Painting with Tiny Brushes

There is no denying that fall has arrived in Millsburg. Each day the leaves are more colorful and the early morning air crisp.

Pic from Top Deck
 of Millsburg House

The weather has been some of the best on the planet for the past week or so, and the forecast is more of the same for the next several days.



With the mornings cool, the yard and garden now on auto-pilot as the flowers and vines wait for the first frost that will be their demise.

LKD and I have been spending time walking some of the many trails that can be found near Millsburg.

Our favorite is a series of trails maintained as a National Refuge that meanders along the river valley.


The towpath along the old canal and former railroad beds takes us through old woods and to the edges of once bustling transportation centers.


For some reason the lure of painting on wood scraps has captured my interest. A couple of hours most mornings go by in the blink of an eye as basic techniques and simple images appear from the end of tiny paint brushes.

The first couple of attempts are basic silhouettes using only black and white. These birds have come to rest on some scrap plywood. LKD has claimed the one that looks a bit like a crow. The other one is going to Walton to enjoy the view from the deck at KKD's (aka Bee).

Turns out trees are pretty easy. Painting a straight line is a bit tricky. Adding a bit of color to as a background for the bridges and  practice sketching and painting lines.

Having spend some time in a couple of craft stores, the collection of tiny brushes and some acrylic paints have been introduced to Millsburg.

For inspiration there are plenty of images and YouTube instructional videos found on Al Gore's internet.

Below, "The Road Home" is from a series of photos taken on Decker Drive in the town of Greenville. A few years ago, MRB (sister of the artist) created a four season photo series of this scene.

"The Road Home" and "Random Mill on a Farm" are the first attempts using an actual canvas board instead of wood scraps.