New painting study

I know, I've still got all of those other pieces to finish!
The last few weeks have just been insane so I've not had many chances to get down to the studio. I'm playing with ideas, instead, like this one.

Here's something I've begun to notice: In my traditional work before now I always painted landscapes or figures. Now, in this new more illustrative work, I paint surreal landscapes or figures. I'm not sure why I didn't catch that before.

Lots to do with this. It has to do with letting go of wonderful things in our past and continuing on.
Or, it's how our dogs are wiser than we are.

Oils WIP

This is an oil I started this weekend for a group show this summer.

And a better picture of "Elopement" WIP.

WIP for Jess

I'm having fun with this. It's for my girlfriend, Jess.

Elopement Oil Painting WIP

Getting some good headway into an oil painting of the Elopement.
This is being painted in my studio at School 33, which I love. I've been too busy to spend all the time there I want, but it's been great. I'll post some more photos of the space soon.
I'm enjoying doing digital sketches that I then take into traditional medium. It allows me the ability to test things out quickly and make drastic changes.
Ultimately, though, I still love oil and watercolor. They have a quality digital can't reach, though it has its own unique characteristics. It's not just the texture quality or anything like that - those things can be simulated, digitally. It's the reality of it, the weight of a canvas, the object made by human hands that you can live with. Traditional media breathes.
I'll post more as it nears the finish.

Some more portrait studies

Some portrait studies

I've been doing these about once every couple of days to keep myself busy when I don't have time to plunge myself into one of my larger projects going on right now. Some are of friends, some are just from photos I found and were drawn to. Not all end up great, either, but that's not their point.