Click image for a larger, sharper view:

Eighth sheet (about 7.5×11.25), colored leads on Stonehenge paper
$130.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

My regular viewers here have seen this waterfall painted from many different angles and seasons, in many mediums, and various sizes and formats. Now you can see the tonal sketch version! I am really enjoying working this way, with a light and a dark on toned paper. I sat on a gardening cushion on a rock at the water line to do this sketch, with my little dog Rondo wading in the pools of the waterfalls.

I’m disappointed with the way these toned drawings reproduce digitally. The paper color is so much warmer and more inviting than the color I’m able to capture with my camera, and the shadows have more depth. The tone of the paper is slightly darker than what I’m seeing on my monitor too, but when I adjust that, I lose the sparkle on the lights. All I can say is, the original looks much better than the image in this case!

8x10 and smaller, Available, Catskill Mountains, Drawings, Fall, Greene County, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Palenville and Catskill, Plein Air--painted on location, Sketches, Waterfalls | 1 Comment »

Sepia and white lead on Stonehenge archival rag paper
1/8 sheet size (7.5×11.25)
$130.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This was a drawing I did from the studio window on a rainy day. I’ve been wanting to sketch or paint this view for a long time and finally got my chance! I was looking at sketches last week by Hudson River School artist BBG Stone, and became captivated by the way he would zero in on his focal point in a certain area of his drawing, leaving the rest in a more unfinished state. I liked the way it created a vignette within the scene, and I’m looking forward to exploring this style in my drawings and sketches.

Usually I use this approach of a dark and a light on midtone paper in the figure studio, but BBG Stone employed it very successfully in many of his landscape sketches, so I had to give it a go too. I loved working this way! More like this will definitely follow in the near future!

Here is an image you can click on to get a larger, sharper view:

8x10 and smaller, Available, Catskill Mountains, Drawings, Greene County, Hudson River School, Hudson River Valley, Landscape, Palenville and Catskill, Plein Air--painted on location, Sketches | 1 Comment »

I did this little 9×12″ watercolor across a two-page spread in my Fabriano Venezia sketchbook to show you what my new blog looks like! If you’ve enjoyed seeing my sketches, hearing my rambles about the artistic process, and looking on while I varnished paintings, primed panels, mixed paint, and built foamcore pochade boxes, most of those things will be posted only on the new “Sketches” blog from now on. That blog is at http://HudsonValleySketches.blogspot.com. You can click here to head over there now, and subscribe there to continue to receive all my posts online.

Don’t worry; this This Hudson Valley Painter blog isn’t going away! It will still be here, and will contain my completed paintings that are available for sale. The sketches, product reviews, and thoughts on the artistic process will be on the new site.

How to Make Paint, Landscape, Not Currently Available, Personal Collection, Product Reviews, Shows and News, Sketches, Studio Tours, Watercolor | No Comments »

Psssst…..Would you like to have a sneak peek at my new blog for my art journals, sketches, ideas, and experiments with materials? It’s over here! I’ll be making an official announcement in a few days. I still need to do a little housekeeping at the new site. Let me know how you like it if you pop over there! Comments and suggestions welcomed!

All of my paintings in progress and completed works for sale will continue to be posted here at the Hudson Valley Painter site.

Sketches, Uncategorized | No Comments »

6×8″, Golden OPEN Acrylics on sealed, primed hardboard
SOLD! Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com to inquire about a similar painting.

I had a true painting marathon on the day I did this painting, leaving the house at 7am and not returning until after 8:30pm. It was a fabulous day of great weather and beautiful scenery in Cold Spring, New York, along the banks of the Hudson River. I can well understand why some of the Hudson River School painters loved to paint from this very spot; I love to paint here too!

This was the last one of the day—attempting to catch the fleeting sunset colors during the few minutes before the light faded into darkness. There’s never enough time to “finish” one when painting sunsets on location. It’s really a matter of grabbing color as it emerges, and hoping for the best!

8x10 and smaller, Cold Spring and Garrison, Hudson River Paintings, Hudson River School, Landscape, Plein Air--painted on location, Sketches, Sold, Sunrise/Sunset | 3 Comments »

20×16″, Golden OPEN Acrylics on canvas covered hardboard
Email me at JamieWG@aol.com if interested in this painting.

I was eager to work in a medium that would enable me to layer quickly today, so I grabbed my Golden OPEN Acrylics and a 16×20 canvas covered board for open studio portraiture. I left most of my acrylics upstate, so had to make due with what I had: Cadmium Yellow Primrose, Pyrrole Red, Transparent Red Oxide, Ultramarine Blue, Carbon Black, and Titanium White.

These paints are just sooooo much fun. I prefer them on paper or smooth hardboard rather than canvas, so next time I’ll have to remember to size some watercolor paper or matboard before I go.

Leigh was a really great and beautiful model. We’ll have her for another sitting in January, so I’ll get to sketch her again!

16x20 and larger, Available, Golden OPEN Acrylic Paintings, Portraits and Figures, Sketches | No Comments »

Click painting for a larger, clearer image:

10x10", gouache in my sketchbook

Sketches | 3 Comments »

6×8″, Sepia ink pen and watercolors

My daughter and her friend had a photography class today, so while they were in class I pulled out my sketchbook in a shady spot and did a “Saturday Sketch” at Tilly Foster Farm. I struggle with architecture, so it’s always a great challenge for me when I’m out sketching.

Sketches | No Comments »

Click for clearer, larger image:

I’ve made a pact with myself to start doing sketches every Saturday. I have some Saturday paintouts coming up, so there may be times when I need to do “Saturday Sketches” on a different day instead, but I’m going to try to stick to posting them on Saturdays. I’ve received so many comments from viewers who enjoy seeing my sketches, and the drawing practice is very important.

I almost always sketch from life, but today I checked into the Wetcanvas Weekend Drawing Event and couldn’t resist doing some watercolor sketches from those beautiful reference images! Check it out sometime; there is a different host every week, and the images are usually posted on Fridays, in plenty of time for everybody’s weekend enjoyment.

Sketches | 1 Comment »

Click for a clearer, enlarged image:

Sketches | 1 Comment »

Click for a larger, sharper image:

Maine, Sketches | 1 Comment »

There are many fabulous sites along the Ocean Path in Acadia National Park, but it’s hard to beat the views from the very end, when you arrive at Otter Point. I’ve done lots of paintings from this location, and I’m sure there are many more to come.

Sketches | No Comments »

During part of our trip, we stayed at the wonderful Bar Harbor Inn. The Shore Path runs right outside the hotel. I’d take a stroll along the path every day, stopping to sketch a little something along the way. I loved the shape of this bare tree (above), flanked by the bushes.

This huge yacht, The Floridian (above), anchored just offshore from the balcony of our hotel room. I sketched it as the helicopter took off. The folks on board spent a lot of time hitting golf balls into the ocean and playing with the jet skis that emerged from a huge door in the hull.

A rusty, old lobster boat anchored out there too, with one of the Porcupine Islands as a backdrop to the scene.

Maine, Sketches | No Comments »

No trip to Mt. Desert Island is complete without a visit to the Jordan Pond House for lunch or dinner. We worked up an appetite by hiking around the pond first. There’s this fabulous wooden footbridge at the far end of the pond where I stopped to sketch while my husband took some pictures.

Maine, Sketches | 1 Comment »

This second day of our trip we went to Monhegan Island for the day. All artists need to make a pilgrimage there; you’ve never seen so many artists painting in one place at the same time! We chose the wrong day to go though, with record-breaking heat, no shade in sight, and no ice nor air conditioning on the island!

We were mostly hiking, since we wanted to see as much of the island as possible in one day, but I stopped for a quick sketch from time to time. We went along the trail to Lobster Cove (first image above). I think everybody paints that house overlooking the cove! The trail continues on past the wreck of the ship, “The Sheridan”. I stopped to sketch that too:

Maine, Sketches | 2 Comments »

Since I’m up in Maine painting, I thought in my absence I’d post some of my sketchbook pages from a previous trip up here. Our first stop was Boothbay Harbor, where we had a beautiful view across the Harbor from our hotel room. We took a boat from here to Monhegan Island for a day. (See tomorrow’s post for those sketches.)

Maine, Sketches | 1 Comment »

I had a meeting up at Olana today, home of Hudson River School artist, Frederic Church. Although I didn’t have time to pull out all my gear to paint, I couldn’t resist at least doing a sketch while I was there. I saw a nice bench under a tree next to the mansion, so I pulled out my sketchbook, fountain pen, and watercolors, and took advantage of the shady spot while sketching. (You can click the image to enlarge it.)

Materials:
4.5×6.5″ Derwent journal
Lamy Safari fountain pen with converter
Noodler’s Bulletproof black ink
Winsor Newton Artist watercolors

Hudson River School, Olana and Hudson NY, Plein Air--painted on location, Sketches | 1 Comment »

When I don’t feel well or just don’t have time to do a “real” painting, or sometimes when life seems way too serious, I hop on over to the Wetcanvas Artwork From Life forum to see what’s on the current Scavenger Hunt List. Since I hurt my back, I haven’t been able to get out to paint, so I pulled out my watercolor sketchbook, my new fantastic Lamy Safari fountain pen (with converter cartridge and Noodler’s Black Bulletproof ink loaded), and my little pan set of watercolors. One little sketch was about as long a time as I could remain upright. I managed to get this 7×10″ page done yesterday and the day before in really short spurts, and started another.

This week’s list of items to sketch included:
1: Tape dispenser
2: Scissors
3: Bookend or bookends
4: Lamp post
5: Mailbox
6: Dog collar or animal collar
7: Curly screw-in florescent light bulb (Challenge# 1- a broken one)
8: A lunchbox
9: A beauty aid
10: A place or object associated with a hair salon or barbershop
11: Something that hangs from a tree
12: An outdoor drinking fountain .
13: An object in a storefront window
14: A wheelbarrow (Challenge #2 A wheelbarrow full stuff )
15: A hanging basket
16: Something that requires a key to function and the key
17: A wrench or pliers
18: A bucket, or pail (Challenge #3 a bucket filled with stuff)
19: Clothes on a clothes line.
20: A traffic sign
21: A glove used in a sport or recreational activity
22: Something hanging on a garage wall
23: A bag or box of popcorn
24: A sconce
25: A fire hydrant
26: A garden implement

If any of you artists out there wake up with a strong case of “I Don’t Know What to Paint”, give the Scavenger Hunts a try! It’s a great group of folks who participate, and always fun to share sketches and comments on the forum.

Sketches | No Comments »

5×7″, Gouache on Stonehenge rag paper
$100.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

Today I struggled in every way at every turn. Finally, near the end of this very long day, I set a Granny Smith apple on a red file folder and broke out my new tubes of Winsor Newton Gouache. It’s so nice to finally have the lush, cadmium colors available. Sometimes when life gets too complex, painting something simple and beautiful creates balance.

This was painted with a very limited palette:
Titanium White
Cadmium Red
Cadmium Lemon
Ultramarine Blue

8x10 and smaller, Available, Sketches, Still Life | 1 Comment »

4×6″, Watercolor sketch on Canson paper

This is another little watercolor sketch from my Poet’s Walk expedition in Rhinebeck, NY yesterday. There is a beautiful pavillion made with tree trunks and branches at the top of the hill. Even more importantly, there is a bench in a cool shady spot along the path nearby from which to paint it!

8x10 and smaller, Sketches | 2 Comments »

7×9″, Watercolor sketch on Canson paper

Since I had my show opening in Rhinebeck this evening, I spent the day up there at Poet’s Walk in Red Hook. I took a million pictures to have as references for paintings, and did this watercolor sketch of the view of the Catskill Mountains across the Hudson River. I packed very light, bringing just my camera, water, a small watercolor pan set, and my Canson watercolor book tucked into my pack stool. It was a beautiful, tranquil site. I can’t wait to go back! I would love to do a larger acrylic or oil painting of this scene.

8x10 and smaller, Sketches | No Comments »

It was dreary and overcast, so I spent a lot of time doing some sketches around the house. These were from the list in the current Wetcanvas Scavenger Hunt. If you’re ever trying to decide what to sketch or paint, and like to share your work, jump in and join the fun!

I did all the sketches in gouache, in my 5.5×5.5″ Hand Book Journal. I’ve also been trying out the new Prismacolor markers, which are permanent and lightfast. They are similar to the Pigma Micron pens. I got a set of the black ones in different thicknesses, and like them a lot.

If you think one minute figure gesture drawings in open studio are hard, try drawing squirrels in your yard! They don’t stay still for an instant. This was a fun challenge.

The Scavenger Hunt had “pail/bucket” on the list, so I painted my favorite little travel water bucket.

Since my sketchbook is square, I load a single page at a time. Here’s how they look in the book as two-page spreads. If you click the images below, they should show about actual size of the book:

This is my first book in a square format. I think I like it a lot, but wish it were just a bit larger. I may go back to a 5.5×8″ size for my next sketchbook.

Sketches | 5 Comments »

9×6″, pencil in a Raffine sketchbook

I try to sketch portraits and figures whenever I can. This one was done from a photo reference while my husband was watching the news last night. It is the novelist Evelyn Waugh. This is just for my own drawing practice and is not for sale. I like this Raffine sketchbook for water media very much, but I feel the texture is a little rough for graphite work.

Portraits and Figures, Sketches | No Comments »

Today I participated in the Worldwide Sketchcrawl #18! I got a late start, but managed to squeeze in several pages in my 5.5″ square sketchbook, in between family activities. Here they are, in the order in which I did them.

This last one was painted from the kitchen window. This brook, with the little island in the middle, is the outlet to the lake. Springtime brings wood ducks, swans and snapping turtles to the scene. Any time of year, it is a favorite crossing for herds of white-tailed deer. Occasionally, I see a mink running across the island, or a beaver swimming upstream. There’s always something interesting happening out there.

Landscape, Sketches, Still Life | No Comments »

7×5″, watercolor and colored pencil on grey Stonehenge (rag) paper
$45.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

This time, the title says it all!

8x10 and smaller, Available, Sketches, Still Life | No Comments »

Gouache on Strathmore 400 cold press watercolor paper
Cropped image size as shown above is 8×7″
Full page as shown below is about 9.5×7″

Full page:

We had a wonderful model in the life drawing studio who is a dancer. I saw this beautiful red dancing skirt and immediately thought—Degas! I hope she’ll be back soon to model for us again.

This is the first time I’ve used a scanned image of my artwork instead of a photograph. I think for small, completely dry work, and especially work on a white ground like this, it may be better to scan it. I can never get the white paper to show white when I photograph.

Portraits and Figures, Sketches | 1 Comment »

This sketch from life was done with an umber, water soluble Cretacolor stick on Arches hot press watercolor paper. It’s about 6×11″.

Portraits and Figures, Sketches | No Comments »

7.75×11″, watercolor on Arches 140 lb HP rag watercolor paper
$150.00 plus $10 shipping and insurance within the Continental United States. Please email me at JamieWG@aol.com for International purchases or with any questions.

We had to leave our usual life drawing studio due to a solvent spill. I was painting in oils, but when we moved to the clay room, there wasn’t room for my oil painting gear. Fortunately, I had a little Winsor Newton Artist watercolor pan set in my purse and a nice umber Cretacolor stick, and some Arches paper in the car, so I pulled those out instead. You know what they say….When life throws you lemons, make lemonade! So, that’s what I did.

8x10 and smaller, Available, Portraits and Figures, Sketches | 1 Comment »

Some days I’m so short on time or just can’t get into the painting groove. It’s nice to dive into my sketchbook on those occasions. I’m getting antsy for the weather to warm up so I can get back to my life of plein air painting soon. I did a few pages of sketches today in ink and watercolor, and some color swatch tests of new paints, so in spite of all the errands I had to run, it wasn’t a day totally devoid of art.

Sketches | 1 Comment »

I was in the mood for something different and experimental today, so I pulled out my Sumi brushes and a video that arrived via Netflix on Chinese Brush Painting, and popped it into my computer while I painted. Although humbling, it was actually kind of fun.

Here are two of the many. Both of these are about 14″ square. I painted them on a big roll of white butcher paper that I use for sketching.

Sketches | No Comments »