Watching Bugs

Watching Bugs
Oil on panel, 14x11

I have never tried any figure work in oil, so I decided to paint these two little darlings down by the river behind my parent's house.  I used a photo I took last summer for reference - and started laying in my colors.  The push and pull between the figures and the landscape had me cooling off the background to bring the children to the foreground.  This painting took so much longer than usual - on a day I really needed a quick subject!  Out of town all day, I just returned to finish this one up.  The drawing is easy for me, but selecting the right colors takes so much time.  I think this is only the first of many figure explorations on my horizon.  This is day 25 of the 30 day challenge, and I think I'll paint the Flint Hills tomorrow :)