Portrait Study #20

9" x 12", oil pastel and markers on paper

I'm enjoying the chunky, imprecise quality of the pastels. It's hard to see that in the small, full image (above) but in the detail (below) you can get an idea of what it would look like viewing in person close up.

Portrait Study #19

12" x 9", oil pastel and markers on paper

Finally…. another portrait attempt at a life drawing session I attended today.  It's been super busy these last few weeks but hopefully life will slow a bit  now and I'll get to draw and post more.

Figure Study # 18

oil pastel & markers on paper,  12" x 9"

This was from an open studio life drawing session today.  Normally I would paint since it's one long pose but today I felt like continuing my exploration of oil pastels.  When I was working on the pears,  I had this idea of sketching first with markers then drawing over with pastels----so that's what I tried today.  Can't wait to do another one.

What's New --- Verdaccio

Figure Study #12

10" x 8", acrylic and oil on primed paper

I did this a couple weeks ago at the open studio two hour pose.  I began by doing a green tonal underpainting in acrylic and then finished it with oils on top as sort of an experiment.  At the time, I saw  a lot I wanted to change and planned to paint more on it at home but I never got to it.  Now I'm kind of glad I didn't mess with it.  I even like the yellow and blue preliminary sketch marks coming through.


Then something very different:

Verdaccio Study #1

14" x 11" Oil on linen

This is the verdaccio style painting I've been working on for a couple of weeks. The underpainting is complete and next I'll start adding color in thin transparent layers.
I'm taking an informal class with portrait artist Debra Richardson to learn her verdaccio method.  She provided the reference image for this study. Everyone in the class is using the same picture; it's super interesting to see how different each is turning out. I am eager to finish this one and to start another but of my own image.

Figure Study #10

This is my latest open studio life drawing(painting) practice.  The model is returning this week to do the same pose. I may try and continue the painting or go to a different spot in the room and try another angle...I can't decide.

10" x 8", oil on gessoed paper

Figure Study # 9

This is from a another 2 1/2 hour open studio session.  I think my drawing realistic practice is already starting to help.  This painting actually looked like the model. 

 

Oil on paper,  8" x 10"

I'm almost done with a second portrait drawing.  Being larger and so detailed they take me about a week to complete.  Hopefully in a day or two I can post it.

Going Back To Basics

I've been struggling with my painting lately and I think my troubles are coming from my rendering skills.  So I'm going back to the basics. I don't necessarily want to paint realistic portraits but I do want to capture my subjects likeness. I feel like I really need to practice seeing and then interpreting everything correctly to give myself a good strong foundation of skills to then apply to my paintings and hopefully see some improvement.  All that said, this is my first drawing with those intentions:

13" x 8 1/2", graphite on paper

 And this is a painting I did last week during an open life drawing session with a 2 1/2 hour pose:

8" x 10", oil on primed paper

Portrait Study- Bani

6" x 6", oil on primed mat board

Three in One

My first painting of the year-
The photo is a tad blurry. I would take another photo of it except... when I reached to remove my still life, the can, my foot bumped the easel leg and the painting tumbled off, did a full, impressive somersault  and ...yep...landed face down on the floor. Sigh.... sigh, sigh, sigh...
I once read that if something like this happens, whatever you do don't try and clean it off until it dries.

And yes, I've done this before, outside though. As hard as it was to do, I set it aside and will let it dry. I think it's salvageable. I'm glad I got a picture of it at least. 

5"x 7", oil on wood

(sold)


I've continued to do my portrait a day project. I've been trying new methods and most I don't like but here's a couple I do like:

Steve

Bethany

Portrait Study #3

8 x 10, oil on canvas

One morning my son came out of the bathroom wearing the mustache (but not the glasses/nose) and said, "mom look, I'm in high school"---he's in second grade.  Whenever I'm feeling grumpy I think of him saying that and it gives me a good chuckle.

This painting I'm much happier with than the previous posting, which was also of my son. There's lots off on that first one, especially the eyes. I think this one, even with his real nose obscured, is more successful at capturing his likeness.

Portrait Study

8 inch x 10 inch, oil on canvas

I've been working on a couple of larger still lifes paintings that have lots of objects in them so they're taking a bit of time. In between drying I did this portrait.  It's from a photo I took. I wanted to do it alla prima (all at once) which I did but I didn't finish it. I can't decide yet if I want to go back and work on it.  I'm leaning toward no and instead trying to painting it again on a new surface.  ?

I'm eager to finish my current still lifes so I can take down my scenes and make space to have a new live sitter.

Mom Reading

My first oil portrait from life: my mom reading and knitting.

8 inch x 10 inch, oil on canvas

I did this in two sittings, one about three hours and another a couple of days later that was almost two hours.  It was challenging for both of us---for her to sit so long and me to try and capture her in paint.  I had moments when I felt like I understood what I was seeing and doing, but mostly I felt sloppy and a little lost.  I can't wait to try another one and find more of those times that I feel like I know what I'm doing. I'm thinking I will practice from photos as well to get better with handling the paint so when I have a sitter I can be more efficient.  My mom was the perfect first subject. Thanks mom!

Sketchbook Portrait- Our Friend CJ

watercolor & charcoal on paper

Sketchbook Portrait- Jenna

watercolor and graphite

This is from a 20 minute pose at a life drawing session I attended today.  I haven't posted a sketchbook portrait in awhile as I had taken a break from doing them---I think I was getting tired of looking at a photo for reference.  Having a live model is much better.

Sketchbook Portrait-A Hunter

watercolor, ink, pencil, & charcoal

Sketchbook Portrait-A Novelist

watercolor, graphite pencil, & charcoal

In this study I was really focusing on rendering the different planes of his face, imagining the light wrapping around his head, trying to think of the drawing more as sculpture. I need lots of practice. I'm most happy with the eye on the right side, feeling like my drawing of eyes is getting better.

I drew him again below. This time I experimented with a quill pen dipped in ink to make the bold lines. Then I diluted the ink with water and with a soft brush, painted the grays.

watercolor, ink & charcoal

Sketchbook Portrait- The Banker

watercolor & charcoal

This image was inspired by a photograph by Edward Steichen.

Sketchbook Portrait- The Texan

watercolor, graphite pencil, & charcoal

This face was inspired by a magazine add for San Antonio, Texas.   What drew me to him was the hat, the direction of his head, and the sunlight on his face.  In the add, his image is small, his head no larger than a dime.  I don't see well close up and I prefer to draw without my reading glasses, so I really couldn't see him that well which helped me not fuss over detail and see more of the predominant values.  My favorite part of the image is the reflection of the light off his skin onto the underneath of the brim of his hat, it's really subtle and beautiful in the color photo.

Sketchbook Portrait- A Painting of the Curator

oil on canvas board, 3 1/2 " x 5"

I couldn't resist doing a painting inspired by this found image.  Unfortunately, I don't know who to credit  for the photo I used as a reference. I normally wouldn't paint something that wasn't my own composition but I was so struck by this photo that I wanted to do more than a sketch with it---I wanted more color than I can get from color pencils.  It's from an article in the April 2011 Smithsonian magazine written by Jamie Katz about John Marciari(the man above).  In 2004, Marciari, while acting as a junior curator at the Yale University's Art Gallery, found in the basement's art storeroom an unsigned early Velazquez painting. You can imagine how exciting that must have been.  I'm afraid my rendition of Marciari doesn't look that much like him, his face should be longer and thinner.  It was great fun to paint, especially his suit and the walls behind him.

Sketchbook Portrait- The Artist

watercolor, graphite pencil, & charcoal

Back to more simple sketches...and still trying to figure out this photo transfer bit...

There hasn't been any time for painting lately.  I like to have at least a three hour block of time to start one. Often that can happen at night but this last week we've had family visiting and I'm just plumb tired by the time the house is quiet.  Hopefully soon though...