Runners

I’ve made a little progress on my new Foothills Running painting.  I’m trying to paint this one so it’s different from the last one.  I want to use colors that are a little calmer and perhaps a painting style that is a little looser.  I’m still not sure how I will work it all out.  It feels nice to let the painting evolve without any real outcome in mind.  I’m painting this one for me so whatever I do goes.  If you look at the progression on the painting in the 3 shots below you will see that I’ve knocked back the trail a little.  I like the feel of suggesting the trail and having it be less of the focus.  My next step will be to paint in the 3 figures.  I’d like for them to be more generalized, like they could be anyone.  Not necessarily portraits of these three gals.  I got a nice response from my running group about the last runner painting I did.  They all knew exactly who each person was from behind, mostly because we run together a lot and we can recognize each others running styles.

Speaking of running, I went on a 13 mile run out this road through the foothills this morning, and like a dummy didn’t take any water.  I’m not sure what I was thinking, it’s warm out there and there isn’t much shade.  I  normally do long runs along the river where there are drinking fountains and bathrooms all over the place (as a runner I know exactly where they all are).  But today my running partner took me somewhere new and I didn’t plan ahead.  It was early.  So at about 6 miles out I started having fantasies about water.  I survived.  Lesson learned, maybe.  The pic below is of where we were.  Doesn’t it look so dry!  The sky was beautiful this morning.

And last, here are my two running paintings side by side.  I took the one with 5 runners and 3 dogs in to be framed last week.  I am looking forward to seeing it and dropping it off at my friends house.  It is for my friend that is out in front on the left.  Looking at the 2 together I can see that I still have a ways to go.  The upper foothills in the new one I’m working on are not the color that they will be.  I’m going to let it dry and do some glazing with color.