9"x12" oil/panel

Had a bit of a breakthrough tonight. Tried applying all paint with the knife and then moving it with the brushes. I attempted this with the same subject as I did last post just a smaller canvas. Disaster! I've mentioned before if I do something once I rarely do it again. This proves monumental in painting, for me. In this case it was only subject matter but apparently that is enough. I wiped it down about 45 minutes in. I took a deep breath and looked at my other studies from California. I decided to attempt the same process but with a new subject. I immediatly felt better and could see the painting in my head. It seems once I've burned an image in my mind and created a work from that image I find it very difficult to do the same image in another fashion. This new work felt good from the start. I mixed all colors first for the massing in, applied via knife and felt I could have finished the piece as such. I am working towards doing large plein air work-over 30 inches- so the idea of knife application seemed a bit difficult to negotiate and I will still have to contend with this mixing dilema. ( need a huge palette). Anyhow I'm posting the block in and finished piece.

I feel the last post, although painted "loosely" feels tight. I concentrated on the brushwork but I am most interested in paint. In fact I have said for me painting is all about the paint. I got away from that idea and need to get back to it. I still am most interested in how artists can manipulate paint, myself included. I think this latest piece is a good direction and incorporates both knife and brush.