Wednesday, August 31, 2011

I Love This Part


I love the beginning of the painting process when you block in the color. I like the abstract shapes and the colors. When in a classroom setting, I like to go around see the other artists' compositions and this stage. I think they are beautiful.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Continued Color Study


I had worked on this piece some time ago and saw it sitting there in my house... looking unfinished. I took it to class yesterday and finished it.
The background was in light but it looked better painted as a shadow background. The pot was fine. The shadow before the bottle needed some work . I needed to describe the blue bottle more.
The focal flower improved with detail.
So, I am calling it finished. I like the piece and what I learned from the study.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Painting A Lot of Black Backgrounds This Week






Here is yesterday's figure study. This is as far as I am going to work on it. The model was dressed as a ballerina and I was only willing to paint her from the waist up. I never got to the hands and the detail but I like the progress.
I saw the hands and legs and panicked. Once, I started the painting process I realized all the painting and instruction in the past was starting to click. My confidence slowly started to appear in the painting process. The arms were no longer a confusing problem to resolve. I kept going back and fussing with the nose rather than continue throughout the painting. I made it too wide and too long. It still could be resolved but, again, this is a study.
I did not fuss with the eyes.
I have painted a few black backgrounds this week and I see I am reverting back to old habits. I am painting the lit black the same as a shadow black. I need to relax and see.

Portrait Study


I attended a 6 hour figure painting session. I was feeling pretty chatty today and had fun talking with the model. When other people showed up, I had to be good. So, here is my initial block in, I will post the study after I make some additions to it.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Completed Work



I worked on these two pieces yesterday afternoon after class and this morning.
I am thinking I will put the edge of the table back into the watermelon study. I, also, see where I didn't quite get the perspective on the melon on the right.
I am happy with the rose study. I have painted this a few times.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Done For The Day


Here is tonight's portrait study. I told the instructor I wanted to paint with color. She said then I want to see you push it.
I had a difficult time with the eyes. I think I was tired and, as you can see, so was the model. I reinforced what I have learned and enjoyed the painting process despite my need to rest.
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Watermelon is in Season


Today in class, Randy Blasquez, brought in a cut up watermelon for the students to paint. Think about the perspective and foreshortening all of the artists had to draw and resolve. Every painting in class was a success. That tells you a lot about the instruction. Great class and great study.
This is my incomplete study. I need to make a few changes to the background, tabletop and add some seeds. Slight changes. I am pleased with this lesson.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

God Hates a Coward


I started an advance oil painting class with Randy Blasquez and the setup today was beautiful. I encountered several problems with the flowers because I was not sure what shapes to paint. Then, I saw they were cups and bowl shapes. I thought, I know how to paint the shape of cups and bowls.
The black background was difficult for me because I don't normally paint with black. I would mix the color to get a black. I tried to start the black light plane with a pink and orange. I found when I scrumbled the black over it, it didn't work. So I mixed pink and orange with black and got a green. I was expecting it but I am not sure I like it.

I am, also, working on a larger canvas - 16X20. I keep repeating what a great artist once told me "God Hates a Coward". So, I am painting bigger and I will paint as much as I can. I don't care about mistakes. I will keep practicing and learning.

This piece is far from complete but I am pleased with the progress.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Ahhhhh - Color


I went to the Friday open studio and there was the same model from Wednesday night. This time, he dressed up ready for a Hawaiian vacation and one of the other artists offered him the sun glasses. Oh and he was wearing a lei. It was a good study.
I brought my color palette instead of a Zorn limited palette.
When I finished the work, I was told it was one of my better studies and I should stick to color.
Color is now easier for me than a limited palette. Since studying still life for over a year, it is easier to see the plane changes on the face.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

A Man In Uniform


Today's model was a man in uniform. I just loved painting one of our beloved Vietnam war veterans. What an honor.
This is still using the Zorn palette and I painted it on a canvas sheet.

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.

Monday, August 15, 2011

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.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

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.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

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.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

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.

Friday, August 5, 2011

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.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

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.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

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