locomotive

1997
watercolor on strathmore cold press
14.5" x 11"

at this time in my painting career, i was still trying to learn necessary technical skills, such as how to paint reflective surfaces (wine glasses were my bane), illusions of smoke, light shining through leaves on trees, etc. i was choosing very detailed subjects, too, so i could practice these skills. for this particular painting, i needed quite a bit of help from mr. bryans to accurately depict the brass rings and cylinders around the train, as well as the smoke billowing from it. in the end, i was proud of the painting; i considered it very lifelike and, while i now consider it to be amateurish still, it was a good practice piece.