Working Dinghy Boat an oil pastel (8×10) was painted on a gesso-prepared hardboard with a gray/white acrylic underpainting. Dinghy boats are always out and about along shorelines, in Maine particularly there are tons of these working boats, it’s how folks get to their larger boats/sailboats anchored in the coves or bays. Each had their own personality, the one in my painting was perfect – old and used!
I’ve only painted several water scenes with reflections, so I was happy for the challenge this scene gave me – producing a believable reflection of this boat. Also you’ll note in the scene there is only a reflection of the harbormasters’ building, I was going to leave it out, but decided to make it a secondary point of interest.
A frustrating aspect of oil pastels is that they are not conducive to painting with a brush, so many times you want clean, smooth forms/lines but with this medium it doesn’t lend itself so. The tools I use to spread OPs are my fingers, tortiliums, clay shapers and a painters knife – the oil pastels are too thick to be painted on with a brush. I only wish, such is life ~
The reference image was from Jacqueline MacDonald a photographer of pmp.
DON’T TAKE MY IMAGES!! MY ART IS COPYRIGHTED.
PLEASE DON’T COPY OR USE THE IMAGE WITHOUT RECEIVING MY PERMISSION FIRST – SEE DISCLOSURE ON THE RIGHT PANEL.
Oil Pastels by Mary 
So full of color just gorgeous 🙂
Thank you Eunice!!
Marvelous reflections! Terrific!
Thanks Elena – the reflections are what attracted me to paint the scene.
I really like the composition, and the reflections are working great! Congrats on another successful piece, my friend.
Thanks so much Heidi for your feedback! It was a good scene to challenge myself with, especially those reflections. Have a great week!
Love this one Mary!!! Beautiful colors and setting.
Thanks Rhonda!! Have a beautiful weekend.
You too Mary!
I really like the scratchy/rough lines oil pastels give your pieces… it’s impressionistic, always so interesting and pretty to look at. While you say it may be frustrating to not be able to paint them with a brush, I think the overall effects far outweigh this ‘inconvenience’. 🙂
Thanks Pauline. The roughness and textures on the boat were from using a painters knife, I can scrap a good bit of paint off the oil pastel stick and then swipe it on in thick layers – I do like the effect. My ultra-thin lines are make with clay shapers and razors. But in this case my fingers gave an impressionistic look to the piece on purpose – kind of the way pressure is applied for the movement with the OPs. Thank you ~
Wow… I’m thinking your fingers are the best brushes! Wonderful piece!
Thanks Resa! My fingers tips sure do get a workout – lol!
Yoor painting has given life to the boat…marvellous! 🙂
Thank you Maniparna!
Oh, this is a real gem…. a real beauty…. a winner. Can you tell how much I love this one?
I think I’m reading you right?! Thanks so much Dorann for your beautiful reaction to the painting, it was a fun piece to work out.
This boat reminds me of one of the first dates I had with my husband. I took him to see a slow-moving Irish film at an arthouse movie theatre. The film was one of those character studies, and the most exciting adventure in the film was a scene where some of the characters had a little race across the lake – in boats just like this one. My husband patiently sat through this film, and still jokes about the “high speed boat chase”.
Anyway, this is a beautiful piece. The reflections in the water are gorgeous, and a little mysterious.
So funny, what a tale and all was happy ever-after!! Thank you for telling your tale of long ago and so wonderful that the painting took you back to a precious memory. Thanks so much for your feedback, I always appreciate it!
I’m glad you included the harbormasters’ building, for harbormasters can get quite touchy about flagrant omissions.
All the colors blend so well.
So true Prospero, so true!! Why how would they ever be able to manage the harbor with no place to sit and watch!! Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed this one.
Much life in this one, Mary. Beautifully done!
Thanks Ann-Christine!
Beautiful work, as usual and I love the reflections! I’m almost getting a fall feeling from this. Dare I think it?! Woot! Thanks for sharing, Mary! 💛
Thanks Laura for your lovely thoughts and Fall? Oh my I hope not too soon ~ we still need a month or more of very hot temps.
You’re so welcome, Mary! I need zero days of very hot temps lol, but I’m glad someone is really enjoying it. It helps me get through! :))
Listen this weekend we are going up to 107! Can you believe it ~
Oh Mary, I wouldn’t be able to live wherever you are. Do you like it that hot?!
Today it’s 104 w/some humidity, that is what makes it unbearable. But over the weekend high temps w/no humidity so at least it will be tolerable. Didn’t really answer you – all depends on the day whether I can take the heat or not!!
Lovely painting! Did you ever try to use baby oil to spread the oil pastel with a cotton bud? I remember I read about this possibilty.
Thank you so much! I have read and know several artists that use baby oil, I don’t know if it would degrade over time and a tiny bit goes a long ways because it can eat through layers of paint beneath where you place the oil. I haven’t tried it, some swear by it though – thanks for the suggestion.
An old dingy indeed … but it seems to have it’s place in the little harbor … the moorings and reflections give the dingy a place. Well done, Mary.
Thanks Frank – always a ton of character with old dinghy’s and this one spoke of a lot of ventures. Glad you enjoyed the piece, thank you so much!
An interesting perspective here in that we get to “see” the building only by reflection. Like that very much.
Thanks A! – really appreciate it!!
Wow! Great job with the reflections, Mary. It looks terrific!
Thanks Jill – much appreciated!
Absolutely stunning, Mary. As you may have noticed, I’m a sucker for all things related to boats and water!
Thanks so much Sarah, you are very generous! Oh yes I have noticed your gorgeous and creative images, especially the one of the sailboat alone at sea. There is something very calming and relaxing about the sea and boats.
How beautifully captured, my dear Mary! 🙂
Thanks so much Marina – have a wonderful rest and beautiful week!
You have captured the movement and depth of the reflections in this l lovely painting. Beautiful…Janet.
Thank you Janet for your feedback on the reflections and overall painting – I really appreciate it. Trying to stretch a bit and this was a challenge all right.
You are welcome…I love the painting.
…it is wonderful 🙂
kind regards … Lis
Thank you Lis, means a lot!
Lovely tranquil scene Mary. You may have tried this already, but would you consider putting your watermark copyright sign in a more central place on your image. It may discourage theft more; possibly? Or not. I notice some photographers/bloggers put their watermarks in different positions eg Steve Schwartzman https://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com/2015/06/27/standing-cypress-red-and-green/
Thank you Gallivanta for your lovely comment and so suggestion on watermark copyright sign, perhaps ti will work in at least get someone to hesitate at least for a second before they run off with my image. I checked out Steve Schwartzman photographs, amazing and I do like how he treats the watermark – thanks!
Oh good. Glad my suggestion was helpful. I use Picassa to place watermarks on my photos. You can put them in the most amazing places and at amazing angles. Quite fun to do. Only I don’t do it often because I don’t think anyone is stealing my images. 😀
I’m glad you included the reflection of the building, Mary, it lends such a nice complexity and interest to the scene; and that familiar, beat-up dinghy…..this is a scene I can almost smell!
Hi Cynthia, thank you – ha, I too can definitely smell the sea through this painting. It took a bit of time to consider and plan for the building reflections – glad I went with it, gave the scene a real feel of wharf character.
How nice, Mary. Very serene.
Thank you so much!
stunning artwork Mary, as always I am amazed at the vibrant life you bring to your canvas.
Thank you Holly for your gracious comments, much appreciated!
Such a beautiful oil painting, Mary. Love the reflections. 🙂
Thanks Amy- the reflections are what drew me to paint the scene.
Great work, Mary, as always! And it’s our big pleasure to open your posts! We know in advance that the “bounty” will be big. Thank you! 🙂
Thanks Fabio for your large and generous comment – I really appreciate it! Glad you enjoyed the piece.
Mary, I love, love this! Glad you took your own challenge and shared this with us. I’ve also seen these boats scattered along the shoreline.
Thanks Geralyn – these boats have a bit of character about them. Don’t you think?
They do and you bring it out!
Gorgeous!! You knew I would love it! XX 🙂
Thanks Susan, it was a little too complex for me but still I wanted to try it. Thanks for the encouragement – oh yes, I’m thrilled you like it!!
The reflections and colours are great.
Thanks Susan!
Very beautiful, the reflections are wonderful.
Thanks Lee, really appreciate it!