Secessionville Painting, start-up!

I've no idea what the composition will be, but I've begun preparing a canvas for the battle painting! 

Why make gesso for one, when you can squash 3 or 4 canvasses into a space?

Some of the paints I'll use. This is my 'new' sketching travel box, already in a state!

 I mostly use traditional Sax oil paints. They're very expensive, natural pigment and hand made, but they are glorious!

The brushes are Black Hog hair - my favourite at the moment. 

Castle Menzies

Having been a guest at an engagement party on a cold Spring night where the highlight was a tour around the haunted rooms of Castle Menzies, complete with chilly gusts, I got to speaking with John Jack.
John turned out to be the castle administrator and he invited me to bring along a few paintings of the place to try and sell.
He bought the lot and asked me to paint another, larger one, which I'll get round to...eventually!
Here they are. They're all small, (around 12 - 18 inches square), oils on board, done quickly outdoors and finished off in the studio

This weeks Juneable Job: How to: Care for your Paintbrushes

When you've finished a painting session, you should always wash your brushes! However I find that I quite often think I'll be returning to my latest 'masterpiece'...soon.. then, of course, life gets in the way. By the time I've returned, the brushes, even if I've wrapped them in plastic, will need reviving.

My cleaning method using left over soap always works, whether for immediate cleaning or for hardened paint.

To read all about it, go to my Hub;  'How-to Care for your Paintbrushes' 

This weeks Juneable Job: How to: Paint Weather Effects

I'm continuing my oil painting project this week. The theme this week; Weather Effects and how- to paint them. If only I could follow my own advice..
How to: Paint Weather Effects