Michaelis Live Oaks

Michaelis Live Oaks, 5x7

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Last spring PAA had a paintout at the Michaelis Ranch outside Kyle, Texas, which is about twenty miles south of Austin. My brother, Paul, was visiting from the east coast and I was able to talk him into coming with me to take pictures while I painted. This piece was painted from one of the many he took that day.  Thank you, older brother.

Barton Springs

Barton Springs, 6 x 8
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I'm a little shy about posting this attemp, because I had a hard time with it. Plein Air Austin had a paintout Saturday at Barton Springs, and I didn't see how I could paint Barton Springs without including people. Therein lay my dilemma, since I haven't done much painting of humans in landscapes, plein air or otherwise, and certainly not on such a small scale. So, I tried only for rough values and colors when we were out there, and finished it in studio, from photographic reference. I had a really hard time painting the human figures at this size, which is no doubt apparent. In addition, I had to depict the kick-boarder from memory. Finally, I had problems getting the paint opaque enough on the smaller details, most notably in the figures and the white rails of the lifeguard chairs. Painting wet into wet was one part of the problem, I think, and size, the other.

Oh, well. Hopefully the experience has taught me something, though at this point, I'm too worn out to think what that something might be.