These azaleas are fading already, so I rushed outside to paint them while I still can. I’d like to try working them into a larger composition if they’re still blooming after tomorrow’s rain.
Geoff Watson, “May Azaleas,” oil on linen panel, 12” x 16.”
After a week of rain, the sun finally came out today, and I wasted no time getting outside. I painted these azaleas and dogwoods while standing on my front lawn.
Geoff Watson, “The color purple,” oil on linen panel, 12” x 16.”
It was a lovely afternoon, so I hauled my gear out to the side of my house to continue work on my side gate. It’s getting close to completion, but I’d still like to spruce up the foreground bush and maybe tweak the background a bit. I’m glad I put in the flowers last week, because they’re fading now.
Geoff Watson, “The side gate,” oil on linen panel, 12” x 16,” 2020.
It was sunny and downright hot today, with temperatures in the 70s, so I was back outside, painting my gate. This time I focused on the right side of the picture, including the ivy and the tall rose bush, and I made some first efforts at a background.
I'm not happy with the background yet. I tried adding more trees, but they interfered with the U-shaped junction between the gate and the ivy, which I really like. I also need to work on the foreground, especially the foreground bush. Still, I like the direction this is going.
Geoff Watson, “The side gate (in progress, day3),” oil on linen panel, 12” x 16.”
Two beautiful days in a row! So I was in my side-yard again this afternoon, soaking up the sun and having a wonderful time painting this gate. I’m excited about it! Today I focused on the steps, railings and walkway. I didn’t touch the background or the right half of the picture. I’ll get to those later this week. Unfortunately, it looks like clouds and rain for the next couple days, but no worries; the gate isn’t going anywhere.
Geoff Watson, “The side gate (in progress, day 2),” oil on linen panel, 12” x 16.”
I had a fun afternoon painting under beautiful sunny skies. I chose to paint the gate by the side of my house. I think it’s a good start. The gate itself is quaint, and the flowers on the right add color and interest. I plan to spend at least another day on it, and probably more. I need to add railings to the stairs and lots of other detail. We’ll see how it goes.
Geoff Watson, “The side gate (in progress),” oil on linen panel, 12” x 16.”
I spent more time working on the flower pots at the pool, this time adding … flowers. And water to the pool.
Geoff Watson, “Flower pots at the pool,” oil on linen, 8” x 10,” 2019.
This rose is part of a larger bouquet that is sitting on our living room table. It cried out to be painted!
Geoff Watson, “Rose,” June daily painting #19, oil on panel, 6” x 6,” 2019.
I returned to the Bethesda intersection I inhabited a few days ago, but this time I painted a different corner cafe — Bacchus of Lebanon, on Norfolk Avenue. I stupidly knocked over my easel several times, and the third time I lost my favorite brush down a storm drain — arrrrgh! It was a No. 7 Eclipse long-handle flat from Rosemary Co. That brush and I have been through a lot of paintings together. It put me in a grumpy mood. (It didn’t help when a passerby sought to reassure me that the brush would make good gnawing material for the local rats.)
I still managed a respectable painting. The idea was to showcase the umbrella and its strange jungle of plants, juxtaposed with urban features like street signs and garbage cans. But if I paint this scene again, I might try leaving out the plants for a simpler composition. Also, I forgot to put flowers in the flower pots! I thought of it after the sun was already setting, and I could no longer see anything. :) I might add them tomorrow.
Geoff Watson, “Bacchus of Lebanon,” June daily painting #15, oil on panel, 9” x 12,” 2019.
Sometimes I paint better when I paint fast, and today may be an example. I spent an hour, tops, on this tiny little 5” x 7” sketch of some roses in my garden. Apologies for the bits of glare on the photo; I need to invest in a better photography setup. But I like the painting itself.
Geoff Watson, “Roses,” June daily painting #6, oil on panel, 5” x 7,” 2019.
I’m always eager to paint cars, but cars are fickle models: they tend to drive away. Today I got a great chance: a car stayed parked for hours right across from my house. Time for a portrait of a Honda Accord!
Geoff Watson, “Portrait of a Honda Accord,” May daily painting #29, oil on panel, 8” x 10,” 2019.
I had expected a dreary, overcast, muggy sort of day, but by mid-afternoon the sun was out and the heat and humidity wasn’t so bad. So I rushed outside to paint a rose bush in full bloom.
Geoff Watson, “Rose bush,” May daily painting #27, oil on panel, 8” x 10,” 2019.
I did this little sketch in an hour or so; wish I’d spent more time with it. Not a bad start, though.
Geoff Watson, “Floral sketch (in progress),” May daily painting #21, oil on panel, 6” x 6,” 2019.
For the second straight day, I felt an unusual compulsion to paint a doorway. And why not? There’s something mysterious about a closed door. But the flowers stole the show.
Geoff Watson, “Welcome,” May daily painting #16, oil on panel, 6” x 6,” 2019.
Our azaleas won’t be in bloom much longer, so I’ve got to paint them while I can!
Geoff Watson, “Azaleas,” May daily painting #10, oil on panel, 8” x 10,” 2019.
This study had potential, but I didn’t finish: the sunshine turned into clouds, the clouds became scary thunder, and I had to rush indoors to avoid being drenched by heavy rain. I still got some ideas down, and it was nice to be outdoors. I stood for the entire 90 minutes I worked, and my back felt good!
With more rain in the forecast for tomorrow, our next daily painting may be a still life.
Geoff Watson, “Unfinished wall,” May daily painting #3, oil on panel, 8” x 10,” 2019.
Here’s my second daily painting. I did this in less than two hours, with one break. I like this one a lot!
Geoff Watson, “The Color Purple” (May daily painting #2), oil on panel, 8” x 10,” 2019.
This month I’ve challenged myself to do a small oil painting every day. If you follow the online art world, you may be familiar with the “daily painting” movement. The idea is to improve by doing a little every day, rather than trying to do a lot once a week. By painting small, you can get a study done in an hour or two. In truth, I already paint or draw every day anyway, but I often use pencil, pen or other media. This month it will be all oil paintings, all the time. If my sore back holds out, that is.
That said, I may not post every daily painting here! I don’t want to inundate my readers with daily blog posts. Also, let’s face it, not every “daily painting” is a masterpiece. Today’s may be a case in point. I didn’t start until 6 pm or so, and I rushed a bit, so things are a bit sloppy. Still fun, though.
Geoff Watson, “At the window” (May daily painting #1), oil on panel, 8” x 8,” 2019.
We have some nice flowers out on our back porch, and it was the first nice day since July, so I rushed outside to paint. My plein air skills are a bit rusty, but I think it turned out reasonably well.
Geoff Watson, “Flowers on the Porch,” oil on canvas, 18” x 24,” 2018.
My mom is a wonderful person, and one of the many things I love about her is that she inspired me to take up art. She's also a terrific artist in her own right. You can see more of her work at http://www.bethwatson.com/ .
She did this painting of roses some time ago, and when I admired it last Christmas, she sent it to me as a surprise gift! So she sent me Mother's Day flowers. It's supposed to be the other way round! :-)
I'm sorry for the glare on the photo; it's been raining all week, and I've had trouble finding a good spot to photograph (or create!) paintings. Anyway, Happy Mother's Day, mom!
Beth Watson, "Roses," oil on canvas, 9" x 12."