Portrait Class: Week 2

              This week with John Kilroy, I was encouraged to paint monochrome in order to start seeing shapes and volumes.  This also simplified things for me as Kris from QAA had indicated and Molly, too.  Indeed, all experienced artists were correct.
              It took quite a bit of time to become comfortable with removing paint from the board.  Once I was comfortable, I loved the technique.  It will be fun to use this move frequently in my studies, and then as an underpainting before I do finished work.
              I used burt sienna only.

QAA: Study

I really wanted to get the proportions correct for this one, since I alway struggle when I paint the entire form.  Even though the model (at the request of the artists) moved her arm from across her body to the arm rest of the chair, and she moved her right leg from a stool to the floor (because her knee locked up), I achieved my goal.  Not complete, again, but I was off to a good start.

New Class: Portraits

Last night I started a new class working with portraits.  The face is my favorite thing to paint.  I have only really attempted one portrait, and I was not satisfied with the over modeled nature of my poor accomplishment.  One artist, Lance Richlin, indicates that an artist will become more confident after working on 60 heads (about 5 hours each to achieve a strong realistic image).  I obviously have much work ahead of me.  With this in mind, I signed up for a course with John Kilroy in Rockland.  I admire the expression, movement, color, and skill in his work.  I painted this in three hours:

Obviously, it isn't a finished product, but I learned much about values and procedure already after only one night!

QAA Study

Another unfinished work.  I do believe I began to achieve some depth in the model's form.  Kris from QAA allowed me to take a photo, so I may work on her some more.  I hate to go back into it, though, without the model present.  I am thinking I could develop the hat without detracting from what I achieved with the figure.  If I ruin it?  Oh, well.  It is only a study.

The beads of rain enhance the subject :).