One peach got eaten and the other went bad, so no more peaches. So instead I painted some S’well water bottles. (Water has been a theme this month: several glasses of water, and now some water bottles.) I didn’t finish this, but it’s a decent start. Not sure whether I’ll continue it or start something new tomorrow.
Geoff Watson, “Water bottles (in progress),” oil on linen, 5” x 7,” 2019.
I love painting peaches, but I’ve always had trouble with them: they aren’t shiny, so they’re harder to model than, say, apples or grapes. True to form, I struggled with these peaches today. (I like the water glass in the background better!) I may paint more peaches tomorrow, just for the practice.
Geoff Watson, “Peaches and a glass of water (in progress),” oil on panel, 6” x 6,” 2019.
I spent more time with my glass of water, trying to improve the drawing, edges, and lighting. I think it’s better, but I will step away from it for a few days to think on it. I’m certainly getting good practice with foreshortened drawing!
Geoff Watson, “Glass of water (in progress),” oil on panel, 6” x 6,” 2019.
It was a beautiful day out, but I still felt like painting glass and water, so I stayed inside and set up yet another little still life. I spent only an hour on this, but I think it’s an interesting start. The drawing needs a bit of work, but I like the light.
Geoff Watson, “Glass of water (in progress),” oil on panel, 6” x 6,” 2019.
I painted this exact scene two years ago, but I did not look at that painting again before stepping up to the easel and trying again. I didn’t want to be influenced by the earlier picture. One thing that changed was my canvas: I chose a wide surface this time. Another difference is that this time I painted it all in one go, in about two hours; last time I worked on the painting for three full afternoons! So the “old” one is somewhat more detailed and refined, but the “new” one has its merits too. Here’s today’s effort:
Geoff Watson, “The Canal from Rehoboth to Lewes,” oil on linen, 6” x 12,” 2019.
And here’s the painting from two years ago. I blogged about it, briefly, here: https://www.geoffwatsonart.com/blog/2017/8/2/boat-on-the-rehoboth-lewes-canal?rq=Lewes
Geoff Watson, “Boat on the Rehoboth-Lewes Canal,” oil on panel, 11” x 14,” 2017.
Time to renew my annual visitor’s pass for Great Falls National Park! It was a gorgeous day today: sunshine, low humidity, no clouds, and a strong breeze that is unusual for Washington summers. I hiked from the Visitor’s Center to the overlook trail, then found this view of the river. It was one of the few times that I didn’t have to alter the scene to suit the composition: everything was already placed just so.
That said, the conditions were a bit challenging. I painted “contre jour,” into the sun; you can see this from the angle of the shadows. As the afternoon wore on, I had increasing difficulty seeing my canvas. Bugs were biting. And I was set up on a somewhat rocky slope, and my feet hurt after a while. So when I got back to civilization, I found a few stray marks on the canvas that I hadn’t noticed. But to maintain this piece’s status as a pure “plein air” work, I have left those marks where I put them. :)
Geoff Watson, “Great Falls,” June daily painting # 12, oil on linen, 8” x 10,” 2019.
I had my most enjoyable day of painting of the year! My family and I traveled to the Chesapeake to enjoy a party with friends and relatives, and I brought along the paints. This yacht was sitting in the late-afternoon light, just begging to be painted. So I obliged it! There was a pleasant south breeze, temperature in the low-80s, sunshine, good food, and lots of friendly party-goers wandering up to my easel to chat.
It was one of those paintings that felt right after the first 10 minutes. I sketched in the hull, leaving the light bit unpainted, and I knew right away I'd be happy with the composition. It may not be perfect, but it sure was fun.
Geoff Watson, “The Yacht,” June daily painting #2, oil on panel, 9” x 12,” 2019.
Today is my birthday, and it was a glorious day of warm sunshine here in the D.C. area. I celebrated by spending the day painting a bend in the Potomac River.
Geoff Watson, "Small Waterfalls on the Potomac," oil on panel, 8" x 10", 2017.