Asking for help ...

I'm in the process of updating my files and organizing my database.  I'm not sure under what category I'll put this painting in but I would like to give it a title.  I should have named this when I was painting it but just couldn't think of anything but getting paint on canvas, and, now nothing comes to mind.  

So, will you help me and give me some suggestions, please?

Summer Heat and Dry Grasses

Summer Dry Grasses © 8" x 6" ~ oil

Gessoed primed canvas panel

Last summer, on our way to Murphys California for a workshop with Kathleen Dunphy, we encountered a lot of country that the grasses were parched by the sun and you'd feel like you were in an oven.  Once in awhile you'd find a gentle wind but more often than not there wasn't even a flutter of a breeze.

I used one, of many, of my photos as reference for this painting and it brought back a lot of memories of just how hot and dry it was.

A Study for a larger painting

Almost Home ~ oil 9" x 12" 

I'm calling this one done, I'm also calling this one a 'study'.  I've been wanting to paint this snow scene  for a while now but on a larger format perhaps a 24" x 36" canvas. This one is 9" x 12" and large for me considering most of my oils have been 8" x 10" or smaller. I started out by doing a few value studies (below), just thinking of where I wanted to go with this one.  I know it helped to do the studies in marker and the Bic pen because I was mentally prepared going in and now I think I will feel much more confident going into the large painting.

Value studies from my sketch book.  On the left I used a sepia Bic pen and on the right a black Sharpie and a cool grey Prismacolor marker.

Below a little collection of heart shaped rocks I've collected, to tell you Happy Valentines day.... Yeah I know I'm early, but I'm going to spend my Valentines day getting my teeth cleaned and saying hello to my dentist.

Sea Shell Study #2

Since I have few more of these little wood blocks I thought I'd do another Sea Shell Study.  Again it's on a 3.5" x 3.5" x 3/4" block.

I used basically the same color palette, although in this one I saw that while looking at the shell there was a tad bit of green on the upper right hand part of the shell.  I thought of it as a little prize when I found it.  An unexpected surprise.

Each shell, even though they may look the same at first glance, has something a little different than the other.  I also liked this one to use as a prop because of the small chip in its other wise beautiful shell.

Sea Shell Study #2 - oil on wood 3.5" x 3.5" wood block

         

                                                              

And then there were two.

I really like these small paintings displayed on the small wood easels.  A great way to show them off.  I was so excited to paint another shell study that I completely neglected to do some thumbnails before I started painting.  I think it really pays off for me to sketch before I start painting.