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

Work in progress... I have been scratching away at this one off and on over the last few weeks and the under drawing is almost done.    

 Two works in progress... So I have started two more compositions before starting to push some paint on the previous two compositions that  I have ready.  I have these ideas bouncing around in my head and I just needed to get them down in my sketch book and worked out which inevitably leads me to preparing a board with gesso and then starting the under drawing. The on that I am working on currently (above) is of a Scissor-tailed flycathcher from Oklahoma perched on the handle of a very large oil drum, agian from Oklahoma. Can you guess where this is going once its finished? This is not a usual perch for this bird but its the oil drum with all of its textures and the simple geometric shapes that it creates that interests me and thats why I am painting it. I checked with several sources to see if a scissor-tail would perch on such a spot and most of them said yes so I feel confident moving forward with this painting. One other piece that is now ready for paint is ...

"Charleston Rooftop (Temporary title)," Oil on 1/2 prepared maple panel, 24 x 36  As I said in the last post, I was itchy to get back top work on  this painting! Well the itch is temporaily satisfied with the under drawing complted and even with the painting being toned but it's not completly gone! I can't wait to get some color on this, the reference for this piece has some beutiful colors that just raidaiate! Above is the toned under drawing, just a thin layer of  burnt sienna diluted with mineral spirits, brushed on to the prepared 1/2 maple  panel. I let the paint sit on the surface for about 15 minutes and then I start to pick out the highlights. To tell you the truth the only reason I do this is to get rid of the white of the gesso so that I can more acurately mix and paint my colors and it also gives it a more unifed feel. I know thats a bit of artists mumbo jumbo but it works for me! Below is the finish under drawing before I lay in the thin coat of...

Work in progress... A quick update on the "Dam Painting."  I have finished drawing in the under drawing and believe that it is now ready to have some color added to it! Although I more than likely will not do that for a couple of more weeks, after school starts back in so that I can have larger blocks of time to paint. Until then you can see the finished under drawing below and I will get to work on the next under drawing for another painting, this one is of a beautiful roof line from Charleston , South Carolina.

Work in Progress… “Dam Painting ( Great Blue Heron ),” Oil on panel, 30 x 40 – Under drawing stage (in progress) I have wanted to paint this scene from the moment that I was standing at the base of the Keystone Dam which is just outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma over 2 years ago. I spent a morning there capturing as much reference as possible of White Pelicans and Great Blue Herons that where fishing at the bottom of the dam in the spill way. This dam was huge and I was just awed by its size, it helped that I was at the base of the dam looking up and over the great expanse of it. Couple that with the fact that you know that there is all this water behind that great wall of concrete exerting pressure against the other side of it makes you feel small. It was this feeling of being small, positioned at the base of this huge edifice exerting an immense sense of pressure behind it in this painting that I wanted to convey in my composition.. It has taken me almost 8 months of playing with th...

“Why such a detailed drawing for under your painting?”  "Behind the Shed" - Under drawing I am always asked why I draw such a detailed drawing for my paintings on the canvas (board) before applying the paint. Actually I don’t consider them so detailed, if you put one of my “under drawings” next to one of my “finished drawings” on paper they are nothing alike, in my eyes. Simply put……………. this is how I taught myself to paint!  "Behind the Shed" - Toned Canvas (Board) I have been drawing since I was two, as my mother will tell you, and I just recently started painting in 2005. I had wanted to paint for a long time but just couldn’t figure it out; color adds a whole different level of creativity to the picture. Don’t get me wrong, my passion is graphite pencil but there is just something great about a nicely painted image.   "Behind the Shed" - Blocking in layer one of color In high school I tried several paintings and quickly trashed my attempts and...

These are two more pieces that I have been working on. Both are completed under drawings and will be painting when finished. Ginter painting Ramsey's back porch

Work in Progress... I just finished up the "under drawing" stage of this one this morning, it is already sealed and I am waiting for the burnt sienna and odorless mineral spirits wash to dry a little so that I can go and pick out the highlights. I'll then add in the darks , let it dry and start adding some color. I am also toning the canvas of the Grey cat bird painting as well although I will more than likely move forward with the Canal painting first.

Current piece on the drafting table: I have been working on this one for a couple of days now, hopefully another 6-8 hours will finish up the under drawing and then I can tone the canvas. It should be ready for color after Thanksgiving and when finished the painting will measure 29" x 14".

I thought I 'd post some progress images of the commission piece that I am currently working on. Sometimes on these larger pieces it doesn't seem like your getting any where because your working on one area for two days. I just have to remember that it takes several steps to reach your destination. I hope to finish up the under drawing on Friday, let me correct myself I need to finish the under drawing by Friday so that I can brake from this one and start laying in color on the two white ibis's painting that is on my other easel ready to go!