Profile Painting Step by Step

I've developed a really annoying habit.  I go up to complete strangers and say "Can I paint you?"  I could be at the grocery store, Walmart, the gym (on the gym floor - not in the steam room!).  I try to explain that I am a portrait artist and I think they have a great face.  Most people nod politely and then wait for the crazy lady to move along.  But luckily, sometimes they give me a call!

So I met Larry, a very cool guy - and a boxer (although that is only a small part of what he does - he actually does mixed martial arts).  I gave him my card and hoped he would give me a chance to paint him.  And...he did!  My fellow artist, a sculptor, also wanted some portrait practice so we set up a time and met at my studio.

I was working on an oil primed linen, 11" x 14".  I started with a light wash of transparent red oxide, then blocked it in.  I started adding some burnt umber to define some shapes.

This is where we both were at this point - the major size and shape blocked in, continuous minor adjustments on the placement and angles of the jawline and neck.

This is not a great photo, but these darker areas are actually shades of blue and purple.

I used cooler purples and browns on the face that was towards an open window with natural light, the warmer browns and reds were on the side, closer to an artificial yellow light source.

I continued to search for planar changes on his cheekbones, and adjusted the size of his ear.

In the final moments I added some definition to the background, adding some color, and just a small amount of highlight to his eye.

So...until I grab the next un-suspecting model...happy painting!

Still Life Paintings in the Studio

Over the past few weeks I have worked on several small, 8" x 8" still life paintings.  Kind of practice for myself, to step away from the figure and the portrait, to play with color, etc.

And this is a 9" x 12" oil on canvas

Most of these paintings are done in only one session, 90 - 120 minutes.  A couple areas are touched up in another short session, but I try to get a direct impression as quickly - and as fresh - as possible.

Ever since I built in the still life and storage shelves, I had been collecting all kinds of little cups and saucers and great fabric.  My favorite pastime is filling up my shelves with new little characters to work with!

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! 

Painting Grandma for her 95th Birthday

I've been doing SO much painting lately that I almost don't know where to begin with updating my blog!  Portraits, figure paintings, still lifes, my Woodstock series...I'm exhausted just thinking about it!  Even if I don't post everything here, I do manage to share an update now and then on my Facebook Art page, so I hope you check that out from time to time!

So going back to July, when I was visiting family in New York, there happened to be one morning that my kids were off with their cousins, and my mom looked at me and said "There are no kids! We should PAINT."  And I said "Ok - what do you want to pain?" And we chatted a few minutes before deciding that my Grandma Nani would be the perfect subject.  She had just turned 95 the day before!  And my mother assured me that if we gave her a big breakfast she would take a nice nap while we painted her :)

So we set up outside on the deck - mid morning, great light, cool breeze from the water.

Just like the Alla Prima class, I started by looking for the large shapes, then darkest darks.  Notice Grandma is still awake.  And an excellent model!

As predicted, our model dozed off...and I started by blocking in her arm in the sunlight and some of the greenery.

It was clear that Nani was full, comfy, and sleepy, so I adjusted my painting of her head and started dabbing on the colors in her shirt and neck.  I wanted the gaunt quality of her cheeks, but still maintain the warmth of her skin.  The direction of the folds in her neck, and the hollow at the base of her neck were crucial in establishing the quality of the skin, and the feel of the pull of her head back onto the pillow.

I think we ended up painting for about three hours!  Nani was an excellent model.  And you really can't blame a woman with two children, ten grandchildren, and 15 great grandchildren for needing a nap :)

What does "alla prima" painting mean?

I have to admit, I had heard the painting term "alla prima" many many times, and never stopped to think about what it really meant.  There are several definitions of alla prima out there, but the most succinct definition I have heard is "all at once".  Which means you consider everything and cover everything in your painting in one sitting.

On a recent visit to my parents' in Western New York, I was lucky enough to attend a one-day class with my mother at a studio where she regularly takes painting classes, Partners in Art in North Tonawanda.  This was a one day class on "Alla Prima".

I have done many many paintings in one sitting in the past, but it was wonderful to be on the student side this time!  I really enjoyed watching the teacher, Joan Horn, demonstrate and work with her students.  I have also learned a lot about setting up effective learning and work stations in my own studio!  She's been at it since 1995, so I feel very privileged to have seen her classroom space, one that has been refined and improved continuously.

So Joan got us started by having us tone a canvas with a pretty generous amount of sepia toned paint and thinner.  This layer was left to dry for a few moments while we watched her block in her initial shapes.  SHAPES - NOT line drawings!  We looked for the mass of the objects right away.  (STOP DRAWING! Was shouted across the room several times once we got back to our easels!)

After lightly wiping our pre-stained canvas, the goal was to block in all the shapes.

(my mom starting on her pot and peppers!)

Very thin paint.

Keeping the paint thin, we mixed a very dark dark and blocked in ONLY the darkest darks.  My set up was very light, so I only had a few spots to block in.  These shapes were more specific, and we took our time to make sure they were in exactly the right spot, because everything else was to fit around these initial shapes.

Keeping the paint thin, we blocked in the background colors and local colors on the objects.  The colors should be close, but don't spend too much time mixing the colors - the goal is to cover the canvas with as close as possible colors to make sure your tones, values, and temperatures are harmonious.  Our brush was pretty dry, and we scrubbed the color into the appropriate areas.

Once you were happy with the initial layer of thin paint, it was time to go back and add in some more details and highlights with slightly thicker paint.  Hopefully, if the initial massing in and the drawing in of the darkest darks were correct, all of the other pieces of the puzzle should fit together nicely.  My total time in front of my easel was probably between 90-120 minutes.  In the past week or so I tried a couple more alla prima still lifes in my own studio - I'll share those soon!

Alla Prima Portrait Practice

Oh my poor neglected blog!  It's not that there is nothing to report...it's that too much is going on!  Lots of new paintings to show you.  I'm going to start with a portrait I painted of my sister at my studio a couple weeks ago.

I used an 18" x 24" gallery wrapped canvas.  I started by setting my sister up against a purple backdrop, cool outdoor light on her right and a warm spotlight on her left. (I like contrasting light sources on my portraits!)  I also made her change her shirt, which she was not too thrilled about.  But she's my little sister and used to me bossing her around!

I look at the largest shapes first, blocking it in a little bit on the angular side.  I avoid the features in the beginning, and focus on the shape of the face.  

I continued by looking at the shadows created around her features, not the features themselves.

I slowly locked in the features, adding a bit of burnt umber to the raw sienna I started with.  The paint is still very thin.

As I mentioned - there was a cool window light on the right and a warm spotlight on the left, so I started blocking in colors to match the light source and value on the face.

I continued blocking in color.  As I worked, I adjusted her hairline and jaw shape.  I made sure to extend the color into her neck.

This is as far as I got in our session.  In many ways it looks just like her, but there are a few shapes that need to be refined, especially her jawline and the shape of her eyebrows.  I really appreciate her patience!  I needed the practice :)

Slightly askew detail shot of her eyes...

Etsy Anniversary SALE!

I can hardly believe that it's been 4 years since I started selling my Fine Art on Etsy!  Monday July 9th is the big day.  And as we get closer to one milestone, I'd like to reach another - 1,000 sales in my Etsy shop!  Since I am just about 35 sales away, I am offering a 35% discount on active items in my shop.  

This coupon expires when I reach 1,000 sales or midnight EST on July 9th - whichever comes first!  Happy Shopping!

Enter code 4YEARPARTY at check out!

Shop Now!