painting by lamplight

                                 11x15

I painted these both sitting on the sofa, after dark, by the light of a 60 watt bulb!

Can't decide if that's good or bad.

On one hand the colors are more pure and intense; on the other hand the color are more pure and intense.

                                  4x6

landscape class

                               11x15

This week's painting in Bill Rogers's Zoom class at Chesapeake Fine Arts Studio.

Also a great example of why I like taking classes: when I saw this reference photo I was not happy! The subject doesn't appeal to me much, but more than that I thought there was no way I could paint all those greens, and especially the darks in the greens.

As usual, my darks could be darker, but I am pleased that, even though there's not a lot of depth of field, there is depth.

A few things I see now I could tweak--more darks on the horse (some Norwegian breed), especially where its legs and belly meet the grass, the boot ...--

winter landscape class

                                11×15

This wasn't done in class but I did use one of Bill Rogers's ref photos.

I could've used his help: my values aren't great.

Sometimes a painting starts out or develops as a high-key painting and I just can't change it!

Spring landscapes coming up!

trees

                               10x15

Had a few weeks off from one of my Zoom classes, during which I was supposed to be painting trees. True to form, I'm doing my homework the night before it's due. If it were possible yo get an extenson, I would. These are not great trees. But 1) they're not brown; 2) I have something for show and tell.

trees

                              7.5x11

An exercise from another Zoom class. The assignment was to paint trees.

Sitting in my bed I look out the window opposite at my cherry tree, which has a bird feeder in it and a birdhouse that house wrens nest in.

I knew I couldn't paint what I saw realistically, so I just dove in.

Started with a wet wash and just kept adding. I found the hard edges were the worst part, so I dragged my brush through them.

I think I'm happier with the second attempt, below: same colors, but softer, less busy.

Have to say, this was fun, engrossing.

                              7.5x11

landscape class

                               11x15

Started another 4-class session with Bill Roger's at the Chesapeake Fine Arts center, via Zoom. 

This is the Bay of Fundy.

I didn't see much in Bill's reference photo, which just goes to show maybe I dont know a good reference photo when I see one!

I painted the small one below simultaneously, on a whim; thought it would help me simplify. 

                                4x6

irises

                              7x10

What's that thing teachers say ... Failing to plan is planning to fail?

I started with 2 leaves.

Then I noticed they were parallel, so I added a third ... but it was equidistant from the other 2, so ...

You get the idea.

Next time: plan ahead where to put the leaves!

daffodils!

                              5x8

A little daffodil sketch.

daffodils!

                               7x12

I thought it was done, below, but felt compelled to add leaves.

And here, side by side, are the first, pencil-drawn version, and the second, not pre-drawn, version.

I don't mind and sometimes really enjoy pencil lines in a painting, but I think I was beginning to feel that,with these daffodils, they were confining.

winter landscape

                                11x15

The last project in this section of the Bill Rogers class at Chesapeake Fine Arts studio. I think I learned a lot; I know I enjoyed the class.

This painting isn't quite finished, but I'm stopping here, for now, because I'm not really pleased with it. Though what I don't like may not be fixable: that shed is really dull!

I'll mull it over for a while. 

In the meantime, I signed up for a shorter group of lessons on winter scenes with Shari Blaukopf.

daffodils!

This one is a little tighter than I like but I think it's because 1) I wasnt sure where to go next with it and 2) the paper, Indigo, doesn't tolerate much mixing on the paper.

Onward.

daffodils!

                                11x12

Need to work on the cast shadow colors; these are too warm. And maybe not strong enough--though I think I care more about the color, and the shape.

Going to spend 1 hour each morning for the next week painting daffodils.

The strategy this spring is to draw groupings of daffodils, looking for good shapes and arrangements. Then I'll have the drawings to refine and trace even after the daffodils are gone.

Though by then I will probably be ready to move on to irises! A few in my yard are already budding. Everything is happening too fast!

horses

11x15

As often happens I find the unfinished painting appeals to me.

I wonder if it's possible to finish in an unfinished way?

For this painting I used a reference photo provided by Bill Roger's in his Zoom landscape class at Chesapeake Fine Arts Studio.

They have lots of classes, open studios, and free demos worth checking out!

winter landscape class

                                11x14

This was the first time I ever drew horses where they didnt come out looking like misshapen cows.

And I think the secret is drawing them mostly with straight lines and angLLPes, not curves. Except for that lovely curve of their neck.

I think I prefer this picture half done, and may do another.

winter landscape class

                               11x15

Not too happy with this one. It's just blah.

But I guess that's an opportunity for me to figure out why.

Not enough contrast? The water could be darker, which would make the reflections in it more dramatic.

Not enough interest? I think if I do it again I will put more time into planning the rocks--they're very important and I was too careless: the shapes are not pleasing and they're poorly spaced.

I also think I'd do this smaller. Maybe 9x12. 

So many times I think one of the main things wrong with a painting is that the size does not suit the subject ...

daffodils!

10x12

Another perspective on daffodils.

daffodils!

                                11x15

                                9x12

Most of the daffodils have opened ... and I'm panicking because I am too busy working to devote as much time to them as I want to.

I really think I used to have more "leisure" time!

Next year I should take this week off!

a self portrait

11x15

I love this hat, especially its color. It gave my face a nice reflected pink glow.

I was proceeding slowly, just trying find and paint all the little planes ...

Stopping here for now; though theres not much left to do, I dont think: some hair? pupils?

arya and melo

9x15

This is Arya and Melo on a windowseat.

I like the shapes of their bodies but I dont know what to do with the surrounding space ...

winter landscapes

                                  11x15

From a Zoom landscape class with Bill Rogers at Chesapeake Fine Art Studio. (Check them out: they offer classes, open studios, and some free demos.)

I like the class: he talks and paints and we paint along. 🙂

I like his approach too: it's methodical but simple and painterly.He says not to ask how you can reproduce what you see in the photo but how you can represent it.

This really looked like a fail to me while I was painting it--too busy ... But looking at it after I photographed it, I found things to like, mainly how the river recedes.

Have to go back and paint that overpass--yes, that's an overpass--in the back.

still life starts ...

                                7x11

                             7x11

A couple of still I started, then abandoned. The top one because it lacks interest; the bottom one because I didn't like how the cactus was coming out ... too messy. But this setup is not so bad so I may give it another go.

I love still life but am constantly frustrated by my inability to set up a "good" one! If I go for simple, it's too simple; busy too busy ...

If anyone has any tips/tricks/advice on setting up still lifes, I'd love to hear them!

shell

10x10

I have so many seashells! Some I bought, some I found. The idea has always been to draw and paint them ... but I rarely do. Going to try to remedy that.

A bit of a challenge getting the shape right, or close to right, but an engaging challenge. 

dried hydrangea

                             7x11

A dried blossom from my limelight hydrangea.

I was inspired by Piet Mondrian's flowers paintings, which are so beautiful and ethereal!

And: getting ready for daffodils!

undone

                               11×15

Two faces from Sktchy.

I chose these because they both have their hands by their face, and the hands were in positions that made them not so hard to draw!

But I felt a got off to a bad--hesitant--start on each ... and so I just stopped here.

class assignment

                                11x12

Last week the class looked at the work of Bloomsbury painter Vanessa Bell; I wasn't familiar with her work, but I am now a big fan.

She painted landscapes, interiors, people, still lifes: I think I like the last best.

So this was my first attempt to try to apply some of her Modernist techniques to a still life. 

I am really finding this difficult ... it requires me to think and practice and try and refine in a way that's wholly unfamiliar to me! Which is not to say I'm not enjoying it!

For this one I was simply trying to arrange/divide the space in an intentional way.

It's not a bad little still life ... but it doesn't really work in the terms I was going for.

I'll see what I can come up with tomorrow.

odalisque

                                9x12

My final go at my new class's assignment.

This was a good exercise for me: I usually paint something, am happy with it or not, and move on.

This week I had a problem to solve and it led me to evaluate and rethink what I was doing. Which, in this case anyway, led to a kind of distillation ... and I think I may even have approached the painting of this one a little more confidently. 

For this week's assignment I'm going to try a still life, and I'm hoping to go through several iterations ...

new class

                              8x10

I started a new Zoom class this week. It's a little unusual: the first half is an art history lesson. In the second half we critique the paintings we did based on the previous week's lesson.

This week the lesson was on beds in art.

I went through three ideas, below, before settling on the one above: in which my cat Arya plays the part of an odalisque.

                            5x7

Just always wanted to paint this: white cats on a white bed.

                               11x15

This was was inspired by Van Gogh's Bedroom. at Arles, but very soon began to look like a dud: I didn't divide the space or add enough things to to make it interesting. Also couldn't figure out how to add dark values.

                                  9x12

This one was inspired by a watercolor sketch by Edward Hopper; in his sketch, his naked wife, Jo, with her back to us, hugs a bunch of pillows. I have no model, so it's pillows only.

winter landscape

                              11x15

For the last week of class we painted this icy stream.

All the time I was painting it, it looked like a horrible mess. When I put it across the room, it seemed to hang together much better.

Not to say this particular painting doesn't have problems--chiefly the shadows, which are badly done (bad shapes, ugly color); and that bottom right bank, the shape of which I messed up, repearedly.

But, having seen that it wasn't as bad as I thought, makes me want to try again.

virtual life drawing

                             7.5x11

Just to show every day is not a winner!

I had high hopes for this face--the strong features ... Maybe the eye makeup she was wearing really threw me off, idk.

But, whatever it was, the worst thing is how much I overworked it!

A reminder to not overwork!

winter landscape, week 5

                                 11x15

This one got away from me: it got very wet and I should have stopped and let it dry, but I kept at it ...