In the midst of a tableau.. perhaps a plateau even - I keep on thinking..

It has been too long for me to post but I have not been feeling the work of late .. and then things click a little.. all from life except the worker guys ..    It's great to see ( by the way) that so many of the folks who view my blog are - after the USA - from Russia and the United Kingdom! (then, in order, Canada, India, France, Brazil, Germany, Spain) - so for now - : До свидания - (Dasvidaniya) - Thank you for visiting!!

Laney, who is beautiful but quite challenging for some reason.. so happy with this simple, 2 hour study from life..

S - about 2 hours a few weeks' back now..  on not very good "Beverly's" $ 1.49 canvas..

Richard quick graphite study from life.  about one hour and then worked from the thumbnail later ( see below).. via sketchbook..

Thumbnail ( ok a more fancy thumbnail)....

Really enjoyed drawing Quetzal - although she is about 4'10" she had this defiant feeling that I really wanted to capture..  like "I am the queen here - got it ! -- something like that..

Thumbnail of dottie that I liked better than the drawing!

working bigger ( 30" x 40" from life is a new struggle/challenge).. not there yet!

These guys re-built my street a few months ago..  so I did this quick sketchof them in oil piants..

As someone wiser than me once noted: 'New shiz has come to light'..

I have almost never worked on nice paper with different types of charcoal - mostly I am a newsprint ( smooth please) and charcoal pencil figure draw-er - but I am learning some ways to let charcoal be more like a painting.  The result above is my second attempt at this method or manner- About 7 hours over two sittings - 18 x 24 on Strathmore drawing 400.

 This morning, these two "guys" were catching the sunrise just.. so..   and - my easel in the more horizontal shot below with my current graphite figure in 2-value mode.  We'll see where it gets over these next to Saturdays!

The Avengers - the Women..  First in a series.   This is a quite young Linda Thorsen who played Tara King ( following Dame Diana Rigg among other fab stars in the P. McNee/Steed sidekick role). She had a great twinkle-in-eye way about her.   Still does! Acrylic on paper - about 8 x 11.

The Crane Wife - cont'd

Joanna - about an hour from life - Charcoal on newsprint.

Benjamin - 20, 40 and 10 minutes - from life.

The Crane Wife - and other stories..

This is Anna Netrebko - Russian opera singer.  Acylic on panel - quick study.  about 5 x 8" on gessoboard

Kristin about 40 minutes 18 x 24"

Carey about 20 minutes (left) and 5 min gesture right..

 

This is what got me thinking about "The Crane Wife" - a song I love by the Decemberists.

Bob ? Meet Richard and, well, Bob!

Road work part 7: some items from Liberace workshop in Washington State

I spent the last week at a figure drawing and painting workshop with Rob Liberace at Carry Jurrean's WIFAS in Whidbey Island Washington.  Getting to two workshops with Rob this summer has really helped me re-focus on some key things and seeing his intelligence, vigor and artistry is never anything but a positive wind in the sails!  We worked on his twin Rocker paper ( thank you Flora Ling!) in what feels like a very old process but the results are really cool.  Also, his oil process is super smart and begins by simplifying.  I will continue to work in that vein!  Thanks Rob!

Day two drawing - About 4 hours or so - Serena.  Red Verithin pencil on Shellac'd Twin Rocker hand-laid paper.  It's a pretty cool surface and I hope to try some more on it!

This is Kate - my red pencil drawing from day one. The monitor for our workshop - Laurine, bought this drawing at the end of that day - thank you !   Both drawings are about 19 x 15 inches.

Attempted a painting on the shellac paper.. it needed more shellac!  here is the block in.. (Nikita is the model).

Nikita - last day head/bust study.  The painting felt..  Russian to me - which might be good for a Russian model!  On gessoboard. About 8 x 10.  4.5 hours.  Oil Paint.

Above Nikita - a 3 x 20 minute quick painting sketch..  oil on some crap vinyl-like canvas that I will not use again!

Head studies from Travis Schlaht and Ted Minoff (and) Colleen Barry workshops

I had a great experience with Travis, Ted and Colleen B!  Each of them is an excellent artist and a confident and inspiring teacher as well.  A great two weeks in NYC at GCA!  Thank you to all of the teachers and I have lots to continue working on ( mostly, as ever - the drawing and values!).  All of these heads are about 6-7" in size and I painted on linen panels and prepared gesso boards.  Most heads were about 4 hours total time give or take I think.  Oil paints and a few graphite studies of Connor D at the bottom.

Isabel on linen panel

 Anna Nina on Gesso Board

I will get her name - first model for Colleen Barry's workshop - very distinctive young woman!

Katie W, our monitor and an excellent artist, subbed for the model ( this was a short painting 1/2 day so about 2+ hours as was Anna Nina above - both on the same day) who misplaced the date!

Gabriel - first model day for Colleen's workhops ( week two)

Ernesto - Day two or one Colleen's workshop (now I am confused!)

 Steampunk man - one of two paintings that did not survive my wipe-out cloth.. oh well.. it was almost there.. but not!

Some quick graphite head drawings from the first day of TnT before painting began on Tuesday.  This is Maria ( I am intimidated! and Connor our monitor for week two ( who sat in the first week to draw and paint and model!)

figures jotted down..

Kelsie and Alisha and Don I think.. all from the live model..

Above Kelsey and alisha - 1 hour and then 20 mins respectively.

Alisha and Irwin -from 20 minutes to 5 ..

clothed figure Don - reading/studying a scrpt.. about 20 minutes..

The (un) cruel shoes.. ('and now for something completely different!)

Charcoal on smooth newsprint.   about 11 x 14" - I found these at the Angel Island Flea Market. they look quite old and are nicely smashed and beaten.  (Child's shoes from the 1940's and 50's possibely earlier)  3 Dollars after much negotiation.. a study for a still life painting..

some recent studies in charcoal:

Don Knotts, Joe Don Baker, Harlan Williams and Jason Stathan.  For an assignment where clear character was required to be illustrated ( for Glen Orbik's class).

Above - design and edge study for G.O.

A quick charcoal portrait of Sophie Kramer-Dahlin

Casey..

Last FRiday's portrait..

10" x 12" on Canvas board.