Mirror, Mirror

 "Reflection"

20 x 16 inches, oil on canvas

Available here

I worked on this painting from a live model for two three-hour sessions, and then beat my head against the wall tweaked it for another whole day in the studio with a photo before calling it finished.  I do not like working back into dry paintings - which I had to do on this one, since the model sessions were a week apart. I also do not like working from photos/memory, which I had to do in order to finish the head. Oh well. I was willing to suffer these discomforts because I liked what I was seeing emerge. If it weren't for those stripes, and the mirrored reflection I would have thrown up my hands and wiped it.

Becoming too attached to one lovely passage of a painting-in-progress can lead to over-preciousness, anxiety, and continued commitment to works that should be given up as lost causes. I hope to present this as an example of an attachment to several small details that made me persevere when otherwise I might have thrown in the towel prematurely.

And, for better or worse, this painting is finished now. Here's a progression: the first two images from the initial model session, and the second two from the following week. 

The Plein Air Workshop That Wasn't

"Flowers in the Gallery"

18 x 14 inches, oil on canvas

Available

I taught my "Painting the Figure en Plein Air" workshop this past Saturday, at the Gallery at the Watershed. It was pouring, so instead of plein air, we did a lovely interior scene instead! If you're going to paint in Oregon, you have to prepare for rainy contingencies.

It was a great group, in a great space, with a great model. We also enjoyed the fabulous paintings by Angelita Surmon and Renee Manford. 

Here I am, demo-ing:

 

From Memory

"Knowing Eyes"

20 x 16 inches, oil on canvas

click to buy

I started this painting, from life, a couple of weeks ago. You can see what it looked like when I brought it home from the Art Center here. I really thought I had a good start, so I've been attempting to finish it from memory. 

After two-and-a-half years of weekly figure painting, I think I'm finally approaching a point where I can maybe begin thinking about possibly experimenting with debating doing something like that! 

Luckily, it was mostly subtle changes, and background. :)

One Last Fling

 "The Swedish Student"

11 x 14 inches, oil on canvas

$450

Available from The Gallery at the Watershed

Big, cheap, and raggedy - No, I'm not talking about my model! It is a pretty accurate description of the brush I used to paint her with, though. It's an old, cheap, number 6 flat that I keep around for applying tone to my canvases - that orangey color you see behind this one, for example. Anyway, I sort of forgot to switch brushes after toning my canvas, and once I noticed - hey, it was working, so I just kept going. 

Worn out brushes often give me one final cool-looking painting before dying completely. One last, loose, sketchy fling!

Here's my progress, taken at 45 minute intervals. I'm pretty proud of the fact that once I'd painted an area, I managed to leave it generally intact, except for some minor blending and adjusting. It's so frustrating when I feel like I'm repainting the entire thing, over and over what I've already done.

Two Portraits

  

"So Serious"

8x10" oil on canvas

$200 

In addition to my regular Tuesday night figure painting, I've started attending a series of clothed-model sessions. I really want to focus on faces and skin tones. The most difficult part of these paintings is mixing the shadow colors. I wish I had more of a formula, or a go-to plan for mixing them, but I feel like I'm fumbling around every time. I don't find the lights as challenging. 

What are your tips for mixing gorgeous shadow skin-tones?

  

"Little Redhead"

8 x 10" oil on canvas

Sold

"Long Legs" female figure painting portrait nude oil on canvas

  

11 x 14"

oil on canvas

Sold

If every night was like last night, life would be a dream. As an artist, I live for the rare moments when my brush feels like it's moving itself, and each stroke is more satisfying than the last. When I finished this painting, my heart was beating out of my chest! The best thing about painting experiences like these, though, is that I know someday in the future I'll have an even better one.

"Tawny" nude female figure painting portrait woman girl oil on canvas

 

8 x 10"

oil on canvas

$200

Available in my Etsy shop

I painted this last night while listening to election results on my headphones. I had fun playing town crier, keeping everyone in the studio updated, since no one else wanted to paint and listen to political commentary. For some reason, I concentrate really well with talk-radio in the background. 

Below is my progression. You can see that I started out intending to keep both hands in the frame, but had to lose the lower one during hour 2 because I'd drawn the torso too short. It was either chop off the hand or repaint the head smaller, not exactly a difficult choice, since I was pleased with my rendering of the face at that point. Next week I will try to get both hands in.

 

The DPW auction to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy has raised almost $5,000 so far, and I'm proud to be part of it. My donation auction ends tonight at 6 pm PCT. Please place a bid, if you can, and support the American Red Cross. Thanks!