Putting the Boat into the Water

A springtime ritual is putting the boat into the water.  This is an overall warm painting and the focal point of boat and figures is framed by the dark wooden fence structure.  This creates the darkest dark/lightest light focus.  It is a vertical format to give the relative size to the figures. 

Springtime on the River

This month I have been doing a lot of sketching with charcoal.  Using a live model in short poses I think that I come up with more believable figures in my paintings.  This painting was an old theme that I have painted before but I added the birches and like the result.  There is nice value change from back to foreground and a nice eye path. 
With all of my travels this month, I have not been posting to the blog.  Will get some of my recent pleine air work up.