life drawing

                          

                                11x15

This model has a face like a 40s movie star (Linda Darnell?). 

Her skin tones were so subtle--not so warm, I think, as I've made them.

So, again, not so much like her, and there are a few little mess ups (not so glaring that they ruin the overall effect, I hope), but I think I got the light and how it models her face, and that's more important to me.

week 1: snowy river

                                11x15

Week 1 in a Zoom class on winter landscapes taught by Bill Rogers at the Chesapeake Fine Arts Studio.

They have classes, free demos, and open studios (life and still life!). So check them out.

I did enjoy this class and the way its conducted--you paint along.

Next week we're painting a boat on the hard (on land, that is) in snow. I am looking forward to that!

virtual life drawing

                                  9x12

This started out 11x15, but I just could not get the arms right.

It's not a great likeness of the model: why do I never notice things like the nose being too long till it's too late? Getting a likeness isn't all that important to me, but it would be nice!

I was going to go further, but ... I feel like it's enough. Though I am awfully tempted to paint her tank top!

main st

                                 11x15

The third painting from photos taken on the eagle walk.

I love scenes like this. I'd like to collect more photos of little towns hereabouts to paint.

nature walk 2

                                 11x15

The eagle walk was family friendly so there were a bunch of young kids along and I got a couple of good reference photos of them--"good" to me meaning they're basically just shapes and colors that I can superimpose on my landscape shots.

I had high hopes for this but, after the initial wash, felt discouraged most of the time I was working on it. 

Darkening the area behind the kids really gave it a boost, and a focus.

nature walk

                               11x15

Took a walk a couple of weekends ago to look for eagle nests, and we found some--staying very far away; getting close could make the eagles abandon the nest--and saw a pair bringing nesting material to it. I love walking when it's cold out.

I got a few nice pictures, and am getting around to trying to figure out how to paint them.

I try to convert what I'm looking at into shapes, but it's fifficult when the edges are hard to define.

And I've exaggerated the color--so much so it looks like springtime!

Still trying to figure out how to paint distant trees! I want that smoky effect I so often see.

snow

                                  5x7

I posted this on Instagram, where it got a number of likes; proving once again that I dont know what people like!

I was trying to pInt something simple simply. I think I pretty much did that, though I went back into the sky to add more blue.

To me this painting is just not very interesting. Maybe it's the uniformity of the grays? The absence of strong light?

Idk.

winter tree

8x14

Every winter, I am drawn to the bare trees, the lines. the shadows ... and always say I'll paint them but then I get, idk, intimidated, or maybe it's just laziness.

Finally sat down and made a drawing from a photo I took a while back.

Started painting without much of a plan ... and kept going that way.

I'm saying its finished. And while I like a little passage here and there, overall, to me, it's too heavy handed. Okay, so, next time: leave whites; and either expand or contract color palette.

I think I definitely will trace this (maybe eliminate some lower branches?) and do it again.

railroad crossing

5x7

I've had this reference photo so long I can't remember where I got it from.*

I like the way the buildings seem to be stagger-stacked upon one another ... But every time I thought about trying to paint it, I'd think it was too complicated and put it aside.

I came across it again the other day and finally had the breakthrough thought: only draw/paint the parts that aren't white.

I really messed up the background, primarily by going into it too many times ... But I like the house on the top right, and I'm happy about the breakthrough!

 *It's not on my current laptop, or the one I used before that! I don't download copyrighted photos, so hopefully I am not impinging on anyone's rights (I won't be selling or reproducing this little sketch in any case!). In recent years, I've mostly painted from my own photos. If you know where this photo is from, please let me know.

melo

                                8x10

Since I found it kind of hard to make sense of the body, I thought I'd try to leave it somewhat undefined and concentrate on the face.

I can't say it's a good likeness of my Melo--I think it's the mouth; I didn't get the drawing right and so he looks like he's pouting--and I think I'll try to soften the edges of the whites.

But I like the ears!

the meadows

                                7x11

A path leading to the beach at the Meadows, a Nature Conservancy property that's a popular birdwatching site.

Of course I see things I wish I'd done differently, and maybe will, next time I paint this scene.

But I am happy with color of the distant trees. I often struggle to get a color I'm happy with-- it's usually too gray, or too green or purple, or too blue!

These were in the too blue category, then, right as I was finishing, I dropped a little cool red in ...

arya and sansa

                               11x12

Painted from a rare photo of sisters Arya and Sansa sitting side by side; they usually fight!

Painting white cats, for me, is as hard as painting a black one, but in a different way!

I painted my back cat, Smilla, as a silhouette with eyes.

For the white cats I can never settle on what color to paint the areas in shadow, and also have difficulty with their soft edges.

arya

                               8x10

Started this painting of one of my cats, Arya ... got this far and decided it was done. (Though I think I will go back and soften the hard edges in her toepads.)

cardinal

                               4x6

Another take on a background: lightly (maybe too lightly) painted branch shapes wet in wet; lifted/blotted a little here and there; and once it dried a little, added a few more branch shapes.

I like how chilly it feels.

But if that cardinal was in my yard, he'd be getting rained, not snowed, on.

                                 4x6

This one didn't work out so well. You know how sometimes when you start out wrongfooted, you just cant fix it. This looks overwrought to me ... though I like the pine cone and needles!

carolina wren

                               @5x8

Wrens, Carolina and house, were numerous in my yard this some; a house wren even nested outside my bedroom window. Pretty little birds.

A little indecisiveness and impatience ( not waiting for the paper to dry), led to an unfortunate messy patch, but otherwise ...

catbird

                              @5x5

Another of my favorites! Very plentiful in my yard in the warmer seasons.

Decided to try to tone down my salted background....

Was contemplating adding more branches or twigs, maybe berries, but since I couldn't decide, I did nothing.

mockingbird

                              @6×10

To me, one of the prettiest birds, with the prettiest song. 

pine cones and holly

                                   8x8

I dont know what trees they're from, but I like the long, cooler, white-tipped pine cones.

                                 8x8

downy woodpecker

                              5x7

I like what I was trying to do here--the faint background, the wetness--but the execution needs work!

On the other hand, I am very happy with this hat I just finished knitting!

The pattern is called Celtic Hat and it's by Oh La Lana.

wren

                                  5x7

I tried something different for the background: I painted it, then dropped alcohol onto it, which created an effect kind of like those old Christmas tree balls that looked frosted ... but when the paper dried, the effect disappeared!

Speaking of Christmas tree ornaments, if you havent yet, take a look at Jo MacKenzie's YouTube videos about painting them.

I tried last year, with no success.

Going to work on it this year.

This is my 2nd effort: still a mess, but, believe it or not, better!