Winter Hack

I did work on "the boys" this afternoon, but all I did was put another layer over the snow. I've already suggested I'm kind of frustrated with that piece, because progress at this point is slow! Because what I did today involved a fair bit of that slow-drying Titanium White, I put it away once I'd done that layer, and pulled out a painting that's been sitting in the sidelines for quite a while.

This little 6 x 8 oil on Raymar cotton panel was started in October, and I've posted a couple of in-progress shots here. I've been taking my time with this one because in order to have any hope of getting where I wanted to go, I needed to let it dry between layers. It was to the point that I could probably come close to finishing it with a bit of work. I put a touch of colour into the trees, some variation in the snow, some detail into the horse and rider, then I added the weeds in the foreground and made the sky colder.

Today was cold, again, and a day much like the day portrayed in this painting. This is actually me and my first mare, a little chestnut Thoroughbred named Maggie's Arrow. I bought her - for the grand sum of $300 - when I was 17. She dropped me that day! If you're going to come off, coming off in the snow with several layers of clothing is the way to go. Coincidentally, the first time Monster got me off was also in the snow! It made me want to go for a hack, working on this today. I may make a few final touches, but it's pretty much done. Not a masterpiece, but it's okay for a fun little piece, and a welcome diversion from that other piece I'm working on!