sktchy

                             7.5x11

It took me the longest time to figure out what was bothering me about this--other than that the paper got a little exhausted in places (from me abusing it!).

It's the eyes. This woman does have lovely large, dark eyes ... which I kept working on and working on. Now I see: I didnt give her enough eyelid.

virtual life drawing

                                 7.5x11

There was a lot more to the reference photo: in it she's got a foot up on a stool and is leaning forward to pull a gun out of her holster.

Not a big fan of costumes when it comes to life drawing. If she were an actual cowgirl, or if I were illustrating a book on the Wild West, okay, but otherwise it's too stagey for my liking.

So I painted only the part that interested me: the head.

Though, I have to say, I would really like to have a model reading a book, dozing in an armchair, or stepping out of a clawfoot tub!

sktchy

                               7x11

A friend of mine says he can tell when I start to get a little tired of a subject. I kinda felt on this one a little lack of commitment ...

I had trouble "finding" enough planes to create interest, which just means the lighting wasn't dramatic enough for me. But also the very thing that attracted me to this face--its smoothness and openness--made it not a great subject, for me, anyway.

virtual life drawing

                                                                              11x15

Another model painted from a photo supplied by Chesapeake Fine Arts Studio. I am enjoying painting these models.

I wish I had stopped after my first pass, below. I really do like all the white space.

The prettiness of the pink parasol seduced me though, and once I painted that, I figured I should do her kimono as well.

winter landscape

11x15

No matter how hard I try for grays, I get color.

At least they should be somewhat harmonious as I used a pretty limited (for me) palette--raw sienna, carmine, cobalt, ultramarine ... and some green in the evergreeens, which I'm now regretting as it stands out too much. I may go back and gray some of it down ... or not; I'm not a great one for going back!

virtual life drawing

                             11x15

I love deep set eyes and curly hair; they make good shapes.

Toyed with the idea of painting her clothes, but decided a little was enough. Plus, I really have no interest in the clothes, so why bother?

virtual life drawing

  .                            11x15

Years ago I took life drawing classes. I could count the number of times I got a good painting on one hand, but I liked it because it was very engaging, if also very challenging.

In this virtual class we work from a photo of a model, and I have all week to draw them and think about the painting. All of which really helps!

In my classes long ago I found I got better results with some models than with others--they took poses or had attitudes I responded to. I apparently like drawing this woman.

on the hard

                                  11x15

Painted this in a Zoom class. Supposed to be landscapes in snow, but I got a carried away with the shadows.

Outside my comfort, fiddling with the supports and painting that huge tree shape ...