Thursday evening in the Clague studio

Valerie was our model.

This is a painting Adam has entered in the OPA juried show.  I am sure it will be in, and win an award.  The light on her face is breathtaking.  Adam said the yarn was difficult to paint.  The color temperature was difficult to portray.  It is fascinating to listen to artist talk about their work.  You can learn a lot if you listen carefully.  You can't help but look at the light on her face can you?

Early stages of Andrea's painting.

Early stage of Adam's painting.  Again, watch and learn from these two artists.  Notice how crazy far along I am in mine?  I rush everything, and I can't seem to break the habit.  I get way too excited!  I remember watching Adam in class and I kept thinking…paint those eyes.  They were about dead last!

I believe this is Jacqueline's.  

Andrea's.  Again, no facial features yet.  

Cathy Kline was struggling with proportion on this.  The head is just too big.  It needed to finish off at the eye level she has.  She knew it was wrong, but did the trick :I will get the entire figure on the canvas even if it's wrong.  It is a common error. 

Early stage of Adam Brown's work.  He used only black and white.  

This is Ryan's work.  He always comes up with a nice painting.

Very nice size group last night.  

Taking a stretch break, our model Valerie was wonderful.  

I am still working on this, but here is where I finished last night.

One shoe on, one shoe off.  

Cathy Kline and Adam Brown.  

All of the sudden, SNAP….Andrea captures her.  

Derald has accused me of biting my lip when I paint.  In this photo it is funny to see how people screw their expressions when concentrating!  

I climbed up the stairs a few steps to get this shot.  What a great studio.  Every time we get to paint at the Clagues', I feel like it is such a treat!

How to Pack Your Painting Supplies for Traveling, Part Two

How to Pack Your Painting Supplies for Traveling, Part Two



This is again from Becky Joy's blog.  I find it convenient not to try to recreated the wheel on some things!  Click on the above and it will take you to her blog to read this nice article on packing supplies for traveling.

studies: Think Spring

6 x 6" oil on canvas
The sun was out and it was 67 degrees here in Kansas City yesterday.  I thought I would get a little practice in painting flowers.  (That statement was a little deceptive.  I did not have blooming flowers outside!  I painted this from a photo in my studio!)
The plein air events are lined up for 2014.  It is always such a good time to get together with friends and paint outside.  Augusta Plein Air is just around the corner!

rework from NM

This painting was actually done in plein air, just outside of Taos, NM.  The flowers were yellow, but I changed them to pink, and it appears to be a mistake as I study this work.  It's not finished, but this is what I am working on today.  

How to Pack Your Paint Supplies for Traveling, Part One

How to Pack Your Paint Supplies for Traveling, Part One
Click on the above link and it will take you to Becky Joys blog.


Becky Joy has a great journal newsletter/blog she posts and this is one I want to share. Hope you like it. You will also enjoy seeing her paintings!

The cat moved.

A few more changes.  The cat moved.  Pipes and meter added on building.  Garage roof repainted….again.  Apartment windows fussed with details.  It should be obvious to me at this point, more planning in the early stages would have been beneficial.  Paint and learn. Paint and learn.

Before and After….in progress.

before

after

after

before

after

after

I received my critique from Jeffery Sparks and have made some changes.  I'm not sure they will show up well, but here goes.  I have asked permission to post exerts from his excellent file he sent me.  But until I have permission, I will not post anything.

This is still a work in progress.  There are several areas that need extra attention.  But progress has been made, and I am a happy camper again.  This is a rather large painting, and one I will be spending more time on.  So hang in there, I will post new stuff soon.

Yesterday and todays project: Happy Gillis Cafe

Anne and 'the crew'.  The triplets are 2 1/2 years old, and the most precious little guys!  I had the opportunity to spend time with them yesterday.  I really wanted to get a photo of them to paint.  I may use this one.  It was quite a challenge. They are fast as greased lightening!  No focusing allowed.  Just point and shoot….quickly!  Cormac is sitting on Anne's lap.  I think Eoin is on the left and Fintan on the right.  Those two could be swapped.  :)

This is a good example of what 95% of the pictures looked like.  One second hesitation and BINGO…they scatter.  I don't know how Anne does it.  She is such a great mom.  Patient.  Calm.  Loving.  Equal attention to each one.  Me on the other hand…I still get confused who is who.  About the time I get one's name they change sweatshirts or take off a hat or just….move.  They do all look different, but for the life of me, I get their names wrong.  I think the one on her lap is Fintan.  The other one behind her may be Eoin.  

 

I took advantage of the sun after I left Anne and the crew.  I stopped several places and shot photos between Brookside and Columbus Park.  But I really enjoy Columbus Park, and returned to paint.  I just so happened to have my easel in the back of the car.  Imagine that!  It was 7 degrees when I left the house at 10:00.  This is about 2:00.  Probably double digits.  My feet got really cold and my hands.  I pulled out some of those hand warmers, to no avail.  

I am working on Happy Gillis at home.  I probably should have edited this photo, since it shows off my messy studio.  A rack of paintings, drying.  CD racks are perfect for small paintings.  You can even slide them in back to back for double bang for your drying buck!

Todays practice

This little cherub  was so darn cute, he was hard to paint!

This little girl was sucking in her bottom lip.

And the mother was smiling and her teeth were showing.  Not that I am making excuses, but…..just saying.  

This one is just kind of cheating.  Copying a master painter's painting.  Actually there is a lot to learn from that experience.  One would think it would be an easier process.  But when you are painting next to a master's copy, you quickly find it is difficult.  How did he get that color?  Why doesn't the nose I am painting look like it is coming off the page?  How did he get the corners of her mouth to turn up like that?  And THE EYES….well, that is another 10,000 paintings.  It's the journey folks.  

Love Birds

This is a small painting….but taking much longer than expected.  To be posted later.

Alley Cat

Alley Cat
20 x 24/ in progress
I took this photo in Columbus Park this week.  Stray cats were running down the ally toward my car.  This will be an interesting progressive post on this one.  I have sent the photo in to be critiqued by Jeffery Sparks.  Jeffery is one of the MVIS founders.  I thought it would be a great experience to have someone I don't know, never met, to do a critique on this one.  I had no intention of being photo realistic.  I just hope to convey the cold snowy ally, ally cat.  Columbus Park is a neat area of Kansas City.  I occasionally go to mass there when I am running late, as it is closer than my church, Visitation.  I enjoy the neighborhood.  A very culturally mixed area.  The mass in in English and Vietnamese.
I will post the info from the critique when I receive it.  It's exciting isn't it?