Mary B Spires Watercolor & Art Stuff

8" x 10" Oil on Board As many of you know I'm schedule to take a workshop on Lake Como next fall with Jerry Fresia ( http://www.fresia.com/  ).  He also has a 3 minute video on You Tube and a wonderful instrucitonal book, plus two small books of his  paintings.......Wednesday afternoon in the Pumprey's class I copied one of his paintings .....just to get the feel of what his brush strokes felt like....what an eye opening experience.  I painted it in one hour on a Masonite board with a soft hair brush.  I first scumbled in the dark and middle values per his instructions. The squinting thing is sooooo important......this morning I actually used my computer to blur the image.....this is a great help in seeing the dark, middle and light shapes. 

5"x7" Oil on Board I love painting these Habanero Peppers, reproducing the shapes with the shadows were a challenge. I moved things around in the studio to get a better light for my still lives. I've been studying Gregg Kreutz book Problem Solving for the Oil Painter.....I just love that "Chiaroscuro Style" of the light traveling across your still live.