Greengable Gardens

Today we visited the Greengable Gardens in Philomath.  I did an ink drawing of the Greengable Garden House to which I later added watercolor.  The house was built in the 1920's in the 20th century Norman Farmhouse architecture, based on a danish style.  I think the first owner must have been a smurf.

Previously most of my sketches were done with an extra fine point ink pen.  I was never very successful with adding hatch marks and as a result they lacked contrast.  So I am now trying to add values with a set of Tombow pens.

This sketch is from a trip we took yesterday to Newport on the Oregon coast.  After letting Sophie, our golden retriever, chase balls on the beach, we stopped at fisherman's wharf where I spotted this majestic looking fishing boat.  In the background is the Yaquina Bay Bridge.  I like this style better. 

   

20th Annual daVinci Days

Every year in July, Corvallis sponsors daVinci Days.  This event includes art, music, contests, exhibits and many hands on activities plus a race with human-powered, all-terrain, road-worthy , mud and water slogging, kinetic vehicles. 

At the Art Center's Art Guild booth we had a live model for artists to paint or draw as well as an activity called the "daVinci Draw" where young and old had the opportunity to test their drawing ability.  We used the exercise  from Betty Edward's book in which they replicated a line drawing of the Mona Lisa upside down.  Some of the resulting drawings were quite good.

On the first day I decided to do a drawing of our model who was wearing a period outfit.  She modeled for the entire two day event.  On the second day she changed outfits and I did the oil portrait.

 

Brownsville, Oregon

This weeks Vistas & Vineyards destination was Brownsville, Oregon just off of I5.   Most of us painted and sketched Main Street.  At the end of the street is Carlson's Hardware Store which was the first brick building built here in 1903.  It is an iron front building and has always been a hardware store with the Masonic lodge upstairs.

Dancing Oaks

Today my challenge was to paint oak trees dancing because our painting group visited the Dancing Oaks Nursery. I used my new water soluble oils.  About 20 people were in the group but no one else chose this subject.  Let me know how I could improve this? I was hoping to show more motion in the branches without creating a major mess.

These are my latest oil paintings from recent Vistas & Vineyard outings. The first one is of a tree farm south of Philomath, OR.  I painted it with regular oil paint.  The second one was of the Fiechter House (1857) at the Finley National Wildlife Refuge.  Both were painted on doorskins coated with Shellac and then Gesso,  however the second one was painted with Holbein water soluble oil paints.  I may just be a convert since it is far safer and less messy than traditional oil.