Croissant and Berries

Croissant and Berries. 6x6, oil on paper

My wife bought some of these delicious croissant and I couldn't resist painting one. I promptly ate it afterwards, after washing my hands of course. I want take a moment to give a shout out to Rosemary and Co. I ordered some new brushes from them last night. They make excellent tools for an incredible price. I bought a set from them two years ago and they're still going strong.

The Butterfly Sojourn

I was reorganizing my studio when I came across these illustrations I did a few years ago for a short story I wrote about a butterfly. There are ten of them altogether. I remember being dissatisfied with them at the time, but I guess they weren't so bad.

Here's the full story: The Butterfly Sojourn.

Water Glass and Orange Slice

Water glass with orange slice. 6x6, oil on paper

So I made some changes to my set up this week. First, I acquired some Utrecht brand oil paints. I've been using Winsor Newton brand oil paint for several years, but now I can finally afford an upgrade. I also upgraded to Gamblin Gamsol odorless mineral spirits. Turpenoid has been my go to brand since college, but Gamsol is clearly superior. This is one of the first paintings I did with my new materials and I was pleased with the results.

The Volcano

the volcano. acrylic montoype

This print was from a batch I did a few months ago. It was created with a gelatin print technique. I recently made a "permanent" gelatin plate by adding glycerine to my mixture. This plate doesn't need to be refrigerated and also has an extended lifetime. I did a series of island prints with variations of these colors. I'll share some more of these in the future.

Howl

Howl. Acrylic Monotype

Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise. Acrylic gelatin print.

Gelatin printing is an excellent technique for making low cost prints from your house. I've been using the technique for a little over six months and love the results. For those of you whom, like myself, enjoy the spontaneity of monotype printmaking, gelatin printing is great solution to the lack of access to an expensive etching press.

Willowspring in Autumn

Willowspring in Autumn. 7.5x11, oil on paper

I painted this at a nearby park last autumn. I was attracted to the shape of the mountains and the trees in the foreground. This is one of my favorite spots for plein air painting. Several people approached me while I was working on this one, including a young man and his children who wanted to watch me paint "like Bob Ross."