Scary Kewpie

I have been in a slump lately so I decided to do some small still life paintings to try and jump start myself.  I set up at least 3 different scenes but wasn't pleased with any of them...then I looked up.  There, staring down at me from the shelf above, lit from below like a horror flick was this Kewpie doll.  I figured it is good perspective practice, figure practice, lighting practice, plus a little fun.  This looks better in person, the photos I took just wouldn't cooperate.

Lost Canyon Light

This is a scene I have gone back to again and again, trying and capture it.  Yesterday morning was about 10ºF when I started and today was just a little better, at 20ºF.  I came up with a plan to park my car in such a way that I could sit, partially inside, with easel just outside the door.  Although my hands and knees took the brunt of it, I did fairly well cold wise.   Not the same for the rest of it.  Oil paint tends to get thicker when it's that cold and so did my medium.  It was a challenge, but just being there watching the morning light coming through the canyon illuminating this area was worth it in the end.

Learning the Ropes

This is an update from an earlier post.  I was unsure about the background and it made several changes before I was happy with it.  Anything that sets around the studio for a while runs the risk of being changed or scraped and repainted.