Something Different

Back to the porch and trying something different with the Blick Gray markers.  The middle gray markers could be a little lighter in value.  The three to the dark side are almost the same, very dark.

This is in the Ohuhu sketchbook with the markers and I spent about 5 minutes on it.  Just trying to get the shape with as few marks as possible.  Will try later with pastels.  Should be fun.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 67

https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-67-may-2-may-10.5443/

Number 11 courtyard - this is a sub sort of, it could be the courtyard for the hummer, but more like its dining room.  

The idea came from Enid's pastel class yesterday.  The assignment for the week is to paint something in the style of an artist you like that has a very different style than your own.

I really like Ans Debije.  I'm not sure why as it is a little abstract but not???  I love the bright rich colors.  Been following her for a long time on Daily Paintworks.

https://www.ansdebije.nl/artwork#/category=All&mode=search

We will have to see if I can emulate her work in pastels.

Not sure if emulate is the right word.

 emulate - transitive verb

1. To strive to equal or excel, especially through imitation.
2. To compete with successfully; approach or attain equality with

Maybe imitate is better.  

imitate- transitive verb

1.  To use or follow as a model.

 

Gritty Pastel

Pastel was calling my name on Friday.  I got out some "new" paper instead of wiping something off.  I found a pack of UArt paper in 400 grit.  I haven't used this sanded paper in a long time and not very many times.  It is a rough paper and gobbles up the pastels.  It is not good for blending with your fingers either.  I don't blend much.  I used some pipe insulation to blend the background to keep from using more pastel as my piece was a sketch.  An under painting would help but wasn't a good idea time wise (waiting for paper to dry).

This heavy grit does not lend itself to detail.  The writing and the bird on the books was a challenge that I didn't care to take on for just a sketch.  I'm not going to develop it more.  I will wipe it off and blend with alcohol or water for an under painting and use the paper again.  I didn't want to spend too much time on a sketch.

I left the board showing around the sketch in my photo to keep it looking sketch-like.  I started this on Friday and added just a little detail yesterday.  To design a painting, an addition of reading glasses and a glass of wine or cup of coffee might be nice.

For Scavenger Hunt from Life 65

https://creativespark.art/threads/scavenger-hunt-from-life-65-16-24-april-2023.5377/

Number 6, books and magazines.  A variety of a bird book, a novel, Reader's Digest and the wedding books of our daughter and granddaughter.  Reader's digest used to be like a pocketbook size but is about 9 x 12 inches now like a magazine.  The novel is by Clive Cussler.  he was a friend of a friend and we read many of his action books.

Yesterday was an almost perfect spring day.  We vacuumed and wiped down the porch and put the rug down.  We arranged the furniture getting it ready for us to enjoy our mornings again.  It is cloudy, breezy and a cool 61º this morning, so no porch sitting.

I received notice of new art by my cousin, David Graham.  He paints in oils and creates beautiful southwest paintings.  Have a look if you haven't for a while.

https://www.davidgrahamart.com/

No baseball today -- thunderstorms predicted.  They played a double header yesterday in anticipation of the bad weather.  The Longhorns lost all three games to the Oklahoma Sooners.  It was the first time the Sooners swept the series since 1998 and the first time ever at the Disch.  Dang.....

The Austin Pastel is having the meeting today in Austin.  Live and in person and on zoom.  There is a demo by Jeannette Cuevas.  It will be nice to get together again.  I'm not going but so happy they are being social again.  That is so good for artists.  You can check the website for info:  https://austinpastelsociety.org

Pastel Geraniums Hanging Out

I posted a photo of geraniums along with other photos in the Southwest Forum monthly challenge on wetcanvas.  In that challenge we paint from photos provided by artists and this month was my turn.  I need to paint to post on the challenge so decided these geraniums could do double duty.

Enid Wood's class on monday was about power.  The softer pastel sticks provide power over the harder pastels and under painting.  She suggests a mark on your hand to test for softness.   Heavier mark on your hand makes a power pastel.

I wiped off the apple, banana and pear painting with heavy lines to use the Pastelbord again.  This gave me a muted colored surface on what had been a white surface as I recall.

 

The board looked like it had even been used before the fruit.  I put on a little red, green, yellow and purple, wet that down and let it drip and dry.  Sometimes I will leave the drips, especially in a landscape.

In class I developed the start with hard pastels.  I did not take a photo as planned.  I get so into what I'm doing I forget about the camera.  The photo I worked from had a couple of cans hanging on a post and some dry red chile.  I might do another painting to show that and the umbrellas in the back at Orlando's Restaurant in Taos, New Mexico.  I missed going there the last two summers.  

OK, back to painting.  I had fun with this.  I muted the yellow centers after I took the photo but all in all I like the power points of bright red and light on the can.  I added the buds to make a diagonal as the painting was pretty much round and vertical.  The buds aren't quite as bright in real life.

Hanging Out
Pastel on Pastelbord, 8 x 10 inches

I hope to get this posted and send my email reminders.  It is rainy, dark and gloomy.  Rain puts out our sattelite internet at times.  It was off earlier, but on for the moment so I will sign off and send this on the way.

Thanks to Enid for her class.  I don't think I can make the class next Monday.  We go to class on Zoom.  I really need to fix a place to put up my phone to take a video of my work.  Our regular internet that I use on the computer is so, so.  The cellular data on the phone is less restrictive .  Anyway, one of these days I will get that organized.

I saw a demo by Enid on the Pastel Society of New Mexico on Vimeo.  When I was watching that I saw one by Tom Christopher.  Lou Baggett (Bag Blog) and I went to a workshop with Tom a few years ago in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  It was fun.  He puts his surface on the wall so it is upright and paints.  His demo shows how he makes the surface .. a bit complicated, but the results are amazing.  

Check out their videos (about an hour long for a Pastel meeting)

Here is Enid's painting icebergs.  She has some beautiful ones for sale.

https://vimeo.com/577252993

Here is Tom Christopher's forest scene:

https://vimeo.com/542790296

That reminds me, at Tom's workshop he was painting on Colourfix Sanded paper by ArtSpectrum.  I bought his demo.  When we got home I ordered a frame and the painting is in a flat drawer in my art work table still unframed.  It is big, about 20 x 27 and I couldn't decide where to hang it and so it sits.....

Here are some posts here on my blog about Tom Christopher's workshop and much more.  Ha.  I'm pretty wordy you know.

https://jocastilloartblog.blogspot.com/search?q=tom+christopher

Cloudscape Colored Pencil

I was out on the porch this morning to sketch the cloudscape for Scavenger Hunt 687 our newest Hunt.  That sounds like the same old thing, but it is great.  We have been having the house painted, well, the trim.  The house is brick.  The painter has had all sorts of problems besides the rain we have had.  So the porch has been without carpet and furniture for a loooooong time.  He put up a new ceiling light and fan for us and painted the porch so we now have the carpet down and can enjoy the porch even when it is pretty warm.  It was lovely out this morning even without the fan.  Nice to get almost back to normal out there.

 

 

Number 1, cloudscape - colored pencil in the big book.

Like any medium, practice and dedication is needed to portray your idea in the best manner.  I am lazy about colored pencil.  It does take many layers and blending to get the right colors and textures.  I like once and done!  One of the best colored pencil artists ever,  I "met" on wetcanvas years ago.  She is absolutely amazing.  Many techniques and styles .. you will see something you like.  Nicole Caulfield is the one!

http://www.nicolecaulfieldfineart.com/

Sketches with Larry

 You remember I painted on the stools with David in October.  I had an unexpected art time with our other son, Larry.  Joanna, Jennie, Brandon and the dogs left and it was very quiet.  Larry said, "Aren't you going to sketch today?  I'll sketch with you. "  He is our professional photographer and I hadn't seen him draw for a while.  So we did!  We sketched for Scavenger Hunt 661.

https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/topic/scavenger-hunt-661-dec-25-jan-02-2021/

He sketched in the sketchbook I got in Kentucky and I sketched in the big coffee table book.  He decided to use a mechanical pencil and eraser (he said they made one tool!).  I used the Micron 02.

 

Number 1, book

Yesterday before Larry went home we sketched again.  He decided to use a Micron 02 freehand, too.  It was such fun to sit quietly and sketch together.

Larry doesn't draw very often so it was fun to see how he works.  He is left handed, I think it is interesting to watch.

He holds the pen or pencil like a paint brush.  I should try that .. a little more movement in the lines perhaps.

Anyway it was great to sketch together.

He is an amazing photographer, see his website and Instagram.

https://www.larrycastillophotography.com/

https://www.instagram.com/larrycastillophotography/

 

There were a couple of walks around the lake and a beautiful sunset.

The back side of the sunset had some pink clouds and the moon.

Such a pretty night.  I think we all took photos.

The next day was turtle day.  We hadn't seen them for such a long time.  They had been in a part of the ponds we can't see, evidently.

 

Hungry Sketching

 I must have been hungry this morning.  I looked through the photos for the Southwest Challenge on wetcanvas and this veggie taco called to me.  Watercolors seemed like a good medium to use.  There is a rodeo clown photo in the bunch which might be fun but clowns are creepy to me, even the rodeo clown as a photo.  In real life I don't think of rodeo clowns as clowns, just as first responders.  

Veggie Taco, watercolor/ink, 10 x 6 inches.

For the Southwest Monthly Challenge.  

https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/topic/october-monthly-challenge-all-are-welcome/

Watercolor and ink in the Canson Watercolor sketchbook.  The drawing is cropped to about 6 x 10 inches.  I don't recognize the veggies in my sketch.  There were green peppers, tomatoes, corn kernels, onions and lettuce that I could recognize.  The sauce appears to be mostly tomatoes.  I would have added beans to the taco.  I would like cheese on it, but then it wouldn't be veggie, right?

I was reading blogs this morning and was reminded to look at Sally Maxwell's page.  She is an amazing scratchboard artist and lives in La Grange, Texas.  Her paintings/scratches are so detailed.  There is a horse on her homepage.  If you click on "Latest" you will see a wonderful cougar.

https://www.sallymaxwell.com/

Collaboration

Son, David, created some tables and stools for his grandkids.  He asked me to collaborate and paint pictures on them. He made the items with wood and steel.  The tops of the tables have stickers.  They are really strong and different.  It took him several weeks to design, cut and bend the iron, paint and assemble the pieces.  It took me over a week to get the paintings on the stools done. Someday the kiddos will find it interesting that we both worked on them. 

I used acrylics which took time to dry between sessions.  Don’t you dislike waiting for paint to dry?  Then David put on the seal. 

The finished products looks pretty  cute!

Tomato or Red

When I saw  "tomato or red" on the list I knew I would have to get out the pastels.  I love painting red with pastels.  I saw this piece of paper, not a very good color for tomatoes, but handy and available.

For Scavenger Hunt 640  You can click to see the sketch larger.

Number 6, tomato (or red) - a little bowl of cherry tomatoes ... and, yes, I ate the models.

The rough side of MeTeintes paper has a heavy grid.  I usually use the smoother side.    The paper color showing through does not allow for detail and in this case does not add anything to the sketch.

Waste not, want not.  This piece of paper had another sketch on the other side.  I did play in the dust for a bit.  Just about a 30 minute sketch.  Now the paper will be tossed, not a friendly color to use over again.

The blue bowl has bluebonnets on the inside.  It was made by my artist friend, Lea Blue at Blue Donkey Pottery.  Her link is in the column on the right.  You can meet her at the Farmer's Market on Saturdays in Bastrop.  She is a most wonderful person, like a daughter to me, when I see her.  It hasn't been often lately and I miss her.

Holiday Sketches

Yep, it's a holiday here.  At least for me.  My brain is on holiday, but not sure where!

The numbers on the sketches are way off. I had three items done and started this page on #3.  They are all in the big book so the previous sketch was right there to check.  Not to worry, though.  At least I did some sketching.

Branch and seed pod - pine cones

Leaf

Round

Interactive - Gene working on his computer (not from a photo on the computer)

Tree

Shed

I sketched out on the porch.  It has been warm in the mornings, around 80 degrees F. but with the fan on, not bad!

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I thought you might like to see how some of my paintings are arranged around the house.  I just moved some around.

This is in the hallway between the kitchen and living room.  The painting on your left is a pastel by Regina Burchett, painting friend.  The others are mine. The two on the right and bottom are oils and the other three are pastels.  They have museum glass so not much glare.

https://www.reginaburchett.com/

This wall faces the kitchen in the same hall.  I see them from the kitchen. 

The first little one is an oil painting I did.  It is a church, not a house.  The next is a watercolor by Lou Baggett, painting friend, of a store in Peru near Machu Picchu.  Middle row is a pastel by Jesse Baggett, we traded paintings in Red River last summer at the paint out.  Middle is a pastel by Lou Baggett, from a house in Equador as I recall.  The next watercolor is by Lou of New Mexico houses, this was a replacement for one that burned in the fire.  Bottom left water is also by Lou.  The right is an acrylic painting by Carolee S. Clark of houses in Chile.  I bought that on the internet.  She was painting from Google Maps.  Fun.

https://www.loubaggett.com/

https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/lou-baggett

http://www.caroleeclark.com/

My goal in this arrangement was to have all houses.  I have a couple more to frame from Regina and Sue Modrak.  I had a collection in the other house of houses from all over.  This new wall is a similar idea.

This was the wall in my kitchen at the other house.  Some from Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Salvador, Chile, Bastrop, New Mexico, and more.  More fun.

***  **  ***  **  ***

An artist friend from wetcanvas, Kathy Sieloff, lives in Arizona and does the most beautiful cactus blooms, horses, etc., in colored pencil and graphite.   Have a look and sign up for her newsletter to see her new work.

https://www.kathysieloff.com/

Painting Green and Sketches

We are usually in the mountains for summer time.  We try to escape the heat here in Central Texas.  The last few years we stayed in Angel Fire, New Mexico, for the biggest part of the summer.  In years past we traveled to Canada.  We are planning Canada for this summer.

I think the scenery is sooooo beautiful but it doesn't grab me and say, "Paint me!"  I'm not so sure why, but I think a big part of it is that I am not a green person.  I do not love the color green.  If I have any green clothes they would be dark forest green.

Enid Wood enidwood.com gave a good lesson in green reminding me to use orange.  I've known for a long time that pine trees take some red to look authentic.  You can mix these colors with the green to gray down the green, too.

Richard McKinley mckinleystudio.com is a super painter of green as well and his blog post is very timely for me as our world here is GREEN after all the rain and we will have a summer of green as well.

Richard's blog for the day/week:
http://www.artistsnetwork.com/medium/pastel/painting-greens

You can see how green it is in these photos for painting at the moment, too.  I mentioned before that one of the big trees out back looks like it is not going to make it in the spring when the other trees come out.  It is a late bloomer.  We thought it was dead the first year we lived here.

Here is the tree in April after the big rain.

Here it is now.

And a painting of the scene I did in 2012 as I recall. Similar view, farther to the left, without the big tree.  We did have a lot of wildflowers that year and the evening sun helped calm the greens.

Porch View

Acrylic on cradled canvas (no frame)

18 x 18 inches

I sketched in the big book with the Micron 05 pen/marker at the kitchen table for Scavenger Hunt 453, which I am hosting.  Come and sketch with us.  Even if you don't post your sketches, the Hunts give you ideas to sketch different things that you might not think of.  Sketching from life is an excellent way to hone your skills.  http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1406380

Number 5, dish detergent
Number 6, glass bottle
Number 7, a stack of bowls

Sketching XL Again and Larry Castillo Photographer

I decided last night to do a special sketch for the humongous book that was not a Scavenger Hunt item.  I tried to capture the big tree between our house and the westerly lake.

I used a Micron o3.  I need more practice to make it look like that particular tree. Branches should be longer, especially on the left.  Interesting tree.  Humongous, too.  Ha.

Today, I did the Scavenger Hunt sketch in the big book as well with a Micron Brush Pen to make it go a bit faster in XL size for a sketch.  :)

Number 13, beverage in container - Chocolate wine
Number 14, used to measure - cup
Number 15 - shovel or scoop - coffee scoop

And both pages together.  So now on day seven, I have 4 pages done.  Only 591 more to go.  Leaving 2 pages blank (4 sides) at front and back and one page (both sides)  for the Title Page.  Wheeeeeee.....
(I will not be keeping track of how many to go!)

* ** *** **** ***** **** *** ** *

Larry, son and professional photographer, has been updating his webpage and adding to his Instagram.  You will not be disappointed to go have a look, I promise.  On his website you will find beautiful photographs.  http://larrycastillophotography.com/ , look at the  Seven Deadly Sins by clicking on the Modeling tab.  Fun!

And on Instagram you find him at  https://www.instagram.com/larrycastillophotography/

Have fun, see you back here!

Scavenger Hunt 426 Sketches

I sketched for Hunt 426  http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1391217  in the large sketchbook.  I sketched to the edge of the paper and then it doesn't fit on the scanner.  I divided the sketches, and now realize I should have just taken a photo.  Guess I wanted to try scanning for nada.  (nothing)  Do I need scanning practice?  Maybe.

Number 5, fist, top and bottom views - this looks a bit more like my hands than the previous sketch.

Number 6, used for entertainment - the TV and boxes
Number 7, something you sit on - my computer chair

Friend and pastelist, Enid Wood, is featured in the December 2015, issue of the Pastel Journal under Pastel Artists to Watch.  It is time to buy an issue!  You can check Enid's work on her website along with coming events and workshops.  www.enidwood.com

Springtime Sketches and Photos

Springtime is slowly showing its head.  Bluebonnets, Indian Paintbrush and other wildflowers are starting to brighten up our landscape.  They grow thickly in most places.  We have about eight lonely bluebonnets in our yard.  Luckily I rescued them from the mower last week.

They are a bit straggly, but they are beautiful.

This one is just beginning.  I like the leaves, too.

I sketched in the dining room this morning, then this afternoon I sketched one of the bluebonnets and a tree or two.  We bought (they say "won") two of Lea's Bluebonnet bowls at the Empty Bowl event to support the Bastrop County Food Pantry. http://www.bastropfoodpantry.org/ I went to pick them up today and that reminded me to sketch the blues in the yard before they disappear. 

Lea's Bluebonnet Bowls donated from her Blue Donkey Studio.  She has several designs including wildflowers and roosters.  What a great way to donate to the Food Pantry for both of us.  Thanks, Lea!

Oh, and my sketches for Scavenger Hunt 353 http://goo.gl/ScMVH6 in my large sketchbook with the same old Prismacolor Premier 03 fine line marker/pen.  I really sketched the outside sketches quickly, no where to sit down and put my feet up!

Number 1, flowers - Number 2, made of glass - Number 3, plant - Number 4, made of plastic, flower pot and Number 5, made of wood, the shelf.

Number 6, a reminder of spring, bluebonnet and Number 7, tree with a challenge of two or more different trees.

Don't forget you can see my paintings downtown Bastrop at the Bastrop Fine Arts Gallery and at Art Connections Gallery!

Byrd and Street Concert Report

Thanks to all the guests that came to the Byrd and Street House Concert and Art Show last Sunday! We had a great crowd including longtime friends, new friends and family.  The concert was in two forty-five minute sets with a thirty minute break in the middle.  Tommy  Byrd and Kathy Street are great performers, playing old favorites and songs from their new unreleased CD.  They had Greg Whitfield with them.  He is a great guitar player and song writer as well.  I'll let you know when the CD release party is scheduled.   Greg Whitfield came and played his guitar with them.  He is a great guitar player and song writer as well.

Greg Whitfield, Kathy Street and Tommy Byrd

Gene made his delicious brisket and some of his super margaritas.  We had all the extras including carrot cake for dessert.  I'll put the recipe in my next newsletter, so sign up if you want to try it yourself.

Larry, our photographer son, came and took photos, so hopefully I will get to share some of those with you as well.  Joanna was here and helped so much.  That was a given.  Thanks to great kids.

My studio was full of Byrd and Street art.  Did I take any photos?  No.  Maybe Larry did.

As they say, "A good time was had by all!"  It was a REALLY GOOD DAY!

Our resident roadrunner has been hanging around the back yard lately.  Mowing the yard must bring out something he or she likes to eat.  It has rained a bit the last 2 weeks, too.  I'm sure that helps all the critters.

More from David

I posted about my new shelf that David created.   http://www.jocastilloartblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/shelf-by-castle-design.html.

Here are a couple more photos of his metal work. I love the shadows.

 Fleur-de-lis in a pot, wall hanging.

Phone stands.

Shelf by Castle Design

My regular followers will remember that we lost our home in the big fires in Bastrop, Texas, on September 4, 2011.  I wouldn't wish that on anyone and I feel so much for the folks in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and other areas that have been hit with fire.  Then the floods and hurricanes, etc.  

I posted on my blog about it here.  http://jocastilloartblog.blogspot.com/search?q=bastrop+fire

We are doing well and have a lovely new uncluttered home.  That never lasts as we both are collectors.  We have pared it down some, but we still get caught up in "things" no matter how much we try not to do that.

The house on September 15, 2011

A few days later, the gathered metal looked like this, Gene is holding some golf clubs.  You can see bed springs, copper pots, etc.

Our son, David, is an artist making things of metal and wood.  He had made me a curio shelf for my downtown studio.  It was beautiful and perfect for that.  We put it in the living room in our old house and enjoyed seeing and using it there.

David's original design shelf in my studio.

Of course, it was lost in the fire.  We recovered the metal fleur-de-lis, a bit damaged and bent.  David asked that we return them for him to rework the metal and decide what to do with it.  I liked the way the shadows fell on the wood so he decided to make me a wall hanging.  I can see the shadows there!    He left a bit of the odd shapes from the fire and here is how it looks now.

It is in the entry with Gene's new collection of canes.  Gene is the one that said he was not going to collect anything.  Absolutely not!

When he visited our new home, David decided to make me a new shelf for the niche in the hallway.  It turned out perfect!  

He built it in Kentucky and had to figure out a way to get it here.  He built it in pieces and had to also figure out how to insert the fleur-de-lis so we wouldn't have to do it.  Here is a bit of his process.

First two layers.

The fleur-de-lis

Getting Painted

Is it ready??

Packed in the trailer.  David and Lisa met us in Arkansas for the workshop and brought it there.

Unwrapped on the guest room bed at home.

Gene and Larry putting it together.

I love how it turned out.  I didn't realize the top shelf added a whole new dimension, looking up at the items there.

Isn't it spectacular?  Thank you David.

David also creates stands for your cell phones, wall hangings and more.  I will ask for more photos to share with you.   His business is Castle Design.  Contact him by e-mail , DavidCastillo@castledesign.us