Painting with Casey Baugh

Last week was the third week that I got to watch and learn from modern master Casey Baugh.  And I am still learning from this man!  He did some awesome demos, showing off some new techniques, and even using different brushes than the last time we worked together.  I posted some of the highlights on my Studio 81 Facebook Page.

So here are a few of the paintings I did in between adjusting spotlights, fetching fabric, filling jars of thinner, changing radio stations, stocking water bottles, and helping out in any way I could :)

I'm most pleased with the top two - I actually really enjoyed the back view on top.  She held the pose beautifully, including the draped hands, and the light on her shoulder was very subtle. The palette in the second one was minimal, and therefor the focus was easily kept on her face.  The bottom two are a little too saturated, and forced.  I don't think I was relaxed!!! But good practice none the less :)  I'm already looking forward to Casey's next class in June 2014.

Plein Air Painting - Grandpa's Boat

I recently made a long...long...long visit to Western New York to visit family, watch the 4th of July fireworks over the Niagara River, and - I still can't believe this - attend my 20th High School Reunion.

By the 7th day of the 13 day stay, I couldn't fight it any more - I had to hold a brush in my hand and get some paint on a canvas.   I planned for such an occasion by rolling some pieces of Claessens linen in my suitcase as well as tucking in a few of my favorite Rosemary and Co. brushes.  Luckily, my mom is also a painter so easels, paint, thinner, etc. were all found at her place.

Just to get to this point took about 45 minutes.  My parents live right across the street from the river, but the shore is a steep hill.  It required several trips to bring all of the tables, easels, chairs, paints, etc. down the slope.  Of course, as you know, every time you pass one of your children there is one of three statements they must share with you: "I'm hungry", "I'm bored", or "Jack hit me".  None of these can be ignored, so while you may have your paint and canvas and easel ALL READY TO GO, you still have to make lunch, discipline a sibling, or enlist Grandma's help and have her load all three grandchildren into a stroller and take them to the park.

So finally brush touched paint and paint touched canvas.  A quick block in.

Large and loose.  Clean colors.  

I am not good at straight lines.  I did my best to capture the stately nature of the boat, without trying to be too precise.  The wind was blowing, waves skirting along the bottom of the boat, shadows changing with every rock of the boat.  

This is about the stage where I decided to not include the blue bridge.  The boat was the focus of the painting, and I like the soft green landscape in the background.  

Great shot of my left pinky finger...

adding in a few of the rocks on the shoreline and a large driftwood.

At the very end I added my signature and a few pieces of the tall greenery.  Looking at my time stamps from the photos, this was about 90 minutes of painting.  After looking at the painting for a couple days, I saw some things I would change or "crisp" a little more - a few rocks, some deeper shadows, etc- but overall I liked the colors and brushwork.

My mom ventured down the hill with my daughter Ari to check on my progress - thanks for the pictures, mom!!  And of course, since Ari saw Mom painting...

She had to have her very own set-up in Grandma's back yard.  My nephew Joey was very impressed.

I am honored to be one of 3 visual arts finalists for a trip to Italy with DaVinci Wine and their Storyteller Experience!  You can vote for me and three other artists from various backgrounds every day until July 31st!

Thanks :)

Oil Sketch of Female Nude

Our ever growing and always dynamic figure drawing group met this week, and it was truly a diverse crowd - painting, drawing with charcoal, pastel, and then two sculptors working as well.  It's always so rewarding to see how a multitude of artists interpret the same model.

I had a wonderful view of our model's pose, with an elegant - but tricky!  - placement of her hand behind her back.

I started with a wash of burnt sienna, then sketched in the large shape of her figure, making sure the placement on the page would accommodate her triangular shape created from the top of her head, to her elbow, to her knees.

I slowly deepened the environment as I worked on the placement of her shoulders and her knee turned away from me.  The hand behind her back kept shifting as I searched for the right size and shape of her back.  Once the shapes and proportions were correct, I started adding color with the drapery first.

It was helpful to add some cool whites to the overall warm tones - I could see the color in the skin a little easier with the contrast of white drape and warm skin tone.  

The pose had some similarities to this one from a couple weeks ago with a wonderful male model.

I spent the majority of our time with the model just getting the drawing correct - I still need to go back in and add the flesh colors.  Or...it may stay moody and monochromatic...we'll see where it goes!