The Great Egret

St. Augustine, Florida

Roger uses oils on a 24×36″ linen canvas first
toning the background with a variety of greens to create an underpainting that will match the colors in his reference photograph. Working from dark to light, the trunk of the palm tree is painted. Roger demonstrates the placement of negative areas or “sky holes” seen through the palm fronds. Then he finishes the egret and the loosely applied brushwork on the foreground foliage. Sarah visits a naturalist who takes her on a boat tour to see a variety of birds and explains the importance of the estuaries.

The Dairy Cow

West Jefferson, North Carolina

Backlighting is the main lesson in this demonstration. A wash of acrylics is used to lay in the basic shapes of the cow then slowly built up from there with more color. A dark background is applied to give the backlit subject additional contrast. Roger finishes the painting by adding subtle color shifts to the face of the animal. Sarah visits a butchery, cheese factory and several art galleries in the attractive downtown.

The Sea Turtle

St. Augustine, Florida

Roger talks about the importance of organizing palette space, then using acrylics paints a turtle beginning with the dark areas of the shell. A small brush and a light touch are used for the details around the turtles head and eyes. The background is intentionally kept soft to further highlight the turtle.
Sarah visits a sea turtle rescue facility and talks with the coordinator about the rescue and rehabilitation of turtles by dedicated volunteers and veterinarians.