QAA Figure Study

Continued use of limited palette-venetian red, ultramarine, yellow ochre, titanium white.  A little liquin is used, too.  Support is a primed wood panel. I stayed for the entire 3 hours this week.  I think I nailed the foreshortening!

 

GREAT MODEL!  She remained motionless the entire time.  

Cropped Composition

Study at QAA:

Magistra Lanzi II

Mouth put into the the correct position:

Payne's Grey and White

I have been struggling with tones, so I went back to simple Payne's grey and white.  I got a likeness of the model.  It was a quick hour-hour and fifteen minute session at QAA.

Lingerie

Before I started painting seriously, I started copying an image given to me by a friend.  I never finished, but a few weeks ago, my friend saw what I had started and indicated that she liked it better than the original.  Though I am so against copying other's images, I feel this one is OK, since I was just practicing, as a student might copy an old master's work.  I still may change the background color, but we shall see.

Flores from Molly

Molly brought me over flowers for having her for dinner last night. She also suggested that I use inexpensive platforms for my quick studies instead of expensive canvases. I bought some slate for $1.19 at Home Depot yesterday, and primed it with a clear acrylic varnish. I decided to do a quick study of Molly's flowers using only a few colors and a palette knife. I am terrible at photographing my work, so I took two pictures.  One has some shine from the flash even though I tried to bounce it with some white paper. (Come to think of it, the shine might be from the light above.) The second image is without a flash, so it is a little blurry.

More Circles

I felt the need to loosen up, so I painted this abstraction:

I saw something similar once in a decorators' magazine, but with less color and movement, and much rounder circles.  I like how I was able to manipulate the movement of the paint, but I still may work on it some more.....  Also, the flash on my camera highlighted some of the black in the middle.  In reality, it is darker...

Another Drawing from QAA

Quick sketch.  I need to get painting.....

Magistra Lanzi

First oil portrait:

I love working on faces, but had never tried an actual portrait of a person (at least spent some time trying to capture the person with any real accuracy).  My former student, colleague, friend was kind enough to sit for me back in August at Edwina's studio. I didn't achieve much that first day, so I took a few pictures of my model.  Since my photography skills are lacking, the photo image of Alexis was in a different position than the painted image.  I had to rework the painting entirely to get the image of her correct from the photograph.  I worked on this portrait for a long, long time, and Edwina's advice was extremely helpful, especially for the background and hair.

I may need to experiment with some alternatives for flesh tone, as Alexis came out a little red in hue.  I used rose madder too much, I think.

Michelle, ma belle

QAA da Vinci -esque model...

I need to get painting!!

Lemon

OK, so this isn't a painting, but I thought I got a good shot of this strange looking lemon.

A Few Drawings

            Although I haven't posted in a bit, I have been painting.  The paintings, however, are taking more time than usual.  Last night I went to QAA for figure drawing drop in.  Here are two drawings I did quickly:

Moo: Last Day of Summer (Sacra Vacca)

           Plein-Air Painting.  For the first time I painted a scene outdoors.  Well, not a scene, but a cow, or, rather, a combination of cows and a bull.  I went with Edwina and her Wednesday crew (and Liz from Fridays) to Dot's farm in Pembroke.  We had a wonderful day!  I decided to paint just a cow as it would be much easier than painting a whole scene in a couple of hours.  This was not really a stupendous idea, since the cows kept moving about; hence, a combination of cows and a bull.  I also have a few additional projects in the works, so I knew this was a one sitting painting.  In any case, I had such an amazing time, that I will definitely "plein-air paint" again.  I may even venture down to Dot's farm to paint another "scene".  I just wish I had taken my camera to take pictures of her turkey, Frank, her chickens, her donkey, Pedro, her frog/snake/turtle pond, and all her beautiful bovines!  Also, her husband's old Ford roadster and 1929 Woody would have made fabulous subjects.
           I looked online for a link to Dot's farm, but couldn't find one.  She resides at 58 West Elm Street in Pembroke.  Dot was an amazing hostess, and her daughter, Jenn, made us a delicious lunch and helped her mom immensely, too!!

Summer Work: Week 4, Thursday

            I desire to learn the geometry of the face.  I have been working on two portraits with Edwina, which are taking time.  So, for the last long pose session at QAA, I decided to paint the model's face.  I know it is not perfect, but I think it is a pretty good start.  Most other times I have attempted to paint the face, I have used a photograph for reference with the exception of the most recent portraits.  This time, I only had a few hours, but I worked from life, which made a huge difference for me.  I realize if I were to complete this portrait, I would need to work on it much more, but here is a beginning:

 
















She is a bit cartoonish, but it was the best I could do in such a short amount of time.  Her eyes aren't quite right, but I have some overall depth in the painting.  The background was originally viridian, but the color detracted from the face.  When I got home, I added a cadmium red light wash to tone it down.  I like the compositions of the portraiture of Susanna Coffey, so I decided not to impose a traditional one here.

Summer Work: Week 3, Thursday

          
           At a long pose session at QAA, I used a different limited palette suggested by Giovanni.  It worked very well.  I also eliminated most medium, but needed some Liquin to allow the paint to be manipulated more smoothly with the palette knife.  According to Giovanni, paint doesn't need to be diluted.  It will lose its power and consistency with too much additives.  He feels that mediums are a crutch.  I used venetian red, yellow ochre, titanium white, terre verte, and ivory black.  I eliminated the ultramarine, except in the background.  Chris (also painting at the long pose session) suggested I add burnt sienna to the ultramarine for the purpose of toning it down.  He said the blue was competing with the figure.  He was correct!!  Ultramarine seems to be a fugitive color, not an earth tone; hence, it competes with the colors of the earth.


      

Summer Work: Week 3, Monday: Cylindrical Forms

           Giovanni wants me to paint still life set ups for awhile.  The cylinder is difficult for me, although I get the concept of its perspective.  I practiced with a mallet:

             It is a little messier in the photo than in real life-I think the flash contributed shine where there isn't in real life.  One day I'll figure out how to photograph my work properly.
  

                                                                                           

Summer Work: Week 2, Thursday: Wax, Not So Much

            Today I struggled with a wax medium during a 3 hour pose at Quincy Art Association:

           I like the composition and I created some depth, but I battled with the wax medium.  It began to dry up quickly, and I felt as though I was pushing dried candle wax around.  I guess that is the idea.  For some reason this didn't happen when I was in my basement working on the shoes (Summer Work: Week 2, Monday and Tuesday: Louboutin).  Perhaps this was a result of the climate in the classroom-fans and air conditioners, though the room never dropped below 82. The palette knife kept creating crevices in the paint, which resembled dings in a car.  Sometimes I felt as though I was taking off more paint than I was adding.  I still really enjoy using a wax medium, but I have to experiment with it more.

           I used a limited palette (venetian red, ultramarine, titanium, and yellow ochre).  I worked on wood panel tinted with an ivory black wash.

Summer Work: Week 2, Monday and Tuesday: Louboutin

              EXPERIMENT:  After strolling through Dick Blick, I decided to branch out and experiment with new materials.  I used a wood panel for support, which I liked, but need more practice using, and wax medium, which I loved.  Here is the result after a couple of hours:

              It isn't finished, but I think I am ready to move on to the next thing.  Obviously, the background needs work if I were to complete it.....

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the wax medium.  There is such a plethora of materials that I am overwhelmed!  Wax was suggested to me by artist, Victor, and Chris painted on a panel for a long pose.  Chris was using a bistre pigment and subtracting the light values with a cloth or brush and turpentine.  The result was sunning-a method I hope to attempt.

Summer Work: Week 2, Tuesday

           Since I had never painted an entire figure, I decided I better try.

          The porportions aren't too bad, but her head was tilted up more than I was able to represent. Also, her neck seems a little long. I again used a limited palette of venetian red, yellow ochre, ultramarine, and titanium white.  I used a larger canvas than I should have for a one sitting (16"X20"). This exercise was completed in less than three hours at Quincy Art drop-in.  With more time I obviously would have worked on accomplishing deeper values, especially in the face.

Summer Work: Week 2, Monday

I have been working out drawing issues the last few days.  Today I wanted to paint, so I set up a still of apples and did a very quick study.

Apples on a Stool

Summer Work: Week 1, Wednesday: Flavia Galinae

Yellow orbs for Galina:

Continuing to play with paint and orbs.

Summer Work: Week 1, Day 1, Tuesday

           First painting of the summer, completed on the first full day of summer, my first day of vacation:

           I continue to practice by observing from life. Today I was inspired by neighbor Jim, Giorgio Morandi, and Lynne from class and their work with either bottles or teakettles. I painted for only a few hours, and it definitely needs some additional work. The composition isn't exactly how I wanted, so I got a little bored. I had intended the Jonathan Adler teapot to fill more of the space, but somehow it ended up as it is.

AD ASTRA PER ASPERA!

Getting Back in the Swing....

            Last night I decided to paint instead of draw during Quincy Art's Tuesday drop-ins with a live model.  There are only two more Tuesday sessions, and I want to get back into painting before the summer begins.  I had taken a brief respite from painting after my class at MassArt ended.  I continue to draw, but need to organize my work space at home before I take out the paints.  In addition, I have been attempting a few abstracts for my friend, and have been battling with yellow.  Painting from the figure has occasionally been rewarding for me, and I needed to feel good about what I was doing.  I had little less than an hour and a half to paint.  I painted on a rather small 6x10 canvas with a palette knife.  I used venetian red, yellow ochre, titanium, and ultramarine.  For a medium I used liquin:

            I began to achieve some of the values, but not as much as I would have liked if I had more time.  Also, my paint was getting muddy, and one of the artists attending the session, the resident alchemist, said he would bring in some concoction for me to try next time.  Apparently, he has a good recipe for a wax medium.  He said that he begins the process with beeswax, which he heats.  He then adds (I think) oil.  It should be interesting.  At the moment he is currently mixing his own lead white!
            Perhaps the wax medium will help me with my abstracts.  The alchemist said that the wax is great for layering.  Beware, Yellow, I am going to win this war!!!!

Class 12

Final class:

I worked from a set-up, but interpreted it in my own way.  Limited palette, again: venetian red, yellow ochre, titanium, ultramarine.

Classes 10 and 11: Italy

When I signed up for my class at MassArt, I had already been scheduled to take some of my students on an expedition to bella Italia.  Unfortunately, I was forced to miss two painting classes.  I was able to draw a little, but not very much.  What was beneficial in terms of my current creative endeavor was that, as anyone who has traveled to Italy knows, upon entering the country a person's left brain functions succumb to the the right hemisphere.  Emotions and imagination dominate.  Whether one is observing the art, architecture, landscape, or the citizens of Italy, one is enveloped in beauty.  I photographed many scenes, but I still haven't had too much time figuring out how a digital camera works.  I read the beginning of a book recommended to me by my cousin to help me figure out some of the functions of my camera, but I didn't study it much or practice at all.  I cropped a few images, made a few black and white, and played with some photoshop actions, but I despise working on the computer.  I would rather be covered in paint.  I did have a little help with a few images in photoshop: the blue nuns, SPQR, the man playing the violin.  I did not need to alter the image for the few better photographs: mystical Venice. the oculus at the Pantheon, and the pink house in Torcello.

I wish I had taken my fathers 38 year old film camera instead.  I like the quality of film better than digital.

Click HERE for my photographs from Italy

I apologize for my obsession with cane and religious icons.

Mexican Doorway

          At Edwina's studio, I worked on Mexican Doorway (above).  I am pleased with the result.  There is mystery conveyed in the subject.  Even though no physical activity is represented in the painting, the open door with light gleaming through gives the impression of activity beyond what is depicted on the canvas.  I stylized the doorway to provide more life and I like the overall effect.
          When I first began painting this piece, I attacked it alla prima.  Edwina admonished me that this method might make my painting muddy, and she recommended that I work in layers.  Although all the previous paintings I had accomplished up to this point with a palette knife were completed alla prima, I decided to heed her suggestion.  Since I am please with the outcome, I am glad I did!  What I thought would take only a class or two to accomplish was actually not completed for a couple of months due to the various layers I had to build up.  The drawing was simple, but each layer proved time consuming.  I learned patience through this technique.

For this painting I worked from a photograph, which I found in a stock photo book Edwina has in her studio:

Photograph

In a previous post I explained issues I have with working from a photograph.  (See Kaela's Commission)

Class 9

More limited palette, more figure painting, less frustration:

Limited palette: venetian red, yellow ochre, ultramarine, titanium

Class 8: An Atrosity

          On Saturday, we had an extra hour to paint from the model.  Instead of our usual 3, we had nearly 4 hours. As I am fascinated by the various shapes, patterns, contours, and line relationships in the figure, I was excited about this.  We started class by drawing thumbnails of 6 different poses.  We then voted as a class as to which pose we wanted to use for the entire session.  I moved around the model to try to find an acceptable view to paint from.  I discovered one view where no other student was already set up that was decent.  Serendipitously, this is the position the class voted for.  I complete a hasty black and white study, but was eager to add color.  My teacher had recommended a limited palette of white, venetian red, yellow ochre, and ultramarine.  I was able to mix some believable flesh tones from this classic palette.
         Unfortunately, I struggled the entire class session to find the form of the model's position.  It was a real exercise in foreshortening, and I enjoyed this challenge immensely.  My failure, however, was caused by the fact that the position I was attempting to capture needed to be exact or the composition looked childish and unskilled.  The problem was that each time the model returned to her pose following a break, she was slightly off for me.  I kept having to correct the drawing each time she returned.  With some models, it is easy to ask them politely to move an arm up or down a little, a leg to the left, etc.  This model, however, was, well, a little temperamental.  When students asked for a slight repositioning, she was irritated and a bit testy.  I did not want to anger her, so I left her alone, and did not ask her to return to the precise previous position.  Since each negative space needed to be exact, I continually had to fix the drawing to make it correct, and never had a chance to bring the flesh to life.  Furthermore, the head is obviously off, but I didn't have time to fix that either.  I have the terrible habit of focusing on the figure, and working on the head last.  My instructor has warned me against this.  I really need to be more cognizant when I begin a figure study, and follow her advice.    
         Below are my black and white and first attempt at a color rendition of the human form:

      




        





        




           Molly encouraged me by reminding me that it was just an exercise, and indicating that it was good practice to continuing to observe the model and make corrections.  I was far less frustrated henceforth.

Class 7

Class 7 painting is a continuation of my attempt to search for values in the figure:

First Figure Painting: A Focus on Values

          From this point on my painting class will have a model.  Although I have now drawn from the model numerously and relatively consistently since last summer (a life drawing course last summer and Quincy Art Association on Tuesday nights), I still had some reservations about painting it.  I expressed my concern to my instructor as well as to my extremely talented artist friend, Molly, who attends figure drawing with me at QAA.  My instructor told me to focus in on only a small section of the figure and limit my palette to yellow ochre, venetian red, ultramarine, and perhaps a little white.  Molly said that I might try just painting the values with Payne's Grey and white.  She and I painted last night at QAA. This is my result, using Molly's technique:

           Molly indicated that attempting to find value on a figure as well as being concerned with color can be overwhelming, daunting, and laborious.  She said that determining values first and then adding color later is a great method for beginners.  Molly likened painting the figure to being left in a trackless forest, no path in sight.  Limiting the palette to Payne's Grey and white would clear away the trees and lead me out of the forest.  She was correct!  I enjoyed this exercise and tonight I will do the same during my class.

First Critique

Here is a transcription of the notes taken by my classmate Mary as students and instructor commented on all the work I accomplished thus far during this semester:

Student comments:

• palette knife work, awesome, really achieved something
• palette frees you, bolder, love blue circles=spacious, playful, energetic, freer
• color choices exciting, vibrant, top right (I think this was Class 6 painting)-love colors, more relaxing color relationships
• energy in little ball painting is great (homework assignment, not displayed on blog)
• love composition of big 2 circles (First Decent Abstract Painting), maybe different colors, try again
• peeking color in big 2 circles (First Decent Abstract Painting) is hide and seek, it works now, doesn't need "cleaning up" (I had said initially that I wanted to clean up some of the mess in this painting)
• loose grays, fun in potted plant one (Class 3: The Palette Knife)  and in between background in "loose" pepper painting (Homework Assignment)

Instructor comments:

• First Decent Abstract Painting: Clean up?  How? -agree, like as is, maybe don't go into, impressionistic, expressionistic, if you "fixed it", it might become a different painting
• palette forces you to hang on to big shapes better, electrifying other big shapes and color
• keep looking when working from observation
• Class 3: The Palette Knife: (I wanted to deepen the purple to add depth to flower, since my mom wants it) Not too useful to go back in once set up is gone, tends to mix up information from setup and memory, not necessarily a good idea for the painting

Classes 4, 5, and 6

During Classes 4, 5, and 6, I continued to become accustomed to the palette knife.

Painting Class 4 is terribly rendered, but I decided at the beginning of this blog not to "edit" my paintings.  I want to document my progress transparently so that I will be able to view clearly how I am developing as a painter. In the above painting, I believe I began to accomplish the orange drapery, but failed miserably at reproducing the aluminum can, especially its cylindrical form.  I will continue to correct drawing issues.

Painting Class 5 is better.  I really like the colors I used for the background, and one classmate commented on the yellow hue behind the honey jar.  The highlights on the honey, I feel, are too light.  I like the insouciant manner of the paintbrushes located on the left side honey jar.

Painting Class 6 was fun to struggle with.  The pink plastic floating device was a challenge, but the colors I chose for the accents are decent as they seem to contribute to creating some depth.  The green plastic ball isn't painted up as well as I would have liked, but, again, all the paintings I complete during class are one sitting paintings. The front on composition reminded me of the following painting by Arthur Dove:

  

First Decent Abstract Painting

     Though I am moved by many abstract or expressionistic paintings, I never have been able to accomplish one in this style with which I have ever been pleased.  I find paint to be animated and willful, and I often contend with it to try to force it to do something it doesn't want to.  I always lose these battles.
    With my new appreciation for the palette knife, I was inspired to try again.  Here is the result:

      I have an affinity for the color choice, the movement, and the depth of this painting.  My brother and sister-in-law to be liked it so much, I decided to send it to them in Italy, where they are now living as an early wedding present.

Homework Assignment

     Each week our instructor provides us with optional homework assignments, which I have been rather religiously completing.  The exercises are quick, and are meant to help us improve and to discover elements of our work.  All of the activities have been fabulous for me, but most of the results are not worth posting here.  Since, however, this assignment is relative to my new found love of the palette knife, I thought I would display it.    
     The task was to complete two small paintings, one with the instrument we usually use and the other with either larger brushes than normal or the palette knife.  I bought one red and one green pepper and spent only 1/2 hour on each painting.

Brush

 Palette Knife

       Clearly, the result of the painting with the palette knife has more vitality.  I especially like the execution of the red pepper, the green could have used more work.

Class 3: The Palette Knife

       One of my goals during this class is to become less detailed and more painterly, while still achieving space and dimension in my paintings.  My instructor suggested that I put away the brushes for awhile and use only a palette knife. Here is the result of my first painting with only a palette knife:

       I was extremely please with this initial attempt.  I like the movement in the paint and the color variation.  I especially like the depth in the leaves and the shadow on the table.  I think the flowers could have had more dimension, but since this is only a study meant to be accomplished in one sitting, I will leave it as is.

    

What a FANTASTIC suggestion by Nancy!

First Two Painting Classes

      The class I am taking at MassArt runs from 6:30-10:00 pm on Wednesday nights. A student can work in whatever medium s/he desires, and on whatever subject. For students who are beginning and need to work from observation, the instructor sets up still life. I work in oils, and from observation.  Each painting I do in class is produced during that class period, so about 3 to 31/2 hours total per painting. Here are the first two I completed in class 1 and class 2 respectively:

     

        I appreciate the fact that the instructor chooses fabricated objects for us to paint.  I find the straight, decisive lines more difficult to achieve than the arbitrary lines of organic subjects.  With man-made objects, it is important to observe thoroughly and try to exceute the lines correctly, especially for me at this point in my development.  I also have fun with the color arrangements in each still life my instructor arranges.  

       Since I work at tortoise like pace, I found it difficult to "finish" a painting in such a short time period.  Yet, I am becoming accustomed to working more quickly, and this is helping me accomplish more, to  observe my subject in depth, and to discover a mark that is unique to me.  
       The painting from the first class includes some good brush work and dimension in the red drapery.  The purple drapery is not realized, and the box on which it rests looks conclaved, even though it was not in actuality. 

       In the painting from the second class, it took me a very long time to obtain the correct proportion of the pink boxes; hence it is only the foundation of a painting.

Orchid for Flavia

Last fall, I wanted to try a Giovanni style flower.  The result was this gigantic cattleya orchid, which my house keeper loved, so I gave it to her.  The style is not very Giovanni-esque, but there is some depth to it.  After painting this, I decided I needed to take a class.  My goal is to be more "painterly", and less detailed.  The class I am enrolled in now at MassArt is helping me to achieve my goal.

CAVETE IDES MARTII!

Summer Class: Figure Drawing

          During the summer (2009), I took a three week intensive course on figure drawing.  I decided this would be a good first formal class for me so that I might improve my drawing skills, and, in addition, was something I was not able to accomplish at my house on my own time, unless I were to hire a model.  The best thing about this course was that I learned to draw the figure through learning anatomy.  This perspective allowed me to comprehend the placement and the functions of many muscles.  Now when I observe the figure, I see elements that I did not see as a casual observer.  
       Each pose was 10-20 minutes-so very quick.  My instructor wanted us to use 3B, 4B, and 6B pencils in order to achieve accurately the shape of the muscles.  Here I am displaying a miniscule, completely random selection of the drawings I created during that course, in no particular order.  

       






       






       I obviously need to continue this practice.  I believe my favorite subject is the figure, so I will continue to work from the model.