Playing with Oil Pastels

More experiments with oil pastels. This time on black ground which needs more tooth for this medium.

Fruit Serving of the Day

Strawberries and Cherries, 5x7 colored pencil

Vegetable Rainbow

The last in the Farmer's Market series. 6"x24" watercolor on Arches 300lb. CP paper.

Cauliflower is really difficult to draw. You wouldn't think so, but it is.

Pansies in Cream

These are not really giant pansies, the pitcher is really a small Fiestaware creamer. 8x8 watercolor. (No. 19)

Not Another Landscape Painter

I am not a landscape person. But, I wanted to play with the oil pastels after doing the portrait below, so I just started scribbling around on a pretty piece of Canson pastel paper. I didn't know a little forest would appear. Though this is really just an exercise, but I feel compelled to put ornaments on the trees and print it up for Christmas cards. I guess if I can draw Christmas candy in July, I can do Christmas trees as well.

Silence, 8x10 oil pastel on mi teintes paper.

Despite the overwhelming desire to mess these next two up, I am (for once) leaving them alone. That may be the key to why I like portraits and still life subjects so much better -- lots of little details to color.

High Bluffs, 8x10 watercolor.

Sunrise Mesa, 8x10 watercolor

Peppers and Onions

5x7 watercolor. This one makes me want to make salsa, if I can find some tomatoes. Number 17 in my Summer Still Life 30. I liked the yellow light and softer look to this one.

Number 18, Farm Fresh Onions, 5x7. I liked this image from our farmer's market for its whites, lights, and all those angles. Tried a sketch of it and then colored it in with watercolor and colored pencil.

Sweet Mama

Sweet Mama, oil pastel on mi teintes pastel paper, bisque.
My daughter, Shelley, and her daughter, Regan. This is my first oil pastel portrait and, as with any new medium, I learned a lot of ways not to do it. It amazes me still that I just don't like landscapes, but really enjoy doing people. Little Regan was ready for a nap here. So, this is essentially another entry into my "grandma's brag book" of portraits of my grandchildren.

Lettuce and Radishes and More, Oh My!

Still life challenge now more than half completed.

Depression Glass Still Life. 10x10, colored pencil. Now, it may appear that the etching on the glass sort of danced right off the plate. It did. I'm keeping it that way, because I like it. In person, these lemons don't look quite so pinkish. This is a distortion from the photography that I can't seem to eliminate. However, the shading on the lower right and upper left are accurate and I liked those parts, too.


Radishes, 5x7, watercolor

I liked the chocolate-y muddy water these were soaking in. The idea is to play fast and loose with these as I tend to get bogged down and mud up the whole danged thing.


Lettuce, 5x7, watercolor


I really liked these lettuces. They were displayed on an old bookcase that looked like mahogany. If the same vendor is there again this week with that prize, I might buy it. It was very pretty, and obviously much abused. Then again, it might be a beloved family heirloom that does duty as a workhorse.

Still Life No. 13

This one counts. It is for another weekly photo challenge all media project from Artist's Network, but it counts anyway. I liked doing this one because it was fast, loose, and cute. Lesson learned: stay loose, you won't pull as much hair out! This lesson is heard loud and clear as I have been working on a painting than ran away with me and became a muddy mess. Dontcha hate it when that happens? Resisting the urge to "fix" this where it is "messy" is difficult, but not impossible.

Market Day

This is my first real series of paintings, small or otherwise. In this case, they are all 5x7, Arches 300 lb. cold press watercolors and colored pencil.


I have six planned and here are the first two.




Guitars, 5x7, watercolor


Baskets, 5x7, watercolor


The paintings are all based on photographs taken at our local Oceanside Farmer's Market . There are actually two markets on Thursdays -- the morning event and the Sunset Market from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and I know of no reason why I haven't been. Might get some pretty nice evening pictures there, too, come to think of it.


Oceanside still has that little beachtown feel to it, despite the fact that it's more of a city these days. These baskets are actually hanging not in a market booth, but a Johnny Manana's, just down the street. Johnny Manana's is THE place to go for burritos and beer for breakfast. Now, that might not sound much like breakfast to some of you, but you surfers and beach bunnies know what I'm talkin' about. Afterall, there isn't much difference between brunch and mimosas, or Bloody Marys, or screwdrivers, for that matter, than burritos and beer. Except, maybe, price and ambiance. I'll take cheap beach, any day!

Made It To First Base!

This is summer, and summer is baseball season, so my title up there isn't really so odd considering I just completed number 10 of my self-challenge of 30 still lifes for this summer. I figure that is like making it to first base, second 10 would be second base, et cetera.



Breakfast Bowl, 10x13, colored pencil on Mi Teintes steel gray paper.

Christmas Candy in July

Where does all the Christmas paraphernalia go for the summer? Answer: the back of the pantry. Found this jar of leftover hard candies in our pantry while scouting interesting things for my still life challenge. I liked the out-of-context feel of it and the forgotten little sweeties, just sitting there, seemed sort of hopeful, in a way.

Challenge of the Koi

Over at artistsnetwork.com , in the forums, a weekly challenge was initiated recently (like this week). The challenge is open to all media interpretations. Here is a LINK to the challenge forum. Challenges are a fun way to get the gears rolling and for trying something different.



Here is my daily painting/challenge entry. Oil on gessoed panel. 11x14. Fun to do and definitely challenging.

I'm Worried About Violet

Still Life No. 4 in my summer challenge to do 30 still lifes over the summer. Title: "I'm Worried About Violet", oil on masonite, 8"x10". I am not sure I like the masonite ground, still getting used to it. But, this is quite a departure for me, all that purple! The carnival glass, barely visible on the left, was fun to do, though, and just might be included in some more of these.