Front Field II - Lone Pony

Today I am painting with the Buckhorn Artists' Group and I decided to work in pen and ink.

I pulled out this drawing that I had started a number of years ago (see posts on 18 June and 19 July 2017, 13 January and 10 May 2020) and decided that it was about time it was completed.











At lunchtime the Group decided that we would be able to hold our 30th Annual "Shades of Summer" Art Show and Sale again on 12-14 August (provided it doesn't get cancelled due to a rise in Covid-19 cases).

This drawing once it has been matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $45.00.

OSWOA - Country Road 1

Today I wanted to finish this painting that I started in a Colour and Composition class with Neil Broadfoot many years ago (see posts on 29 January 2012, 11 December 2015, 20 February and 11 August 2016), this painting started as Colour and Composition 6.

I started with the main tree in the foreground on the left side o f the road, using various combinations of French ultramarine blue mixed with burnt sienna, and continued by putting in the rest of the tree trunks and branches on the background trees.

From there I lightened the tree colour and brushed in the road, followed by darkening the colour slightly to put in the ruts in the road.














This was followed by mixing various greens using raw sienna and French ultramarine blue to put in a few pine trees and add more definition to the grass.

If you would like more information about OSWOA please go to my post on 12 March 2010.

The OSWOA shown here is an original watercolour painting using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 140lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. It is priced at $40.00 and sold unframed.

Thank you for coming to look at my artwork and I hope you will return often.

Front Field II - Lone Pony - A Work in Progress

Today I was painting with the Lakefield Creative Arts Group and brought along a number of pen and ink drawings that I have been working on for a while (see posts on 18 June and 19 July 2017).

I started with this one beginning with the closer stand of trees on the right side.

I put the foliage onto the trees and added more details to the tree trunks and branches.












I finished this section of trees by putting a few smaller young trees in around the base of the mature trees.

From there I moved to the other side of the drawing and began to put in the start of the forest at the lower edge of the field.

I will post this drawing at a later date once more work on it has been completed.

White Picket Fence I

While I was going through some of the drawings I had started a while ago, when I was on location with the KAGS Outdoor Painters' Group. I decided to complete this one that I had started on a farm out on Cameron Line (see posts on 20 December 2016, 25 ay 2017 and 03 January 2018).

I started in the background and completed the trees and fence on the edge of the pasture. I also at this point removed the one larger tree from the background as I didn't want it to become the focal point of the drawing.















From there I started adding more of the leaves onto the foreground tree being careful to leave some spaces for the larger tree branches to show through.

Lastly, I put in the tree branches and some of the shadows cast by the leaves.

This original 9" x 12” pen and ink drawing when framed will be available for $225.00.

Front Field III

After doing the barn chores and with showers forecast throughout the day, I thought I would work on this pen and ink drawing that I started last year (see posts on 18 June and 27 October 2017).

Beginning with the indistinct trees in the background first I gradually moved forward through the various layers of deciduous and coniferous trees until I reached the edge of furthest back area of pasture.














From there I indicated the middle area with grasses and a few bushes and a smaller tree. Lastly, I put in the foreground grasses and land.

This original 6" x 9" pen and ink drawing after being matted and shrink wrapped will be available for $50.00.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and enjoy the artwork. I hope you will return often.

Riverview Pines and Horses I - A Work in Progress

Today was a little on the cool side with the high being 7F (-13.9C) and the wind chill making it feel like -17F (-27.2C).

I pulled out this sketch that I did while we were bringing in hay during the summer (see post on 06 August 2017).

I wanted to do a little more work on this drawing and thought I would start on the foreground and put in some grasses and growies.

I will get my photos of their horses for reference.

I will post this drawing at a later date as more work on the horses are completed.

Back Forty II - A Work in Progress

Now that I am back from Magnetawan I thought that I would work on a couple of pieces from my property that I had started earlier this year (see posts on 25 June and 07 August 2017).

I added a couple of younger maple trees to the right of the larger trees by the entryway to the lower field.

Next I put in a few very small saplings to the right of the young trees.

















I wanted to add a little more depth to the drawing so I started with the distant fence by the treeline which is the start of 60 acres (24.3 hectares) of class 1 through 3 wetland and mixed forest which makes up the southern boundary of the farm.

I will post this drawing again at a later date once I have more of the tree lined boundary fences finished.

Back Forty II - A Work in Progress

I wanted to work on this drawing that I started earlier this year (see post on 25 June 2017) while Ron and I were out in the side by side.

I started with the large maple trees which grew clumped together by the opening to another field.

Next I added some grasses and growies at the base of the maples, along the fence line and into the foreground.
















I added a small maple to the right side of the large maple trees.

Then I started on the trees on the other side of the opening with a small pine tree and started on a larger maple tree, but I didn't have time to finish this piece.

I will post this drawing at a later date once more of the trees have been added along the fence line.

Riverview Pines and Horses I - A Work in Progress

Today we were bringing in the last four loads of hay for the horses. Since it was a nice 72F (22C) day with a breeze keeping the humidity away, it was ideal weather.

While the first load of hay was being put onto the trailer I started this sketch of the windswept pine trees in the upper field which had always been a favourite view of mine.

For the second load of the hay, I finished most of the main pine trees in the sketch and since they were on a hill I put in the first ground line.

On the third time there I added in the middle ground trees and then the distant background trees and started adding in some of the bushes and growies at the base of the main trees.

On the last load of hay I added in the grasses and growies into the foreground and then put in a few of the farm's many horses grazing in the field.

I will post this sketch at a later date once I have added more horses into the field.

Front Field II - Lone Pony - A Work in Progress

I had a little bit of time and I wanted to work on one of my drawings and I chose this one that I had started last month (see post on 18 June 2017).

Looking out my living room window down toward where I did the original drawing, I thought I would add a pony into the field between the two stands of trees.

I started with the tree trunks of the stand of trees in the foreground and then added shadows from them into the grasses at their base.















Next, I started to add some of the shadowed grasses below the further back treeline and before I could go any further on this drawing, I had friends arrive.

I will post this drawing at a later date once more work on it is completed.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my artwork and I hope you will return often.

Old Oak I

Today I wanted to finish this pen and in drawing that I started a number of years ago (see posts on 22 February 2013 and 25 January 2017).

The first thing I did was to remove the building. I wanted the background to be uncluttered and I felt the house made it look too busy.

I indicated the distant hills in the background and put in various layers of trees adding more details to the closer ones.














Next, I put in some more fence posts into the middle ground.

This was followed by various grasses and growies at the base of the posts and into the field.

Into the foreground I added grasses growing around the base of the oak tree and some clumps of grasses at the base of the front posts.

Lastly, I added the barb wire to the fence posts.

This original, 6-1/2" x 9" pen and ink drawing will be available after it is matted and shrink wrapped for $60.00.

Early Morning 2 - A Work in Progress

It was fairly cold this morning 3F (-16) with the wind chill making it feel like -13F (-25C) and a strong wind blowing as I headed down to do the barn chores.

I decided that I would work on a painting and pulled out this drawing that I did quite some time ago (see post on 26 April 2013).

I wanted to start by putting a little bit of colour into the sky, so I lightly wet the paper.















Using new gamboge I brushed in the area just above the horizon line in first and this was followed with a mixture of alizarin crimson blending it slightly where the two colours touched.

Into the top of the sky I used a blend of Antwerp blue and French ultramarine blue and set the painting aside to dry.

I will post this painting at a later date once more work on it has been completed.

Break in the Fence 2 and Fence Line 3

While out running errands I noticed as I was on my way home the various different types of fences enclosing the fields.

I stopped along the side of the road and did a quick drawing of one the fences. This one had a break in the wire and some of the fence posts were leaning or broken. The field was overgrown with weeds, showing that this property was no longer being maintained.















Break in the Fence 2

I continued down the road and when I came to the stop at the end of the road, right across from me there was a new post and rail fence that had been put in during the summer.















Fence Line 3

New people had purchased the farm a couple of years ago and now that their new home had been built they were starting to do work on the fence line around the property.

There were a lot of differences between the two properties and it is amazing how a little time, care and a lot of work can change the look of the land.

Farm Buildings 1-3

We had freezing rain overnight and everything was covered with a light coating of ice and I was greeted to ice pellets falling as I headed down to the barn to do the morning chores.

I decided instead of going to Buckhorn and paint with the Buckhorn Tuesday Painting Group that I would stay home and work on some drawings of farm buildings.













Run In Shed 2

I put in the main barn first and then attached a run in shed on the back of the barn. Next I added a fence for the paddock.

All that needed to be added was a tree for shade and a couple of horses.














Autumn Barn 2

Since this paper already had a few bushes in fall colours, I felt that the season may as well be autumn.

I drew in the distant fields first and added a few trees; then ran fences around the edges of the all the fields. To complete the drawing I drew in the barn.














Cattle Barn 1

I live on the top of a hill so what better place to put the barns? Then I ran the fence along a couple of pastures.

In the foreground I added a shade tree and a couple of cows.

Later in the day the ice pellets changed to snow and once again everything was white for a few hours; but by late afternoon the sun came out and once more the white stuff disappeared. It should be interesting to see what tomorrow brings.

In the Shade I

Today I wanted to finish this drawing that I have been working on for quite some time (see posts on 04 August 2013, 28 March and 28 August 2015).

First I finished drawing all the horses on the left side of the main tree.

Next I put in the fence line, the trees in the distance and the grasses at the base of the trees and some of the fence posts.












I drew in the barn and then added the shadows, windows and lightning rods onto the barn.

Lastly, I added in the large tree to the right side to complete the painting.

This original 4-1/2" x 9” pen and ink drawing when framed will be available for $95.00.

Colour and Composition 6 and 7 - Two Works in Progress

I pulled out these two paintings that I had started quite a while ago (see post on 29 January 2012) and decided it was about time I did something with them.

For the first one I thought that it looked as though a road winding its way through the hills would work.















Colour and Composition 6

I lightly sketched in the road and added a fence line on the one side as though it was part of a pasture and added a few trees to the top of the hill.

On the other side I put in a few trees and I may at a later time when I start painting it add another fence or do something entirely different.















Colour and Composition 7

For the second one it seemed as though it should have a stream running through the fields.

I lightly indicated the stream and added a few of the main trees. I will have to decide if I wish to turn this piece into a pasture or a forest scene.

I will post each of these paintings at a later date once they have been completed.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and look at the artwork. I hope you will return often.

ACEO - Pasture 1 and 2

Today I wanted to complete these two paintings that I had started a while ago (see posts on 07 July 2012, 17 March 2013 and 21 August 2015).

I started with this one first, which is of the north gateway in the field behind the barn.

Over the years the trees on either side of the opening have grown and formed a canopy of leaves and branches; which in each season has a beauty of its own.

My favourite of course is autumn when the maples are in their fall colours of red, orange and yellow.

Pasture 1

For the second one I wanted it to be more like one of the lower fields with trees along the fence line and one or two trees in the pasture but near the edges.

I used greens made of French ultramarine blue, raw sienna, Antwerp blue, new gamboge, alizarin crimson and cobalt blue.














Pasture 2

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and enjoy the artwork. I hope you will return often.

If you would like more information about ACEO please go to my post on 11 March 2010.

The ACEO shown here are all original watercolour paintings using Artist quality Winsor & Newton paint on 300lb. Arches 100% rag, acid free watercolour paper. They are priced at $20.00 each and sold unframed.

Shady Place 1

It is unbelievably hot for the first week in September with the temperature reaching 91F (32.8C) and with the humidity making it feel like 106F (41.1C).

I spent the morning on the front porch and did this drawing of the main trunk of the big willow tree on the front lawn.















The tree just by itself was too stark, so I added a couple of cows around the base of the tree settling in for an afternoon in a shady place chewing their cud.

I may add another couple of cows, but I will leave that choice for another day.

In the Shade - A Work in Progress

Today I thought I would continue with this drawing that I had worked on earlier this year (see posts on 04 August 2013 and 28 March 2015).

I started by working on the mares and foals on the right side of the main tree.













Next I added the grass beneath the horses' hooves to ground them.

I decided to add a barn into the background and put it in behind my original horse.

I will post this drawing again once I have completed the rest of the horses.

Mares and Foals I-VI - Six Works in Progress

It is another hot 84F (28.9C) and humid 94F (34.4C) day with rain and thunderstorms being a possibility in the late afternoon or evening.

Today I was driving by one of the horse farms at the bottom end of Peterborough and stopped to work on some sketches of the mares and foals in the field.

The ages of the foals varied from less than a month old to  being about three months old; with the younger ones sticking close to their mother's sides.

Mare and Foal II

Sometimes I miss having a foal in the barn and watching them grow and develop their own unique personalities.

Then I think about the flip side of the coin and even though it is worth while there is a lot of time and work that needs to be put into them on a daily basis to teach them good manners and lay down a solid foundation for their future training.

Unfortunately, at this moment I do not have the time to devote to raising a foal.

Mare and Foal V

But there are many farms in the area, like this one where I can come and watch the foals and smile at some of their antics out in the pasture.














Mare and Foal I

I also took reference photographs and some of these sketches I may develop into portraits of the mares and foals.














Mare and Foal III

While I may also decide to combine some of these sketches together for a painting of mares and foals in a pasture.














Mare and Foal IV

Only time will tell what the end result will be of these sketches, but the most important thing is that I was able to spend an enjoyable afternoon outside with the mares and foals.














Mare and Foal VI

As I develop each of these sketches into outline drawings I will post them at a later date.