Another December Afternoon Painting

End of day winter light is the best. My studio has three big windows facing west, so the light streams in through 4:00-4:30. As long as I can paint quickly, I try to capture it. This painting is the result of a few days of scraping down and repainting, all at the end of the day.

Orange Roses with Deep Purple and Light, 12 x 12, oil on panel.  

End of Day Light, December

As the light changes so quickly in December, the afternoon light here in my studio is spectacular but fleeting. Here is an image of roses from the weekend., painted somewhere between 2-4:00.

Orange Roses, December Afternoon. 14 x 11. Oil on panel. ​

Stages of a Painting

Every painting goes through stages. I don’t have a formula for mine, but sometimes there are patterns. Rarely do I draw everything out...and often I never draw. Just guidelines. 

Here is an example of a painting in progress. It’s not finished but I like where it is heading. 

Tulips and Rose, 24 x 30. Oil on panel.  

Beginning drawing

Midway

All done.

October Colors

One of the nicest things about October is grey. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy crystal clear blue skies and crisp, cool air. But I love how overcast, smokey grey days enhance fall colors. They become rich, full hues and offer a visual vacation from the eternal green of summer. 

here are a few small paintings from the weekend:

October 2, 11 x 14, oil on panel.

October 1, 8 x 8, oil on panel.  

Wrapping Up My Paint

The question I get asked, almost more than any other one, is “how to you keep your oil paint workable?” Oil paint is expensive, so the question is understandable!

There are two ways I keep my paint workable for a bit longer, one for plein air painting, and one for my studio paint. Both have one thing in common: Stretch-Tite! At the end of the day in my studio, I clean my glass palette with a razor blade, thinner, and towel, and use a knife to put the paint over to the side. Once there and clean, I lay a sheet of Stretch-Tite over it and seal the edges, removing as much air as possible. The paint usually stays pliable for a few days, depending upon the original paint’s oil content.

If I am plein-air painting? Sam-eish method. Clean the palette, keep the paint to the side, and wrap it in Stretch-Tite. One extra step: put it in the freezer! The paint stays pliable until the next time I paint outside. The downside? I forget I put the palette in there.

Why Stretch-Tite (I’m not getting paid for this)? Because it actually sticks! I don’t know of another plastic wrap that actually adheres to a palette surface. I find Stretch-Tite at Market Basket, otherwise, it seems like it is a little hard to come by. Where do you find yours? If you have other ways to protect and save your oil paint, let me know!