Block study 09/24/2010

Here is my daily block study. I am afraid it is overworked. It was hot outside and I was getting a bit warm so I hurried through the drawing and the painting. Not a good example of a full sun painting but of a artist in need of air conditioning and ice water.
I didn't even take time to do an initial drawing. Bad habits are hard to break so I will remember to slow down next time and wear shorts.

Finished study

I finished my copper pot, bottle and orange study. It looked like a piece I would do in the 8th grade. I just couldn't get communication between my left brain and right brain. I was stuck, dumb founded, confused and fearful to continue. I had no idea what to do next. I have painted copper using the Helen Van Wyk method but could not transfer the information to a copper study.
So, today I am back to block studies and I will start doing cylinder studies, also. Color is hard.
Oh, and I saw my buddy, Rob Decker. He is doing great and loving the class, too. Love his new pastel set of colors. Very cool.. and warm.
We agreed traffic here is like a scary fair ride. We parted ways as he head South and I head North. I will see him in two weeks as we both continue studying color.

Block Studies in Full Sun Light

These block studies are more fun than I thought they would be. I can definitely see the benefit of painting them. My goal is to paint one or more a day. It is my understanding that Hensche had his students paint the block studies over and over for 30 days.

Artist Block

I have taught classes in computers and math for many years and all these classes start with learning the basics and the steps to understanding these subjects. I always had students in Algebra not wanting to show the steps to their work. They did not want to learn the steps. They wanted to leap ahead. When they didn't learn the steps, they could only successfully go so far in Algebra before they ran into problems.
I have done the same thing when trying to learn color and paint with oils. I have been told time and time, again, that block studies are important.
Because I was not progressing like I wanted, I went to my local hardware store, went through their scrap wood piles. They gave me the scraps for free! I love free. They even cut a few pieces for me. Very nice.
Then I went to my local craft store and bought acrylic paints, primary and secondary colors.
I told my instructor and she said to be sure to gesso the pieces first and then add the acrylic.
Here are some of the completed blocks for my studies. I have red, blue, yellow, orange, purple, green and white. I need to make an yellow-orange, viridian, cerulian and a pink.
Off to hardware and craft store I go, again.
The blocks are also great for perspective.
I know it takes years to learn color but I am willing to accept the challenge!

Don't call me Sweet

I am working on color to get rid of the sweet in my paintings. Here is the stage 3 and beginning of stage 4 in this study. I am finding it easier to see and paint color but after an hour, I can't concentrate on the color any more and need a break.

3 days later...

I am still drawing daily with block studies. Over and over and over, again. I know how I learn and I learn by repetition. So, I went to my local hardware store and asked them for wood scraps. I have several wood blocks and books. I draw for several hours the wood blocks and books to ensure my understanding of perspective drawing. I still struggle with it but it does seem to become easier as I keep practicing.
I would love to some day sit and paint a cityscape. This wasn't my original goal but now I see the beauty in urban and cityscapes and I want to be a part of it.

A harder study than bottles? Oh, no...

Here is the start of my stage 3 study of a copper pitcher, an opaque bottle and an orange. I have completed the orange and I need to start working on the shadows and the background. Then, I will start on the copper pitcher. Last... is the bottle. It is going to a great learning experience. I will bring a aspirin.

Vanishing points

Learning how to draw man-made objects isn't my favorite. Probably because I don't like to do them and I don't like to do them because it takes time. I like to get the drawing done and start painting. So, I am taking a class to learn technical drawing. It isn't easy for me but I am getting it. It is math being taught my an artist. I can do this.

The finale of the study of glass

So hard. So much too remember and so much already forgotten. Here is the finished study of glass. I am now working on copper, a white, ceramic bottle and an orange.

Another onion study

I noticed in this study that the yellow on the lower right it too bright. I need to dull it down a bit and mix some of the shadow color better as it recedes from the onion.

Drawing and painting

I am taking a drawing class, again, to revisit values and technical techniques. I am taking it with a wonderful instructor who worked in the industrial arts industry for years. It is an excellent review of things I knew and forgot.
I am continuing with my oil painting classes,too. My bottle study is almost done. I learned why my paintings sometime go back to a "sweet" look. I am have a tendency in the 4th stage to use the same two colors. It is important to add several colors to keep them dull rather than go back to bright. This dull is so important in painting.

Onion Study - no tears

Here is my daily study. It is of an onion. I like it.

Red Apple Study

This is a red apple study in full sun light. Notice, there isn't much pure red in this study.