Double Bluff

Double Bluff is everyone's favorite walking spot.  We take our dogs for a run, watch for Rainier, judge how much the hill has slipped and hope children don't climb the bluff while we are watching.
It's also a draw at any time for the changing light.  I have sketched it a lot, but the most memorable was on a freezing February when the sun was around behind the bluff at about 2pm.  I decided to drive by because it was a "sunny day", freezing but sunny.  I took out my sketchbook and made a 20-minute sketch with watercolor noting the light reflections on the great puddle, then went home and made a larger painting.  That painting is in Watercolor and is at the bottom of this page.  The others are oil paintings.

The dog walk at Double Bluff or Pick up Stix

Sm 8x10 on canvas showing the bright light we get here.

From the bluffs on the way to the beach- oil - sold

Mt Rainier and the Fort.  Hottest day every and
early days of my oil painting career

16x20 framed Watercolor of Winter Sun reflection
 on the beach.

Oils

I just read the post before last.  It said I would post some oils.  Oops!  Here is one, more coming!

Fuchsia

 I found some beautiful fuchsia paper to use as a base for oil painting studies.  One of my setups is painted on woven paper canvas, the other on the new Oil paper by Arches.  The paint went onto the paper canvas beautifully; it just rolled off the brush and blended out.  The oil paper has a bit of a drag and the colors stay bright, however the surface absorbs the paint so you have to load the brush heavier. These surfaces are a way to experiment on inexpensive backgrounds.  Use black or neutral tape to adhere the paper to a board.
My setup is small and controlled.  I use a box with a black background, some colorful paper and control the amount of light going into the setup with a cloth or cardboard.  I have difficulty seeing the paint colors on my palette in the studio unless the overhead light is on or I put a lamp onto my work surface, so another recent addition is putting up my plein air umbrella to help block the ceiling light.  Here are a couple of pictures showing the differences.

Overhead light off.  Light is concentrated on work surface and still life.

Overhead light on.  The umbrella helps keep the still life somewhat shaded.

Paper canvas

Arches oil paper

Oils

Recently finished oil paintings.  I've been hovering over these on and off all summer.  The Fort and the mountain were painted plein air on a very hot day at Double Bluff.  I've never seen so many people coming to the beach.  Fortunately, we had primo parking places and were able to re-pack the car without traveling down the road with equipment.
Yes the pickles are dill and the lid is open on purpose!

Winter cabbage 8x8

Are they dill?8 8x10

Blossoms Peak 8x10

Cezanne's table 8x10

The Fort & mountain 8x10 plein air

Salmon berries  8x10 

Nest

Last year I found hiding under the Heathers a robins nest made from strips of cedar and other twigs.  I kept it on the porch table and recently thought I had better preserve it with a painting.  I painted a 12x16 version that is at Whidbey Art Gallery and framed it with a fancy frame.  This  8x8 version has a simple more modern frame and is square.  I like both of them and hope you do too!

Large nest 12x16

8x8 version with a bit of glare

Learning about products

When I took Jeff Legg's class, he used Gamblin products.  You know how it goes, if the instructor is using a product and getting beautiful results, you have to buy it and make your work comparable!  I purchased a sampler set of Gamblin products from our local art store. The set contained Gamsol, Galkyd, NeoMeglip, Refined Linseed oil, Galkyd Gel, Cold Wax and a sample of Fast Matte Oil color(transparent earth red).
So far I have used Galkyd, Gamsol and Cold Wax.

Here is my experience:
Jeff leaves his background loose and undefined, ie not completely painted.  When the painting is finished, he uses some black paint and Galkyd slow dry or Galkyd lite to make a glaze and knock back the lighter part of the background.  This GLAZE also is mixed with a bit of Gamsol to thin the Galkyd lite.

Before glaze

I used Galkyd from the sampler pack, Gamsol and black oil paint to make my glaze.
Galkyd, (I didn't know this at the time) is a much thicker medium.  It made my glaze thicker and shinier than I wanted.

Steel wool

What I have done since to de-shine the painting.  I used 0000 steel wool, very carefully, horizontally and vertically over the painting.  Then I mixed a small amount of cold wax and Gamsol(oms) to make a very thin paste.  It was more liquid and the proportions suggested by Gamblin are: one part cold wax to 2 parts Gamsol.  "Add more cold wax for matting or to create a wax varnish."  This is applied in a circular motion and left to dry for 24 hours, then buffed to the desired sheen.  I dampened a very small piece of shop towel with Gamsol, wiped it over the Wax and followed instructions for applying.  Buffing is next!

Added cold wax medium & OMS(Gamsol)

Hanging out in Sunny Northern California

"Gargoyle"  Conglomerate of mud stone & ash since the ice age.

5x7 oil  Ally's view of Useless Bay

Holmes Harbor from Freeland Hall

Ticks, hikes, beautiful views in the Stanislau National Forest.  Yesterday we hiked on the Trail of the Gargoyles at about 5500 feet, not an easy feat for someone used to sea level.  We are becoming acclimated, but still the thinner air, my wider behind and slower hiking ability takes its toll.  We fall asleep fast, but then I wake up with my feet and legs throbbing and remember...
Our dog Laci, & daughters' dog Gloria are having so much fun running and jumping in the ditch (a water source from the mountains)during the hike, but, we spend the rest of the day picking ticks and healing scratches on Laci.  She is used to Salal in our forests and I think it is more forgiving than Manzanita.  I've been sketching but nothing of note, so I am attaching a couple of small oils I did recently.

Oils take time

Has it been two months since I posted?  Those oil paintings take a bit of time to dry and other events in my life have conspired to keep me away from the computer.  Here are a few more paintings now scanned, varnished and framed.  Lets hope you like them.
A couple of them were revised slightly after consulting oil painting friends.

Cle Elum (from a watercolor sketch)

Crockett Barn, Coupeville

From Alli's Driveway looking toward Useless Bay Country Club

Greenbank Hay Farmer

Holmes Harbor - Returning tide

Roslyn Wa

Useless Bay from Alli's on Double Bluff

Pat