Sketch of 7th Avenue

Today I studied a plein air painting I did in New York last summer and thought about ways to improve it. I did about a dozen Notan ink sketches (black and white values only, in a sketchbook), and finally settled on a backlit variation.

Then I spent about an hour quickly sketching my idea with oil paint. I used a limited palette of four colors plus white, following a suggestion of Terry Miura: (1) yellow ochre; (2) transparent red oxide; (3) a little black; (4) asphaltum; and (5) titanium white.

It's obviously just a sketch, but I'm liking the composition! I may try to develop this into a larger studio piece. I'd add more cars, people, details, and clarify the drawing -- but, I hope, maintain the lighting and feel.

Geoff Watson, study, “Sketch of 7th Avenue at 57th Street,” oil on linen panel, 8” x 10.”

Daily painting #66: Central Park

It was a hot and sunny day in New York, so I bustled my way to Central Park to do some painting. As I mentioned earlier, I brought only four colors on this trip — red, blue, yellow, red oxide — pus white. With that palette, it was hard to get some of the bright greens in this scene, but it sure was fun to try. I can see why some people advocate a limited palette: it makes you think more carefully about mixing paint. Anyway, I did this little sketch in about two hours, with the tiny 6” x 8” panel propped up in my little Guerilla Thumb Box.. I sat on a bench until the sun bore down on me, then stood behind a tree, then sat on the ground. Meanwhile tourists bustled all around me. Challenging circumstances!

Geoff Watson, “A hot day in Central Park,” July daily painting #5, oil on panel, 6” x 8,” 2019.

Daily painting #65: Self-sketch

I’ve taken my daily-painting show on the road! I’m in New York visiting family, and I brought a portable easel and five tubes of paint: red, yellow, blue, white, and transparent red oxide (for sketching). I spent the evening trying to paint family members, but I kept wiping out half-decent efforts — without remembering to photograph them for this blog! Dumb! So I got back to my hotel room with nothing to post. But the daily painting streak must live on! So I did a quick 15-minute self-portrait sketch, in just one color, transparent red oxide. Not great, but I like the old-style sepia feel.

Geoff Watson, “Self-study (sketch),” oil on panel, about 6” x 8,” 2019.