I've finally delved into oil painting at the age of 52. I'd done a couple of acrylic paintings back in the 70's, and a couple of airbrush paintings in the 80's. As a technical illustrator & a member of an artistic family, I feel it is my time to see if I can paint in oils.
I took a class from a neighbor who has been painting for several years just to jump start the process. After about 12 hours of class in her studio, I completed my first oil painting. I copied another oil painting rather than paint form a photo or still life. The original is called Courthouse Wash by KM Withers. See it here: http://kmwithers.blogspot.com/ and more of her work here: http://www.kmwithersfineart.com/
I'm going to go ahead on my own, forgoing the class to see if I've got enough motivation to keep me focused. I'm currently working on a painting of Zion Canyon from a photo.
Living in Southern Utah I'm surrounded by beautiful scenery. I want to paint the red rock that's so common in Southern Utah. The Kolob Canyon section of Zion National Park is about 20 minutes from my house. Bryce Canyon is 90 minutes away.
I've been reading a couple of good books about painting & art. 14 Formulas for Painting Fabulous Landscapes by Barbara Nuss is about one of the basic elements of a good painting - the composition. She shows 14 basic layouts or compositions & describes how to rearrange the elements in your painting for a pleasing balance or flow. She tells you that you are in charge & can rearrange the composition to your liking. You are not bound by what you see in front of you.
Check back & I'll post what I've painted.
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