Boots 'n Jeans

This is my pencil version of 'Boots 'n Jeans'.
Pencil / graphite seems to be my 'art of choice' for this minute. 

Sketches

 I've not been up to serious painting, so just posting a few quick pen and ink sketches from my sketch book. And that is all I've been able to do in the past weeks. 

Cottage on the Lane

Yesterday I started to apply some of the lessons learned at the 
Joyce Hicks workshop. There is a LOT! First taking a scene either photo or being there, editing, adding and making a  pencil value sketch. Something I've never done. Making it your own, your design, your color.  Yes, I took notes. LOL ! lots of notes, and actually following them. Doing a small color piece, then finally painting, but referring to that pencil value sketch over and over. 
Of course this being my first serious attempt after the classes I missed most of it here, but some of it I DID get in. 
  Cooler lighter values in the distance, warmer, darker in front.
Balance, harmony, always thinking ahead of the brushstroke, where your going to place it and how.. Texture, warm against cool. Light against dark.  Using big brushes loaded with pigment and water. Go For IT!  
 I like this as I made it my own.!  I like the left side, especially behind the cottage,  but not the right.  Could have cropped it shorter, but then you lose that pathway that leads you in.  OK not perfect, but even though I may have only applied 3 or 4 of those learned lessons, I will eventually get to where it will be all of them (ALL in ONE painting.)  How good will that be??