Aspirations

I have found a new art group that I am considering applying for membership with. They are called the International Guild of Realism. Their membership boasts some of the best realist artists working today. So, wish me luck.

New Work!!

Been away for a while, again, but shown below is the reason why.

This painting shows a portion of the exterior of my friend Paul Kant's studio. His studio is called Owl Creek and it reflects him clearly. My painting is kind of a combination of still life and landscape. Everywhere I looked while at Paul's place, I saw inspirations for paintings.

"Tea Time" finished!

What a great feeling!

To start and finish a pastel in less than a week. I wish I could work this quickly on every painting.

I am really pleased with this little painting. This was the first time that I worked on a surface that I made. It was done on a masonite panel with Golden Acrylic ground for pastels. I really struggled with the rough surface (I used an old paint brush), but I think overall it turned out okay. I may try my own surface again, soon.



Tea Time update

Here is an update on the "Tea Time" pastel for a 10" x 10" show.

This is kind of a midway point, I guess, this is how the piece looked this morning.

I like the way that the tea cup is arcing out of gray space into reality.



New pastel project underway

This is the beginning of a series of 10" x 10" pastels for a show coming up in Jan 2013.

I work so slowly that if I don't start now, I won't have anything for the show.

The title of the piece is "Tea Time". It includes an antique clock from my friend Paul Kant's studio, a wooden block from my collection, and an tea cup and saucer that showed up one day at my old Shirt Factory studio.



The Finished Pastel "Gourdgeous"

I know I had promised to do more updates on this pastel, but here I am finished and realizing that I hadn't done any updates from the last version.

So, anyways, here is the finished pastel, "Gourdgeous"

The varied gourds were a real challenge to paint and I had a great time exploring the surface textures and colors. I hope you enjoy the image.



Gordgeous In Progress

Here is the latest upadate on my pastel "Gourdgeous"

As you can see, I'm progressing from left to right and developing each gourd in turn.

This is a detail showing the area that I spent most of the painting session on yesterday. Hoping that the number of colors and their blending show up well.

Another Step By Step "Gourdgeous"

This is the initial concept for the still life.

The idea was a vertical format, but I found I didn't like the set up, so I went to my bag of gourds.

This is the resulting, modified set up.

I went from five gourds to nine, more challenging, also as you'll see below, I decided to eliminate the striped cloth, I felt it was too distracting.

The starting point, laying in the background.

I selected what I felt were "autumny" colors which I felt would go well with the gourds.

Beginning to lay in color and structure to the still life.

Being right handed, I work from the upper right to the lower left of the pastel.

This usually keeps me from smudging areas already laid in, but not always.

This shows a bit of detail, learned a new technique that I'm using on the Turban Squash. It's exciting to learn something new and to put it to use. Especially after working in the medium for as long as I have.

More updates tomorrow, will be carrying this through to the completion of the painting.



Long Overdue Update

Here is the finished image of the pastel "Benched".

All of the items for this still life came from the studio of fellow artist Paul Kant.

He has a tremendous collection of antique items and I can't wait to visit him again.

Painting a still life step by step

This is step 1, after transfering the charcoal drawing to the Ampersand Pastelbord, I start laying in the background. It usually take some time to decide what I am going to do with the background, but once the decision is made, it gets going pretty quickly.



Another painting in progress

Here is the start of a new pastel.

This is the initial drawing, charcoal on paper of the still life set up.

This drawing will be transfered to the Ampersand Pastelbord for the color work.



New Releases from Dave Francis Studio

Here is a pastel that I finished this morning, another in a series of abandoned, rusty vehicles. Hope you like it.

Haven't decided on a title yet, which is unusual, thinking maybe just "'47 Chrysler".

Here is another recently finished piece in the same genre, it is actually the front view of the truck in '47 Chrysler.

The title on this one is "One For Stu", it's a piece very reminiscent of what he paints everyday. Back to work, will update again soon, with a series of a still life in progress. Hope to make it a daily update.





Back To Work

To those who follow this blog, I apologize for venting yesterday, just felt the need to get some things off my mind. Needless to say, it won't happen again. I will be rededicating this blog to updates of artwork and projects in progress.
Thank you for your understanding.

what to do

I feel that if I dont get some extended creative time soon, I might as well give the whole freaking thing up. My skills are deteriorating and I can't seem to keep focus when my studio time comes in increments of 15 - 30 minutes. IT'S NOT ENOUGH!

Thinking of giving up

Another day when someone else's priorities win out over mine. Non-artistic responsiblilites are once again keeping me out of the studio and not creating new work. It gets very frustrating.

Not Enough Time

Another day with only about an hour in the studio before demands of family life made it uncomfortable to be there. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Finished painting "Oomphatzport"

Haven't updated for a few days, as you will see below, I have been hard at work on the Oomphatzport pastel. Hope you enjoy looking at it as much as I did creating it.

I spent a lot of time with the rigging and adding additonal details.

Soon, on this site, I will include the background story of Oomphatzport and how it fits in with the other paintings from the Eternal Forest World.

Enjoy, please send me your comments.

Here is the latest update on Oomphatzport.

Finally a full day of work in the studio!

Things are progressing well in OOmphatzport.

Bringing Oomphatzport to life

This is a close up view of the central part of the painting. It shows the market being developed.

I apologize for the image being rotated. Apparently the blog remembers the original camera position and there is no way to edit or rotate it to a more viewable image.



Oomphatzport Update

Here is the update that I was going to post yesterday, but got tied up doing other things.

Continuing to develope and create the central part of the painting.

All of the timbers, pulleys, and supports are for loading and unloading the Oomphatz Merchant Vessles moored in the harbor behind the market place.

Another painting in progress

I thought I would show my next fantasy painting as a series of daily updates. Here is the piece after two days of pastel work.
This is a scene from a place called Oomphatz Port. It is located on the southern coast of the great continent that is home to the Eternal Forest.

Fantasy Art Genre

A lot of people dont know that, on occasion, I paint a purely fantasy scene. Most of these paintings are of a realm that I call, The Eternal Forest. I don't show these pieces very often, but thought I would show one at this time.

The Three Sisters

18 x 6

This pastel shows the three highest towers of the primary castle (unnamed) in the Forest.

The spires hint at the sister's duties.

Hope you like it.

The Results are in! 7th Northeast National Pastel Exhibition

My painting, "Three For Tea" has been accepted into the 7th Northeast National Pastel Exhibition at the new Arts Center in Old Forge, NY.

Also, congratulations to all of the members of the

Adirondack Pastel Society

that had work accepted for this show.

New Work from Dave Francis Studio

Here is the newest pastel, still not sure if I'm totally happy with it.

The Pursuit of Trivia

18 x 24

Pastel on Ampersand Pastelbord

Update coming!

I am finishing up a new pastel, titled "Pursuing Trivia". I'm not sure if I'm happy with it, but will post it anyways for anyone's useful comments.

Here is the finished version of "Birds Of A Feather"

This pastel is one of my two entries into the 7th Northeast National Pastel Exhibition

at the Arts Center in Old Forge, NY.

Keeping my fingers crossed, the jurying results come out this Friday.

Pastel Journal Magazine

I was just thumbing through the new issue of Pastel Journal Magazine and saw an article on volunteering for arts organizations. In the accompanying photo they show the National Pastel Exhibition being hung at the National Arts Club in New York City. I noticed in the background is my painting "Still Life With Green Stripes" Kind of cool!

A full painting session

Birds of a Feather 04

Finally, a five hour painting session with no interuptions.

Got quite a bit done today, if you look back at the initial drawing,]

you will see that the chicken in the background has changed.

This fellow just showed up and demanded to be included!