In the studio with artist, photographer and instructor Robert Louis Caldwell

Wow, where has the past week and a half gone? I have been busy with a couple of things... working on the new large piece of the blue heron and getting ready for a research/reference-gathering trip. The heron piece is not far enough along yet to show any progress but hopefully by next week I'll have the pencil drawing completed on the canvas. As for the trip, I'm trying to catch the end of the migration period along the coast of North Carolina. I am eager for some new birds to paint and this trip should fill my computer hard drive with some needed reference material. On another note, my friend and colleague Terry Miller is having an open house along with two other artists this Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. If you have the opportunity you should drop in to see some excellent work! You can e-mail Terry for directions at pencilart1@verizon.net . As always, you can see Terry's work at www. terrymillerstudio.com/. Well, I'm off to spend some quality time in the marsh. I'll...

The bird has been blocked in with color and it's now time to paint the final layer. This next layer is my favorite part of painting. It's the magic time when things really start to pop and you feel as though you can stick your hand into the painting and touch the bird. Congratulations to the winning bidder of the Richmond Audubon Society Auction! Enjoy your new piece of art.

The first painting is coming along nicely. It has moved past the stage of frustration. When laying down that first layer of color, the colors on the palette don't always match what is in your head. Then, sometimes, the color that you think is right ends up being color bias to the color that it's next to (for example, you have a green but when you put it on the canvas with a background of blue the green takes on a blue-green tone). When this happens, it's back to the palette to remix the paint so that it works with its neighboring color. I will be working on the bird today, which usually goes really well. Since I try to stay true to the bird, there are no decisions to be made -- it's either the right color or not. The other painting is now toned and ready to have color added. Painting 1, the first layer of color is blocked in except on the bird. Painting 2, The canvas is now toned and ready to start laying down some color.

I have spent the last few days composing two new paintings. They are both 7" x 12" and will be done in oils. Painting 1, drawing completed and canvas toned. Painting 2, drawing completed and ready to be toned