Summer Shadows - Figures on Friday

Summer Shadows, 12 x 12, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2023

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This summer sure has gone fast!! It has been a full one, with LOTS of great family time and LOTS of fun. We are still having very hot weather, but school is back in session, and it's time to get back to some routines... like, Figures on Friday!

I painted this piece back in June on a trip down to the Georgia coast, and am just getting around to posting it. I loved the light on this little pathway to the beach, AND the light on my painting buddy as she searched for the perfect view. (It's nice to have a painting friend for a subject... she was willing to walk out there a few times for me! Thank you A.T.)

Wherever you are, enjoy these few days of summer!

A Place in the Shade - Figures on Friday

A Place in the Sun, 6 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2023

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It's summertime, and I have to say, this guy has it figured out. There is nothing quite like a patch of shade at the beach on a sunny day. As for inspiration? I loved the sky, I loved the dune, I loved the guy, I loved it all! :) 

HAPPIEST SUMMER! 

Other available "figures" from Fridays past... (click on title)

Saturday's Schemes, 6x8, oil - SOLD

Dog Walker, 8x6, oil - SOLD

Saturday Schemes - Figures on Friday!

Saturday Schemes, 6 x 8, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2023

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I happened upon these two young guys down at Lost Creek in Austin (I mean, isn't that name just fuel for the imagination?) I was painting further up the creek while they had taken up this spot under the bridge... clearly making plans for their afternoon. Oh, the joy of that fabulous young freedom! "The world is our oyster", "we can do anything"... those feelings were so evident and compelling. I took a quick snap on my phone and kept going. Plans like these are not to be disturbed! ;)

Here is how the piece started out...

Block-In

Finished piece

Since the background was so dark, I toned the canvas to bring the value to a more workable starting point. Also, you can see where I had to make some corrections in my drawing. I originally made the torsos too short. Note to self: Check and double check dimensions after the block in, and make adjustments before moving forward. 

2023 SPRING WORKSHOPS (click HERE for info and registration):
April 14-15 - The Contemporary Austin Art School in Austin, TX (Wait list only)
May 4-6 - Anderson Fine Art Gallery in St. Simons Island, GA

And the Walking Girl Walks - Figures on Friday!

And the Walking Girl Walks, 8 x 6, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2022

NFS

Meet my sister. Two years my elder, we grew up together through thick and thin! She is fiercely independent, a brilliant musician, the leader of the pack, and a lover of the morning walk (the earlier the better.) Maybe you can catch a glimpse of her personality in this painting... not much gets in her way!!! 

Oh, and always the wild one... she got grounded for life by our dad in high school (a week-long penalty never quite got her attention). So, technically, she is still grounded! ;)

2023 SPRING WORKSHOPS (click HERE and join me):
April 14-15 - The Contemporary Austin Art School in Austin, TX (Full with wait list)
May 4-6 - Anderson Fine Art Gallery in St. Simons Island, GA

Sand Castles - Figures on Friday!

 

Sand Castles, 8 x 8, Oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2022

Gifted! 

I have so much respect for portrait artists. Capturing someone's unique personality and one of a kind facial expressions is HARD! This "quick" little study of my niece became a multiple day challenge for me. I could not get her face right and had to keep wiping out her entire head to begin it again. It took WAY more time than I expected, but I am finally happy with it. Whew!

Oil Painter Friends, here is a take away tip:

If you run into a problem area like this one while painting... Resist the urge to keep adding more and more paint on top of the problem. Stop. Admit defeat. Deep breath. THEN... Scrub out the small section that you are "fixing", wiping it completely down to the canvas. (Completely.) I use a paper towel carefully wrapped around my finger to tackle the specific area. When area is clean, rebuild the passage from the ground up. Start with the dark neutral underdrawing and re-sketch, then build the color from dark to light. Highlights last. You might have to do it more than once, like me, but you'll be surprised how well it works!

Walk On The Pier - Figures on Friday!

Walk On The Pier, 8 x 6, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2022

NFS

Here is another "family" memory for Figures on Friday this week. This is my dear father-in-law with one of his great grandsons (my grand nephew). One fun thing about painting people you know is that it feels like you are actually having a little visit with them! Love that!

I'm also including my block-in for this piece to contrast with last week's block-in. You can see that I started with my usual approach, the dark underpainting. But this time, instead of working dark to light, I painted the light areas around my dark sketch. This allowed me to lock in the shapes of the figures which is really helpful. After that, I toggled back and forth between the figures and everything else. I also adjusted the drawing a bit, as the figures were leaning to the left at first. Can't have that! ;)

Painted around Block-in... 

Final painting.

Daddy Daughter Dance - Figures on Friday with process shots!

Daddy Daughter Dance, 8 x 6, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2022

NFS

This sweet tiny dancer is my grand niece. I caught her dancing with daddy at a family wedding where she was the flower girl. Of course, she stole everyone's heart in that little tulle dress! She is a teenager now and still a beauty. This blast from the past was VERY fun to paint. I've been thinking about it for years!  

I started this painting a little differently. Here are some process shots...

1) To start, I covered the entire canvas with a thin layer of ultramarine and burnt sienna mix (sorry, no picture of that!) THEN, I loosely wiped out the light areas of the image. I chose this approach because the scene was very dark, and "wiping out" made it easier to establish a high contrast, back lit setting. 

2) Once large areas of light were wiped out, I painted back into the panel using the same dark neutral mix. This time, I was careful to check my shapes for proper proportions and to adjust the composition. 

3) I finished the piece in my usual fashion: working directly into the underpainting... building it from dark to light. And as always, I saved the tantalizing highlights for the very end. :)

Going Fishing - Figures on Friday

Going Fishing, 8 x 6, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2022

SOLD

Figures on Friday is BACK! I had so much fun with these at the end of 2021, that I have decided to keep doing them. They train my eyes and hands in new ways! AND, they make me happy! :)

This little guy was up early and ready to get going! Can't you just imagine that he was dreaming of "the big one" as he looked out on that cool, bright morning? I hope he always has that determination and excitement... that's what keep us going! 

Morning Stroll - Figures on Friday #11

Morning Stroll, 9 x 12, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2015

Available

It's the week before the actual week of Christmas, and life is speeding up. Very predictably!! 'Tis truly the season, and I hope yours is wonderful.

I am in the middle of Christmas preparations and having to admit to myself that I won't be getting to the easel today. SO... my Figures on Friday offering this week is an older plein air piece from the archives. Scenes like this are what make me want to get faster at capturing human movement and gestures. When a cute little mom and her son walk by, it's just so fun to try and pop them in! :)

May your weekend be merry and bright... 

Coffee And A Romp - Figures on Friday #10

Coffee And A Romp, 5 x 7, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2021

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Hot coffee on the beach is a great way to start the day. Admittedly, dogs don't need coffee (they are happy with the sand and the surf, and running freely), but what a fabulous combo for that dog's human!

Bare Footin' - Figures on Friday #9

Bare Footin', 7 x 5, oil on panel, L Daniel © 2021

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(Still wet - available to ship on Dec 10.)

Footloose and fancy free! What is better than a walk along the beach with bare feet? This was a fun one for me... So colorful and happy! And if you can't tell, that dog's tail is wagging with full joy! Love that!

Treasure Seeker - Figures on Friday #8

Treasure Seeker, 7 x 5, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2021

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This is such simple gesture... one we all know from visits to any beach. The ocean offers up new surprises with each wave, and the treasure seeking is inevitable! For the painter in me, I especially love how the simplest shapes of shadow and light can describe a form. This scene is a perfect example of that. My goal with these figure studies is to capture and keep that simplicity! 

Big Brother - Figures on Friday #6

Big Brother, 7 x 5, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2012

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Last week you met Little Sister, and as promised, here is her brother fishing for something with a stick! Not exactly sure what he was going for, but it looked VERY important. No wonder Sis wanted a bit of that action! ;) I loved how the light and shadows defined his gesture in this scene. And the reflection! So fun to paint! 

Little Sister - Figures on Friday #5

Little Sister, 7 x 5, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2021

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Beach play... can a child ever get enough? They can dig, collect shells, and wield sticks all day... and still want more. I loved the determination of this little one as she took off after her brother (he's coming next week), intent on keeping up with him. And not to worry, mom and dad were right there, keeping a close eye. 

One fun thing about focusing on figures is letting the landscape (which I am usually so concerned with) soften and fade into the background. While it sets the tone and gives context, it is secondary. When people are in a picture, well, it is all about them! ;)

Bait Casting and Figures on Friday #4

 Bait Casting, 7 x 5, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2021

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I love watching fishermen cast for bait with their nets in the shallows. Throwing out, and pulling back in, throwing out, pulling back in. There is a real rhythm to it. They are serene and very focused... and understandably so. They are preparing for a day of fishing, their beloved sport. There was a rhythm to painting this scene as well. Shadows and light, shadows and light, big shapes, simple gesture, shadows and light.  

Spring Planting and Figures on Friday #3

Spring Planting, 7 x 5, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2021

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One of my goals with these figurative studies is to see ONLY the big shapes. I'm trying not to get caught up in details, which is such a huge temptation when painting people. Instead I'm trying focus on where the shadows and light are interacting, and how they are defining form. (Hmmmmm... just like in landscape, I am looking for planes of light and dark, and comparing, comparing, comparing.) ;)

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Join me at my last workshop of the year! Three day Art Immersion!

Register with Mary Anderson 912-634-8414, Or click below for info:

Autumn En Plein Air, Nov 4-6, 2021, 9am - 4pm, $495

St. Simons Island, GA, Anderson Fine Art Gallery

Dog Walker - Figures on Friday #2

Dog Walker, 7 x 5, oil on panel, L. Daniel © 2021

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I have been collecting pictures of people for years. And for years, I have told myself, "one day, I will do something with these images." Well, it's fun to finally get around to it. Again, if you missed my intro post, I am tackling figures, one Friday at a time. I'm calling it "Figures on Friday". The goal is to get more comfortable with gestures and proportions, so that I have an easier time popping figures into plein air sketches.... AND to keep them loose and suggestive. (This man and his best friend were just minding their own business. They have no idea I even took their picture.) 

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Join me at my last workshop of the year! 

Register with Mary Anderson 912-634-8414, Or click below for info:

Autumn En Plein Air, Nov 4-6, 2021, 9am - 4pm, $495

St. Simons Island, GA, Anderson Fine Art Gallery

 

Pure Joy and Figures on Friday #1

Pure Joy, 6x8, oil on panel, L.Daniel © 2021

NFS

I am starting a new series called "Figures On Friday" and I would love for you to follow along! 

The idea is to force myself to practice adding figures into the landscape. And practice is the key word - always a requirement if I want to see growth. Why am I making a series out of it?? Well, it's my way of holding myself accountable. This weekly goal (one post a week) will help keep me on track with my larger desire for improvement in this area. Wish me luck, friends!

This first one depicts my dear nephew when he was a child, and his trademark exuberance! 

Join me at my last workshop of the year! Register with Mary Anderson 912-634-8414, Or click below for info:

Autumn En Plein Air, Nov 4-6, 2021, 9am - 4pm, $495

St. Simons Island, GA, Anderson Fine Art Gallery