Hiking Along The Pacific Coast

I hiked the beach today for a few hours with a dear friend, Lin. It was foggy and low tide. Perfect for a hike along the trails and coastline.  There were wonderful pools of water from the last rain fall and I told Lin about the nature artist Andy Goldsworthy.  We created this piece from the wild daisies on the trail. I am going to hike back to this spot in the morning to see if the daisies are still there.

Quick Study at Winchuck River

I am just now learning to use my smartphone to post to my blog. Here is my 6 by 6 oil on gallery wrap canvas

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Suns Out And That Means Yard Work

I worked on my drawing the last couple of days waiting for the rain to stop.  It finally stopped and I am heading outside to pull weeds, trim hedges and find where the neighbors cat hid "kitty treats" in my garden.  Wink. Wink.  BTW - her little treasures gave me a great idea to start making  clay non-plant markers.  I am calling them Poop Marks the Spot.  It is inspired by all those cats who love my mulch and raised beds.

Go Figure

Here are more figures with 10 minute poses on Canson paper with sepia and white pencil.

A Push Or A Shove

Landscape class was inside today with a wonderful demonstration by Terry Miura. I like to paint the demo piece to reinforce what we were shown.
While painting, I am reminded to slow down, watch my perspective and to think about what I am painting.  G
I painted this piece and pushed the color especially the sky... or maybe it was more of a shove? 

More Figures

Urban Painting

I met up with Patris' Urban Landscape Painters at 33rd and Folsom Blvd in Sacramento, CA to paint this alley study. The weather is absolutely perfect and it was difficult to figure out what to paint first. Here is my finished piece. It is 8"x10" oil with brush on linen canvas. 

"Alley Way" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas 8"x10" Oil with Brush On Linen

Learning Finishing Touches

I am learning finishing touches to a painting. For example, putting dark accents or pushing the color.
Here is my Monday's class work. The still life set up had several similar colors and values that I had to distinguish with subtly. It was difficult but at least I knew what to compare due to excellent instruction by Susan Sarback at the School of Light and Color. 

"Orange and Light Study"  9"x12" Canvas Sheet

Red Bridge, Fair Oaks, CA

Before heading to class, I wanted to paint the Red Bridge over the American River one more time plein air.  It is a complicated study with the perspective, the bluff and the moving water below.
I will do this again and allow myself more time. I rushed through this painting and then it dried in the hot car while I was in class. This is an 8"x10" study on linen board with palette knife.

"Red  Bridge" Study

I Should Have Mentioned This...

Yesterday's William B Park studies were done at different times. The brush study was started at 9AM in class and the palette knife study was started around 12:00PM as class started to end. The palette knife study took less than two hours plus it was a small canvas.
Terry Miura demonstrated on my class work how to paint the tree. After I finished the class study, I asked for critique. I  was told to adjust the lower bushes' saturation, fix my bike trail perspective and dull down a pure transparent shadow color with an opaque.
I thought I should mention that the palette knife was completed after class. I want to start reinforcing what I just learned .
I returned later that evening to paint the same landscape this time to paint the different time of day.  I found I couldn't keep up with the quickly setting sun.  This was good to know. I have to return earlier in the evening to accomplish this goal.

William B Pond, Carmichael, CA

Terry Miura's landscape class met at William B Pond today. It was perfect plein air conditions. Cool breeze plus lots of shade.
I finished one study with brush on 9"x 12"  canvas sheet and then after class I worked with palette knife on an 8"x10" linen canvas board.   Both of these are studies of the oak trees on the bicycle trail.

William B Pond Bike Trail - Brush on Canvas

William B Pond Bike Trail - Palette Knife On Linen Canvas

"Here Kitty" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

I started this small study yesterday trying to limit my strokes. I realized I have not painted cats in a few months. When the weather is nice, all I want to do is paint outdoors.

"Here Kitty" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas Oil With Brush On 4"x4" Gallery Wrap Canvas

Go Figure

Here is last week's figure drawings.  I finally brought them up from my van who I referr to as  Bav. It's stands for Big A** Van or Big Awesome Van depending on who I am talking to.  She is definitely big.
I forgot if these were 5 minute or 10 minute poses. 

"The Perfect Spot" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas

I really needed to paint today after the workshop this weekend. Even though I was mentally worn out, I pulled out my paints and gear.  This is another painting of Mather Field Lake in Rancho Cordova, CA. I painted this with a palette knife in oil on a 9"x11" canvas board.

"The Perfect Spot" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas Oil With Palette Knife On Canvas Board $200.00

Part 2 - Getting A Head

Jay Bishop's instructional aids.

Part 2 of getting a head with instructor, Jay Bishop, at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center started with me finishing the nose. (I had to make some adjustments).

 

Then Jay demonstrated the lips, the neck and back muscles. After finishing that we moved on to the ears and finally the hair. It was a lot of work but very fun.
I ran out of time to finish this a completed piece but I am very happy with what I learned.
Thanks Jay.

Part One - Getting A Head

I am taking a weekend workshop to learn sculpting for production casting with Jay Bishop.

This workshop includes just about everything you need to learn from lessons in anatomy to how to make our own armature.
Today we calibrated the head, learned placement and sculpted eyes and the nose.  There were some great demonstrations on adjusting features.
Wonderful class instruction. I can't wait until tomorrow.

A place for the eyes.

Moving on to the nose next.

In Progress

I am working on a bigger format today and started a little late. (Having lunch with my hubby was the top priority.)  This piece is 16"x20". I think I am going to need more paint.

Mather Field Lake II, Rancho Cordova, CA

Here is the second enlargement of the Mather Field Lake in Rancho Cordova, CA. I call it - drum roll - "Mather Field Lake II".  It is an 11"x14" oil on gesso board for $250. I accept PayPal and have free shipping to the US only.

"Mather Field Lake II" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas 11"x14" Oil On Gesso Board with Palette Knife $250.00

Mather Field Lake, Rancho Cordova, Ca SOLD

Yesterday I had to do finish some computer work but I still ,manage to work on a few sketches. Today I was prepared to paint a larger format from my plein air painting from last weekend's workshop with Susan Sarback.

It is Mather Field Lake located in Rancho Cordova, CA. Not only is this lake a plein air artists' dream but a beautiful bird sanctuary and a fisherman's paradise.  This piece is created with palette knife on gesso board. It is 11"x14" and for sale at $250.00.

SOLD

New Website Updates

I have new updates to my website. Check out http://www.cattailgallery.com/cats.html
Thank you.

You Say Tomato

I did this study in class today and found I was tired after the weekend workshop. I couldn't focus enough to  see the value and I was fighting the canvas sheet with the palette knife. So I went as far as I am going to go with this at home. It looks washed out but it is the photo. I might re-post it tomorrow.

Study in Like Values - 9x12 Canvas Sheet

Day 2 Workshop With Susan Sarback

So today was only 99 degrees and I was able to paint two paintings.  It was the true plein air experience. A gorgeous day and  I loved every minute of it. Here is one of my studies.

Study 1 - 8X10 on Linen

Landscape Workshop With Susan Sarback

I am taking a landscape workshop with Susan Sarback and as always, it is wonderful... even with temperatures 95 plus. After her demonstration, I ate lunch and went to work. Here is my finished piece of Mather Park pond.  I did it in palette knife on linen canvas. Note the brown vegetation that flew onto my canvas.  It is the plein air experience.

"Mather Park Pond" By Eva Marie Tanner-Klaas 8x10 Oil on Linen