Works In Progress

My 'manager' (aka Kathryn Church) urged me to post more...so here 'tis. I usually like to put finished works on here, but this is what I'm up to right now. I'm doing two small studies of two different B/W photos my grandpa took in Toronto. So, from the top you can see my whole table with the small (2X3 and 3X4) photos and my sketches of each. I use blue painters tape to hold down the papers (it doesn't stick and tear like normal masking tape).
The first painting sketch is obviously (I hope) close to being done, while the second is just in the pencil and mask-it stage (I use a masking fluid, sort of like rubber cement, to protect small areas I want to keep white).
From these two studies I determine coloring, intensity, and values (lights/darks) that I will use in larger paintings of these subjects.
My grandfather, my father and I all shared a love for ships and water. I really enjoy using photos that not only did my grandpa take (perhaps close to 100 years ago), but also ones he used for paintings. You can see some of his paint drips on the photos, if you look closely.
Thanks for looking!