Face In Blue 2

Drawn today from life.

Oil pastel on 9"x12" card.

This was the first time I tried using the oil pastel on card.  I really like the combination of materials and expect to do more of it.

Update:

I have started offering my work for sale as reproductions through imagekind.

See for yourself, by clicking the button on the left.

Questions or requests?  Just leave them here in the comments.

Tree Nymph; Smiling Face In Red; Women In Blue

 Drawn this morning, from life.

Tree Nymph is pastel and charcoal on 9"x12" card.

Smiling Face In Red is oil pastel on oil painting on 11"x14" canvas.

Women In Blue is oil pastel on 12"x16" pastel paper.

About these:

It is such a beautiful day today and the trees outside the studio are so lovely, that the colors of the day and the shapes of the trees made their way into the first drawing.  And the sun and blue sky made their way into the third drawing.

This terrific model also seemed to be enjoying the day.  She kept a relaxed and happy expression for the entire time she was posing.  (Not an easy thing to do.)

Woman With Tattoos; Woman In Red; Woman In Green And Lilac

 Drawn from life, this morning.

The first two are pastel and charcoal on approximately 12"x20" card.

The last is pastel on about 9"x12" card.

About these drawings:

This model has a classical air about her: proportions, hairstyle, demeanor.  Couple this with extensive, fanciful tattoos.  Makes her contemporary and also not.

The tattoo featured on her chest is one I was quite taken with.  In real life, it is not located on her chest, but I wanted to show it, so it got re-located.

Woman In Red And Yellow; Profile In Blue And Red; Crime Scene

 Drawn this morning, from life.

Woman In Red And Yellow is pastel and charcoal on 9"x12" card.

Profile In Blue And Red is oil pastel on oil painting on 11"x14" canvas.

Crime Scene is oil pastel on oil painting on 12"x12" canvas.

About these:

The model kept assuming poses that made her look recently deceased, with limbs and head dangling.  Finally, with the bottom portrait, I went with it.

Figure In Blue; Face In Blue

Drawn from life, this afternoon.

Mixed media (oil pastel on oil paint) paintings on 12" x 16" canvas.

About these paintings:

I love the impact the blues make against the dark background in the top painting.

I also am thrilled that I've figured out a way to oil paint and still take advantage of the meetup sessions, where oil paint and stinky stuff are forbidden.

This model is as close to an artist's fantasy as can be: able to hold difficult positions for 20 minutes at a time.

I've made some changes to both paintings.  These are the most recent versions.

Woman In Yellow And Black; Woman In Pink And Blue

 Drawn this morning, from life.

Pastel and charcoal on 12"x16" black pastel paper.

Reclining Man In Red And Yellow; Portrait In Red And Yellow

Drawn this morning, from life.

Pastel and charcoal on 9"x12" card.

About these drawings:

Once, again, I arrived about 30 minutes late and ended up in a far corner.

But the room was less crowded because this drawing meetup operates with a reservation system, with strict limit on total number of people in the room.  And my drawing neighbors were kind, so I could get close enough to see the model well.

I wasn't able to stay for the whole session, but I did do these drawings.

I left because I had a bad headache.  I went straight to a nearby restaurant for a restorative bowl of chicken and asparagus soup and some coffee.

Artist And Model 3; Profile In Primary Colors; Back To Back In Orange And Blue

 Drawn from life, this morning.

Pastel and charcoal on 9"x12" card.

About these drawings:

I arrived very late, and once again the room was crowded.  So, I got another opportunity to explore the artist and model theme.  Lemonade from lemons.

After the artist packed up, I was able to move closer and play with the model's pose.  I'm especially happy with Back To Back.

It's Time for "Art From The Streets"

Chain Link Fence, pastel on 12"x16" pastel paper, drawn from life and inspired by -K- at  East of West LA and Karin at Altadena Hiker.

_____________________________________

Art From The Streets   is a project in Austin that involves the homeless.  It consists of twice-weekly open studio art classes, with donated materials and volunteer facilitators.

Once a year, the artists can choose to show and offer their works for sale through the project.  This year, the days are November 6th and 7th, at Saint David's Trinity Center, at 7th and Trinity, Austin, Texas.

I participated in the last class this year before the November show, and I can tell you, it was a community of artists engaged in producing individual works in a group setting:  intense, focused, occasionally playful, occasionally competitive.

Because of the opportunity to produce and sell their works, some homeless artists have been able to transition to artists with homes.

If you have the chance to be in Austin at the time of the show--and you collect art or just enjoy contemporary work-- check this show out.  You will find much to delight and intrigue you.

 Also check out the documentary film about this project.  Be sure to read the director's statement about the film and the project.

Woman In Orange, Blue And Green; Woman Thinking In Pink And Orange; Woman Resting In Red And Pink; Woman Sleeping In Pink And Blue

Yesterday's drawings, from life.

Pastel and charcoal on 9"x12" card.

About these drawings:

The model is a dancer, just finishing up her MFA.  Her body-consciousness and expressiveness contributed significantly to these drawings.

I've arranged these drawings in the order they were drawn.  Woman In Orange, Blue And Green was drawn in about 10 minutes.  The remainder took about 15-30 minutes, each.

Woman Thinking In Pink And Red; Woman Standing In Primary Colors; Woman Resting In Blue And Yellow; Woman Reclining In Primary Colors

Today's sketches, from life.

Standing Woman was a five minute drawing; the rest were 30 minute drawings.

Pastel and charcoal on approximately 9"x12" Sennelier La Carte Pastel Card.

Thanks, Casey Klahn at the Colorist for recommending this support.  I like its finely sanded surface, and it's easy to make four 9x12s out of one large sheet.

Woman In Torn Jeans

This morning's plein air oil painting.

A bit about this painting:  This is painted from life, a 30 minute pose.  The model is lying on a blanket covered with a white sheet, on the grass. The time was close to noon, on a  hot day which started out clear. Dark clouds were moving in. Then, later in the afternoon and evening, came thundershowers.

I need to look at it again in a few days to see what still needs doing.  Already, parts of it stand out as needing repainting/reshaping.

One thing I learned at the Art Institute of Chicago last week  is that I now appreciate Gauguin.

When I first saw his work in person, it was at a special show of many of his works that traveled to the LA County Art Museum when I was about 11 years old.  I didn't like it at all.

This time, I visited a couple of his paintings at the Chicago Art Institute and I loved them, especially Day of the God, a dream/memory painting. ( For a good explanation of the painting, look here.)

Woman In A Black Hat

Drawn from life.

A bit about this drawing:

This hat is a favorite of the model's.  She put in on for the final pose (about 20-30 minutes), and her expression and body posture changed, became stronger and more contemplative.

Pastel on 12"x16" black pastel paper.

About Public Notice 3:

I spent the last few days in Chicago, and I visited the Art Institute of Chicago every day.

There's a temporary installation on the Woman's Board Grand Staircase that I recommend.  It's a site-specific work by Indian artist Jitish Kallat, titled Public Notice 3.

The risers of the staircase become lines of text, and the text is a powerfully moving message from the September 11,1893 address by Swami Vivekananda .

You can read  Kallat's statement about this piece here.

I would add to the artist's description that the way Kallat uses the diverging branches of the grand staircase to deliver the same message reinforces Vivekananda's message that there are many paths to the same truth, part of his argument for tolerance.

Woman In Black And Orange; Woman Looking Down; Profile In Blue And Orange

Drawn yesterday, from life.

 On colored pastel paper.

Woman in Black and Orange is very short poses, minute-long gestures, plus a longer drawing on top.

Then there was a break, and a few of us started talking about realism in drawing.

I think, if your goal is realism and you're drawing from life, you need to measure both length and width.  Do so, and your drawings will be much more realistic.

After all that, you probably think that I measured for the last two drawings.  I didn't, but just thinking about realism made me more careful with the lines and proportions and negative space.   

Awaiting Results

Drawn from life, yesterday morning.

On 12"x16" pastel paper.


Below is an oil sketch I made this morning, from life and out-of-doors ( en plein air) .  Motivation to get a painting space set up, unpack my painting stuff completely and start painting again.  I'll get back to working on this particular painting when I can.  Reminiscent of this painting.

Woman In Green and Orange

Pastel on sanded paper, about 14"x20".

Drawn September 22nd, from life.

Women Reclining In Blue

I drew this the same morning as "Artist and Model 2."

Drawn from life.

Mixed media on white Coventry paper, about 10"x20".