Red Notes, 34x34

On the last day.....
..... of my painting classes we do a critique at the end of the day.  Coincidentally, this old painting floated to the studio surface the week before.  It was done about ten years ago...maybe more.... and I felt it lacked something back then, and it hadn't improved itself in all those years.

So, to get people into the spirit of looking critically at their work, I propped it up on an easel and asked the group what could be done to improve it.  At first they seemed to be hesitant but as one person after another offered a suggestion the bus got rolling.  We talked each of the suggestions over and what you see is the end result.

Not much was really added.  It was a series of subtle changes: petals and leaves fallen on the bottom rug, a leaning screwdriver, some flower buds, a curtain cord....nothing substantial in any one change but it added up and now I like the piece.  They were all changes to move the eye.   'We get by with a little help from our friends.....'

I used to build and set up room interiors for my paintings.  This 'farm porch' was one of them.  Henry Stinson has done this much more than I have, making whole bathrooms and beauty salons.  You should go take a look at Henry's stuff (HERE).  We studied with many of the same artists....but when you see his paintings you'll see how differently people can interpret the same information.   Henry's a great guy.  If you ever are able to study with him you will learn a lot.

I'll be back in about a week.

Thanks for looking.

(Oh yeah.  I have a gouache workshop coming  up on April 9th, a marker workshop in May, a two session portrait party in April and the Italy workshop in October is almost full but you could still get in, I think.  Go to the Winslow Art Center to learn more.)

Color Vibrations, 30x30

It was this last January 1st.....
.....and I wanted to begin the new year in the right spirit.  Remembering that this still life was still set up downtown at the Winslow Art Center,  away I went with a blank canvas and spent an enjoyable afternoon.  I Facebooked a process shot of it but never followed it up on the blog....so here you go.

Still life is handy for studying color, what to emphasize, what to lose, and where color vibrations can be enhanced.  It doesn't move, make comments about my technique (or lack of it), complain about holding a pose, or attract gnats that fly in my mouth.  All pluses.

There are parts of this I'm enamored with and parts I'd like to change but know I'll never get around to it and will likely use the canvas for something else.  While it is still around I thought I'd share the result and a few process shots taken with my phone.  It was a dark still life and I was standing in a 'light hole' in the room.  As a result I began plans for redoing the studio lights which are much better now.  The process shots:

Beginning block in.

Fully blocked in

Where I ended.  It photographed fairly dark.

OK.  It is time to get back up to the studio and finish up the paintings I've gotten started before I lose interest or, more accurately, something else grabs my attention and months go by before I get back to them.

Hope you are having a great day.

I'll be back.  Thanks for looking.

Color Comps

Color Comps....
..... were taught to me by Ron Lukas who, after being hired away from teaching a bunch of us how to paint, spent more than a decade doing mostly color comps for Dreamworks.  Ron was looser about it than I am, but the value for me is still realized....and I sell a few.

(Now that I've mentioned his name I can't keep from saying what an incredible artist he was to learn from.)    

This is a 6x6 of a still life I had set up for classes.  I wanted to see where I could go with the color....where were the edges of still keeping it mostly a blue/purple painting?  I think I found some of them and am happy.

Here are two more, they are 4x5 and 4x4, plus one of the paintings that came from it.  I do these with a palette knife on inexpensive card stock as they are just for study....although some have been around for ten years and still look as good as new.  They only take 20 to 40 minutes to do and give me not only good information but allow playing with ideas before committing to a larger painting.  Likely I should do more of them.

Wild Roses, 20x24

Thanks for looking!  I have some more stuff in the works coming up soon.

Evening in Umbria Study, 8x10

In only a week....
..... since being announced, the Italy trip to Umbria is close to filled with signups.  If you are even thinking about it,  at least email or call with some indication of intent.  Of course those who have made a deposit will get first dibs.  It will be a fun trip staying at a villa in the country, visits to Orvieto and a castle, plus lots of painting and/or drawing time.  Should be relaxed fun.

I've done several studies lately that are going larger and with slightly different color interpretations, all of the Italian countryside (with a couple from France).  They range from 14x18 ( this one is already sketched in as that) to 30x30.  I'll post them as they get finished.

There is a looseness and tiling of brush strokes in the smaller pieces that I want to keep while also playing with new color ideas.  This one I have in mind for a green/red complementary color arrangement, straying into yellow orange for the bits of glory.  Having five of them going all at once is influencing my eye, keeping it fresh as I bounce from to the other.

Amy D'Apice, who lives in Thailand during the winters, has an interesting blog called ArtConspiracy you might want to check out.  Amy is a talented painter and sketcher with a delightful writing style.  Her word play is as enticing as her art.  You can find her HERE.

I have some upcoming workshops which I will announce later in the week.  You can find out about them and the Italy workshop at the Winslow Art Center  HERE.  The Center has a wide variety of workshops, trips and classes for any artist, beginner or advanced.

Later!