Monday, Nov. 30

Well it's back to the grind again, play time is over. The cabin is set for fire wood for this winter at least.

Larry, my web site designer, was complaining about the ass on the girl in the red bathing suit, so I figured it best to work on that.


The problem was not enough of her left leg showing, so I defined that more and cut into the figure a little on the right side with the water..."So....., Larry, is it better now?"

I also lightened up the sky with some yellows and the water with more yellow/blue color.

So, for now, I think it will be done for the crit session, as I always like to say "You got to have something for them to complain about!" For me it's actually good, there are things the artist just does not see, no matter how much he looks at the painting. Maybe it needs a boat? or a larger wave some place?......a bit of wine Thursday night and it all comes out, the cold harsh truth!!!

Afterwards I started a 24x36 Amsterdam painting. I know, I said earlier that the gallery up in Seattle wanted a 30x40, but they also had a client interested in a 24x36 painting of mine and since I had that size all stretched up waiting to go.........


First I sketched in a rough drawing of what I wanted, not much to look at, I know, but it helps to get the composition going. Next I blocked in a few large values like the sky and water.


This view is not far from the main train station in Amsterdam. If you walk out the entrance and cross the road in front (just make sure you watch out for the cars and trolley's), heading at about the ten o'clock direction, you'll run right into this scene. If things work out, I would like to go back to Holland this summer for another painting trip. It is truly a fun city to walk around in and get lost, just make sure you don't end up in one of those bars where the smoke smells a little strong!


I started next to block in some of the shapes of the boats and buildings, so the view has a feeling of traveling down the canal. The boats on the right side of the canal I want to give a lot of attention to and make them the center of interest. With a strong back light on them, the contrast was gorgeous with sparkles of the sun filling up the water.


The next step was to add some of the darks into the painting and voilà, the block in is done for today.

Richard Boyer