Cloud Study?

Today I wanted to attempt my first cloud study.  I watched a video on how to paint clouds, and I had asked Christina the instructor of my workshop how I should go about it.  Unfortunately, the materials I ordered for this work had not yet arrived, so I simply used a board I had purchased at Michael's.  Well, the board refused to accept the oil paint, even when I slathered it with globs of color.  So instead, I need up with this mess:

Summer Still Life Workshop

This summer I again attended Christina Mastrangelo's 2 week workshop at ARA.  I am much happier with my still life this year, though I didn't finish.  I had a set back at the beginning.  Since we were in tight quarters, my neighbor knocked over my set up twice!  I had time for a few hours of second painting, but I feel I was still working on first painting.

I think I will varnish her in two weeks, because I have not tried that before, and it will be a good experience.

Set up created by instructor:

Construct:

Transfer:

Dead Color:

First Painting:

Before Varnish:

Long Pose in Charcoal

This long pose of Laura took me 90 hours of class time, plus time at home to fill in the background.  Class was at ARA Boston with Emmy DeMusis on Saturday mornings from September-June.  I worked on Roma paper with Nitram charcoal.

Construct:

Transfer:

 Darkest Dark and Background Values:

Value Study:

 Shadow Shapes:

Working in Shadows and Darks:

Big Form Modeling:

Big and Small Form Modeling:

Still some work to be done rendering, but I did the best I could in 90 hours. I could have used another 10.  I however feel so fortunate that Laura was able to stay with us on Saturdays for the entire school year.  A couple of goals accomplished: 

1.  I experienced big form modeling for the first time.

2.  I maintained the fall of light by keeping the lightest light the paper.