In Progress "Our Dock"

In the olden-days (that would be all the years before this year), I would stand at my easel and paint with abandon using my intuition, perseverance and accumulated skill. Most times paintings were eventually successful (to my eye).

This year I am painting in a more disciplined manner to become a better painter. Hopefully, what I learn this year will add to my skill and become intuitive. Sometimes I have to trick myself into accomplishing what I want - in this case to stay focused on the background only. I put a piece of paper over the bottom 2/3 and prepared to paint only the background (top third).

After a little over an hour on this, checking values, shapes, brushwork and here is where I am now. I'm satisfied with it and will now uncover the rest of the painting and paint with abandon (ha! no I won't...I'll remember what my goal is and I'll THINK about each decision).  And, in looking at this post, I already see some value adjustments needed.

1-3-2020 See the finished painting here.

In-progress "New Year's Day"

On New Year's Day I posted a Happy New Year painting. After that, I made a cup of mocha, and with my journal in hand I settled in at the dining room table to ponder the new year. I took a photo of the moment, planning to print it and insert it into my handwritten journal but then decided to paint the scene instead. I'm working on it and am posting the painting-in-progress. I'm working back to front now so the mid and foreground are next.

1-27-2020 See the finished painting here

The block-in

Making Progress

Color choices

Value check