Dan
@pleinairinplainair.bsky.social
Geek of all trades, master of a few. Plein air painting. Model making. Sci-Fi. Amateur Radio. Video games. Books. Astronomy. If there’s hobby I haven’t enjoyed, it’s because I haven’t tried it. https://danielholmes.art
Saw @scalzi.com today. As we were driving to the book signing, I told my son about his “Wil Wheaton, Croc Hunter” short story from a year or so ago. My son wondered if his Croc could be signed. @scalzi.com delivered.
September 22, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Saw @scalzi.com today. As we were driving to the book signing, I told my son about his “Wil Wheaton, Croc Hunter” short story from a year or so ago. My son wondered if his Croc could be signed. @scalzi.com delivered.
And for the last #ArtAdventCalendar, I give you Immortan Drumpf (Trump as Immortan Joe from Furiosa). Painted during the last reign, and not looking forward to the next one.
I particularly liked the troll doll at his waist on this one.
I particularly liked the troll doll at his waist on this one.
December 24, 2024 at 6:00 PM
And for the last #ArtAdventCalendar, I give you Immortan Drumpf (Trump as Immortan Joe from Furiosa). Painted during the last reign, and not looking forward to the next one.
I particularly liked the troll doll at his waist on this one.
I particularly liked the troll doll at his waist on this one.
#ArtadventCalendar day 23. Another onsite drawing of an overlook in Death Valley. I have a photo as well, but I wanted to just capture the values and shapes of the area in graphite. It’s a study for a later Martian landscape. #pleinair #landscape
December 23, 2024 at 2:33 PM
#ArtadventCalendar day 23. Another onsite drawing of an overlook in Death Valley. I have a photo as well, but I wanted to just capture the values and shapes of the area in graphite. It’s a study for a later Martian landscape. #pleinair #landscape
#ArtAdventCalendar day 22. Driving through Cherry Creek Stare Park, I watched two deer eat. When the geese flew overhead, they looked up to watch them land on the next meadow over. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen two animals watch each other that wasn’t a predator/prey situation.
December 22, 2024 at 2:53 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 22. Driving through Cherry Creek Stare Park, I watched two deer eat. When the geese flew overhead, they looked up to watch them land on the next meadow over. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen two animals watch each other that wasn’t a predator/prey situation.
#ArtAdventCalendar day 21. Another scale model. A 1/35 Jeep from the Gundam universe. Acrylics through an airbrush, oils for weathering. #scalemodels
December 21, 2024 at 2:15 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 21. Another scale model. A 1/35 Jeep from the Gundam universe. Acrylics through an airbrush, oils for weathering. #scalemodels
#ArtAdventCalendar day 20. Study of a pitcher for an early #oilpainting class. There was no way I had the brush control to do the Grecian style image on the front, so I abstracted it. I liked the effect so much, it led me to want to study Impressionism. Don’t like the handle lighting. #stilllife
December 20, 2024 at 2:14 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 20. Study of a pitcher for an early #oilpainting class. There was no way I had the brush control to do the Grecian style image on the front, so I abstracted it. I liked the effect so much, it led me to want to study Impressionism. Don’t like the handle lighting. #stilllife
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 19. The horrors persist, and so must I. I have a flask in my “Big box ‘o still life stuff” and wanted to try and paint a reflection in it—I had never painted glass before. #oilpainting #stilllife it really helped the “paint what you see, not what you think you see” skill.
December 19, 2024 at 2:46 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 19. The horrors persist, and so must I. I have a flask in my “Big box ‘o still life stuff” and wanted to try and paint a reflection in it—I had never painted glass before. #oilpainting #stilllife it really helped the “paint what you see, not what you think you see” skill.
#ArtAdventCalendar day 18. Another scale model vignette. Bandai 1:144 scale Star Wars Snow Speeder and AT-ST. I hate decals, so everything is hand painted—nothing airbrushed on this one, and it was a test to use thinned artists oils. Lots of layers, but the weathering turned out well. #scalemodels
December 18, 2024 at 2:18 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 18. Another scale model vignette. Bandai 1:144 scale Star Wars Snow Speeder and AT-ST. I hate decals, so everything is hand painted—nothing airbrushed on this one, and it was a test to use thinned artists oils. Lots of layers, but the weathering turned out well. #scalemodels
#ArtAdventCalendar day 17. One of my earliest attempts at #astrophotgraphy. I broke apart a webcam, and made a focus adapter for my telescope. It was good for bright objects. Shortly after the image was made, I had to move and this generation of equipment was broken. This image of Saturn remains.
December 17, 2024 at 3:12 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 17. One of my earliest attempts at #astrophotgraphy. I broke apart a webcam, and made a focus adapter for my telescope. It was good for bright objects. Shortly after the image was made, I had to move and this generation of equipment was broken. This image of Saturn remains.
#ArtAdventCalendar day 16. A copper bowl I liked the reflections on—because of the ridges, it almost looked 8-bit. I, used it in a class. I don’t really paint many still life objects, I enjoy being outside too much. But I really should try this a little more.
December 16, 2024 at 6:56 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 16. A copper bowl I liked the reflections on—because of the ridges, it almost looked 8-bit. I, used it in a class. I don’t really paint many still life objects, I enjoy being outside too much. But I really should try this a little more.
#ArtAdventCalendar day 15. Two winters ago I went to a favorite painting spot near a river hoping to see fast rapids from the runoff. Nope. Hiked a ways, found this naked tree with light scattered around it. Quick sketch with the changing light. I’ve redone this a few times in other media. #pleinair
December 15, 2024 at 1:58 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 15. Two winters ago I went to a favorite painting spot near a river hoping to see fast rapids from the runoff. Nope. Hiked a ways, found this naked tree with light scattered around it. Quick sketch with the changing light. I’ve redone this a few times in other media. #pleinair
#ArtAdventCalendar day 14. My son was fishing on the Big Thompson river, so I busted out the paints. It was completely overcast, and like being in a softbox. This is a small sketch, low dynamic range, just to play with shapes. I need to figure out if there is something here. #pleinair #landscape
December 14, 2024 at 2:07 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 14. My son was fishing on the Big Thompson river, so I busted out the paints. It was completely overcast, and like being in a softbox. This is a small sketch, low dynamic range, just to play with shapes. I need to figure out if there is something here. #pleinair #landscape
#ArtAdventCalendar day 13! Transit of Venus across the Sun, seen from Utah June 5th, 2012. My favorite #Astrophoto I’ve taken. It was cloudy all day. Had to leave, quite deflated. About a mile from home, the clouds parted. Was able to park in a school and setup my equipment quickly, got this shot.
December 13, 2024 at 2:54 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 13! Transit of Venus across the Sun, seen from Utah June 5th, 2012. My favorite #Astrophoto I’ve taken. It was cloudy all day. Had to leave, quite deflated. About a mile from home, the clouds parted. Was able to park in a school and setup my equipment quickly, got this shot.
For #ArtAdventCalendar day 12(Halfway over!) here’s another drawing from a figure group I attend semi-irregularly. I think this was a 5 minute sketch. Charcoal and graphite on newsprint. 36”x24”. The lighting is very flat, but I think I was able to get some shadows. #charcoal #drawing #lifedrawing
December 12, 2024 at 3:06 PM
For #ArtAdventCalendar day 12(Halfway over!) here’s another drawing from a figure group I attend semi-irregularly. I think this was a 5 minute sketch. Charcoal and graphite on newsprint. 36”x24”. The lighting is very flat, but I think I was able to get some shadows. #charcoal #drawing #lifedrawing
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 11. This is an in process look at Day 9’s posting. I used a Guerrilla Painter thumb box. #pleinair #landscape
December 11, 2024 at 1:57 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 11. This is an in process look at Day 9’s posting. I used a Guerrilla Painter thumb box. #pleinair #landscape
#ArtAdventCalendar day 10. My flight was delayed, so I setup a still life in the restaurant. Charcoal, 11x14. I had a hard time rendering the reflectivity of the utensils, but I nailed the salt and pepper shakers and ketchup. Folds of the tablecloth were difficult too. #drawing #charcoal #stilllife
December 10, 2024 at 3:02 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 10. My flight was delayed, so I setup a still life in the restaurant. Charcoal, 11x14. I had a hard time rendering the reflectivity of the utensils, but I nailed the salt and pepper shakers and ketchup. Folds of the tablecloth were difficult too. #drawing #charcoal #stilllife
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 9. Study for Roxborough State Park. It was really cold, I only had enough time to get rough shapes and shadows. I forgot my tube of cad red, adding another layer of difficulty. But the values read, so it’s not a complete loss. Need to revisit. #landscape #oilpainting #pleinair
December 9, 2024 at 2:04 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 9. Study for Roxborough State Park. It was really cold, I only had enough time to get rough shapes and shadows. I forgot my tube of cad red, adding another layer of difficulty. But the values read, so it’s not a complete loss. Need to revisit. #landscape #oilpainting #pleinair
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 8 (accidentally labeled yesterday as 8). Death Valley study overlooking some sand dunes. First attempt using acrylics. I like them, but they dry way too fast for my ability. #pleinair #landscape #acrylicpainting
December 8, 2024 at 3:22 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 8 (accidentally labeled yesterday as 8). Death Valley study overlooking some sand dunes. First attempt using acrylics. I like them, but they dry way too fast for my ability. #pleinair #landscape #acrylicpainting
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 8. I wanted to paint Plein air, but circumstances wouldn’t let me. So I arranged these various pears on a table in the backyard. Tried to capture them in a minimum of strokes. I need to try this exercise again, I learned a lot doing it.
December 7, 2024 at 3:01 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar Day 8. I wanted to paint Plein air, but circumstances wouldn’t let me. So I arranged these various pears on a table in the backyard. Tried to capture them in a minimum of strokes. I need to try this exercise again, I learned a lot doing it.
#ArtAdventCalendar day 6. Value study of a rock formation in Roxborough State Park, Colorado. #pleinair #landscape
December 6, 2024 at 4:43 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 6. Value study of a rock formation in Roxborough State Park, Colorado. #pleinair #landscape
#ArtAdventCalendar day 5. Scale modeling is another art focused hobby I have. Painted up the Venus de Willendorf figure a few years ago. Considered one of the earliest fertility idols. It’s about 3” tall.
December 5, 2024 at 8:36 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 5. Scale modeling is another art focused hobby I have. Painted up the Venus de Willendorf figure a few years ago. Considered one of the earliest fertility idols. It’s about 3” tall.
Day 4 of #ArtAdventCalendar. I tried to do something a little more abstract. Fall colors next to a very muddy slow flowing river. I wasn’t happy with the location, nor the composition at first, but it’s grown on me. Yampa River, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. #landscape #pleinair #abstractart
December 4, 2024 at 4:44 PM
Day 4 of #ArtAdventCalendar. I tried to do something a little more abstract. Fall colors next to a very muddy slow flowing river. I wasn’t happy with the location, nor the composition at first, but it’s grown on me. Yampa River, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. #landscape #pleinair #abstractart
Revered Ridge Mountain for day 3 of #ArtAdventCalendar. Golden Gate Canyon State Park, CO. I tried to just capture the fall colors in the trees, and the top mountain rock. 9”x12” #landscape #pleinair
December 3, 2024 at 1:51 PM
Revered Ridge Mountain for day 3 of #ArtAdventCalendar. Golden Gate Canyon State Park, CO. I tried to just capture the fall colors in the trees, and the top mountain rock. 9”x12” #landscape #pleinair
#ArtAdventCalendar day 2. Charcoal sketch at the eyepiece of the 2017 eclipse from yesterday. First sketch at the eyepiece (before was notes and positions of fuzzies) Charcoal pencil, I had no idea spraying a varnish on it would dull it so much. I should redo this in pastels or paints. #spaceart
December 2, 2024 at 9:27 PM
#ArtAdventCalendar day 2. Charcoal sketch at the eyepiece of the 2017 eclipse from yesterday. First sketch at the eyepiece (before was notes and positions of fuzzies) Charcoal pencil, I had no idea spraying a varnish on it would dull it so much. I should redo this in pastels or paints. #spaceart