Friday, October 15, 2010

Moses Botkin Monthly Challenge

Our challenge this month was to paint anything we liked, but on a 6x8 support and only with a half-inch brush! Diabolical! Actually, I paint every painting with just one brush, but use a smaller one - a 6 instead of an 8. I think I am just lazy. The artists I paint the model with on Mondays were surprised to learn that. They were aghast when they heard that I don't clean my brushes either. I use OMS (Gamsol) and just swish my brushes in there until they look good and lay them down and walk away. I don't use expensive brushes and they get a lot of abuse I suppose. Using one at a time until it flays out finally or the ferule loosens. I like a synthetic too actually, with a crisp edge.

Now, on to my painting. This horse was turned out one morning during our visit to the dude ranch two years ago this fall. The background was very Texas hill country. Dry scrub. And when I was flying in this past weekend and looked out the window, I was momentarily surprised because the ground looked almost like snow. The colors were so pale and muted. Lovely in their way.. and I wanted to try to capture that in my background here.


Facing the Morning Sun

6x8 oil on panel

©2010 Robin Cheers




Onion

6x8 oil on panel
©2010 Aaron Cordell




Bright Bales

6x8 oil on hardboard
©2010 Diana Moses Botkin




Bling Pouch

6x6 oil on canvas

©2010
Suzanne Berry




Still Life

8x6 oil on canvas
©2010
Vicki Ross

5 comments:

Virginia Floyd said...

I'm really impressed by your horse. You captured it with just the right values. Very nice.

cissy said...

Only one brush?. You certainly do lovely paintings with that one brush. Thanks, for sharing, I enjoy your paintings very much. There is such vitality in your work.

Marian Fortunati said...

Wonderful... just wonderful!

Diana Moses Botkin said...

I really like the way your big loose strokes define the forms and yet leave a lot for the viewer to make up... fun to connect the dots.

suzanneberry said...

another simply amazing painting. i love everything about your process.

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