challenge CHATTER - 2013

Turps245 wrote

on 13 Mar 2013 9:14 PM

Today we preped the plywood, and cut out the heads for our photo booth paintings of Elvis type pink caddie and the hip hop couple. Then I fixed the baot and did another mini of a dancing Indian boy. not sure it works.

C. Brown wrote

on 14 Mar 2013 4:01 AM

Thank you Sam and Jen.

Sam I'm glad to see your feeling better and look forward to seeing your newest work.

Jen I really like the color and light in your indian painting. You have his movement done so well!

I've discovered a great Youtube video set of art studies. It's called The Forger's Masterclass and is so inspiring as well as educational. Maybe everyone here would like it too. I plan on watching them all again as he gives so much great advice. There are 10 videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9o5BYggMxc

Hearadh wrote

on 14 Mar 2013 12:12 PM

Hello Catherine,

interesting you discovered the Masterclass videos. They were shown on UK TV last year and I watched them all. What you can learn from them is debatable as they are not in real time but even so his ability to copy other artists' styles is incredible.

I was amused at your early morning nudes......good renditions for fleeting flesh!  I think that drawing/painting the human body is the most challenging aspect of art. I still attend a life drawing class when I can manage it.... I can remember my first 'life' class vividly (I was sixteen) and in those days we had to obtain written permission from a representative of the police, the law and the Church to draw a nude if we were under eighteen. My church minister gave me permission but said I was entering a 'den of iniquity!!!!'

Backgrounds......do you  make any thumbnail sketches beforehand, good practice for working out tones (or values as you call them)? It is also a good point  to include in compositions some straight lines as well as curves..gives the eye somewhere to rest and also contrasts and emphasizes movement.

Paper......flowers/figures usually need a HP paper and landscapes a Not or Rough surface.

I am sure you know most of what I have mentioned but it may be a help to others?

Hope I haven't sounded too bossy..

Hearadh wrote

on 14 Mar 2013 12:25 PM

Hello Jen,

plenty of movement in the Indian dancer and you have a few straight lines for contrast......have a look at the top of the door.., not quite right.

The trees to the left (Facing)  in your boating painting should diminish slightly in scale as they are further away. Maybe deepen some of  the trees on the nearer side?

Both paintings colourful and draw attention...which is what you want  I amagine?

C. Brown wrote

on 14 Mar 2013 12:35 PM

Sarah you're not being bossy at all! I did not know that flowers/figures should be done on HP paper. I've never used any but have seen it in the art supply store. I should buy a sheet of it and try it. I've not had any sort of life drawing classes yet and was wanting to get into one this summer quarter. I can't imagine needing so many persmission slips to take an art class! I wonder if a parent has to sign anything now? Society has changed quite a bit and being a bus rider myself for many years prior to my car, I've seen kids under 18 on the bus dressed almost to the point of nudity!

My background and middle ground skills are so poor and it's been frustrating that I'm not where I want to be yet with that skill. I did start a thumbnail sketch this morning for the River walk challenge photo. It's actually my second try at this thumbnail sketch as getting all the proportions right and the values/tones correct is harder than it would seem. I forgot all about making sure there were some straight lines as well as nice curved ones too and will correct that when I get home tonight. I also forgot that when putting together a composition to make sure there was somewhere for the eye to rest.

It's fun to watch other people paint and as I've not had any sort of formal art lessons, I use these sorts of videos as my "classroom".

Thank you for your advice Sarah, I really appreicate it.

Hearadh wrote

on 14 Mar 2013 3:02 PM

Hello Catherine,

please do ask if you want to know anything and I will try to help if I can....I have taught (or as I prefer to say) encouraged adults to enjoy art for many years..retired from that two years ago. Felt I needed to paint more to please myself.

p.s.   I still have my first life drawing in a sketch book, 1950!!!!

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 14 Mar 2013 3:37 PM

Jen, your dancing Indian is so colorful and lively.  I love the red you chose.  I think it will be a hit.

Did you make changes to the sailboat painting.  I still like it and think the colors of the sail are very festive.

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 14 Mar 2013 3:38 PM

Jen, your dancing Indian is so colorful and lively.  I love the red you chose.  I think it will be a hit.

Did you make changes to the sailboat painting.  I still like it and think the colors of the sail are very festive.

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 14 Mar 2013 3:59 PM

This is a photograph of my oldest great grandchild, Kaetlyn.  I tried to avoid painting this because the guitar takes up so much space and is so white.  I put a lot of thought into this one and decided to gradate the guitar at the bottom to minimize it's size and impact.  Also, I'm not happy with the values and so I need to invent them.

Here is the beginnings of the portrait.  I spent two days on the face getting it correct and layering colored pencil. A big part of the beauty of colored pencils is layering to get beautiful colors.  I'm trying a new paper that I love call Pastelmat and it takes lots of layers.  When starting a serious portrait like this, I always do the face first and once I'm certain that I have the likeness, I'll proceed with the remainder of the painting.

The hair on the right (her left) is not done.  It needs some darker values.  Once I get the shirt done I will finish the ends of the hair and randomly place some stray hairs.

I'm still pondering how to minimize the guitar.  I won't be doing it white but will use very light beiges.  I must keep the blue because that's her guitar.  I will let the neck (is it called the fret?) gradate into nothing so that it won't be going out at the corner (a big no no). 

I'm posting this hoping that there will be ideas and suggestions about minimizing the guitar.

Alexandra Spencer wrote

on 14 Mar 2013 5:06 PM

Catherine, it is fun to look at your paintings from last year. I like the "stylized" look of the leaves on the plant. It has a sort of Asian influence, I think, in the way they are portrayed. The quick watercolors of the nude are are very well done, and I'm laughing at how that came about!

Jen, you captured wonderful movement in the fringe of the Indian dancer.

Sam, I love the fact that you don't use a flash (or don't appear to) on your camera. Your lighting is always beautiful. It is so fascinating to read what you've written about layering the colors of the colired pencils. You are a master at this and your work is truly exquisite.

A Gal Named Sam wrote

on 14 Mar 2013 5:11 PM

Alex, I will not use a reference photo that was taken with a flash.  As you know, values are probably the most important element of a successful painting.  I'm using this photo in spite of the lack of values because I've had a difficult time finding a photo of this lovely child.  Hope I can pull it off.

Seeing this photo posted here along with the painting enables me to see that I have a ton of work to do on the hair on our right.  Darkening and lightening. 

wetpaperfan wrote

on 14 Mar 2013 6:41 PM

Kristina,  so glad you are getting you  art stuff organized....  I re-did my dining room and added a wire shelf to stack more stuff on.... I'm glad you are back...

Sarah hope your weather has improved.  I have an OLD picture my mother took of me drawing with mud on the sidewalk....

Jim did you get the computer and camera thing worked out?

Cath: as always, your wc paintings intrigue me... I like the plant and leaves and as Sam said the brick is nicely done,   the Nude...  hmmm  I can see the frantic in her because of the unexpected light coming on.

Jen, your indian has wonderful colors and you can see the movement so well,   of the fringe and his feet and arms.   the boat is nice and relaxing to look at.

Sam:  another beautiful grand daughter,  I'm partial to musicans so this is especially nice to me,  and you, as always are so good at the colored pencils.   I'm happy you are doing another piece.  beautiful so far...  I too never never use a flash...   Even on the stage with stage lights...

Iam getting ready for a singing gig this Saturday and quite nervous about it as It has been a long time since I've sang.  but I have wonderful musicians behind me I hope they hold me up.....

wetpaperfan wrote

on 14 Mar 2013 6:49 PM

here are a couple of things I did yesterday while waiting for my husband to get some testing done at the Lab. One was a lady signing in for some ex-rays,  she was limping and favoring her hip or leg.  I did a sketch of her.  the other one is a plant that was sitting in front of the tv and the only pretty thing in the whole room and it was fake.   He came out gefore I could finish and I forgot to take a picture of it before I left.  so it is as it...  the shelf was a dark matt color the vase was also a matt black,  the tv was above it and cast the tv light onto the table.   so the shading was from everywhere in the room of florescent lighting.