Rocktober

October has come and gone and that means that the Inktober event has come and gone till next year, however my ink drawings or Wind Downs will continue.  I was only able to get 14 Inktobers done this year due to drawing both strips, but quality over quantity--right? My fave was this one above of the Swamp Thing and a bunch of mermaids. I'm such a big fans of Bernie Wrightson ans well and Franklin Booth and Nestor Redondo, so I got to blend my love for those artists into this piece.

 One of my last commissions on the list so my commissions list will be opening back up in a week or so.

 One of the Inktobers that jumped into my head while I was working on another one. Funny how doing one drawing can suddenly generate another image that bubbles up from the depths and seems to just erupt forth and demand to be drawn.  I'd actually like to do a painting of this idea.

 And while all of the Inktobers were going on I finished my first Phantom Story and have started the next The Phantom Stamp. This is the first one where the writer Tony was writing for me instead of the late Paul Ryan. I'm still on my learning curve with the strip as I'm not only drawing new characters but old previously established ones as well. The Phantom is a very intense strip research wise. luckily I have help from Tony, Terry Beatty, KFS and even some fans.

 I gathered up a pile of some of the sketchbooks I have kicking around in the studio. Some almost full, some with dregs, some really decades old. They are much more important to me now than when I was younger. they are really me, raw and unchecked and so much essential to my process now as an artist. I've always had them though back in the late 80's and 90's I didn't sketch as much nor in the vital way I do now and i sometimes regret that. I was working so hard back then and not taking as much time for personal development. Something that serious started when I went back to art school.

 My biggest regret is that this fall I haven't painted like I wanted. But then making $$$$$ is very important when roofs have to be fixed, furnaces need work and taxes need to be paid. I did sneak out with my buddy the other day to do a quick rush little plien air about an hour before the sun set. It felt so good!!

                                              Darby Creek 9 x 12 Oil on Arches Oil Paper

                            Meanwhile my cat Cornwell judges a week of the Judge in progress

And this Sunday we jump months ahead on the Judge Parker strip as Francesco really starts his tenure going forward after sort of wrapping up or bundling things from Woody Wilson's long, long, long story of Neddy's factory. I gave Ces some ideas of what I'd like to do tone wise with the strip. I'm for a little more adventure, a little more like the old old Judge where Sam was more like Jim Rockford.
 Some others are being writtenn out or even perhaps dying off. Like real soap operas you have to keep the churn. I hope to never seen some characters again, or for a long time like Rocky and Godiva and the biggest change is in being able to draw seasons, like this Sunday's strip.

This is something both Terry Beatty and I really desired when Wilson was writing both strips but never got to do. But Terry has been doing that on Rex Morgan and I'm getting to finally do it on the Judge. I'm sure judging by the Snarkers they will hate this as much as the last writer's stuff as they just have to hate with their small lives and babymen-Trump-like hands---but oh well. The 10 million viewers and readers on the Comics Kingdom portal seem to like what we are doing and I've been getting some positive feedback. But you can never ever write to or for fans, thats a noose around the neck. You have to write for yourself first, entertain yourself first to do a good job. Soon Sofie's fate will be revealed, but we can torture our readers in a good way a little longer. I don't go often to the CK board, but its funny to see just how wrong the trolls are about plots, and motivations and their ideas are a bit amusing when not rotten. Readers are too impatient still and this strip will move faster now that it has, but it will still never be a Marvel Comic or a movie. I'm sure if we ramped up the strip like that the longer time readers would not like that pace either.

Fall Creek

                                                                 Fall Creek, 9 x 12

I finally got out to do a quick plein air over at the "Secret Spot" during this great warm-snap in December. It felt so good to get out of the home studio and feel nature's last warm breath. I also used some Arches Oil paper that I got as a birthday gift--which was the last day I actually got out and painted. This paper is great and I love the surface! This was really an exercise in warm vs cool greys with some spots of colors. Of course after a half hour in the sun went away, only to return after we packed up to leave--Mother Nature sure can be mean.

Burlington Plein Air 15

Its a taken a few days for the dust to settle around here so that I could do a nice wrap-up of the Burlington Plein Air 15 and my participation in it along with my Philadelphia Plein Air friends.

                                      Here I am with my paintings entered for the judging

One of the nice things about this years event was the three weeks we were given to come and go and execute our paintings in the city of Burlington, NJ. This was great as it allowed me to fit the painting days into my schedule with work as well as carpool with Alina and Will and co-ordinate with Charles to do both day and night painting.

Alina and I were set up at the corner of Union which had a steady crowd of lottery buyers who kept parking and blocking our view off and on.

This years event was hosted by 28 East Gallery and its owner Melanie Pease and was limited to 30 artists and you were limited to entering three pieces each, but you could do as many paintings as you wanted. There were a lot of prizes available from the city, the Lyceum, Dick Blick, Jerry's and more. The judge even handed out several extra Honorable Mentions.

The weather overall was great for the times I was able to get out to paint and even if it was a bit warm, it was still nice and I was always able to find a shady spot for the most part but sometimes had to call it a day when the sun started hitting me in the face.

My pochade box was a dream to work with and its the best money I have spent as a painter on an easel, it made painting on location so much easier compared to lugging my old and heavy French easel about with its gangley legs ready to fail or pitch over!

I have been to Burlington several times and was fairly familiar with some of the city, but I did use google maps street view to cruise the city block by block to really scout locations to save time and gas while there and maximize painting time--which as you know as a plein air painter is always running.

                                                          Afternoon Break 12 x 12 Oil
This also meant arriving and choosing a view that would last long enough to paint in the 3-4 hours we'd have for each painting. When I first started landscape painting I raced the sun but didn't plan the times well to go out. Now I do and so some spots while good subjects were not good at the time I was there to paint.

Milkshake 12 x 16 Oil

                                                              Wood Street 12 x 16 Oil

Of course when painting out in public we always had a lot of on-lookers, interested and curious people and the word had spread about the painters being in town again this year. Of course certain members of our party always garnered more interest than others, which made painting a lot more difficult for her.

 

I did five paintings over the three weeks, I wish I had done more but I just had too much work, but I did attempt one night painting which I flamed out on. I bought a headlamp to use but it was actually so bright it glared off the painting making it very difficult to see. I also probably did it too big, 16 x 20, which increased the difficulty. So I will have to work on that arrangement and technical aspect here at home to get the lighting right before I attempt another night painting.

 

I never feel better than when I'm out painting and totally absorbed in the process, trance-like yet conscious of the sun's march. The last painting day I arrived a bit later than I hoped and drove around and found many good spots but I just wasn't satisfied till I found this view. Much like the painting Milkshake this view had some story/narrative to it with the truck parked and at the time people working in the yard. I rushed to get going and just as the truck was blocked in on the painting, the owner drover it off, but I made color notes and mixed it on the palette because I knew the truck might leave at any time. I would return home after each paint-out totally drained yet charged by the experience, and wishing I didn't have to juggle so much, but that's my life!

One of the things about these competitions for me is picking views and subjects that are interesting for me to paint as opposed to trying to paint something that might look good as a standard view of a building or street scene. Trying to guess what the judges might like. Most painters go for a conventional view, which is fine, paint what you want, but its the reason I didn't submit my painting of the little wrecked boat in Curtain's Marina. I figured (and was right) several other artists also painted that same boat. Go for something different was on my mind. Burlington has a sense of time passed and a melancholy akin to many eastern cities like Philly, a very "Hopperesque" aroma. That really attracts me.

I am so happy my friend Alina won best in show and Charles took second place. Thats two PA competitions in a row they both won something and as a whole I think our work really stood out from the other paintings in the show, I can see each individual's personality but also the influence of our school and teachers too in the way our work is painted.

Charles Newman

 

 Two by William Sentman

Alina's winning painting

                                                          Another of Alina's paintings
The reception was nice and I chatted with many of the participating painters most from the nearby area as we snacked on cookies, wine and cheese. So I hope to do this show next year and it sounds like it was a big success and enjoyed by all who participated and its nice to have a local show that isn't 3-4 hours drive each way.

Burlington Plein Air

This past weekend along with my regular crew the DPC I participated in the beginning of the Burlington Plein Air Festival, taking place in the historic city, founded in 1677 by the Penn Quakers. The event this year is run by 28 Gallery and has around 30 participating artist from across the region.

                                                           My set-up on Wood Street.

                                         Alina the new Lineman---or Woman of the county

Saturday Will, Alina and I drive up from Philly to get or canvases stamped and then spent the rest of the beautiful day painting in the historic sections of the city near the river front.

                                                           Wood Street 12 x 16 Oil

I'll be back up with the group painting again later this week.

Philly Plein Air

Yesterday I got together with the gang (AKA The Dirty Palette Club, AKA Philadelphia Plein Air Painters) and this time we went plein air painting in Washington Square Park in center city Philly. The park is one of the many beautiful green spaces planned and built into the city by its early planners. It was a nice day even if a bit hot--even in the shade but we painted away and tours on segways went past and families, dog walkers and interested passer-by came and went through the park.. I am going to start having more free time now that some projects are done and others have died on the launching pad--which is all great as I'll be able to get back to painting more.

                                                  Washington Square Park 10 x 20 OIL

Plein Air Workshop!

Next month as part of the Plein Air Burlington Festival I will be giving a  2-day workshop. Check out their website to register and for more info.

PPAP Newark Arts Alliance Garden Tour 2014

You can read all about the Philadelphia Plein Air Painters latest outing over on the PPAP blog. We were invited to paint at the Newark Art Alliance's 2014 garden Tour. It was a blast!

Beach Getaway

Read all about my weekend painting getaway to Atlantic City with the Philadelphia Plein Air Painters over on the PPAP blog

Back to Nature

 Yesterday I finally got back out to paint  directly from nature after months of painting in school and the studio, and it was great. Along with a a few members of the Philadelphia Plien Air Painters I returned to paint near the Swedish Cabin along the Darby Creek, about 15 minutes from my house and a great spot I have painted at a few times in the past year.  There are so many great places to paint there I will be going back for sure, especially since it's so close. It was certainly a heck of a lot warmer this time painting out doors than the last time I did it back in January when it was freezing out along the Brandywine Creek.

I was pretty inspired  to get back to plein air painting after being cramped up in the studio and after seeing the fantastic Anders Zorn show last weekend at the national Academy in NYC. Art High from the inspiration of seeing the Swedish master's work up close , his magnificent depictions of water and nature, I wanted to get out and try my hand at painting water and see if I had learned anything. I wasalso using one of the linen cover birch panels I purchased last year from Source Tek. The panel is great, I think it might be the best surface I have painted on to date. Just a little drag to it that gives me a slight dry brush feel if I want.

 

After hunting around and finding a few new spots the group split up and went off painting. I found a spot with a good composition of trees and laid out my palette and went at it as the weather forecast was that rain or pop-up thunderstorms could rain us out at any point. I worked pretty steady, taking a few brakes to see what everybody else was up to. Alina, who wasn't painting but who originally found this spot came down to visit as she and Will live right up the road from the Swedish Cabin. She visited with Niloofar who was working in ink. Will was working in gouache and Shaun in oils like me.

I always feel that at any moment I am about to fail when painting like this and after a while of not painting out doors like this I have to stop myself from getting carried away with details too early. I kept thinking back to Zorn as an example of how to design, suggest things instead of getting bogged down in details. Painting water is always a challenge and both Sargent and Zorn make it look so easy, which it isn't. I found myself taking my time and looking at the water, really studying the patterns (shapes) and slowly putting down shapes and then correcting them by painting back into them. Using my thumb or finger or back of the brush also seemed to help adjust or soften things a bit here and there. The main thing was figuring out when to stop. I think that might be one of the most crucial points of plein air painting, when to stop and not kill the spontaneity and energy of the piece.

 

 Here is my piece almost finished and Will's awesome little goache studies below.

This weekend I'll try and get back out and paint again, maybe this time down at the beach.

The final painting which I completed just as the thunder started to roll in and the humidity and the bugs suddenly increased with the approach rain.