Marker Class Demos...the journey to a painting.

Currently,  I have an on-line class in....

.... Drawing with Valued Markers, one of the best ways I know to sketch in the field and obtain the most information while exploring compositional ideas.  Our course ends tomorrow and I'm interested in finding out if this group, like most of my class groups, thinks it has been helpful.  The online experience has been different from teaching this in person so I'm looking to hear their feedback and ideas.

Here is the still life setup:

You can see that the lighting changed a bit between the time I took the photo of the setup and actually doing the painting in gouache.  

Here are two class demos.  One is using 3 markers of differing values and a Sharpie pen, letting the white of the paper fill in another value, white or no value.  The other is done on toned paper using the same values as the drawing on white paper but adding white gouache in varying thicknesses for the lighter notes.

Both of these versions give helpful ideas about composition, limited values and detail that are very helpful in the creation of paintings.  The one I did is 11" square (image area) on paper that was toned like a kraft grocery bag. 

Thanks for stopping by.  If you keep coming I will likely start posting more often....and I have a studio of stuff that hasn't seen the light of day. 

Oh yeah.  My book is available again.  Check the Pages above.

Keep Drawing!!

Of Drift Logs, Video and Eye Candy

First the Eye Candy.
..... I had a Marker Workshop about ten days ago.  One of the ideas in my book and that I stress in class is that things catch our eye everyday but we pass them by without even a second thought....but it is those things we notice that help to form our point of view about the world.  It's what helps us see in our unique individual way.  Its eye candy to us....but maybe not anyone else.

This view of drift logs I pass by often when I walk the dog and each time I find it intriguing.  It's going to end up in paint, but first I need to study it for a bit to see what I want to say about it.  Driving back from an oil change I stopped and did this half page drawing to begin that process.  The markers make this kind of exploration much faster than a pencil and, for me, the simplification the marker pens in terms of values helps me to conceive things more abstractly.

With just three markers in three values EveryThing can't be represented exactly as we might see it.

I wanted to give the workshop participants a taste of this.  Often in these workshops we go outdoors to draw but because of the cold and rain I tried this:  A few days before I took the video camera out and set it up in two locations and just let it record...on a tripod....for thirty minutes.  At home I transferred it to an editing program and adjusted the color/values a bit.

So, without going outside we went to a shoreline and to a marina in the harbor with all the sounds, light changes, seagulls and crashing waves.  Everything was moving.  Drawing it all would have taken a lot a time.  Each person had to find their own eye candy in the scene to draw from.

Here is my rendition of the shore.  This did not have a lot of things to choose from but they all came up with differing unique views and renditions of it....which I don't have shots of.

At a different time I did a gouache painting from the video:

Hint for successful videos:  Make sure the camera is Level.  I thought I had but the vid was at a bit of a slant and, in painting it, I unconsciously didn't make the water level even though I was aware of the problem.  Ah, shucks.....

Thanks for looking.  Back soon with a portrait.

Drawings from Italy

Sometime in the Dark Ages,....
....about 1100 A.D., a castle was built.  There has been a castle of varying sizes on the top of this Umbrian Hill to keep watch over the adjoining valleys and hills ever since.  Additions were added, a family church was constructed, wine was made and sheep were sheared.  The descendants of that original family still own it and live there part of the time.  In the earthquake area Northeast of Rome, it underwent a recent and major strengthening done in such a way that the architect owner had to point out to me the steel bars that were drilled through parts of the structure.  Just in time I think.

We had a 'over the top' meal in a remodeled back area.  Still a very rustic and authentic interior, it didn't hurt that a violinist kept us company while we stuffed our faces in multiple multiple multiple courses.  During one of the breaks in eating I had a chance to draw part of the table setting.  Several glasses of wine may have contributed to this effort.

We were staying at a farm near Orvieto.  I dragged the group for one day in the town spending our time sightseeing, drawing and, again, eating.  Here are just of couple of the pages from that day:

Cathedral Square

Market Square

All of my drawings are done in a 8.5x11 sketchbook I make myself from inexpensive but durable paper.  If you read this before I put in something about how to make your own sketchbook for markers, pencil, pen, gouache and (even) occasionally, oil paint, then check back.  I'll have a page on this blog or a link to those directions.

And, of course, there is always my marker book you can order.  Look on the blog for the page that gets you there.  There is a marker workshop coming up this Spring....to be announced.

I'll be back with more.

Almost forgot.  The Winslow Art Center sponsors regular trips to various parts of Italy and soon, other areas of Europe.  Check out the Center's website HERE.

Thanks for reading.

The Scream Online

A Great Day.....

.....ends even better when you find out you've been published in an international online magazine for the arts, the SCREAM online.  Despite the fact I knew it was coming sometime it took me by complete surprise.  Check it out HERE.  Thanks, 'Scream'!

Marker Drawing, ever since the day I accidentally 'discovered' it, has just been a fun activity.  Pretty soon it led to a handout, then some workshops, then a longer class handout....and then a book which you can find a link to in the above menu.

Many artists use markers for quick sketches to study compositional ideas, and I do also.  But the pieces can go beyond that into sketching on toned paper, recording color notes, and even into printmaking in the form of monotypes and etchings.  I highly recommend it as a way to study painting without hauling around a lot of brushes and paint.

Here is one I did recently in Italy which uses white gouache to help separate values.  Give it a try.  If you are in the area I will be having another Marker Workshop in March 2015.  It usually fills up.  Find out about it at the Winslow Art Center, HERE.

New Edition of Sketching Book

Finally!   I Finished It.....

....and the printer delivered it this morning.  The updated version of my book Value Sketching With Markers, A Guide for Turning the Visual World into Artistic Ideas is back on the market.

This book shows you how to use simple markers to find compositional possibilities for your paintings, prints, or just for your own amusement.  It's easy and there are very few tools you need to carry around with you.

Best of all, markers with gray tones of 30%, 60% and 80% (or 70% and 90%) encourage you to move values one direction or another, simplifying your visual statements.

'In art, the hardest skill to learn is to be simple.'   Sergei Bongart

Click on the Page link above to find out how to order.  The price, unfortunately, will have to go up a few dollars on May 1st, 2014.  Right now I have it at the old price but will have to raise it by the end of the month.

Keep Drawing!!

Just ONE marker makes form and dimension!

Alamos Square, 6 x 10

Town Square, Alamos, Sonora

Announcements!

1.  I'm back from Mexico where I ate great food, lived in a small mountain town and painted from dawn to dusk with good friends.  If there was a downside it was that the lady that sold the Tres Leches cake was only in the town square twice.

2.  The Scream Online, an online international magazine for the arts, will be having features on myself and two other artists in their upcoming edition.  The focus will be on drawing...in my case Drawing with Valued Markers.

3.  Finally, for all those who have been asking for it, I will be teaching my marker workshop on Saturday, April 20th at the Winslow Art Center.   I've had wonderful feedback from those who have taken it before so, whether you are a painter, sketcher or dabbler, you'll find something you can use in this course.  It is such a great way to quickly capture the essence of your wanderings in the world.

The drawing above is only two values and white yet so much depth and movement can be expressed.....and in only a few minutes.  I'll be posting more drawings, as well as Mexico paintings, between now and the 20th so stay tuned.

Wharfside, 11x14

Remember that painting give-away?  Well, I'm about to announce the winners as soon as it all gets tabulated.  So many great comments.  I'm on my way to Montana tomorrow and will let you know the contest results later in the week.  You will be impressed with the method I used to make the picks.  Stay tuned.

Those of you that have my book, 'Value Sketching With Markers', may recognize this from the front cover.  I've always meant to get back to it with paint but summer is pretty much the only time with the lowest tides in the day time.  So yesterday had to be the day.

Big shapes followed by doodads....  In the marker drawing I didn't include any background buildings but it was formatted somewhat differently.   They both work, I think.  I personally keep wondering who lives in the house even though I know it's actually a restaurant.

Keep in touch.  I'll be back with the winners in a few days!

New Book...finally!

This morning I sent a completed file off to the printers and expect a proof back in a few days.  After the inevitable corrections it will be printed again and be ready for distribution by July 12th.

If you have been waiting, thank you for your patience.  There are now over 150 illustrations on around sixty pages....I say 'around' because I'm thinking of throwing in a couple more  before final printing.

You can get a copy by contacting me....see my profile....    I'm not biased or anything, but I think it came out well with it's new layout and additions.

Now maybe I can get some painting done...