Path to the Beach (Digitally Edited Photo)

Path to the Beach (Digitally Edited Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This image began as another of the photos I took during last week's early morning walk at Lynch Park Beach here in Beverly. I liked the way the sandy path looked in the morning light, so I took some pictures with my phonecam. When I cropped the image, I noticed some distracting marks in the sand and the grass, as well as a white boat in the ocean that was positioned in a way that spoiled the line of the blue and yellow boats on the path. So tonight I opened the image in Painter IX and used digital pastel to eliminate the distractions. Now the little boat has disappeared and the path to the beach is clear.

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 7)

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 7) Originally uploaded by randubnick.

Yesterday I went to Red Brick and worked on this collage for a while. I extended the upper part of the image to the edge of the styrofoam tray. As I worked on the pink background, I also added more leaves to the bouquet, extending the foliage out to the edge as well. I am almost finished with the front of the tray, which is good because I was worried about running out of pink ribbon. I have been thinking about how to finish the edges of the tray, and what to do about the back, as well.

View of Woods in Fog (Posterized Photo)

View of Woods in Fog (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

We still have cool weather today, with mist, rain, and some fog. Tonight I used Painter IX to posterize the photo of the woods in fog that I posted last night. I am slowly learning what sort of photos look good when they are posterized. In this case, I think the posterizing works with the soft edges and muted colors created by the fog.

View of Woods in Fog

View of Woods in Fog (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

It has been rainy and misty all day, and by late afternoon we had fog. It was still foggy when I took a walk after dinner. I like the way fog reveals patterns and shapes, and makes you look at things differently. I took several photos. In this one, the woods look mysterious in the soft light. I am happy with this photo as it is, but I think it would also be interesting to posterize it. Perhaps tomorrow. . . .

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 6)

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 6) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Today I took some paintings up to the studio. I wasn't intending to stay and work on this collage, but of course I did. I couldn't stay long, so I decided to just work on the lower part of the collage, extending the blue background to the edge of the styrofoam tray. As I worked, I realized that I only had one ribbon with that pattern, and worried that I wouldn't have enough of it left to finish. But I just made it, and then it was time to leave. To be continued. . . .

Newburyport Street Lamp (Digitally Modified Photo)

Newburyport Street Lamp (Digitally modified photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

My friend Pam was visiting today, and we drove up to Newburyport for art galleries and lunch. I love the flowerbaskets on the old style street lamps in Newburyport, so I took a picture with my phonecam. I liked the composition of this photo, but in the original version, there were some scraggly tree branches in the background that were too distracting. Tonight I decided to open the image in Painter IX and used digital airbrush to do a little pruning. (While I was at it, I decided to clean up the glass in the street lamp.) This photo may have needed a little help, but it would be hard to improve on our visit to Newburyport. We had a great time!

Beach Grass in the Morning Light

Beach Grass in the Morning Light (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I used my phonecam to take this picture today, on a very early morning walk on the beach at Lynch Park. This is the beach grass that lines the sandy path from the beach back up the gentle slope to the road; I liked the way the soft grass looked in the muted morning light, and apparently my camera did too, because I didn't have to change a thing.

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 5)

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 5) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This morning I went to Red Brick to work on this collage. First, I added some red to the sides of the vase to add more definition to the shape. Next, I added some dark purple ribbon at the bottom of the vase to suggest a bit of shadow. Then I began to extend the image onto the edge of the styrofoam tray which is the base of the collage. Because I am now working out to the edges of the tray, I decided not to crop the image this time. I worked quickly, and although I began by thinking things out, once again I had the sense of working without effort (flow) as I got more involved in the project. It was great! To be continued. . . .

Purple Daylily (Digitally Edited Photo)

Purple Daylily (Digitally Edited Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

On a recent morning walk, I took a photo of this purple daylily. I liked the contrast of purple and yellow, and especially liked the droplets of water on the petals of the flower. Later, when I tried to crop the photo to get a good composition, I realized that there were some discolored leaves that were very distracting. So tonight I opened the image in Painter IX, and used transparent digital pastel to correct the problem. I used a light touch on the problem leaves, and didn't touch the blossom at all. Then I was able to crop the image to get this composition.

Road in the Woods

Road in the Woods (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

During last week's brief excursion to Bradley Palmer State Park (Ipswich, MA), I took some photos with my phonecam. It was late morning; the morning weather had been foggy and overcast, but the sun was just about to come out. I liked the soft light on and through the trees. Tonight I cropped the photo to get the composition I wanted.

Climatis on Chain-Link Fence

Climatis on Chain-Link Fence

The climatis is finally open, blooming all over the chain-link fence. It makes me smile to look at it. Today I took some pictures of the climatis with my phonecam, and tonight cropped the photo to get this image.

Daylilies at the Pond

Daylilies at the Pond Originally uploaded by randubnick

This is a photo I took on a recent walk at the Cummings Center Pond. On one side of the pond, close to the Cummings Center, there are flowers planted in lovely little gardens, but if you continue walking around the pond, you see wildflowers growing on their own, in wonderful confusion along the path. The other day, I came across this stand of daylilies, apparently volunteers, on the far side of the pond. I loved the surprise (no one plants gardens on that side of the pond) and the bright colors, so I took a picture with my phonecam. I tried cropping this photo and posterizing it, but I decided that I like the photo best as it is, without artifice, like these daylilies growing on their own.

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 4) Closeup

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 4) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Today I worked on this collage at Red Brick. First, I fixed a problem that I had noticed: one of the leaves seemed to blend right into the vase. So I added contrast by pasting a lighter leaf over it, and then added pieces of red ribbon positioned to contrast with the leaf. I also added more to the bouquet itself. Finally, I extended the blue pattern of the tablecloth to the edge of the image. I took a picture with my phonecam, which is difficult because of reflections from the metallic ribbon, but it was cloudy today, and that helped. This collage is on a styrofoam tray, and I have been cropping the image before posting to eliminate the raw styrofoam backing (which is why I call this a closeup). Before I left for the day, I tried out some ideas for dealing with the edges of the tray. I had originally thought about using additional patterned ribbons to create a kind of frame on the edge, but I think it would look too crowded. So at this point, I plan to extend the background patterns (top and bottom) to the edge of the tray. At least, that is what I think tonight. To be continued. . . .

Finding a Clear Path

Finding a Clear Path (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

On a recent walk near a wooded area, I suddenly saw this view of a clear path. I liked the play of dappled morning light on the ground and on the trees, so I took a picture with my phonecam. Tonight, I cropped the image to get the composition I wanted.

Geometry of Strawberries (Posterized Photo)

Geometry of Strawberries (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This image began as a photo taken on a recent visit to a local farmstand. I loved the pattern of the strawberries in the square blue boxes, so I used my phonecam to take some pictures. Tonight I rotated and cropped the photo till I had the composition I wanted, then used Painter IX to posterize the image.

Roses on the Fence (Posterized Photo)

Roses on the Fence (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Early this morning, I took a walk around the neighborhood, and saw beautiful roses on the fence, so I took several pictures with my phonecam. I liked the contrast of the roses and the pattern of the fence. Tonight I chose the best shot and cropped the image for the composition. Then I opened the image in Painter IX and posterized it to get the effect I wanted. Do you focus on the fence or do you see the flowers? Some people see a fence as a barrier or an obstacle; others see a fence as a great opportunity to plant roses.

Cat Tails

Cat Tails (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I took this photo with my phonecam today, on a walk at Bradley Palmer State Park, where we stopped for a quick walk on the way home from the vet. Tonight, I cropped the image and adjusted the contrast to get the cat tails to show up against the background of water lilies on the pond.

Path at the Pond (Posterized Photo)

Path at the Pond (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This picture began with a photo that I took earlier this week on an early morning walk around the pond. As always, I took pictures of the water, but this time, I also took some pictures of the path itself, using my handy phonecam. I liked the way the morning light played on the path ahead. Tonight I cropped the photo to get the composition I wanted, and then used Painter IX to posterize this image.

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 3) Closeup

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 3) Closeup Originally posted by randubnick

I wasn't satisfied with the way this collage looked yesterday, and after I left the studio, I kept thinking about how to make the colors more muted so the roses would stand out. Mr. Daigle, my college painting teacher, said that having a problem to solve is good for an artist, and in this case I could see he was right. This problem made me think hard, and it also made me hurry back to the studio. This morning, I went to Red Brick to try to change the color of the vase by using some bits of more muted pink and red, using two more of the ribbons with different patterns but related colors to do this, cutting and pasting tiny triangles. I liked the result, and plan to do more of that later, to suggest light and shadow on the vase. I was thinking that I should also try to change the color of the tablecloth too, and was trying to find another green or blue, but got distracted by the leaves in the original ribbon pattern (the one with the roses). Without really thinking too much about it, I cut out a set of leaves and positioned them between one of the roses and the vase, and that seemed to immediately create the sense of a bouquet and solve the color problem. Even the color of the tablecloth seemed to work better! So I pasted those leaves down and just kept going, cutting out more leaves and pasting them down fairly quickly. It felt as though I was working effortlessly, and the art was "making itself"; I think this what they call "flow"; it doesn't happen to me all that often, but it is great when it does! Anyway, I kept working longer than I intended, and stopped when I realized that I had a crick in my neck from being in the same position so long. Before leaving the studio, I tried to take pictures with my phonecam, but couldn't get a good photo because of reflections from the metalic ribbon. Then I remembered that my phonecam's "night mode" setting, and that worked. Here is the photo of the collage as it is today, cropped to eliminate the raw styrofoam backing. This is still a work in progress, but I am much happier with the direction it is going now. To be continued. . . .

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 2) Closeup

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 2) Closeup Originally uploaded by randubnick

Today I went to Red Brick to work on this collage for an hour. I knew I wanted to make a vase, but it took some experimenting to figure out what shape of vase I wanted. Then I added blue to indicate the table (or tablecloth). For both the vase and the tablecloth, I used different patterns of the same three-inch wide metalic ribbon. This is what the collage looked like at the end of the hour, although I have cropped the image to eliminate the raw styrofoam backing. The basic composition is coming together in terms of shapes. I can't say the same for the color at this point, because the bright colors of the vase and tabletop are overwhelming the subtler colors of the roses. However, I plan to modify the colors of the vase and table to make them more muted, so that the roses remain the center of attention. To be continued. . . .

Butterfly in the Doorway

Butterfly in the Doorway (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I took this picture a few days ago with my phonecam. It was a day full of errands, running around town, going in and out of doorways to get things done. And all of a sudden, a butterfly flew right in front of me and landed on the doorpost of the door I was about to open. I almost laughed with surprise. The butterfly was beautiful and it made me stop whatever I was so busy doing and look, a minor miracle on a day like that. I loved the pattern of the butterfly's wings contrasted with the texture on the doorpost, so I decided to see if the butterfly would let me take a picture. I slowly slipped my phonecam out and quietly took two pictures without frightening the butterfly away. Tonight I cropped the best of the two photos, and adjusted the contrast, and then used some digital airbrush in Painter IX to tone down some distracting marks on the doorpost. This picture is a souvenir of a little moment of peace that interrupted a very hectic day.

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting)

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Yesterday at the studio, I was sealing the sides (unpainted canvas edges) of this painting. This meant that I had the painting upside-down on the easel, and then on its side. I noticed that one side of the vase was not right, so I fixed it, checking my work in the mirror. (Sometimes you see things differently from a new perspective.) At this point, I would bet that I will still find little areas to fix and lines to straighten out on the canvas; nonetheless, I am posting this today as the final version of the still life, because this is it, essentially what I set out to paint the first day I brought the purple and white freesia up to the studio.

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 1) Closeup

Ribbon Roses (Collage Day 1) Closeup Originally uploaded by randubnick

I went back to the studio at Red Brick this morning, and finally had a chance to start a new collage project, using some beautiful wide ribbons that a friend of mine gave me. I also wanted to try out the idea of using styrofoam (grocery store tray) as backing, although I still don't know how well the ribbon will stick to the styrofoam, and I don't know whether or not the ribbon will dry flat. But I will find out, and no matter what happens, I will learn, so it is worth trying. I started with a ribbon that has a pattern with great big roses on it. I cut out three of the roses. Then I pasted the rest of the ribbon down for the background, and pasted in the three red roses, arranged to suggest the image of flowers in a vase. By the time I got that much done, it was time to leave, but that gives me time to think about how to create an image of a vase. Anyway, this is what the collage looks like so far, with the raw edges of the styrofoam tray cropped out of the photo.

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 17)

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 17) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Well, last week I stated that this painting might be finished, but as it turns out, I was wrong. Something was bothering me when I looked at photos of this painting. I wanted to get back to the studio to check on the geometry of the vase and figure out what was wrong. But it was a busy week, and the temperature went over ninety, too hot to work in the studio. But this morning, it was a bit cooler, so I got up early and went on over to Red Brick. I had an idea for a new collage project, but I thought I would spend a few minutes fixing the vase issue. When I measured, I discovered that the vase was no longer in the center of the canvas; apparently as I worked on the shape of the vase, I had made it wider on one side than the other. The difference was a matter of a quarter of an inch or so, but worth fixing. That sort of mistake registers with people when they look at the painting, whether or not they are aware of it, and becomes a distraction. Well, the few minutes I intended to spend on this problem turned into an hour, and I never got to the collage project at all, but I did manage to move the vase closer to center, working with my ruler and my T-square. "Measure twice, cut once" is the carpenters' saying. Good advice for life, good advice for art.

At the Jersey Shore

At the Jersey Shore (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

This is a very small watercolor landscape (five by seven inches) that I painted several years ago using my little portable watercolor set. That summer, I spent a few days at the New Jersey Shore and spent time walking along the beach, looking at the water, and trying to learn to paint the ocean. (I was born and raised in Colorado, and didn't really even get a chance to see the ocean until I was in my twenties.) Anyway, the other day while I was organizing my stuff, I came across some small watercolors and drawings, and found this one. Although I am north of Boston today, rather than in New Jersey, I thought I would post this because it is SO hot, and everyone here could use a nice ocean breeze.

Display of Daylillies

Display of Daylilies (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

I took this photo today at Home Depot, in the garden section. (I was running errands with my daughter.) I saw a display of beautiful daylilies, and started taking pictures with my phonecam. This is the photo is the best one of the set, and is exactly the way it came out of the camera.

Lavender Roses

Lavender Roses (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

At the grocery store, I noticed some unusual roses that had a purple cast, somewhere between dusky pink and lavender. I loved the color, so I took a picture with my phonecam, moving in close to capture the detail of the petals. Tonight I corrected the color in the computer and then cropped the image just a bit to get the composition I wanted.

Buttercups

Buttercups Originally uploaded by randubnick

This morning I was weeding the garden, and saw lots and lots of buttercups. I liked the play of sunlight and shade on these little flowers, so I took some pictures with my phonecam. Tonight I cropped this one just a bit to get the composition I wanted.

Sunlit Bouquet (Posterized Photo)

Sunlit Bouquet (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

The other day, I noticed these flowers in my daughter's kitchen. I liked the way the late afternoon sunlight was playing on the flowers, so I took a picture with my phonecam. The result was a nice soft focus but the image was too dark to use. So tonight I adjusted the contrast, then cropped the photo for the composition I wanted. Then I opened the image in Painter IX, where I posterized it and added some soft color overlays where the photo was too bright.

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 16)

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 16) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This morning I worked on this painting at Red Brick. First, I changed the color of the tablecloth, bringing it back to pink. I added more dark purple tones to the brick, for more contrast. I rechecked the geometry of the vase, then added some light blue and green to the glass. Is this painting finished? I am never entirely sure, but right now I will say that I think it is.

Elm Tree in the Rain (Posterized Photo)

Elm Tree in the Rain (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Tonight it start to sprinkle, and then rain hard, during an evening "dog walk". By the end of the walk, I was drenched but I was laughing too hard to mind. I was also moving too fast to take any pictures. But tonight after I got home, I found an image that started with another walk in the rain, a few years ago. (I was walking and taking photos, and lost track of time, didn't notice the sky, didn't mind when it sprinkled, and finally took notice when it started raining buckets, and when I got home I was drenched and laughing, just like today.) This is one of the photos that I took on that walk, using my late, great first phonecam that took soft, fuzzy little images. Tonight I decided to salvage the image and I began by resizing it, and cropping it for the composition. Then I opened the image in Painter IX and posterized the photo, experimenting with levels until I had the effect I wanted. I also used some very soft color overlays in one or two places that were too bright. Then I re-cropped the image, and here it is.

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 15)

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 15)

I got up early this morning and went to Red Brick to work on this painting for a while. I made a change in the drapery of the tablecloth, then added more dark tones to the brick. After that, I turned the painting on its head for a while to try to correct an issue with the elipsis at the bottom of the vase. Then I turned it around again and added some highlights to flowers and petals, indicating where the light was hitting them. I also worked on the vase, adding some shapes for the foliage inside the vase, and putting some white and lilac tones in the glass. At that point, it was time to pack up and leave for today. To be continued. . . .

Ivy on the Windows (Posterized Photo)

Ivy on the Windows (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This image began as a photo taken a few summers ago, with my old phonecam that took soft, out-of-focus images. At the time, I was doing a painting of a house for my friends, and was taking some pictures of ivy for reference. Tonight I came across the reference photos, and decided that I liked this one enough to do something with it. The light was unusual, sun and morning fog as it was lifting. So I did some rotating and cropping, and then adjusted the contrast a bit. Then I opened the image in Painter IX and posterized it. I did a little more cropping to get the image I was after, and here it is.

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 14)

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 14) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This morning I went to the studio at Red Brick and worked on this painting for an hour. First, I worked on the tablecloth, trying to even out the color while still showing highlights and shadows. The tablecloth still needs a little work, and I can already see some changes I want to make in the drapery. But I am happier with the color. I also added more purple tones to the brick, to add contrast with the tablecloth, and to add texture. I also added some white to some of the flowers and to the vase. There are some reflections in this photo because the painting was still wet when I took this picture. To be continued. . . .

Pansies in the Windowbox (Posterized Photo]

Pansies in the Windowbox (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This week, while I was supposed to be working in the yard, I stopped for a few minutes and used my phonecam to take some pictures of these pansies in the windowbox. It made me smile to look at them. Tonight I cropped the image to focus on the faces in the flowers, and then posterized it, using Painter IX.

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 13)

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 13) Originally posted by randubnick

This morning I went over to Red Brick to work on this painting for a while. I am still working on the tablecloth. For reference, I used the photograph of the original still life setup that I taped on the wall last week. Today's goal was to get the folds of cloth to make sense in the painting, so I looked very hard at the shadows and highlights in the photograph. I began by working with a palette knife, but ended up applying paint with my fingertips. Although I didn't get to finish, I think this shapes in the tablecloth are getting better. However, once that part is finished, I will need to bring the color of the tablecloth back to a dark pink. To be continued. . . .

Geraniums by the Fence (Posterized Photo)

Geraniums by the Fence (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This is an image of a basket of geraniums hanging near a wooden fence. I liked the contrast of colors and textures, so I took some pictures with my phonecam. Later, I cropped this image out of one of the photos, and then posterized in using Painter IX.

Purple Iris in Sunlight

Purple Iris in Sunlight Originally uploaded by randubnick

Yesterday as I was rushing out to do Something Very Important, I noticed that this purple iris had opened. It was so beautiful in the dappled sunlight that it stopped me right in my tracks. I took a few minutes to take some quick pictures with my phonecam. Today I cropped the image just a bit to focus on this one beautiful blossom. Art is also Something Very Important, and so is taking time to look and enjoy.

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 12)

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 12) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This morning, I went back to the studio at Red Brick to work on this painting. The original flowers I was working from are long gone, although I did put a fresh bunch of freesia in that vase for Open Studios. The red tablecloth is gone as well. But when I began this painting, I took a reference photo of the still life arrangement. So this morning before I left for the studio, I printed out a copy of the photo to take along. I taped the reference photo up on the wall, and it was helpful to have it. During the hour I had to work, I concentrated on the red tablecloth. I am trying to give it more of a pink cast (as in the photo), and to create a sense of the light coming in from the windows (on both sides.) I also want to give a sense of the folds in the tablecloth. Although I wasn't trying to replicate the tablecloth exactly (I needed to make some changes for the sake of the composition), looking at the photo helped me put highlights and shadows down on the canvas with more confidence.

The Pond at Zoe's Restaurant

The Pond at Zoe's Restaurant Originally uploaded by randubnick

On Sunday, we drove from Manhattan to New Jersey to attend a family party in honor of an aunt's 90th birthday The party was held at a cousin's amazing little restaurant called Zoe's in Sparta, New Jersey. There is a beautiful pond behind the restaurant. We had rented a car with a navigator for the drive from Manhattan. We arrived early, so I had time to take pictures, and even make a sketch with my PDA. Unfortunately, later that day, my PDA ran out of power and I lost the image. But I still have this picture that I took with my phonecam. (Maybe I will use it sometime to try to reproduce the little lost sketch.)

George Washington Bridge (Closeup)

George Washington Bridge (Closeup) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This weekend's drive from New York City to New Jersey included driving across the George Washington Bridge. It is a beautiful bridge, and I took lots of pictures with my phonecam (from the passenger seat, of course.) It is not always possible to get a good photo from a moving car, but stop and go traffic has its advantages. Tonight I cropped one of the photos to get this image, which calls attention to the geometric patterns in the structure of the bridge.

Central Park Seen from the M10 Bus

Central Park Seen from the M10 Bus Originally uploaded by randubnick

This is a sketch I made this morning on a lap-top paint program. It is a view of Central Park seen from the M10 bus. I had a nice long look at this view yesterday as I sat on that bus, following some transit adventures in the NYC subjway (no uptown trains were running). But I enjoyed an interesting view of the park. I liked the patterns of the sidewalk, the patterns of the stone wall, and the repeating patterns of flowers and trees as we (slowly) moved uptown.

Blossoms on the Hedge

Blossoms on the Hedge Originally uploaded by randubnick

Over the past week, I have seen the flowers on this hedge getting ready to open. I like the color and shape of its buds as well as its blossoms. I thought it looked nice against the brick wall, so I took a photo with my phonecam during a recent walk. Tonight I cropped the image slightly to correct the composition. Just as I was getting ready to post the photo, I noticed a distracting mark on one of the leaves, so I opened the image in Painter IX and used some digital pastel to eliminate the mark. Now there is nothing to distract the eye from the sunlight on these flowers as they blossom.

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 11)

Vase of Purple and White Freesia (Oil Bar Painting Day 11) Originally uploaded by randubnick

This morning, I spent a little time at Red Brick. I had to go there to pick up some paintings so I could drop them off for framing, and then took about 10 minutes to restore the studio to its natural state as a workspace, after Open Studios. But to me, going to the studio and not making any art is like going to Baskin Robbins and not having any ice cream. So while I was there, I decided to take just about half an hour to work on this painting, which was all the time I could spare today. I focussed on the tablecloth, adding a little light and shadow, and trying to work out how to suggest drapery with oil bars. I was happy to be painting, even for such a short time. To be continued. . . .

View of New York City from the Train (Posterized Photo)

View of New York City from the Train (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

I always try to take pictures of New York City from the train, but it is surprisingly hard to do. It seems that whenever you would actually be close enough to get a great picture of the New York City skyline, you are in the tunnel connecting to Penn Station. But I keep trying. I used my phonecam to take a photo through the train window last July, during a very short trip to NYC to visit family. Tonight I adjusted the color slightly (to compensate for the dark train window), and then opened the image in Painter IX and posterized it.

Trees in Late Afternoon Light (Posterized Photo)

Trees in Late Afternoon Light (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Late in the day, I was taking a walk when I noticed the long rays of the sun on the trees. I had to stop to take some pictures with my phonecam. Later, I cropped the image, then opened it in Painter IX to posterize it.

Rainy Train Trip to New York (Posterized Photo)

Rainy Train Trip to New York (Posterized Photo) Originally uploaded by randubnick

It was pouring this morning when Mel left to catch the train to New York. (It is still pouring.) I imagine this is what the view through the window of the train was like. I love trains, even in the rain, but I do like to look out the windows. This image started with a picture I found tonight, a photo I took with my old phonecam on my own train trip to New York last year, also on a rainy day. I came across it when I was looking for a New York City picture to post. I liked the original photo (taken with my late, great phonecam that took soft, out-of-focus pictures), but I decided to try posterizing it to give the image more punch. Then I adjusted the value to make the image easier to see. The result is a little odd, but here it is. I like it because it kind of re-creates the effort to see what is whizzing past, through the foggy windows and the rain.

Bright Pink Rhododendron

Bright Pink Rhododendron Originally uploaded by randubnick

This is another photo that I took on a recent walk at Long Hill Gardens. Fitting these little expeditions into a busy day isn't always easy, but it is well worth it. That is especially true now that the rhododendrons are blooming, and in so many colors! This is one of the many pictures I took that day. I feel I should point out that aside from cropping this photo, I did nothing to it. The color in this photo is just as it came out of the phonecam: unbelievable!

Watercolors of Portugal (At Open Studios)

Watercolors of Portugal (At Open Studios) Originally uploaded by randubnick.

I took this photo in my studio at Red Brick. My studio is the world's smallest, but I wanted to hang some of my watercolor paintings of Portugal for Open Studios this weekend. I managed to make room for six of them. I am glad I did because I had a chance to share some memories of my visits to Portugal with the people who came to my studio.

Transformational Drawings Set 2 (Hung for Open Studios)

Transformational Drawings Set 2 (Hung for Open Studios) Originally uploaded by randubnick

Red Brick is having open studios this weekend. For the past few days, my time at the studio has been spent getting the studio ready and hanging my work. Space is tight, this being after all the world's smallest studio, so I needed to move things around. I rearranged my second set of transformational drawings in a tighter configuration. (These are small drawings made by drawing into 9 pieces of a larger painting of mine, cut up for recyling). Anyway, I liked the way this set of drawings looked pinned up on the wall, so I took a picture with my phonecam.