Apples of Gold in Settings of Silver
Gouache! What a lot of fun it was to paint this little number with Gouache. I'd never used it before even though I've had this set for months. I just couldn't get in the right frame of mind to try something new. But lately, I've been painting a lot, all in oil and it seemed like a nice time for a break to something else.
I took myself and my stuff to paint with some friends. Just the right setting - kind of chatty and not overly serious. I found the Gouache to be very easy to work with. They told me it dries darker so I kept the mixes on the light side which seemed to work perfectly. I used the same process as I would with oil because I didn't know how else to go about it. I layered it in an effort to get the color I was after, which reminded me of working in pastels.
I think the reason it was so easy, (like magic!) was the fast dry time. There wasn't much chance for the color to get muddy. I used one of the brushes that came with the set. It was softer than a bristle but stiffer than a traditional watercolor brush. All in all it was a great experience, one I'm looking forward to again.
Recently I spent a few hours with another artist who lives in the area in the summer months. She's far more accomplished than I and it was a pleasure to paint with her at her ranch. She uses a palette knife to paint her landscapes, which are gorgeous!
I have used a palette knife occasionally with some success, but it wasn't until I learned to use a different shaped knife a couple of years ago that it began to feel comfortable. I still used a brush most of the time. Until the other day when I couldn't get it off my mind to try it again. This is the result of my first try this time around. It was a blast! And I'm excited to try it on other subjects. This is the first of three I've done lately. 
Autumn Color, 12x16, oil on panel
$600
I love the texture and the clean color. Brushes have always been a challenge for me. I think I'll stick with palette knife.
We have had the most glorious weather this summer and fall! I'm continuing my paintings along Boxelder Road and this is one of them. I was caught by the bright tops of the bushes against the shadow of the mountain. I love fall!
September on Boxelder
8x10, oil on panel
This is a 6x6 I painted yesterday up at my favorite place, again! It had rained up there the day before and the road was a bit iffy as I got closer to the ranch. I was hoping to find that the Cottonwoods had turned golden, but they were still green and after coasting across a narrow, muddy bridge I decided to turn around and paint this old dump truck on nice dry ground. I did two paintings of it, this being the first.
Here's a collage of 28 of the 30 paintings. It's kinda fun to see. I actually painted about 33, but a few didn't make it. I didn't do all the things I thought I would do in this challenge, but I'm happy with what I did do. So many cows! And a few ideas for some larger paintings. Thanks for taking the time to look and to comment. It's been fun.
