A Series of Torturous Paintings

In my watercolor class, Sandy Maudlin is torturing us!

She is having us do a series of 7 paintings - yes, 7 of them! - from the same photograph. We must choose

1) a major design element

2) a compositional element and

3) a unifying color.

And we must choose these three things seven different times for 7 different paintings. So....

Week One (Chocolate Pots).

Not too difficult because I chose

1) Shape

2) Cruciform

and

3) Cerulean Blue

Week Two (Checkerboard Pots).

Not as fun and breezy because I chose:

1) Size

2) Checkerboard

and

3) Viridian

Week Three (Pointillistic Pots).

What? Yep. Crazy! Because I chose:

1) Direction

2) Horizontal

and

3) Lunar Red Rock + Sap Green (got tired of just choosing one color)

And this is just number 3!!!! We have 4 more to go!!! Help!!!! My next elements are chosen and they are

1) Color

2) Pyramidal

and

3) Quinacridone Violet. I'm a dead woman....I don't think I can do this 4 more times so I'm just going to focus on this one - just this one - hey, I can do color! I can do a pyramid shape! I can put in Quin Violet. One painting at a time, right?

Figure Drawing/Life Drawing Class Work

Well, I made it in to class - we weren't closed and I wasn't frozen to the driveway and I didn't have a meeting!!! I did get into a gridlock of traffic on 1-471 but it wasn't too bad by the time I got off the highway and ordered my Starbucks so kept going, slowly, but got there. Actually, I arrived earlier than I ever have - because I left the house earlier than I ever have! There were about 1/2 dozen stalwart students there and the group is so friendly and open and sharing - very cool. We had a new model, a young man with a strong face and lean muscles.

I did 2 versions, the 2nd one working longer on the face and upper body after Carin helped me thin him down a bit (I'd made him too thick).

Pointillistic Pots

Started - from the drawing - and finished - to the finished painting - today in class. This is on 1/4 sheet of Arches 300# coldpress paper and mostly drybrushed the horizontal "dots"on. The required elements were: 1) Directional 2) Horizontal and 3) Lunar Red Rock + Sap Green.

Trying for optical blending. What do you think?

TriState Photography Show Coming Up

We took down our paintings at the Sharon Centre in Sharon Woods on Sunday evening.

And Jerry and the TriState Photography Society will be putting photos up for their show on Friday.

The show runs from Saturday, March 1 - Sunday, March 9 with the reception on Sunday, March 2nd from 1-4 pm. Stop by to see the work of these photographers - they are good!!! Lots of variety, too, with nature, architecture, portraits, and various travels documented with the camera.

Frozen Days + Ruined Pots

Well, didn't got to figure drawing Saturday - too cold and frozen and yucky out and just didn't leave the house at all. In fact, I haven't left the house for days - ut oh! I feel cabin fever coming on!!!

And I also ruined the 3rd in the series of Shaker Kitchen "pots" paintings. I did this on a very small (1/8 sheet) of hotpress (UGH!) paper and if that wasn't bad enough to start - I just didn't think it through and kept working the paper and working the paper!!!

Oh, well, I will do this one over - on coldpress or rough (I think I have some of that) and a larger sheet (at least 1/4 sheet) and will plan it better - consider this mess practice! haha

The only thing I like is the covers on the pots and the basket - I'm going to work on doing this next one with drybrush technique to get all the textures. It may take a while...so stay tuned!

Next in the Series + CAndace Portrait Finished

I pulled the design/composition/color elements for the third painting of the Shaker Village kitchen things. 1) Directional and 2) Horizontal and 3) Lunar Red Rock + Sap Green (I pulled 2 colors just because).

So now I'm working up a study before putting it on the wc paper to see what I should do...shouldn't be hard to make a strong horizontal thrust in the painting and if that's accomplished, then you have your directional thrust, also - and the lunar red rock and sap green might just make a neat combo. I need to change some of the elements, maybe...

And in the meantime, I finished the portrait of CAndace that the WcW group is doing as a monthly challenge for February. Got her done just in time :)

Iced in - won't be going out today and maybe not tomorrow either. Cold and icy everywhere. Days like this, I'm glad I don't have to be anywhere.

Without Power...

Apparently our electrical grid is strange. We had power out for an hour yesterday, then on for an hour, then off for 3 hours, then on in time for us to get into bed to stay warm - the house cools quickly when the temperature outside is 20F. So why is that strange? Because no one had power from the top of the street down to us and across. But from there on down the street, they all had power.

The crew worked all night (I know they were out there at 3:45 AM when I peeked out) and it was a perfect time to see the total eclipse of the moon - a big, old, bright, full moon - without lights on in the houses on our street. It went off again this morning. Now it seems stable BUT we are getting a strong winter storm that will cover everything with ice. But we're ready with flashlights, candles and matches and hooded sweatshirts and a good book to read - just in case!

So no painting or drawing. Here are some photos from the last ice storm we had (not a big one but enough to coat everything).

Checkerboard in Class + Portrait Start

With a lot of comments, critiques and help in class from the other students and Sandy, I think this is finished. I sure don't want to work on it any more! haha What do you think? Remember it was all about 1) Size and 2) Checkerboard, and 3) Viridian.

And I started the portrait challenge/project at WatercolorWorkshop - painting from the same photo. I hope I can put in some darks now without overpowering it and ruining it - we'll see.

The photo was taken by a WetCanvas member called devymarie and this is called CAndace Posing. CAndace is a lovely redhead with deep, dark brown eyes and beautiful freckles (which she probably hates).

Show Redux + Donations

Sandy took a photo of my work that isn't so tilted so I'll share it here. She also got some candid shots of people talking art and whatever else they were talking about :) That's my sister and Mom looking through the art bin by the flag :) And my Jerry - the blonde in the cobalt blue shirt.

And Saturday evening Jerry and I each donated one art piece to help Redwood Rehabilitation Center in Edgewood, KY. We dropped off the pieces at the "open house" of friends, George and Louise, and were able to turn in our pieces and have them documented for the auction in March at the Redwood Express event (they have this every year but this is the first year we've done this). I worked with autistic children (all under age 6) for 3 years back when I was more able to do it and Redwood has many autistic children and adults they help.

My piece is "Dancing Jellyfish," and is watercolor on gold gessoed paper.

Jerry's photo is "Party Animal" and is of his favorite model, our red-eyed tree frog, George :)

Sandy's Students - Show at Sharon Woods

The reception for Sandy's Student show was today from 1-4 pm at the Sharon Center in Sharon Woods. Here are the only pics I got - it was CROWDED with people (that's good but hard to get photos of the artists with their paintings). We had 30 visitors yesterday (the first day of the show). No sales yet - but it's not about selling as much as it is about Sandy and what she's done for us, as students, along the way. I think she was bustin' her buttons with pride, too :)
<---- Sandy with 2 of her paintings (she loves giraffes).

This is Kathy. She is in my Tuesday morning class and her work is really lovely. The favorite of mine she had in the show was the sunflowers - you can't tell here, but you could just walk into that painting, there was so much depth. I called these sunflowers but I think maybe they are something else (can you tell I know NOTHING about flowers?).

And then this photo was of me standing beside my 4 paintings. Jerry took this and he had a hard time with my little point-and-shoot camera! Guess the pros can't work with cheap stuff :) Granted, the angle (I was across from a solid wall) wasn't the greatest because you couldn't get far enough away to get a shot of the paintings and me without making them catecornered - which this is. But there it is, for what it's worth. My sister and mother came to see the work (they come to all my shows and Jerry's shows! great supporters of us!), and my sister said I should have matted and wrapped a lot of small things to sell because these 4 paintings don't show off my versitility :) In other words, I think she means I have better stuff that I didn't mat and frame! haha

And the Cincinnati Art Museum had sketching at the museum from 1-5 pm today! But by the time we got back home, dressed in casual clothes and Jerry headed out the door to play table tennis with a friend, it was 3:30 and I figured it wasn't worth the time. Ok, the truth is, I was feeling lazy and enjoyed the time alone without a lot of talk and noise and the usual stuff (especially after a gallery opening yesterday evening + a party and a gift-giving event for Redwood - a rehabilitation center in NKY for children and adults). So many next time the 3rd Sunday rolls around - they have it every Third Sunday and call it Studio Sunday.

If you're interested, come on by next month. I may be there.

1–5 p.m.
Studio Sunday
Sketch a work in the collection on the third Sunday of each month. We provide the drawing materials and instructor, just drop in and look for the Studio Sunday Cart in a different gallery each month!

Free: no reservations required.

SWAP 19 - Painting for Susan R + Figure Sketches

My artist friend, Susan Roper (see sidebar for her blog), really wanted this painting when I did it and suggested it would make a great SWAP painting. So...when I drew her name as my SWAP partner this time, I knew this was the one I had to send to her.

Saving whites is not easy for me even after 4 year's of being told to do so by my wc teacher!! So this one worked - glazing something slows me down and makes me think more and paint less so I think I do better paintings sometimes when I just take my time and glaze each layer. If you remember, this was a challenge using just 3 colors and it made me put Rhodonite Genuine on my palette at home because it's such a lovely pink (and lightfast and permanent, unlike Opera Pink).

And here is what I did in the open figure session today. I was tired and sore (shoulders, neck, upper back) from hanging the large paintings with Bob Nowicki yesterday (I am getting sooooo old!!! MORE CHOCOLATE!!! I need MORE CHOCOLATE - and STARBUCKS LATTES!!!), so sat and sketched and took my time. I wasn't crazy about the pose (I prefer models who don't want to lie down and doze while posing - I want them to put some effort into it) but Rob lit it in a very interesting way so there were some good lights and darks and in-betweens :)

The first one is done with graphite pencils and the second one is done with charcoal pencils (and I used my artistic license to make it more interesting).

AND Rob Anderson (our moderator for Saturday morning open figure sessions) is having a show with a couple of other artists at the Dicere Gallery - opening reception tonight 6 - 9 pm. Rob knows his stuff, drawing and painting the human figure and portrait. Check it out if you get a chance! (http://www.Diceregallery.com for directions, info)

Hanging the Show Today

Sandy Maudlin, Robert Nowicki, and I will be hanging Sandy's Student Show today. If you're in the area, come by Sharon Woods - the Sharon Center at 11450 Lebanon Road in Sharonville, OH - and see the show. There will be several classes represented and over 150 paintings! The show starts tomorrow with an artist reception Sunday 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

I am putting in these 4:

The show only hangs until Sunday, February 24 so come by and see it before it's gone, baby, gone!!!

And don't think because it's a "student show" that it won't be worth seeing because a LOT of the members of the Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society are in the show because they are still taking lessons from Sandy Maudlin. However, you can pick up my 4 paintings for a steal because I'm sick of looking at them and need more money for matting and framing newer stuff.

Back to the Checkerboard

Remember the painting I did of the Chocolate Pots? And then I was supposed to draw another design element, color and compositional aspect and do it again using the same photo. Got this far:

Then I just quit on it and went to the portraits.

Well, I finally got back to it.

Here's what I have so far. I don't know where it's going and I can't say I'm thrilled about it but I did work on it a bit more.

Closing Blogs?

I just went over to one of my favorite blogs - Ces and Her Dishes (see sidebar for URL) and she has closed it! Why? She says it's boring! Boring??? Ces?? Never!!!
Now, I know how she feels if she's tired and needs a break. I feel the same - hence, no drawing or painting for me for a while - I NEED a break.

However, don't comment here about my break - go over to Ces' blog and ask her very nicely to return to us. Her work is of such quality that it makes the other blogs look like daily doodles, including mine. I would dearly miss it if she just shut her blog down.
Go over there now - leave a comment - ask her if she'll come back to us - and when - and if she needs a shipment of chocolate and coffee to cheer her up! I think that's what I'll do right now - have some coffee and chocolate - it can't hurt, right?

Maybe it's just winter getting us all down, tired, anxious, frustrated, emotional, whatever...winter doldrums and frozen roads and shoveling snow and bundling up in layers and...just winter. But spring will come - soon - it will, I know it will...

My SWAP Painting + Lunch with Laverne

My group, SharingWithArtistPartners (SWAP) is in their 19th session swapping paintings with each other anonymously. Being the leader/list-mom, my partner can't be anonymous because I send out the info (draw the names, etc) so - when I found out Laverne was the one painting something for me this time we got together and agreed to meet since we only live 10 minutes away from each other!

I had a lovely time visiting and having lunch with Laverne. And my painting is very special because it's a local landmark. Those of you in the NKY area will know of Motch Jewelers and their clock. Pretty cool, eh? This was done by Laverne in pen and ink with a watercolor wash. Thanks, again, Laverne for the visit, the lunch, and the great SWAP painting!

We are getting snow. The way the weathermen and women are talking, it's going to be a doozy, with up to 5 inches of snow and then ice and sleet and general yuck all through tonight and tomorrow. We'll see. If we get much mess, I won't be going to class tomorrow :( and I'll miss it. But it's better to be safe.

Finally Finished WatercolorWorkshop Artist Portraits

Well, I apologized to both of these ladies since I didn't do them justice at all. But here they are. I won't name them until someone guesses who they are over at the Yahoo group where this was a group project for February.

I obviously need to do portraits more often to keep in the groove.

Now I think I'll read the rest of the evening...

Figure Drawing + Other Drawing

Open Figure Drawing at Manifest Drawing Studio (at the Essex) today. We had a male model this time. This model likes to do the quick gestures with some odd poses and I did a few of them and then the long pose, with one break, was almost 2 hours.

Then I was sitting watching t.v. and noticed the latest Drawing magazine and the cover so tried to copy that drawing - didn't do a very good job on the copy - but I kind of like this (except the eyes need more work).

No Painting Today

Since I didn't do any painting or drawing today, I'm sharing this painting from the latest American Artist Drawing magazine (winter 2008). It is simply lovely. By a Chinese painter named Zhou Sung and titled Pure Fragrance.

Enjoy!

I'm also sharing 2 photos of the gorgeous sky we had the other evening. After the storms, this was what the clouds looked like.

What in the World...

These are both at the "what in the world have I done now" stage but I know I can still work with them with wet into dry right now and they will still be okay - I'm sure of it, yes, I am, I am, I...we'll see! haha

GCWS Meeting

Had to miss my life drawing class today since the Greater Cincinnati Watercolor Society monthly meeting was today. We had missed 2 months due to bad weather and it seemed like there were fewer people than usual - maybe they were out enjoying the warm warm weather before it turns cold again. Had a great presentation from Curtis Heuser (http://www.livingmurals.com) who is a decorative artist creating interiors that are amazing!! And I took a few photos of paintings brought in - for the postcard advertising our upcoming show at Evergreen Retirement Center. No drawing or painting today.

Take a look at our new blog: http://GCWS.blogspot.com
for information and other interesting stuff about our group. Our out-going president, Sandy Maudlin, created it and it just may take the place of my minutes that are getting more like a newsletter all the time.

Catch you tomorrow with more work on the portraits, I hope.

Checkerboard Painting

Well, I thought about it more last night and this morning and came up with this - so far. Remember, it's about Size with a Checkerboard Composition and Viridian (which is a lovely color I rarely use but should put back in my palette - it lifts like a dream, too!) for the unifying color throughout the painting.

Sandy is sick with a bug today so no class - so I went downstairs while the computer was off and unplugged (lightning and thunder and horrendous rain this morning with wind shaking the windows). Here's what I have so far.

Now I need to watch my Janet Rogers dvd on portraits before tacking the 2 artist portraits I'm working on. The pressure will be on because I want these to be good and good likenesses - they will be seen by the "models" when finished :)

Monday Sketches + Why I Don't Have My Homework Ready

Well I am supposed to have a painting finished by tomorrow's watercolor class - but that is not going to happen! I did choose my 2nd set of design/composition/color elements, and began after thinking about it for a few days (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!).

So - here is the first sketch on wc paper of the Shaker Village Kitchen pots and bowls but this time I have to work with 1) Size, and 2) Checkerboard, and 3) Viridian. I almost put that checkerboard back when I drew it - checkerboard? How am I going to incorporate that into this painting? How do I use it without going overboard and being obvious? Well, I don't know...so this is what I came up with. And size? Well, I could play with the sizes of the things on the table, making some larger or some smaller - go ask Alice!! - or I could play with the size of the checkerboard - making some parts large and some parts small...hmmm...still thinking, obviously, and no painting. But that's not a bad thing since I usually just rush in and make a mess without thinking it through. Yeah! It's a good thing that I don't have my homework done!

So did some doodling and sketching in my Exacompta sketchbook today and read through more of Jean Pederson's new Expressive Portraits book (yes, I have those portraits to do but I have all month for them).