Friday

We had another figure painting session at Rick Graham's last night, 30 minute poses with the model. A very humbling experience. You try and capture as much information as possible with the paint brush, a rather daunting feat and sometimes next to impossible. The exercise basically teaches you to look at the big picture, capturing the gesture, correct form, color and value of the model. Any detail you have to throw out the window. My four attempts, not worth posting on the site, sorry!!

After the session we had our crit evening and I brought out a few pieces. this one needed some more work which I did this morning. I added more color to the sand and also introduced a few figures in the background. Now I feel your eye leads through the painting better.

Richard Boyer

Wednesday

Okay I know the photo came out crooked, but you still get to see the progression, just tilt your head a little.  This morning I was working on the water and waves, trying to capture the evening light on the beach. The figures I blocked in with more detail yesterday, but now after working on the water I'll have to re-paint parts of them to blend in better with the evening light.

Richard Boyer

Monday

Last night they had the Santa Lucia festival at the McGillas School.  The kids are all part of the event, singing and walking around in a row with candles to celebrate the swedish holiday. For me its a good time to see old friends, seems like with our busy lives you just don't see enough of each other. So its good to have this yearly event that forces us to gather together. I just wish it was more often.

This 18x24 I finished off today. Last Thursday I blocked it in rather fast and liked the way it was looking with the loose brush strokes. The next day I painted the boat and worked on the lilly pads and it seemed to come together rather nicely. This morning I added some flowers and punched up a few areas with some more intense color. 

Southam Gallery told me they had a client interested in a water painting without a figure. I really liked doing this subject and can see it in a much larger format.

Richard Boyer

Friday

I mounted some of my quick figure studies on board and figured why not try to sell them on Facebook. They were fun to work on and I will continue to do more of them.

This size of 9x12 is normally $1200., but I'm thinking let try $500. unframed

This would be your chance to own an original for next to nothing!!!

Visitor at the Bath 

In thought

Hanging Laundry

The Actor

The Wood smith

Encounter on the Bridge

The Pick-up line

If interested anyone can contact me through my website and I could work out details.

Richard Boyer

Thursday

This morning I worked on the background, making sure things fell into place atmospherically. There was a morning fog that also added some depth, so I played up the contrast between the middle ground and those trees against the horizon. The grasses in front of the mist I slowly started to warm up with yellows, still making sure the color didn't jump out too fast. With the foreground I can now get much richer in color and contrast. When done the painting will have a nice atmosphere to it.

Richard Boyer

Wednesday

I decided to add some more to the French alleyway. It definitely needed something. So I painted flowers on the left and a few potted plants on the right. The bike I noticed didn't have any mud guards, so that was fixed and the addition of a basket on the back makes the the thing look more in place. After all you need something to put your morning croissants in and think of the workout every morning riding up and down from those mountain top villages.

Richard Boyer

Tuesday

With the Oil Painters of America show deadline coming up soon I figured it best to start working on a few paintings, something I can throw up against the judges. I was rejected last year, so I got a bone to pick with them!

I'll go for two images both 20x30 inches in size. So the block-in here is of a scene I painted in Coos Bay.  While driving around with Dutch Mostert we stopped off at this river outlet where some kids were playing in the sand, trying to dam off the water. My kids would have wanted to do the same thing as well, so if I can capture the light it will make for a great subject matter.

Number two block-in was actually just 100 feet away looking towards the open ocean at sunset. there I was photographing a family playing in the water. Once again the bright light of the setting sun will be the key to a successful painting. the contrast with the yellow light was gorgeous as I remember.

Richard Boyer

Monday

Thanksgiving dinner was nice we had the family and some friends over and one of the best turkeys, taste wise that I can remember. As usual it was a lot of food and wine that went late into the evening.

I started this 38x27 last week, its an odd size, but the Howard/Mandville Gallery said they have a frame size for this. They wanted a replacement painting for the one they sold. It still needs something more in the painting, so I figured I would set it aside for a while until an idea comes to me.  Potted flowers or a figure might just be the ticket to balance it out more.  I think I'll bring it to the crit session on Thursday and get some feedback.

This morning I had some time to work on a smaller 9x12 painting to practice the figure. These two I shot in Amsterdam the last time we were there. It was the last day and we all went out for a beer at a canal-side cafe, we had a little fun with the cameras in hand shooting all the people at the place and walking by.  It looks like he was really putting the pick-up moves on her with the body language. The reality is they were a couple already. I made them holding hands under the table.


Richard Boyer