Using Sketches as the Basis of Your Oil Paintings - CT River Paintings

"Hey, but you're an oil painter; what are you doing spending so much time making watercolor sketches"? 

 Lately, I'm really enjoying my sketchbooks in a much more meaningful way.  I had kept several sketchbooks going at a time over the last many years. One was for the garden only, going season to season. A different one was for travel and some miscellaneous things, as well as stuffing travels bits & bobs in there (tickets, ephemera, etc). Yet another was to work up larger oil paintings, though only in pencil or marker.  Last of all, I had started a nature journal of sorts...though on larger, nicer paper....and something "clicked".  

It began last autumn as the weather got colder and winter winds kicked in.  We had a relatively "mild winter" last year in CT, meaning - we still had cold spells, but not much snow fall.  So rather than hauling out all my oil painting gear and dealing with cold hands and wind, I found it easier to bring along my sketchbook and small watercolor kit to record these places (as I'm working on a show of CT River paintings).  Set up time and painting time was quicker - after all - it was like I was out there gathering visual notes for a studio painting rather than completing a finished painting in the raw New England winter air. And when it was truly nor'easter type winds, I'd paint in my car. Working in a watercolor sketchbook in my car was so much simpler than the winter I tried oil painting in the front seat of my mini-Cooper! (never again!!). 

So, now you've got a good idea of what I've been up to lately! And you're getting a small preview of my upcoming show at the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library in July!