To prepare for an original work based on The Sower, I have completed a study. It's a small piece - just 7x5 inches (18x13cm).

The Sower is a common theme of Vincent's, one that he returns to again and again in his life. This is a very iconic painting that takes this famous religious parable to a new level, as The Sower is painted almost "walking on water".

While I have little time for religious obsession, I admire the the painting greatly. Not only for it's impressionist, and very Pointillist technique but also it's colour scheme. Yellows and Oranges in contrast with their direct opposites: Violet and Blues; juxaposed as ordinarily one would expect the cooler colours to recede into the background, while the warm colours take the foreground (in conventional painting).

Anyway, i feel satisfied with my attempt.
It's difficult to know exactly the colours Van Gogh used as there are many variations found online!

Continuing to experiment with my new "oil bars".
I initially considered using this painting only for it's composition and I planned to just go a bit wild with the colours and brush strokes.

I started with the sky and after my results seemed very similiar to Van Gogh's original, I changed my plan and went for a fairly direct copy. The OilBar colours I have matched up well.

Here is a study I did recently of a famous Degas.
I'm including a copy of the original work for comparison.

I found that Degas captured some really nice delicate tonal changes that define form. Particularly on the dancer's face.
This proved a difficult thing to emulate when working with Oil Pastel on a small scale. Nevertheless I feel my attempt was moderately successful.

Here is my latest Oil Pastel challenge.

I made some changes like removing the large bush etc.
But I captured a nice soft light in the background and the rocks and foliage in the foreground provided a challenge.

Really enjoyed the expressiveness of my latest painting - Dandelions. It gives me energy and a desire for more of the same.

It was nice to not care about too many rules or formalities and just allow the composition to flow.

I've completed a couple small studies in Oil Pastel. It's part of an online community of Oil Pastel artists, whereby each month a chosen member posts a couple photos and the others paint them.

So here are a couple of my studies from these photos. I don't consider them worthy of framing and I'm not putting them among my page of colour works.

I've been framing some of my works.
Here's a couple:

First one is Michael D. Higgins, now the President of Ireland.

It's a wood frame that i hand beveled, then applied some gold-leaf.

Second one is Palais du Commerce.

I re-furbished an old frame with gold-leaf.
Although I intentionally wanted it to appear old.

Around the outer-most frame is a beautiful red velvet.
It really gives it a "regal" sort of look.