Apaches - watercolor

watercolor; 2020

available; 11"x15"

      Just a couple old Chevy trucks left to guard the shed out back. There's a fair amount of dry brush in this one.

J20 - watercolor

watercolor, 2019

available, 11"x15"

      I'm very happy with this Jeep J20. I was able to get it loose-but-detailed and the colors complement nicely. It's probably one of my better car paintings of the last few months.

Peterson's - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 11"x15"

      Peterson has a big spread just outside of Edgefield.

Wagoneer - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      I've always loved Jeeps. I didn't buy my first one until 2003 and just recently parted with it after almost exactly 15 years. A Wrangler probably will be my mid-life crisis car.

      Happy Thanksgiving!

Forgotten - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      I finally got a rusty truck in a landscape in which I'm happy with both aspects. The truck worked out very nicely. And, I'm very happy with the field and barn in the background. There's a pretty good blend of looseness and detail, combined with some nice aerial perspective to give the effect I was after. I'll call it a win.

Farm Truck - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts also available

      I painted this from a composite photo I put together from separate photos of the truck and barn. I'm very happy with how that process worked out. Too often the angles don't workout, or it's difficult to place the different objects on different planes so they don't look like they exist in the same space. And, then, of course, there's the lighting to work out. This one fell together nice and easy.

Take It On The Run - watercolor

watercolor, 2017

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      This is from a reference photo I've had for several years afraid to tackle the detail and the shadows. I finally decided to jump in and I'm glad I did. This worked out better than I expected and pops right off the page/screen.

Food Truck - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      This is another piece from the same day as last week's painting. I'm still on the fence with this one. It's loose, but not loose enough. Where it's tight, it isn't tight enough. I liked the composition and idea as soon as I saw it. I'm just not sure about the execution.

41 Farm Truck - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts also available

      The fashion now is to restore old trucks especially, but some cars, as well, to good running condition but leave the exterior paint and rust alone for a "vintage" look. These usually are sprayed with a few coats of clear-coat to arrest any further rusting or paint loss. I wasn't aware this was a thing until I saw it done on one of those car restoration "reality" shows. I have to admit I like the look - and it makes for a lot of great subjects to paint. My only problem is that the clear-coat makes the rust shine, which looks odd because rust doesn't shine. At least, it doesn't have to shine on my paper. This one worked out nicely, though a little darker than I meant to go with it.

Goodrich Barn - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      A fairly quick, loose and sketchy old truck.

Digger - watercolor commission

watercolor, 2015

NFS, 11"x15"

      This is a quick commission I did just before Christmas for an old high school friend. I've always hated black vehicles. Modeling the body shape is always difficult. I'm getting better at it. But I still don't like it.

Ford Afield - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts available

        Merry Christmas all! I know this isn't very festive, but I've never had much success with holiday-themed pieces. Maybe that's something I should think about for the new year.

37 Chevy - watercolor, ink

mixed, 2015

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts also available

Farm Hauler - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

available, 15"x22"

prints and gifts also available

      Another loose, impressionistic rusty truck. Pretty happy with this one. I'm finding that when I'm not happy with something it isn't always because there's something wrong with that spot; it's often because I haven't gotten my head completely wrapped around impressionism and suggesting rather than showing every little thing. Progress, maybe?

Manila Fire & Rescue - watercolor

watercolor, 2015
available, 7"x11"

      Here's another one from the Philippines for this month's Virtual Paintout. I didn't include any of the surroundings for simplicity's sake. But I found it interesting that these are just parked on the side of the road across from the manual railroad crossing from last week. There's no building or station like we're used to in other parts of the world.

      Anyway, I'm pretty happy with how this one worked out. It's just loose enough and just tight enough. And, I did it with a three-color palette - ultramarine blue, raw sienna, and cadmium red light. I've been experimenting with limited palettes with my figure paintings, which I don't post here. This image all but screamed limited palette.

Toy Truck - gouache

gouache, 2015

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      A Tonka knock-ff I saw in an "antique" store in Mount Airy recently.

Westchester Work Trucks #2 - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

11"x15" available

prints also available

      Here's another view of the trucks I painted previously here. I think the composition works even with the closest truck dead center because the red truck puts more weight on the left to make it asymmetrical.

Still Flying - watercolor

watercolor, 2013

original available, 15"x22" $450

prints also available

      I'm really surprised I haven't posted this one from 2013 yet. I'm very happy with this one. As usual, though, I hate the background. I've always had trouble with distant backgrounds. That's one reason I've been concentrating on looser landscapes lately.

Westchester Work Trucks - watercolor

watercolor, 2014

original available, 11"x15" $200

prints also available

      I drive by this old gas station converted into a detailing shop once in a while. They always have a handful of trucks parked in a near-swampy field next door, some of which are for sale. I finally saw this arrangement that made me grab my camera to get a reference photo. I got a few other shots from different perspectives, close-ups, etc. So, you'll probably see one or two more paintings of these trucks. This is the same place where I found the 1950 Kaiser I've painted several times (50 Kaiser #1 and 50 Kaiser #3). Obviously, there's a 50 Kaiser #2 also that I haven't posted here yet.

Old Chevy - watercolor + charcoal

mixed, 2009

original available, 15"x22" $400

prints also available