Plein air painting and a plein air portrait

It's the beginning of November and since we've had a few really nice days I was able to continue drawing with my group outside. This will most likely be the final one. The landscape was done as part of a group of painters on a Sunday afternoon in the sculpture park in Skokie, IL. I did not include any of the sculptures (maybe I was supposed to?) and focused on a group of pine trees with the changing colors of the leaves behind them. The painting os an 8 X 10" on linen mounted on a panel.

Finally got it right

I actually did this pastel painting a few years ago. It has been in several shows, but I have never been happy about the one horse in the middle. When my son was little we took him to Green Meadows petting farm in Waterford, Wisconsin. Off to the side was this area for the horses. I snapped a picture and later began making this pastel. Despite the fact that I felt it was drawn well, that one horse never looked quite right. So it sat for a long time in the studio. A week ago I picked up a book I have on the art of James Reynolds. Going through I was looking for his handling of a horse in as similar a pose to mine. I foung several and chose one that I thought looked very close. Erasing some of the drawing of the legs so I could lay down new color, I changed the color a bit and redrew the legs in a better position. Never mind the original picture. I think it looks much better, added a few other things in the background and horses and foreground and it's done. Some paintings take quite a while to finish.

More charcoal drawings, outside while it's still nice

While it is still nice we are meeting outside to draw. Drawing each other from the group. Still above 55 degrees so it's manageable. Both were done with charcoal pencil on charcoal paper in about 45 minutes each.

Charcoal drawing this Fall

Mimi is the leader of our drawing group. The finished sketch is Mimi and the unfinished sketch --- could be her as well, not sure. Anyway they were both done in charcoal on charcoal paper.

Finally....success

Several times I have tried to capture Helen in a drawing. She is one of the people that I have a drawing class with. Despite those other times I was not happy with the result. This time I captured her and even got her approval. The other two drawings are Elizabeth, also in the drawing group and Elizabeth's shoe. After drawing everyone it can get a little tiresome, so now we are branching out into doing a shoe. All done with a charcoal pencil on charcoal paper.

Back with the drawing group

Since our group is still not allowed into the building we have been meeting outside in the larger park area under the gazebo. I have two portraits done over the last two weeks of guys who are just sitting drawing. These were done on small sheets of 140 pound watercolor paper.

Drawings done before the virus interrupted everyone

So, just before the interruption in everyone's life I was doing some of my best work ever in the life drawing class. These were all done with charcoal on charcoal paper. I have taken to mounting some of these for display later in the class I am supposed to teach coming in September --- hopefully it takes place and the virus is gone.