Hunt 599 Continues

I sketched outside yesterday.  I sound like a broken record when I say that it was a beautiful day.  That saying is too old,  broken records aren't around much anymore.  Anyway, I sat in a camp chair and sketched in the travel sketchbook, a Canson Multi Media, 7 x 10 inches, with a Zig 05 pen.

Number 5, step - the step is a large flat piece of sandstone.  There are two little chainsaw carved bears one with the welcome sign and one hanging on one of the log pillars.  Cute.

Number 6, watermelon - in the Canson Watercolor sketchbook, 9 x 12 inches. 

I used watercolors from the tube and brushes instead of the small travel kit with the brushes that hold their own water.  It didn't help much.  I need to get out my color chart I made with Pomona in class so that my colors are mixed the same and also make up more to start with to have plenty and not have to mix more. 

Again, good painting and sketching requires dedication and practice.  I'm telling myself to get with it....

Sue is going to take a class with Anni Crouter in Michigan.  Her watercolors are absolutely amazing.  My son says she must live in watercolors.  Here is a link to her animals, for me the horses, but look around at the other paintings ... wow!   http://www.annicrouter.com/domestic%20animals.html

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We went to Taos yesterday for Gene's physical therapy.  Stopped in at Yu Garden to have some good Volcano Shrimp and see Amanda.  She wasn't there again.  She is in Albuquerque opening a new restaurant near the University of New Mexico.  Maybe we can see her when we go through Albuquerque.  Her place in Albuquerque will be Yu Eat.

We  bought a few groceries in Taos.  Some things are cheaper there and fresher by a little bit.  I picked up a watermelon without even thinking it was on the list.  Subconscious I guess.

Houses like this adorn the walls of the canyon between Angel Fire and Taos.  It is 23 miles and takes about 40 minutes because of the curves.  It must be scary in the wintertime. 
Here is a little time lapse video as we neared and got into Taos.
https://youtu.be/z9qA_DRBHQg

As you near Taos, the sides of the canyon go from pine trees to cedar and rocks.

In Taos, the buildings are mostly pueblo style and the landscaping is local plants that don't require much water.

Oil Practice

Painting in oil has a different feel.  Sometimes it is relaxing to smoosh the paint around.  Sometimes it tries my patience.  Mixing color is satisfying and challenging.  My palette is basic .. a warm and cool of each primary, white, burnt umber, burnt sienna and white.  I use a green similar to sap green and sometimes purple and orange to save mixing time.  You know I'm impatient.  The drying time and the clean up time of oils are a couple of things that bother me a bit.

With pastels I can just walk away when I'm finished.  I've been using vinyl gloves lately so even cleaning my hands has been easier.  I didn't like using finger covers or the old rubber gloves.  You need to feel the pastels.  I've found these "hospital" gloves much better for that.  I have been using liquid gloves, a cream, that protect the hands.  It is good but you need to stop once in a while, wash the hands and re-apply.

I did use gloves with the oils, too.  I'm using the walnut based oils from M. Graham.  https://mgraham.com/artists-colors/oil-color/  (The linseed oil in regular oil paint gives me a headache.) They are a little bit softer, the colors seem to soak into each other a bit more.  I had to add more highlights after the painting sat for a while.  They do have a medium with alkyd which I will try next time.  To speed drying and merging layers.  I think that would help the colors to sit on top of each other better.

The view is across the street/road from here.  I stood in the open garage again.  Good to be in the shade for me.  I really like the light through the trees and try to capture that.  Some artistic license was used to move things around for the composition.  I see I didn't sign it ... oops.

Vista del Rey

9 x 12 inches, oils

We haven't been able to see the sunsets from here at the house, too many trees.  We finally got some photos last night.  We started at the Resort through the window.  We could tell it would be spectacular. Took the last down on the highway.  Definitely Angel Fire.

Fun with Sue, Sketching and Painting

Our friend, Sue Modrak, was here for a few days.  Always fun and good for my soul.  We paint and sketch, drink a latté or two, lots of art and then visiting and out to dinner with Gene.  Long days but a good time.

The first sketch was up at the Vietnam Memorial.  This is the ski run area.  The tree line just sort of stops as you get into the valley.

We painted in the back yard.  I got out the walnut oil paints for Sue so thought I would do an oil painting, too.  I did one of the trees and sunlight, wiped it off and moved to the front yard and started on a house across the way.  Wiped that off too, and just did a Bob Ross style of painting to use up the paint on my palette.  I hadn't used oils in so long.  I will try them again .... soon .... before I forget how to use them again.  It was a great time, just enjoying the quiet, watching the rabbits and chipmunks.  We have seen deer every day, too.

Sue and I went to Taos with Gene.  He had physical therapy.  He dropped us at the plaza and we sketched on Bent Street while enjoying a latté and a snack.  Such a gorgeous day.  This is in the travel multi-media sketchbook with a Prismacolor pen and watercolors.

And a photo from our table.

Selfie of the artists, painting buddies.

We had lunch at Michael's Kitchen and drove back by way of Questa and Red River.  I wanted to show Sue where we painted for the paint out.  She had hoped to make it for that.  We started at Sheeps Crossing.

This is watercolor, about 7 x 10 in the travel sketchbook in watercolor.  It was getting overworked so I just stopped.  

Sheeps Crossing is a beautiful overlook over the Rio Grande in the Wild Rivers area.  It was sunny when we started, then the clouds and wind with a sprinkle blew over and back to sunny.  Gene napped while we sketched/painted. 

Sue painting at Sheeps Crossing.  I'm scrunched under a cedar tree, I can't take the sun like that, even with a hat on.

We stopped in Red River and had a drink with Barbara and husband, Lou's (Bag Blog's) cousin.  Enjoyable out on the deck at the Bull O' the Woods.  We hoped to go in the Lost Love Saloon at the Texas Red Steakhouse but it was overflowing.

We found an aspen grove on our street and tried out some more watercolor in the same travel sketchbook.

On Friday we went back to the aspens and I got out the pastels.  This is on a Pastelbord, 8 x 10 inches.   Summer aspens are green with sort of a blueish highlight.  They can look a more yellow green with the sun behind them.  There are some photos in the previous post. 

Sue's oil painting, about 6 x 12 inches.  We were sort of back to back in the meadow.  I'm very happy with our trade!

Sue painted with oils and we traded these paintings for our "remembering the time together" keepsakes.

She sketched back at the house with inktense and ink.  The yard in real time and the deer from a photo from the previous evening. 

I played with the watercolor markers, just trying out some strokes and blending.

Sue left on Saturday flying back to Michigan from Santa Fe.  All safe and sound at home.

It was our annual visit and so much fun.  We always have fun and jump start our painting. We met Sue and Wally at a workshop in Montana in 1995 I think.  We have painted and visited either in Texas, New Mexico or Michigan almost every year since.  Wally and Gene got along great while Sue and I painted.  He passed away a few years ago.  We have great memories to share.  

The annual visit is a very good thing.  It is very quiet here now.  I'm about caught up on rest so got in some sketches for the Hunt. (previous post)

And the saga continues....

Hunt 599 Sketches

Yesterday and the day before were pretty much rest and recuperate after Sue left.  Our friend from Michigan was here and it is a marathon of sketching and painting, visiting, spending time looking around, etc.  I will post with sketches and paintings soon, at least that is the plan.

I got a sketch done yesterday and one today for Scavenger Hunt 599 which I'm hosting.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1469880

Number 1, Book cover - in the travel sketchbook with a Pilot ball point pen, only pen at hand.

Number 2, couch - in the travel sketchbook with a Micron 02 and watercolor.  My watercolor skills are still far from fresh looking.  I stopped in the middle and when I came back, couldn't find/mix the same color.  The couch here is recliners hooked together, slick leather, big and bulky.  As old folks that are shorter than average, we get in and can't get out.  One of the few things in this house not so agreeable.  (You can click on the images to make them larger)

We have been very comfortable and finding the cool weather pleasant.  It is over 100 degrees every day at home. 

A few photos around here....

 At the Vietnam Memorial in Angel Fire.

 Aspens, near our AXX home.  (AXX is airline code for Angel Fire)

The plaza in Taos, New Mexico

Hunt 598 Sketches in Ink

Ink was my medium of choice yesterday.  Gene was working on the rear windshield washer on the car.  I sat in the garage entry and sketched.

Scavenger Hunt 598  http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1469552

Number 6, scarf or something you wear around your neck - my glasses.  Hard to sketch without them on!

Number 7, seed pods - some pine cones.  One had all the hard part chewed or scraped off.  Wonder what eats that hard woody part?  There isn't anything in them to pilfer.  Hmmm.

Art buddy, Sue, arrives shortly.  We will have fun for a few days.  We'll see when I get back here to post again!

Hunt 598 Ink Sketches

Another beautiful day, what can I say?  I sketched in the open garage sitting comfortably in a lawn chair.
For Scavenger Hunt 598 http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1469552

Gene was in his reclining lawn chair after cutting some thistles with the shovel.  Good timing for the Hunt.

Number 4 Shadows - of the trees
Number 5 Shovel
Number 6 Shoulder or body part

Sky is on the list, but it was a solid beautiful blue.  No clouds.  Not easy to sketch in pen and ink.  I will see about getting out the pastels tomorrow.  We are bound to have a few puffy clouds.  It did get partly cloudy after I came in.

It is interesting how the subject sometimes chooses the medium.  Sky and water sketches/paintings need color to be successful for me.  Sketching other things in pen and ink just seem to fit as a sketch.  Ink can show shape and form, but hard to show the nuances of items that are in color.  What is your favorite medium?  I still lean to  pen and ink for sketching, maybe adding a touch of watercolor.  Always, pastels for painting.