Here's a small (6.5" X 8.5") plein air oil sketch that I did today.  The weather was nice and I liked the way the sun was hitting these empty flower pots.  We also recently planted flowers and they're growing fast so I'll be painting those very soon!

  My palette for this one was: Zinc White, Lead White, Cad. Yellow Light, Yellow Ochre, Cad. Red Light, Cad. Red Medium, Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Viridian, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber and Ivory Black.

  Thank you to everyone who came to our sketching workshop yesterday at the James Rose Center.  It was great to share information about drawing and watercolor painting with this group.  We're looking to do it again in the future because of the feedback that we received!
  I'm looking forward to also painting in this location and we're planning to do an exhibition in the coming months.  I'll share more info as things progress.  And thank you also to Kristen, Kevin & the James Rose Center team.

  It was about time for another self portrait since my last one was in Florence nearly a year ago.  We have a beautiful antique mirror, so I set up today with my watercolors and got to work!
  I always start with drawing and it was especially important to create the specific shape of this mirror.  I draw slowly at the beginning keeping in mind an expression, "start slow so you can finish fast".  I then move on to think about the masses without detail.  Remember that details sit on top of the masses like icing on a cake.  
  With watercolor, I use washes over the entire paper to establish the base forms.  This underlying layer needs to be accurate otherwise the top layers won't look right.  I am also always thinking about the layers and striving for accuracy, even with a large wash.  Watercolors can get out of control really quickly so I'm always on my toes and thinking as if it were a game of chess or boxing match.  It always requires concentration and watercolor can often feel like tight rope walking!
  I used the Millford watercolor paper again and I think it came together pretty nicely.  The paper felt responsive and held the washes well.  I'll definitely be using it again soon.  Stay tuned for some flower paintings!

  As we gain sponsors for Eric En Plein Air, I am proud to work with businesses whose products I've used for years.  With that, I have used papers from St Cuthberts Mill for years.  I had previously used Saunders Waterford and Bockingford, both of which served me well.  But I had my eye on a paper which I was very excited to try.  The only problem was that it wasn't widely available in the US... until NOW!
  This opportunity was made possibly by Dixon Ticonderoga, who are St Cuthberts Mill’s distributor in the US and sister company.  My team at Eric En Plein Air and I connected with these companies and I am happy to share my experience of using Millford Watercolor Paper.

  St Cuthberts Mill created Millford to recreate a paper which was produced by a company called Whatman.  Now, I have never tried the legendary Whatman paper because it stopped being produced in 2002.  So, I don't want to create a comparison game, but all I can tell you is that Millford is top notch and I like it.
  It also gives a brushstroke effect which I have observed in many Sargent watercolors (see below); the effect is a dry-brush, almost cage-like impression of color.  It's difficult to describe, but I see it in many Sargents.
  Sargent was a fan of Whatman papers, but please don't get the impression that you'll somehow paint like Sargent by using a specific paper.  I personally can't stand articles, videos or any content that says things like, "Sargent's Real Secrets Revealed" or "Paint like Sargent!";  I think that is a misguided way to capitalize on the ever-growing interested Sargent's work.  I love Sargent's work and I'm very inspired by him, but I would never want to emulate his style or methods.  My point is simply that it doesn't hurt to use high-quality products!