The Lab Blues

I had a bit of fun the other day in my studio and did a Lab in shades of blue.  Here's the result...

"Lab Blues"; watercolor and ink on 8" x 10" paper.
Available for purchase.

I welcome any comment and thanks for stopping by!

A Franklin on a Patriotic Day

Photo:"A Franklin on a Patriotic Day"; Watercolor and Ink on 11" x 16" Paper
Available for purchase.

Here's the latest I finished last night.  It's a little off in a new direction.  I took several photos of this 1926 Franklin that I saw on the 3rd Avenue bridge in downtown during a 4th of July car show.  I was just fascinated with listening about the guy who owned it talk about the engine and how because of the specialty of the steam-powered engine he had to go up to Minneapolis area to have it serviced.Then he talked about the restoration that he had to do in the interior.  I found myself taking photos from several angles with my phone.  Later as I got to looking at this particular photo of the back.  I liked the Cedar Rapids skyline that was showing in the background.  It simmered for a few days and this was what came about.  I put extra flags into the piece with a couple of them on the car itself.  I still may do others of this Franklin car.  It's a very unique car.

"A Royal V Eight"

I finished another painting this last weekend.  This has been on the back burner for almost a year.  I've played with the idea of doing this painting shortly after I took the photos of the 1954 Dodge Royal V Eight at one of the Thursday night cruises in Cedar Rapids early last Summer.  In fact, while I was playing with this ideas for the Demon painting came into being.  Then, I ended up getting some other commissions and other projects.  This painting ended up getting set to the side.  Now, I finally had the time.  Here it is...

"A Royal V Eight"; watercolor on 16" x 20" cold press paper.
Available for purchase.

It was fun playing with a bit of a different style on this one too.  I welcome any comment you may have and thanks for stopping by!

Blue Country Cyclist

This was a commissioned piece that I just finished yesterday.  I'm currently working on another couple of pieces trying to get done before Christmas.  Oh, the stress of painting deadlines. This painting had 5 preliminary drawings that it went through before it became this finished piece.  I'm glad to say that Tim was very pleased with the finished painting.  He wanted something to remind him of cycling on RAGBRAI but in blues/grays with less riders.  LOL!

Photo:"Blue Country Cyclist"; watercolor on 12" x 16" paper
Commissioned Piece

You may notice in the sky of the finished piece a subtle cloud face.  That was added in the final painting and was an idea that we (Tim & myself) and thrown back and forth.  It's loosely based on Tim's face.

The last Prelim drawing for this piece.

Thanks for stopping by and I welcome any comment you may have!

Same But Different

I opted to a bike for a change.  It’s very similar to the “Live, Laugh, and Ride” that I did a while back.  I mixed it up a little, put cloud shapes in and used a different bike.  It made me think of riding through the air on a bike.  Awww...There's nothing like that feeling!  So this has the same saying in this painting but with a different look.  It was a nice little easy break after doing a commissioned piece that I had struggled with.  Here’s “Live, Laugh, and Ride – Number 2”....

I welcome any feedback you may have.  Thanks for stopping by!

Biking Blues...

Oh, those April showers are bringing on the "Biking Blues" for me and I am hoping for some blue skies soon.  Here's a quick watercolor I did last week on a rainy night...

"Blue Bike on Grid"; Watercolor on 7" x 8" Cold Pressed Paper.

I'm hoping to do a few more bicycle paintings this week if the skies don't clear up.  But I'm REALLY hoping that I'll be on my bike soon and feeling the wind through my hair.  Bring on those May flowers soon, I say!  Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment!