directions although one direction is more prominent.
*Everything is interlocking.

florida fog

6x6 pastel on BFK
Yesterday morning was thrilling...fog!!!!!  The air was so moist that my paper actually buckled.  I am waiting for the sun to rise so I can go back to the little pool of water!

Florida color studies

two small Flordia studies: left 7x7, right, 8x10 pastel on BFK
When I am not painting in the studio with Sadie I am always managing to keep working to study my true love-the landscape.  The painting on the left is early morning- the values of the trees and mosses are so very close I had to nudge them a little to create more space. The painting on the right is an early evening painting, again the nudging took place. It's always amazing to me how very hard it is to acclimate to a new landscape. It takes a while to understand its nuances.
Sorry to answer everyone's comments so late. This morning I drove to Starbucks (which has free internet) at opening 5:30 so I could get it done before my morning vitamin. I value your input.