A Brush With Still Life

I have returned to classes with Randy Blasquez. She teaches at the School of Light and Color and I would see her students' work drying in the entryway . I found I missed her instruction and painting with her. I would read what Randy posted on blogs, what she was teaching and about her current classes. I decided I wanted to continue taking classes with her. I like her teaching approach to oil painting.

Here is today's incomplete painting from Randy's class. I love the grays in the painting. The background color was made with piles of white, paynes grey, ultramarine blue and a touch of alizarin crimson. Then I added a touch of yellow ochre.

The bottles were pure ultramarine blue. The label on the left is painted with ultramarine blue, cad red, white and transparent oxide.
The yellow roses are not complete and the stems need some attention. I need to add highlights to the bottles, make light changes to the background and foreground. I, also, need to finish the glass container. Oh and straighten the background line transition between tabletop and background. Fun stuff.

This Took Me Forever

I have been working on this 8x10 landscape too long. It is finally as done - at least as done as I am willing to work on it. This was from a photograph. I couldn't figure out what the true color was and it just frustrated me. So, I asked, " Aren't landscapes suppose to be easy?" They are easier than figures I am told.
I need to study more. Okay. I will be doing small paintings of the sides of buildings with bushes. That is what was suggested and it sounded reasonable. I am moving from still life to landscapes and this will help me with the transition.

Pop Quiz?

I am in a figure painting class and the instructor came by with a post-it. He said put down your concept for today. I questioned "Concept? " It wasn't that I didn't understand it. I was thinking I am back in college. One part of me was excited. The other was thinking is this going to on a test?
I thought about it and wrote down simplify shapes, focal point face, and don't muddy it up.
Here is the results. The model was dressed as a cowgirl with a stuffed cow. She was adorable.

Painting, Painting, Painting

I spent the day in three, different, great paint classes. I am exhausted but I am learning a bit at time. You have to start somewhere and it is usually at the beginning.
This is one of the pieces I worked on today in portrait class. This needed more work but I like the progress. I need to remember to put the stroke down and leave it.
Also, I may have mentioned this, but you need to test your highlight.
Check out how simple the nose it. I love it.

Study Harder

I am learning landscapes and figures. No postings this week since the landscape is unfinished and waiting further instruction. The figure drawings are in a drawer that I rented for the class.
I am liking where this is heading, though.

I Learned Something

Today, I went to open studio and the model was beautiful. The way she was laying was a great foreshortening exercise. I failed at painting it successfully but when I came home, I immediately researched on how I need to approach a drawing/painting like this. I pulled out my Key to Drawing book and read.
I scraped today's work into a mud puddle but I am happy with the lesson.

It's Implied

Here is my portrait study. The features are implied with the dark values. I like this study. Not a lot of detail but you know it is a man's face.
I learned to put the side planes and top plane of the nose down, test the highlight at the tip of the nose and skip a line along the edge. The highlight on the forehead is, also, placed. The skin between the nostril and the lip on the light side is almost a tear drop.
I didn't need to define much with the ear nor the eyes.

Water, Trees and Sunshine - What A Perfect Week

Here are two of my finished landscape studies. I learned much. The trees are darker at the base and are lighter as their top growth. The leaves closer to the ground are dark and the leaves closer to the sky need sky color added to them. Break up the leaves in the light with your palette knife to look smaller.
The water is created with horizontal and occasion vertical strokes to make it appear as water. No side strokes.
Be sure that you do not have same shape objects. For example, the landscape I painted with the grass and bush are a little to close to being the same size. The grass should be split in two.
Also, remember to put the ground in front of the water grasses.
Trees in the background are should be grouped together. This includes flowers in general.
Remember to simplify.
In the background, the color will be lighter and cooler for distance. Do not make it green. You need to add the sky color in order to create atmosphere. There is more to learn. Another great class with Susan Sarback

Trimming Trees

I am continuing the landscape class. Today I learned how to paint algae on water and how to paint trees.
The tree limbs get slimmer as the grow from the trunk. The trunk is darker and the limbs get lighter with the sky color added to them. To turn the trunks and limbs, I need to added color from the pond and grasses on the edges.
The leaves are not just put down as I initially did. I have to remove some from the top of the branch and group more together down below make them more realistic.
The algae is interesting. It is not as light as the sky color and a dull orange. Then pink and yellow is added. There is, also, the exposed darker water that I need to added, too. I completely ignored it but was reminded it was the interesting part of the pond. It is true it is interesting but I didn't know how to paint it so I was going to leave it out. Good catch by the instructor. This piece is not completed. I need to add the detail and fix the leaves.

Landscapes Escape Me

I am in a landscape class that I have been looking forward to for a long time with Susan Sarback with the School of Light and Color. The demo was outstanding, we broke for lunch and then returned to the studio to pick out a photo to paint. We will paint in the mornings outside and retreat to the studio in the afternoon after it gets too warm.
Now, I picked out a photo that I liked but I can't figure out the colors because I know the camera can't see what the eye can. I saw the sky was pink but I painted it yellow. I know the trees are orange but I wanted them blue.
So, here is my stage one. I will fix it tomorrow and start painting what I see instead of what I want to see.

Profiles Are Not Easy

I worked on a portrait profile yesterday in class. I found that I wanted create the mouth and nose too long. My brain didn't want to recognize the shapes as being smaller than they were. This was even after I measured it. It is obvious that I struggled through this but I learned quite a bit.
Oh - and the model's eyes were really that blue.
I made a mistake by adding too harsh of highlight to the eye. I needed to darken the eye lashes. Using a bright brush won't work around the small detail. I need to purchase a flat brush.
I didn't put the ear in as a box and struggled to get it to lie down. The ear should be basically a few shapes and leave it.
I am still struggling with the hair but with a more practice is should become very natural.
I, also, should not make the head so big so I can get the shoulders and neck into the painting. I should leave more space.

I Need a Nap

I paint with artists who love to challenge themselves to learn more. We decided today we would paint using primary colors. I put out on my palette an ultramarine blue, cad. red and a lemon yellow. Included was white and black. The subject was lemons which I love. I just couldn't get into painting today. I worked a bit but found myself needing to lay down for a bit. So, I will get up tomorrow with more energy and finish the study.

At the Beach

It was another gorgeous day. I was painting with a fellow plein air artist, Rob Decker. He is known for his beautiful pastels and has won the quick draw competition in Lincoln City, Oregon. What a talented person. Anyway, we were painting near a bike and hiking trail. The reactions to our art work as people go by it just wonderful. I had one woman stop and tell memy painting was good. She had passed by two hours earlier seeing the stage two process that Susan Sarback teaches. It may see odd to anyone who had not seen the process. When the woman came back by she was surprised by the results. Isn't that rewarding in itself? Here is my study. It is a similar composition to a few others but I added the beach.

Not So Foggy

I was so happy this morning that the fog was out and I could finish my refrigerated study waiting for just this opportunity. In an earlier post, I showed an unfinished piece of work that was started in the fog.
I went out early and but couldn't work fast enough to capture the fog before it moved back out to sea. So, I scraped off the cool colors and painted this study. I like the tree but I am not happy with the foreground and bushes. Happy, though, to be blessed for the opportunity to see such a beautiful day.

Rocking and Painting -SOLD

As you can see, I am painting rocks, trees and water this month. I wanted to work on rocks more and it was a perfect day for it. The sun was shining and it was warm. Beautiful. Here is my study. It is an 8X10 oil on canvas.

Out of the Fog and Into the Sun

A friend picked me up to go out painting. The sun was shining and then by the time we took the 5 minute drive to the paint location, it was foggy. Too funny. So I started my painting as a cool study. Guess what? The sun came out. I started a new painting with a predominately warm study.
Both of the studies are of the same composition.
I was, of course, able to finish the warmer study. The cool, foggy study is in the refrigerator waiting for the next foggy day.

Paint Out Cancelled Due to Rain

Aye - it has been raining for three days. I painted inside but I am yearning for the outdoors so I can repaint my last post to get the color right. Boo hoo.
Here is a 5x7 oil painting with brush on board. Enjoy!

Tweeked

After a critiquing session, I tweeked this painting a bit. You can see the difference. When the fog clears, I will paint it, again, with the new composition.

No Whites Allowed With this Oil Painting Challenge

This was an interesting oil study with a few of the Tuesday painters. They are a well established group of painters that meet ... on Tuesday.
The challenge with this study was not to use any white oil paint. It forces you to use greys and lighter colors. I loved it.
My painting is a bit too bright but I thought it was interesting how many times I wanted to add white to a color.

And It Was All Foggy

It started out the most beautiful morning withthe sun shining. I raced to my favorite painting spot and a wonderful fellow painter, Kathy Huxley, showed up. We chatted while we painted and I could see the fog in the distance. Within minutes, the temperature dropped and the scenery was no longer warm sunshine but cool fog.
I made most of this painting up so it isn't my better effort. I was hurrying to get out of the cold. I was only wearing two layers of clothes instead of three. Makes a difference sometimes.

Wind Tips Easel but Not Artist -SOLD

SOLD

The wind grabbed my umbrella and tipped over my easel, paint and painting. I survived. That's my news for the day. I recovered my painting, paint, easel and strapped my umbrella down before continuing.
Here is a study I started a few days ago and just needed one change. So, I made the change and headed to put it in my truck when I noticed one more change. Well... needless to say I mucked it all up and no longer had a good color harmony.
When the other fellow plein aire painter showed up, Rob Decker, I was whining so loud his ears started to bleed.
I calmed down and got back to painting. Here is the results of the study. I chatted too much today to finish two paintings.

Painting Outdoors

I have spent the last couple of days painting outdoors. I have a few stinkers but I am loving the painting process.
There are a few more incomplete studies in the refrigerator that I need to complete on a second trip to the same location.
Today is was foggy and then in the middle of my painting, the sun came out so I had to stop and start a new painting with the sun out. The incomplete foggy painting went into the refrigerator.
Then yesterday, while painting, I had a wonderful conversation with a young musician. So, I didn't get to complete my full sun study. And, of course, it was foggy today so I couldn't continue working on it.
It happens.

All Skin Is Orange

This is my completed study from today's portrait class. The model's skin was a very light orange. I was told all skin is orange. Darker skin is just a darker orange.
I need to remember to put value changes in the hair. The brow is a little high. I was told the neck is good. I am very happy with the instruction.

My Husband - Second Sitting

I had my husband sit long enough so I could correct the study from last time. Doesn't he look cranky? He was actually reading so he wasn't cranky just concentrating.
Which brings me to an understanding for all married artists' spouses. If you voluntarily marry an artist, you automatically become a model.

My Husband

My husband promised me for weeks he would sit long enough so I could do a quick study. He managed to sit a whole 45 minutes without squirming too much. I will work on this more tonight to correct my painting. I will turn on a movie for him to watch while I finish the study.

Behind the Mask

Behind the Mask is a piece I created out of low fired clay. There were two firings involved. The second firing was done in the raku kiln my wonderful husband helped me build. It is pretty simple. Pig wire, ceramic blanket, ceramic buttons, high fire wire and a paid of dollar store handles for the lid.
I haven't done masks in a few years but now that I am taking portrait classes I think I would like to do some more. They were fun pieces to create.

I Am Not a Patient Model

I did a self portrait this afternoon but I am not a patient model. So... I painted this with a few strokes and said "Good enough".
I included in today's blog posting yesterday's portrait class lesson. The instructor corrected this study to show me how to improve it. It is not all my work so I can't take credit for it.
The model was sitting with his head slightly tilted and I kept trying to level the eyes. One was higher than the other but, instinctively, we all want to make things level whether they are or not. Isn't that funny?
The instructor reminded me that you can use any color as long as you get the correct value. Notice the red on nose and cheek.
Good lessons.

Going Gray

I am painting limited palette quick studies to reinforce drawing and values. Check uot the grays on my palette. Here is my full sun study. It took me about 30 minutes. I found the darkest values and had to remind myself to compare.

Here is a Limited Palette Study

Here is a limited palette study that I painted today in about 30 minutes of stacked coffee cups. I got the idea from the Daily Challenge website. It was setup on the patio in about 94 degrees, so I rushed it and I wanted a nap. Shame on me since I didn't spend much time on it.

Portrait Painting For A Week and A Half

I have jumped back into painting portraits. I am taking a class and then showing up for open studio with a live model.
In class, I asked for help with the portraits from the instructor, Debbie. She expertly showed me how to improve the studies. It was an excellent lesson in both cases.
So,here is the past week and half studies.
The first study, with the green head scarf, you can see where I mixed too dark a color for the jaw. I struggled with the nose and Debbie demonstrated how to correct it.
The painting with the dark skin model was improved with highlights.
The last painting is from the open studio without instruction. I put the models heads too far down the canvas. I struggle with the hair and need to learn how to paint it more effectively.
Great lessons. Oh and if I haven't said it before, the more you learn with art, the more you realize you don't know.