Plein Air

I have always wanted to go out and try plein air painting. Well today weir farm was having a plein air outing, so I went. First, what to pack. I know you are suppose to scale down for plein air painting, but I had a hard time leaving any of my supplies behind. So I packed just about everything.

The outing was to be from 9am to 5pm with shuttle service from the local elementary school. Weir farm doesn't have a lot of parking. I got here around 1 o'clock figuring four hours was enough time to paint. Then at the end the artist were to get together and show their works.

I got there at one and did some walking around. I am new at this and it took me a while to find something I wanted to paint. I settled on this because I like the angles of the building and the wall. Plus I liked the swoop of the ivy growing on the side.

So I set up my easel and made a pencil drawing. Next I took out my jar of ink which had a loose cap and  spilled ink all over my hand. I cleaned up and then did the inking.

The I broke out the watercolors and started working. I love working outside. The watercolors dry fast and I can plow through the painting. All of a sudden they are calling the artists to bring their work up. What time was it? A little after two. I asked why so early, I thought this was until five. They said the shuttle stops at five. The get together is now. So I didn't get to finish my piece, but I got a good chunk done.

I'll have to work from the first photo to finish the piece. But I learned one thing, I loved painting plein air.

When I first arrived they handed out some information. When we gathered to show our art they asked if I filled the form for the raffle. I didn't. On the front, name and phone number. On the back were some questions. So and so is a pastel artist, what would you like to ask her. So and so is a print maker what would you like to ask him. I didn't have any questions so I left it blank. They put all the forms in a basket and picked one. Yup, me. then they turned it over and said Hey you didn't fill out the back. You're void. So they picked another. Hmmm, just my luck, first time I ever win something like that and I get disqualified. The prize was a basket filled with art books and chocolates.

Inch by inch

row by row I am getting there.

Color Added

First round of color added. Man, I hate working this big. Maybe it is the size or that this is more complicated than my usual pieces, but I had no joy working on this.

Inked

Got the inking done tonight.

Taking my time

For the first time I am working at a full sheet of watercolor paper. 22" x 30". This is big for me as I usually cut the sheet in half or quarters. I'm also doing a complicated piece for me. Four people in it. In the past I have had trouble making multiple people looking proportionately right with each other. So I have been taking my time with this piece.

I made the initial drawing, then let it sit over night. The next day with a fresh eye I looked it over and found a bunch of mistakes. Made the changes and let it sit over night again. And so on. It is almost there. I don't like the arm on the guy on the right so I need to change it, but I think the rest is right on now.

Green Beans Three

Done, and none too soon. The beans were worthless as reference towards the end as they had shriveled far to much.

Oops

I started my latest of the kitchen series sometime last week. I am doing snap peas. I guess I waited too long between sittings as my snap peas are shriveling up.

Big News

I finally started my own web site. Go check it out randycarboni.com

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Onions Three

All done with the second pice in my kitchen series of four. I bought snap peas for piece three. My wife is under strict orders not to cook them.

Onions!!!

I was thinking of the old Little Rascals show when they did Romeo and Juliet and Alfalfa had been eating onions. But I digress. This is the start of part two of my four part kitchen series. The tomatoes being one.

Tomatoes Three

Here is it al done.

Tomatoes

I was shopping over the weekend and liked the look of the vine ripened tomatoes. Even better, a good still life subject.

More postcards

Here are a couple more of the post cards I sent.

Sarah's Wine Bar

Just finished hanging my work at Sarah's Wine Bar. Opening reception this wednesday 3/3. From 5 to 6:30.

More postcards

Art Exchange

Have have been in an art exchange over at wetcanvas. 15 people sign up exchange mini art with each other. I have not been posting my art here as it is suppose to be kept under wraps until the person receives their art. A couple of received mine so I will stat posting.

The first image is the inking of all 14 of mine. Followed by the watercolor portion. The next two are the ones that have been received so far.

Art Hung

I hung my art at Susi Laura Massage Therapy.

Viny

All done. Enjoy.

Viny

The watercolor portion of this piece is done. On a side note, I meet with Susi at Susi Laura Massage Therapy today. They are going to feature my art for the next three months. I will be hanging my work this coming weekend. I am very excited as this is the first time I will be doing anything like this.

Back to normal

Well I am back to my normal venue. This is from a photo from our yard. It is some vines and beans growing on our arbor.

It's back

I got swamped at work last week and couldn't get to my daily sketch. Well today starts a new week. So far so good. This one is in charcoal.

Rings revisited

I did some more work on this piece. I still don't like it, but I had fun doing it. I just don't have the vision for this type of work.

Thursday's Sketch

I didn't get a chance to sketch yesterday. I wanted to redo the charcoal monkey because I did such a poor job. This time I tried graphite. I little better, but nothing to write home about. (but well worth a blog post)

Sketch 1/12

Today's is a charcoal piece. It started off bad and didn't get any better. I my try this one again tomorrow in graphite.

1/11 Sketch

I always have trouble making two or more people in the same piece look in proportion to each other so i chose this image for todays daily sketch. It in in ink.

Garden Gate

Here is the finished charcoal piece. It is 18" x 20". I know it is not the greatest, but I had fun making it. I see more coming down the road.

Daily Sketch

I started todays sketch in ink. But I was quickly now pleased with it.

But then I had the bright idea to kick over to charcoal and get a little more expressive. Much happier with this one.

Charcoal

I used to love doing charcoals, so decided to try one again. I am not feeling the love I used to. Not half as much fun as dripping and splatting paint.

Daily Sketch

After a year or of doing abstracts I realized I have not been drawing or sketching anymore. Well I am going to rectify that with a daily sketch. The swan was done yesterday with a conte crayon. The woman with a carpenters pencil.

Rings

Well I made another attempt at a beer bottle abstract. I have concluded that this is not a style for me. I am not happy with the results and had no joy in making it.

It's back

Thought I gave up on this didn't you? Well here it is with the watercolor portion finished. On to the acrylic application.

Rings

I started playing with this while I was waiting for the watercolor to dry. I turned out to be fun and I kept with it. I'm not sure about this. I didn't have a direction in mind when I started. I may try this again with a design in mind.

Zounds!

I know it has been a while. I have been working on my christmas card. I couldn't post it here as people who were receiving one check in here. I have been a little bored with my drippy art so wanted to try something different. So I broke out my bamboo dip pen. I am not happy with the results at all. I was having a difficult time with the pen holding ink and could not work the way I wanted to. Here is what I have so far. I was going to add watercolor, but may not and move on to something else. But who knows, maybe tomorrow I will start to like it and keep going with it.

Oh Nuts

It took a while, but here is my latest. It is some nut shells I found in the yard. 11 x 14" Now it is time to start thinking Christmas card art.

Just Ducky

Bet you thought I forgot about this piece. Nope. Just took a long time to get around to finishing it. All done now and on to the next piece.

Coffee and Tea

My local art guild is handing out these 11" x 14" canvases. They all have a stencil on them and you have to paint around the stencil. hen give it back to the guild to sell at their holiday show. Here are the two I did. All acrylic.

Wetcanvas

With the Yankees in the play-offs/World Series I have been falling behind on my painting. I have three going at the moment and will post updates soon.

Over at wetcanvas I have been asked to be a moderator. I have accepted.

Kreative Blogger

I am the proud winner of the Kreativ Blogger. I was nominated by Angela Shogren. Thanks Angela. Part of the deal is I have to list 7 things you may not know about me. Also I have to nominate 7 other blogs. Without further ado here are 7 things you may not know about me.

1. I went to the School of Visual Arts in New York City and wanted to be a cartoonist.

2. For a number of years I put out a web cartoon called Mermbut Comics.

3. I work as a packaging artist.

4. I enjoy ice fishing.

5. I play guitar.

6. I enjoy vegetable gardening.

7. I'm a big Yankees and Giants fan.

Now to nominate 7 other blogs.

Ducky update

A little further along. The water color portion is done. One to more acrylics.

Just Ducky

I'm trying something a little different here. I used liquid acrylics. I mixed them in a squirt bottle and tried to draw while squirting the paint out. It didn't work out quite the way I wanted. Plus there was some dried paint in the bottle that kept clogging the tip. But so far so good. I can work with this.