Head in the Clouds

untitled study

9 x 12 in., oil on panel

You may already know I've been on a cloud kick for the past couple of weeks. The study above was Wednesday's effort. I'm a little ashamed I didn't jump into this long ago like I did when I studied trees for a solid year, but better late than never! It's been surprising to me how much I'm enjoying it and how much I've learned by reading and studying color and painting clouds from the balcony view of my 'studio in the sky.' Now I find as much inspiration in painting clouds as much as I do trees - like trees, they each have their own shape and color, and are constantly evolving, only much more quickly! 

I hope to be offering a few 6 x 8 in. cloud studies for sale here in the coming weeks, as the larger ones will be part of a series that is still 'evolving!' Have a good weekend!

-julie davis

*if you haven't yet, and are inclined, sign up for my newsletter here. The fall issue will be coming out September 1.

Shed Study

Shed Study

12 x 9, oil on panel

sold in Hurricane Harvey fundraiser for the Rockport Center for the Arts

Obviously, I've been painting a number barns lately.  I'm working on technique.  In high school I absolutely loved the two years of drafting I took.  I still love line, structure, balance.  I use my palette knife to start these studies--almost "drawing" (or drafting) with it in a way, leaving some of those lines as a legacy in the finished piece.  This one isn't "finished" per se, but it is. :)

-julie davis

*happy Friday, and happy Valentine's Day!

Cloud Study 1

Cloud Study 1

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

sold

Lately I've wanted to study clouds...this looking-straight-up view was the result of many photos I took last month that have been in my studio waiting for me.  I had fun with this--don't know where it will lead, but I plan to do more.  I want to become as confident about painting clouds as I am about trees.

-julie davis

Tree Study

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

I'm finally back into a bit of a painting "routine" post-holidays and now that the kids are back in school and settled.  This tree study was a warm-up before I worked on another piece.  I'm trying to jump back in with plenty of quick studies, but my ultimate goal for the year is to paint larger...I've created one already that's bigger than anything I've ever done, and I'm about to start another.  Kind of exciting, and intimidating!

-julie davis

Third of Three

Study 3, Field

6 x 8 in., oil on panel

sold

This is the third and final of the last three posts on the same scene.  The others were different approaches at studying value and composition.  In this one, I relaxed and just painted.  Again, I really shouldn't post with photos that aren't up to par, but it's been a nutty week, and this is the best I'm going to get right now, so my apologies for the overexposure on the left side.  :)

-julie davis

Paper Towels and Value Studies

This is the study I promised from yesterday (same scene--but you see more detail in this one).  I apologize for the poor photograph.  It's the strangest thing, but I really like "blocking in" / doing studies like this. Using my dark mix of alizarin, raw umber, and ultramarine blue, and wrapping my finger inside a Viva paper towel, I basically draw/paint with my finger.  Just another fine way to do a value study, or even to block in for a painting:)  

-julie davis

10 Shapes, 50 Strokes

No, I haven't regressed since my last post in late June....it may appear so from this study, but it's actually a study done (or an attempt at) using no more than 10 shapes and 50 strokes or fewer.  That's it.  Simplifies things, doesn't it?  No fussing, no decorating, just simple shapes and values.  This was my first try at this type of thing, and I am positive I could have done a better job.  I'm planning to do many of these--to retrain myself to see simply and take care with each stroke.  Liz Wiltzen gets the credit for inspiring me to do this--her post on the topic was back on August 16.  

Tomorrow I'll post my own version of the same scene in a value study done in a dark neutral and using a paper towel:)

And last, I've spent the last few weeks reformatting my blog and overhauling my website...the website transition is not quite complete--I'll let you know when it's finalized, but the blog is finished....for now.  Let me know what you think!

-julie davis

Sendero

Sendero (study)

6 x 8, oil on panel

nfs

I loved the play of light and shadow in this view through the trees. The "Sendero" is the Spanish word for "path" or "way," used most commonly in my world as a clearing in the trees where my husband just might spot a deer if he's looking. :) Of course, around here we tend to say "sender-a" -- either way, my girls and I know to cast a glance down them when on car trips. :)

-julie davis

Texas Palms Study

Texas Palms, study, 8 x 6 in.

sold

One of my friends here in Austin has been after me for a while (could be something over a year) to do a little something with a palm tree in it--she has a place at the coast here in Texas. I keep telling her Austin isn't exactly rife with palms. I finally relented and said I'd do one in my tree study series if she'd get me a photo or two, so she sent some photos my way of some palms near her place at the beach. Well, here you go, friend. This one is for you. :)

-julie davis

Tree Study 9

Tree Study 9, 6 x 8 in.

Another small study.....this time, small, skinny oaks grouped together like so many here in Central Texas. These were part of a much, much larger group, and on a hillside. I began to put the rest in, and took out what I'd started--it took on a bit of a watercolor look because of it all.

-julie davis

Tree Study 8

Tree Study 8, 6 x 8 in.
nfs

A day or so ago, an artist whose work I quite admire, Randy Saffle, left a good question on my post for me regarding trees in a mass, asking "When you paint a group of trees, do you change which side of the tree is active within the same painting or do you keep it all the same side?"

I thought I would share my response in today's post since I thought it was a great question and something I needed to work with: "You can go either way, depending on the design of the composition and where you want to direct your viewer's eye. I'll have to do some groups of trees and play with that. I do think it all depends on composition.... As a mass of trees, though, you'd play down anything active within the group, and choose a side of the mass to make more active, depending on the composition.

I hope this helps. I'm still figuring it out, obviously, so thanks for the question."

I hope this helps anyone else with that question. I'll definitely be playing more with groups of trees and this concept in this study series. And thank you, Randy!

-julie davis

Tree Study 7

Tree Study 7, 7 x 5 in.

I think sometimes that I'm a little off.....I enjoy these small tree studies so much. Perhaps I should paint an orchard--ha. Here, I focused on loosening up the edges more than usual, and working with the trunks last--applying them on top of the tree's form rather than exclusively underneath. Still thinking about active and passive sides.

-julie davis

Tree Study 6

Tree Study 6, 6 x 8 in.

Another in the tree study series.... Scott Christensen consistently reiterated variety of line in a composition. No matter the line--horizon line, a stand of trees, the top of a mountain, the edge of a creek, even variety of line in the grasses or shadows of the ground plane. This plays into the active/passive side of individual trees as well.

-julie davis

Tree Study 6

Tree Study 6, 8 x 6 in.

It may seem redundant to do the same subject over and over, but trees are something I adore painting, and their importance in a landscape cannot be underestimated. Any new manner of approaching them that I come across, I want to play with it until it becomes second nature. In addition to the active/passive side I've written about, Scott stressed the importance of the core of the tree being the darkest, and painting toward the core as you address the shadow and light aspects of the tree.

I'm not sure I subordinated one side of the tree here as successfully as I could have, but these studies are learning vehicles for me as much as anything--so go easy on me as I try to absorb and incorporate it all! :)

-julie davis