How?

It may look like junk, but these are some of the things I use to make textures in my paintings. I use doilies, too. My cousin Jack thinks that is not very macho.
When I begin a painting, I first make textures in wet plaster that I've spread on a piece of primed, pressed board. I have used car tires, legos and the edge of rough-cut boards among other things. Here are some small boards - some with textures and some without.
I've started the three-panel painting that can be seen in sketch form in the previous entry. I have done the plastering and I've sealed it. You should be able to see that I have also used doilies to make some of the textures.
Those are pressed plants embedded into the plaster. When I add color, it takes three or four steps using three or four colors. You'll see the first color in my next entry.

It's about time I got started!

Thanks to my new career supervising student teachers in art, I've made same nice connections with knowledgeable people with similar interests. I've been encouraged to make my own blog by Andy W who is an elementary art teacher. I was one, too, for 31 years here in town. I'm anxious to learn how to post images and to practice my bull****ting abilities (I have none). Well that was easy. I have spent some time at a coffee shop here in town, and above is a painting that honors that "Night & Day Coffee Cafe."

At the moment, I am planning a commissioned work. I'll slip a sketch in here:

Look for the finished painting in about three weeks. I dare say it will be quite different from this sketch.