Turpentine diaries 7/23/17

Break is finally done. I struggled with the surface from the beginning which resulted in more sessions than usual.  I won’t bore you with the details; the surface isn’t awful–it’s perfectly sound–but it’s not to my liking.  Not nearly smooth enough and like any rough-surfaced canvas, it eats brushes.  I like surfaces that are smooth and…

Studio journal 6/18/17

I used RGH’s extra-fine flake white and viridian green in today’s sessions.  RGH sells both paints in jars, which I don’t like.  But both jars have remained fresh. I’ve had the viridian for some time and it’s still fresh. The pile of paint on the paper palette is a mixture of viridian and blue-gray.  I used it…

Studio journal 6/4/17

I finished Euclid Avenue #1 (in the photo’s background) this morning and then worked on On the Square for the remainder of the day.  Both paintings are part of the Playhouse Square series. Both paintings are 48″ x 60″ and were prepared the same way.  However, On the Square’s surface is much poorer than Euclid’s…

Studio journal 6/2/17

After spending the morning drawing, I fully intended to finish Euclid Avenue #1, which I wrote about in the previous Studio journal post, and you can see it in the background of this photo.  Instead, I worked on Jane and Keith Aboard the Betty Jane. Both paintings are 48″ x 60.”   I plan to finish Euclid…

Goodbye, Old Holland

 Goodbye, Old Holland, I’m done with you. In my Oil Paint Brand Reference, I rated the Old Holland (OH) brand as top; best in breed among high-end brands.  Its dense pigmentation gives it unrivaled covering power and performance.  Funny thing though, I noticed that lately there are no OH paints on my palette.  Why?  Price.  Their…