After travels to Loreto Baja and Australia, I am happy to be back to my regularly scheduled oil painting classes with Lee Hartman on Saturdays at University Art in San Jose, CA.
Today was a momentous day as, with the help of Lee Hartman, I completed my third oil painting. There were moments during the process where I was not sure where the painting was going. However, gazing at the final results of my efforts, I must admit I am pleased with the results. Hardly a masterpiece, but I would say a solid painting #3. Lee gave me great advice today to tone down the colors of the middle ground and also to add some more highlights to the details in front.
For my fourth painting, I’ll take a detour from painting barns and move to the streets of Rome.
I took the photo below while meandering between ancient artifacts and modern buildings. I love looking up at these building with the bright blue shutters and the varying colors of the stone masonry work. In the foreground, the fountain and pots add beautiful details. I love fountains and in our home in San Jose, I have two…contemplating adding a third.
I think the main challenge in this painting will be capturing the feel of the stone and plaster in its various colors and dealing with a larger canvas (16″ x 20″) that is not in the aspect ratio of the original photo.
I completed the pencil sketch this week and look forward to blocking off the painting in my next class.
