Alla Prima Portrait

Well...here's my first ever attempt at an alla prima portrait. The model is one of my instructor's neighbors. He did a very nice job sitting for our class. I struggled with this...but, with David's help. this sort of looks like a human!! I am not a fan of the skin colors...but am learning so much!! Hopefully I'll be ready for my Putney, VT workshop with Michelle Dunaway in October!!

July 12, 2015 Class with David Tanner

Oh...I started taking a figure drawing & painting class with Tommy Van Auken last week. I learned a lot the first week...and have decided I want to do more figure drawing!! But, right now I have to get ready for tonight's painting class after a week's vacation!!

A new pastel...

Yep...more fruit!! This pastel painting was done on a piece of U-Art paper...and an alcohol wash under painting!! I don't care for the smell of rubbing alcohol...but I do like the effect of the undepainting showing through. Still trying new things...but am definitely loving pastels!!

Pears

June 29th & July 6th...Still life painting...

Time to post a couple more paintings...I think I'm improving!! I especially like the daffodils from this week's oil class!!

July 6, 2015

June 29, 2015

Catching up...

Traveling to New Orleans & Minnesota has put me a wee bit behind on making art...and blogging...so here are some color studies I've done in my last three oil painting classes:

Hope to get some painting done at home this weekend...before next Monday's class!!

April 27th Class...

Here's what I worked on in class this week. The still life was great...but I just couldn't get the colors and shadows right!! Grrrrrrr! I may work on it some more...

But right now, I'm off to Atlanta for the Portrait Society of America annual conference!!

Sunflowers...

I had the opportunity to watch a demo by Andre Lucero at For Art's Sake last this past Tuesday. He painted a still life set-up with sunflowers and a very interesting looking vase. So I shot a couple of pics and decided to paint the still life in my own studio...

I really focused on being loose...something seems a bit off! I think I'm stuck in mid-values! Will work on expanding my value range! I learned a lot...and I really had fun!!

Lemon...

Here's a little (6" x 6") oil painting I just completed!

April 20, 2015 Class

Just a quick update...painting from life is really such an amazing experience! Here's just a piece of the still life from yesterday's class!

I learned...

1. Painting while being seated is really challenging! But my foot is happier for it!
2. White objects aren't really white!
3. I need to paint at least 4 times a week (in addition to class time!) if I expect to progress!!

And there you have it! I really think I'm becoming more comfortable with the medium and materials...and seeing shapes!! Until next time!

Oil Class - April 13, 2014

A quick update on yesterday's oil painting class!

A new still life...

My goals for yesterday's class were to:

1. Pay extra attention to cast shadows...especially values!
2. Work on "visual blending."

Here's what I learned (and what I plan on working on this week and in next week's class):

1. Composition (I wanted to get both top and side planes of the table/tablecloth! I wish I had paid closer attention to vertical placement of the vases...bringing them down an inch would've helped!!)
2. Better use of appropriate values to "turn the form." The forms "reads" flat...especially the little white one! I do like how the table turned out, though!!
3. Accuracy of drawing! The best use of color and values means very little when the drawing is inaccurate!! 

And that's it for now!! Back soon!