f13.net

Anyone arting?

I decided to finally do something about learning to draw and paint, enrolled in a pretty nice art school. The drawing class is just crazy quick gesture still life stuff, so if you're interested hit my blog. But the oil painting portraiture class is pretty cool, I've actually impressed myself, which I thought impossible. I haven't drawn a face since the 80s.

Here's the project so far. 1st pic is the entire first 3 hour class (minus instruction time and breaks for the model), just getting measurements and proportions.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortriture_1.jpg)

These two pics are from tonight, second class. Same time period, finalizing details and blocking in shadows. We will transfer this to canvas and start painting next week.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortriture_3.jpg)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortriture_4.jpg)

I'm glad I clicked this thread.  Great line.

I occasionally draw things and somehow am the designated artist in the house.  I write notes in elf script, draw on lunch bags, and other things that moms usually do.  I did have some drawing classes in college and for the most part have retained that ability.  It therefore makes me sad when I hear about someone enrolling in a pricey school to learn things like that.  But hey, it keep certain types of people employed.

I'm probably not going to post any of my work.

So should I post actual pics of my art or just link to my website (http://www.coeurdefeu.com/)?  Or my FB art page (https://www.facebook.com/lahuttonartworks)?  :grin:

I've theoretically been taking part in a 30-in-30 painting challenge this month, but I've stalled at day 16 for a while now.  Thing is, I tend to work on multiple pieces at once, since my primary medium is watercolor and I can switch around while letting things dry.  I'm mostly abstract though because I'm honestly too damn lazy for representational art.

Some older pieces

Extra pimping - they're all for sale, too.  Not that I'm doing too good on the marketing front, lol!

---------------------------

Yegolev - post the artwork!  I love seeing what other people do.  There's an art thread on another forum that I post in and one of the other regulars posts his pics that he does in a game called Drawception and they're awesome, even when he thinks they suck.  I've had to learn that what I like and what other people like don't always intersect.

Sky - so are you working from a live model or an image or what?  I'm trying to imagine a live model coming back over multiple sessions and getting back into pose properly.  Love seeing progress pics, too.  I can always learn something from them.

A couple reasons why I really like it. The painting instructor in particular has a great pedigree, and I like having directed learning from a competent source. There is absolutely no way I would have the understanding or the results I've gotten in two three-hour sessions if I was just scribbling in my sketchbook. I'm not saying it's the way everyone should do it, but it has worked shockingly well for me thus far. Also, I just like being on the campus and surrounded by all the artwork. There are a couple open studios adjacent where students come in to work on stuff, I like to pop into those during breaks and see the kids working, it's refreshing.

Anyway, as Rhyssa said, post up some stuff! I got into the habit when I began learning to paint minis, and it was definitely painful at first. But then it got to be second nature, posting my works in progress is just part of my process now. I find having it up on the Internet helps me because I can look at it while I'm away from home and this generally leads me to some objectives for my next session (extend the left eyebrow inward a bit more, accentuate where his hair fade is, etc). But I tend to be a bit analytical and obsessive about this stuff.

Rhyssa, those are awesome! I especially love the Green Hills. And yeah, it's a live model. We have to nudge him (slightly away from me, head up, etc) through the session. He's going nuts because the instructor won't let him wear his earbuds. I took some reference photos of the model so I can practice at home, but the drawing portion is more or less done at this point (for me). I may finish off the reference drawing after the class finishes up, put in the shading and whatnot, we'll see how it looks after I transfer it over. The class runs through the middle of April, once a week, so...yeah I feel bad for the kid, but this is what he does, he's done hundreds of classes.

I like your abstract stuff, and I'm pretty picky about non-representational art (actually I'm picky about that, too). It's definitely a lot of work to aspire to representational art, but I really enjoy reading and learning about the methods. Patrick Jones' book on oil painting is the one that really lit the fire, it resonated with me and his glazing reminded me of my thin layering with minis. With the workable time of oil paints, I look forward to the blending options that open up, too (my mini painting thin acrylics dry almost instantly, so they 'tear' if you overwork it). But learning the anatomy, learning to see (probably the single hardest thing, both for form and color), it tickles the analytic side of my brain and in fact I have to be sure to engage the creative side, too (that's where the drawing class comes in nicely).

I'm drawn to the idea of learning how to accurately draw and paint reality, and using that as a basis for fantasy painting, along the lines of Patrick Jones, James Gurney, Frazetta, Vallejo, Adrian Smith, the Kopinsky brothers, Paul Bonner, Brom, etc etc. So that's the path I've decided to walk...and it's a long one!

It has more to do with time than anything else.  My brother has a MFA and bolts together trash for public showings, so I'm well WELL aware of the low quality bar for art works and installations.  He happens to have gotten his MFA at Pratt, which flavors my comments about universities teaching art.  Know your biases. :)

Anyway, I don't sit down and draw for fun.  I create things, but I do it in technical media like AWS. :oh_i_see:

Some of us have zero artistic talent and therefore are useless human beings, so seeing others art and those who are learning gives us hope.  Seriously, for some of us stick figures aren't even possible.

I've been following Rhyssa's artwork for some years now and it always impresses me. More of you artists need to post your work so I can admire it from a distance and say to myself "wish I could do that!"

I have not touched art since getting a degree in Art Studio. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Oh, there's a ton of that. So much garbage. I'd say a solid 95% of the stuff the students are doing there fucking sucks. But I'm polite and just keep that opinion to myself. In fact, half the reason I want to learn to paint is my strong opinion on how shitty modern art is, these days the best artists are doing illustration. Those guys I listed as inspiration all make their bread by doing book covers, M:tG cards, etc. Meanwhile someone takes a dump on a rock and it's in a museum.

Luckily, my painting instructor is a fan of realist painters pre-Impressionism, so we get along just fine.

Also...I'd like to request that we keep this thread about art that f13'ers are producing and not a debate on how much any certain type of art does or doesn't suck :)

I don't art without being paid for it. My creative outlets are primarily home projects now.

Which is sad because I used to draw all the time prior to going to college.

The inherent problem with having a degree in the arts, especially when you are still using that training to make a living.

I don't "help out" with building scenery for community theatre because they don't pay for it and my time and expertise is worth more than any warm fuzzy feeling I could get from helping them. Especially since they invariably do shitty productions of shitty musicals. Fuck musicals, opera or play: pick one. Don't try to meld the two together badly.

I'm getting a stock together of engine parts. Gonna start welding together some V8 animals. Not sure if that stuff belongs here, but if I get stuff done and remember, I'll post it here if anyone gives a damn.

Sure, I love those.

As far as volunteering for my specialty, whether it be music or tech support...only if it's my idea and I bail at the first whiff of entitlement.

Also, you do scenery for community theater for gratuitous tits, unless your community theater sucks a lot more than the ones I've worked in.

I took several live drawing classes a while back. The thing that disappointed me a bit was that the best work I did was more abstracted and impressionistic (we were mostly working charcoal)--I would rather be able to do good line work and have a strong control over perspective. But my mind evidently doesn't work that way. The best stuff I did was I think pretty good--instructors also thought so--but it still felt like a mismatch between what I like in other people's work and what I did.

It's roughly the same as what I do best with photography--moody landscapes and work with color. There I'm much happier with the outcome. I'd like to tackle portraiture more but I find it very intimidating.

I've tried a bit also to do some artistic work in wood and there I just don't have the skills yet. That will take another class when I can find the time.

I'm glad I took the two classes for a similar reason to your first point, Khaldun. The drawing class with the hippy free spirit is a nice zen thing, but I don't care much for the stuff I'm creating there. It's more about working on my vision and ability to draw big. The portrait class is much more satisfying, but it's sooo much work. I wasn't sure about diving in the deep end, but the instructor encouraged me to and I'm happy she did. A lot of focus on measuring, proportions and anatomy; every artist I look up to places proportion and anatomy at the top of the list of necessary skills. Without them, everything just looks wonky.

If I had just taken the drawing class, it would be devloping good skills, but without the satisfaction of the portrait class, it would be hard to find motivation.

Just for completion's sake, here's the kind of stuff we're doing in the drawing. 18x24, conte on newsprint. Mostly 2-3 minute quick studies, these are 10-15 minute where the teacher got distracted while giving feedback (hippy) and forgot to set the timer. The soft shading is from smudging with a chamois cloth.

I should probably take an art class or something.  I've been drawing a lot less lately because it's become very frustrating.  It feels like I haven't improved much in the past few years.  And not in the "I have achieved perfection and now am bored" way.  More the "this sucks and I can't figure out why" way.  Probably some kind of cyclic thing, drawing less so I don't improve so I feel frustrated so I draw less.

Yes.

Lesson one in art class was the same as photography. Do it at least once a day. You will improve, even if you don't think you are. Take a picture once a day, draw a picture once a day. Doesn't matter what it is, so long as you're practicing your skills when doing it.

That is to say, don't bullshit through it by snapping a half-thought photo or just throwing lines on the paper.

I'm still slow to pick up daily sketching, even though I know I need to. I don't want to develop bad habits right off the bat. But I really need to because I really need the practice. I was going to run through some Loomis head drawing exercises and ended up spending most of the time just trying to draw round circles and then perpendicular circumference lines. Trying to find a good mix of instruction books for head/hands/figure drawing; I've got two or three pretty good ones but it's really fuzzy on the initial drawing steps.

Last night I started too late, after a couple Bocks, so no progress as I just hung it up after a few minutes. Earlier in the evening I did get my canvas washed with burnt sienna to establish a mid-value to underpaint on after I transfer my drawing. Should have some new pics tonight or those steps. Really getting into new territory, as I've never painted with oils.

Tues night drawing class focused on negative space. Teacher is a fan of abstract, and all her examples were from that genre, so I was trying to focus on the exercises and not let my mind turn off due to the abstract art (do not like). But overall I learned a little, not much, and finished very few drawings. Pretty meh class, at least practicing drawing basic shapes big and fast was getting stuff drawn.

I should probably find a better way to draw ellipses, I'm borderline retarded at getting them correct.

In art it's not 'bad habits' it's technique.

Also, they're only 'bad habits' if you're looking to emulate a specific style rather than embrace your own.

It took me YEARS to realize this when I was actually drawing. I'd look at other people's work and think, "Man I wish I could make it look like that." I don't remember where or when my epiphany happened, but the realization that all artists do things their own way was a long time coming.

Watterson vs. VanGogh vs. Degas vs. Shultz vs. Picasso. They all look different and trying to do one man's style would create "bad habits" when trying to emulate the others. Find your own, and the only way to do that is by doing.

Now then.. sermon over, on to the rest of your post. I only did a few weeks of life drawing, but the initial steps of life drawing are like any other drawing. Rough the outline and proportion, then find the key features and fill them in. Then on to details.  Proportion and relationships are the hardest part, in my experience. That's something that comes through time and practice.

I'm terrible at faces but it's because I always avoided them. I'd do the same as you, rough out a lot of circles then try to find the circumference lines, decide it was crap and moved on to another series of circles and lines. Hands and figure were lots easier because it's a lot more line and shape vs. circles and shade. Box out the meat of the hand, then the fingers to find the right proportions to the rest of the figure, then start lining and shading.

But that's MY process. That's also why you need to sketch. To find a process that works for you.  :grin:

Due to another thread here, I took another look at my nixtoons.  I'm pretty impressed with myself, but that's not really new at all.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/85916/nixtoons/Untitled6.png)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/85916/nixtoons/Untitled7.png)

Oils class, transferred the painting and blocked in values. First time using oil paints (or painting on canvas or doing a portrait or...). Full details on the blog, with some pics of intermediate steps if you're interested in how it develops.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortriture_8.jpg)

Also, I remember doing a reaction comic to yours, Yeg:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/alloes.jpg)

(http://orig14.deviantart.net/a110/f/2014/063/b/e/bailey_temple_by_pxib-d78ucme.png)

I do MS paint art sometimes.

Dang, that's nice, pxib.  I like it!

Sky - I can't see your pics on the blog.  Just the first one is showing up. :(

MS paint? Crazy good!

Rhyssa, they're hosted on Dropbox, do you have issues seeing stuff hosted there? Can you see the one I posted here (it's the 4th from the blog post)?

I got involved with an online cartoonists group several years back and didn't have a mouse or a tablet (anybody else miss trackballs? I loved trackballs.) and so, in order to keep my lines clean, I got a lot of experience using MS paint's spline tool. I started with stuff similar to Yegolev's Nixtoons and then buckled down for an hour or so every day and figured out how to translate the knowledge I had from years of conventional sketching into that new medium.

I do mouse drawings as well now, along with pencil and paper stuff, but I try to keep in practice with the spline work at least once a year. It's sort of my calling card with what's left of the cartoonists. I'd love to have an excuse to do it more often, but lately I've been focusing what artistic free time I have on the piano.

I want to second what Merusk says about bad habits, though. There are only two genuine bad habits so far as I'm concerned: Finding excuses not to produce art, and failing to look at your work with a critical eye for goal-oriented improvement. Literally everything else is just a matter of preference and practice. Stop imagining the three dimensional objects you understand and just try to see the two dimensional shapes they outline in front of your eye.

Humans are very good at quickly absorbing visual ideas, so the ability to draw is a priceless way to communicate. I don't regret a moment I've devoted to studying it.

I tried using GIMP today and I'm doing something wrong.

Probably because you're using GIMP.  :awesome_for_real:

What are you trying to accomplish?

Draw a line.

Native GIMP is for image editing. There are add ons for standard arting, mostly related to Gimp Paint Studio. It's still wildly inferior to anything that's actually designed with painting in mind from the ground up. Then again, people use Photoshop for painting and it's not designed for that either. GIMP isn't worse.

If you devote yourself to it, you'll find a powerful set of tools (especially examine the potential of the different types of masks and layers)... and there are absolutely people who do great work in GIMP.


If you want to do vector art, try Inkscape. GIMP hasn't really got easy tools for that either.

Inkscape is pretty much ch the best free alternative to illustrator there is. In some ways it is better.

Mmm...this doesn't work for me. So far I draw better when I imagine the dimensions. I mean, the portrait I'm working on is decent and totally based on measuring and 2d, but I've done a couple really nice sketches based on my very early study on the anatomy of the eye. It just feels more natural and understanding where things tuck around the 3d object and how everything sits under the skin helps me a lot.

After practicing this weekend...no, it's bad habits. There's not a lot of tolerance for not having proper foundations unless you intend on being an abstract artist or something. Realism demands precision (you can later break those rules, but if you don't learn them it looks like shit).

It's my main problem with 'drawing 101' class. She did not start with geometric primitives, and she's an abstract artist. How can you expect non-drawing people to pull geometric primitives out of paper bags and vases without starting them on geometric primitives. Bad habits.

I bought some foam primitives and will pursue proper study on my own, I guess.

I'm really terribad at painting or drawing, but I spent a while learning techniques with a professional artist. Paint by number oil and alkyd copies of his originals every time one sold. I found alkyd painting to be better in pretty much every way to oil, from cost of materials to time drying to clean up.

Pixb covered it, yeah it's GIMP. There's also Adobe Draw on the iPad and a few sketching programs you might have better luck with if all you're after is vector linework.

Sky, I'm not getting what you mean about bad habits. You're describing something different from a drawing habit, and that's ability to translate from the eye to the hand. That's technique not habit and only comes with practice in your sketchbook drawing real objects. Your idea about primitives is a good place to start.

Habits are things like, "I hold the conte crayon this way all the time to generate fat lines," "I use the HB pencil to rough shape and composure instead of the 5h," or "I start with the background then layer my foreground over top of it."

If I draw 400 shitty ellipses without instruction, I'm habituated to drawing shitty ellipses and would have to work that much harder at correct it later.

I'm getting less enthused about my drawing teacher as she fails to give me tools to correct this, I think it's due to her not having ever learned said tools.

So you're looking more for the geometry of building things then? Something like this:
https://www.sibleyfineart.com/tutorial--draw-ellipses.htm

Other than that I'm just not getting it. It's not like music where there's a specific and explicit technique. Lots of it is just talent and practice with your own ability in my experience. A good reason I was a better technical draftsman than artist is because I don't have the raw talent for unaided lines, even though I totally grocked all the geometry instinctually.

Some people are good at seeing the geometry and proportion and just laying it out there. Others need lines and rules and sketch lines to build off of. Even in that detailed tutorial a lot of it is, "How does it look" and "copy the last thing you drew"

Right, I've got a book that lays it out like that; drawing cylinders as reductions of rectangles, etc. Just that the teacher never even mentioned that. Or perspective or horizons. The more independent study I do, the more she gets on my nerves. I need to practice it like that so I'm not in the habit of drawing squished ellipses with wonky left sides.

She has us doing vases with lips and curves and stuff. Just irritating, is all; she skipped a crucial thing I should be practicing. So I'm trying to find a good way to fill my sketchbook with basics to build a good foundation. I think setting up a still life in my basement is the best setup for now.

My oils teacher is awesome, so it balances out, I guess (even if she's more sight-size than anatomical). And the drawing class has been great for getting me going and learning to open up my arm for bigger gestures. And the oils teacher can give one or two concise suggestions and I can work for an hour just off that, the drawing teacher can't fix the simplest of my mistakes.

My piano teacher waaaaaaaaaaaay back when would have agreed with you. She always said "Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect." Meaning if you practice doing it wrong you will indeed develop a habit of doing it wrong.  But you still have to practice, practice, practice! Which left me in quite the quandary as I sure as heck wasn't practicing perfect!  :why_so_serious:

Might be an outgrowth of my decades of study on guitar and a lot of bad habits I developed as a kid, sure.

One of the better sketches from tonight, about 15 minutes including toning the background. Charcoal on newsprint, using an eraser for highlights. Value I'm somewhat comfortable with, but my linework continues to suck.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing101_3.jpg)

Your linework leans towards the sketchy look, rather than having a single clean line.  I tend to do the same thing.  With charcoal, it can be hard to vary line thickness too.

Good looking sketch though, Sky.  My thought is that the darks need to be pushed more, but I don't know what the still life lighting was like, so this could probably be fine.  I know I have a problem with my values and I never push my darks far enough.  It's an issue that I have and I know I have it, but fixing it is hard.

This morning before leaving for work, I managed to get a layer of watercolor ground down on a small canvas.  I picked up two for the Art for the Paws charity event (I did it last year, too).  Instead of working on paper and adhering it to the canvas after, I'm trying out watercolor ground so I can paint directly on the canvas.  We shall see how it works out.  Have to cover the second canvas tonight so they can both dry well and be lightly sanded before I get to putting paint down.

I've always had sketchy lines and I'm ok with that. It's pushed in this class because that's what the teacher wants. The lighting was terrible, I was kind of behind lamps on the right and left. She has a buddy in the class and tends to set things up for her (I was getting irritated because they spend almost the entire warm-up hour chatting rather than teaching). Also had overhead fluorescent lighting, so there were almost no strong shadows at all. Also also we weren't supposed to use anything but linework and the background toning.

She also complained that people were using too much linework, but didn't teach us how to properly remove it (and really, with two values it's almost impossible for beginners, anyway). With my shading, looking back on this drawing I see a lot of places I could have removed the outlines for a better drawing, but it was nothing she told me.

Love the class and the experience I'm getting, but the instructor is abysmal.

She also stepped on the third rail with me by talking about art schools she attended and the fine art/illustrator line and went on for a while backhanding illustrators. So tempted to point out that good illustrators can't skip fundamentals the way fine artists so often do, and some of the best fine artists get their technique in illustration so abstract is a choice :) But I was good and followed my rule of taking the positive away from the experience and making the most of my time. But I'll avoid her classes in the future...

Oh, the illustrators v. fine artists argument.  Heard that one a lot back in college when the fourth floor folks (the fine artists) talked down at us second floor people as being sellouts because we did illustration.   :uhrr:  One of our usual comebacks was that we couldn't just make up a bullshit explanation for what our piece "meant" when going through portfolio review. 

I knew it was all crap when one of my instructors gushed praise for a series I'd done for my semester review.  I'd been slacking and needed a set of five drawings for this series so in the span of about two hours at like 2am, I scrawled colored ink (straight from the dropper!) over blank paper with a line drawing underneath.  He fucking loved it, I was sleep deprived.

My sister is an artist and an illustrator, not that being an illustrator isn't an artist but a lot of people seem to make that distinction.  Guess which one pays the bills?  She's had fine art shows, won many shows, both as a painter and a sculptor... but over the 20 years she was very competitive, she had to work as a full time librarian to make ends meet.  Now she's a full time artist... I wouldn't like to suggest to her that an illustrator is something less than that.  She'd give me that "I'm your older sister and I can kill you" look.

Tough oils class last night, finally getting into mixing colors. Took too long learning and experimenting with that, didn't finish my color blocking :( Also looking pretty weird at this phase, teacher assured me this is cool (actually urged me to be messier and not worry about keeping it precise right now). And not being able to do the darker local flesh colors meant I could mix in areas where I lost some while putting in the lights, this may have screwed me pretty hard.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortraiture_9.jpg)

More details on the blog. TL;DR mixing paint is not easy but I still am surprised it's not a complete trainwreck yet.

The great thing about oils is how the layers work. That looks fine, and the high contrast low detail layer will really add to the quality of light in the finished work.

I'm pretty interested to see how her method pans out. I believe we'll be doing glazing and whatnot later, my main concern now (besides mixing colors properly and learning to apply paint properly and...) is dialing in the details from my drawing again. Still feel I got lucky with that, and it was a sloow process (I was one class behind all but one other student). But I'm hoping by the time we get to glazing in color I'll be comfortable enough with my technique to finally focus on painting primarily (I glaze a lot with miniatures, so building and blending that way is my normal method).

The fun thing with oils is they take freaking years to completely dry, so you can go in and work details after the fact.

Yeah, when I went to smooth over my base flesh tones some of the white started pulling up, so I left it rougher than I wanted :\

Also, I learned how to sharpen pencils today  :awesome_for_real:

http://cashwiley.com/2016/02/15/pencils-pencils/

Forgive the ignorance, but what is wrong with a pencil sharpener?

This method allows for using the various widths of the side bevel for shading or soft lines. Works pretty darn good, combining the sharp tip of traditionally sharpened pencils with the shading of a charcoal stick.

Tues night, drawing 101! Tonight we added a shadow tone for a 3 value drawing. More deets on ze blog: http://cashwiley.com/2016/02/16/3-value-drawing/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing101_4.jpg)

More work on oils tonight: http://cashwiley.com/2016/02/18/finishing-local-color/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortriture_10.jpg)

Feels like it's losing a bit of dimensionality? Is that a normal stage of working up the oils? Painting is something I'd love to try.

No idea, it's all new to me. Just doing as I'm told each session. I think what you're seeing is because it's just flat color with no gradation, just lights and shade as monolithic blocks, more or less. Next week I'll start to put some variation into things. Which is when it gets super tough because my limited mixing skills come against having to approximate this week's mixes as a base and then accurately mixing changes in hue/chroma/value for the subtle changes around each area. Bleh!

Yes and yes. The oils don't dry completely for a long time, so new paints will tend to blend with the previous layers whether you want them to or not. Simple, clear lower layers establish overall color and tone, and then later layers add contrast and detail. "Local color" allows for productive blending and establishes a firm base from which future layers can safely diverge.

Tuesday night drawing class. http://cashwiley.com/2016/02/23/tuesday-night-drawing/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing101_5.jpg)

Thursday night oils class. http://cashwiley.com/2016/02/25/thursday-night-oils-class/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortriture_11.jpg)

Looking good so far, Sky.  The left side of his nose seems to be lost in the shadows though.  I assume you'll add more definition as you keep working on it.

I'm procrastinating on writing to short artist statements for the charity canvases I did.  It's just.. I never know what to write beyond "I did this using watercolor on watercolor ground on canvas."  Ugh. 

Thanks! I started to put some detail into the shadow side and she told me to leave that off for now and focus on blocking in the lighter tones, that too much definition in the shadows would render the portrait a bit unrealistic because the eye sees more detail in the light.

Gotta redo his nose tip (again), it's pointed up a bit more than I faked in there, I was mostly trying to get the right nostril defined a bit. So much left to do!

It would definitely be easier if I weren't limited to 3 hours (minus breaks and instruction time) once a week. At the very least not having to create my mixes from scratch every week! On the other hand, it's great practice for quickly making acceptable mixes...

Oops, forgot to post last week! Anyway, here's how Vinny is coming along. http://cashwiley.com/2016/03/10/thursday-night-oils-2/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortriture_13.jpg)

It's interesting to scroll up and down comparing this latest pic with the one immediately previous.  You can really see the definition coming in on the eyes and his skin tone has gotten more rosy and has depth.

I hope you do a gif showing all the progress once you're finally finished, Sky.  It'll be really cool to see how the piece changes and comes together.

The fiancee has been mashing together my current week and the previous as a way to bust my chops (see, you're awesome, etc; because I'm not the most confident artist).

But this week was really cool because it's the first time I feel I can do this. The paint is getting easier to manipulate and I reeeally like it. Still a lot of flaws, not sure I can fix them all in 4 weeks, I think at this point it's a race to the finish and anything I can tweak into shape along the way is a bonus :)

Painting minis was often the same way, many hours of meh and then when the details start to go in it really comes together and looks good. Except this is so much better, I think.

More drawing class. http://cashwiley.com/2016/03/22/tuesday-night-drawing-3/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing101_7.jpg)

Thursday night oils!  http://cashwiley.com/2016/03/24/thursday-night-oils-3/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortriture_14.jpg)

Nice, Sky.  I went and opened the last 4 versions you've posted in the thread so I could really look at them to see the changes over time.  I'm sure some of the color is just from the photo, but I can see the changes in skin tone and more refinement in the jawline, especially on the left side of the image. There's more definition to the lips and under the nose, but the nose itself still looks blobby.  Not sure if the instructor is having you work on certain areas at a time or how that's going.

It might be the photo itself and not the painting, but going from pic 13 to pic 14, I can see a yellowish undertone around the eyes/upper cheek areas, and the shows on the side of the face are looking blotchy to me. 

It's hard to get a good picture of a wet painting under general fluorescent lighting! Nose is just kinda sketched in, I'll refine that next week. I had hoped to get it done last night, but I wasn't really able to finish off the lips, because we all went out for drinks to celebrate the instructor getting her own studio (because we are trying to get her to open it up for a few of us as an atelier!).

Week after next should be shadows, I've really done almost nothing on that side, per the instructor.

It's far from perfect, but for my first try I'm pretty happy with how it's turning out. Planning on taking another portraiture class with her this summer.

I keep seeing the same guy.

The sad reality that I'm just not going to have enough time to fix everything. Two more sessions left. Blah.

http://cashwiley.com/2016/03/31/thursday-night-oils-4/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortriture_16.jpg)

But it's looking really good so far, Sky!  The details are coming in great.

Yeah, I mean, I'm learning a ton and it doesn't suck. So that's a win in my book. Going to sign up for another portrait class with this instructor for summer session. She's convinced the school to buy some casts so she can run a head drawing class in the autumn.

If that falls through, I'll probably buy a couple casts and have her teach us anyway :)

Went back and refined the Tuesday night drawing. Since I didn't post either one, here's a before and after. Really digging my drafting table for chilling at home.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing101_8.jpg)(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing101_8b.jpg)

<---

Nice. Been lurking in this thread since you started it and watching you make arts. I really like seeing how your oil painting has slowly come to life a bit more each week.

Are you planning on continuing with that piece after the classes finish?

I'm hoping to stay longer for the last two sessions to maximize my time, especially this week. I can really only smooth stuff over or do super simple things without the model there, but Thurs I'm planning on painting the backdrop after class (since it will still be there with the light on it.

Also hoping to get the instructor to open her studio space to a few of us students this summer. And I'll be signing up for her summer session at school, but it's going to be brutal and I'm already going to miss the second class (concert).

Glad you're digging it. Way overdue for me to try my hand at this stuff. I mentioned early on I didn't want to do much in my sketchbook so I didn't learn bad habits, but it was also kind of frustrating just not what to do. Now I can bash out little sketches like the Otus Cthulhu over there, using the basic principles I'm learning in my classes. Wasn't sure I'd be any good, but I'm surprised that I'm picking it up pretty well.

One more session left. Ye gods! http://cashwiley.com/2016/04/07/thursday-night-oils-5/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortraiture_17.jpg)

That's looking really good now, Sky!  If you have the time in the last session to get those final details in, it'll be a really great painting for someone new to oils.

I like the refinement of the drawing as well.  Pushing the lights and darks made a huge difference and it doesn't feel so flat any more.  Do you use a smudging stick for blending or are you just relying on the pencil(s) or your fingers to do it?

--------------------------

I can finally contribute something here again.  I've been in a huge funk about art lately, but having someone bid on one of my charity donation pieces made me feel all giggly inside, that that helped.  A rough sketch for a painting I'd like to start this weekend.  It'll be in watercolors, mostly blues and greens since the working title for this is "The River God's Daughter".

(http://i.imgur.com/oq4kmKh.jpg)

Oh, that's got a very nice flow to it! Glad to see you finding your mojo again.

For blending I use a chamois for mid-tones (it lifts too much for blending darks), a kneaded eraser for highlights (hard white eraser for crisp/top highlights), and my finger for darks. My finger got pretty sore and dry, though, so I should look into a stick. But it did make the darks sooo velvety. I take it for framing today, should have it back by Tuesday to submit for the exhibit.

I did the background and clothes last night (instead of shadows) because we're going to be allowed to hang last minute due to the nature of the class...so whatever I do next week will still be wet when it's hung :) Just going to buy a cheapie walmart frame for now for sake of speed.

This is now framed for hanging in the art show that opens this weekend. To the tune of $190 (mat/frame/glass). No wonder framed art is expensive!

Final drawing class! Some more drapery, I guess I didn't post my unfinished one last week, here's my unfinished one this week! https://cashwiley.com/2016/04/12/tuesday-night-drawing-6/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing101_10.jpg)

I'm totally seeing somebody under there with their arms up going "WooooOOoOooo!" in a spooky Scooby Doo fashion  :awesome_for_real:

That was the running joke of the evening.

LOL!  I can totally see that as well.  I always enjoyed doing folds in cloth.. it's just fun to me.

And yeah, framed art is pricey as hell.  I have a poster/print I got for the husband a few years ago (Wrigley Field panorama) but the price to frame it so we can hang in his office?  Holy hell!  Especially since it's a panorama, so that's all custom.

I need to grab the WIP of my current painting and post it here.  It's still on the phone.

My favorite part of the class making that joke about my drawing: they're seeing it as hanging fabric :)

So just about wrapped up for this semester. I'll try to get a better finished pic, wet paintings + horribad studio lighting makes it tough to get a decent pic. Anyway, here is tonight's post: https://cashwiley.com/2016/04/15/thursday-night-oils-6/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortraiture_18.jpg)

apropos nothing:
(http://67.media.tumblr.com/ccb8859fad118e51b3f75d47582a730f/tumblr_o4vuzosoho1qz6f9yo2_540.png)

Yep, that's about right.

That and being convinced that nothing you ever create will be wanted by someone else.  I'm always amazed when people like something I do and want to buy it (for the few pieces I have managed to sell).

Gotta get drawing again after this hiatus! https://cashwiley.com/2016/05/11/bargue-plate-1/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/bargue_1.jpg)

No finished pieces to show off - I really need to take the time to edit them on the computer and get them posted. 

Instead, have some sketches done while sitting around in front of the TV.

(http://i.imgur.com/8Kh0ggQ.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/N2UJEjE.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/KpRRNLq.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/brE5fpU.jpg)

Very nice, I love the flow of all of those. Wonderful stuff!

That first one is great. If it had some color I'd hang it on my wall!

Thanks!  I'd actually finished a version of that one with some color, and am working on variation #2 with a different color scheme.

(http://i.imgur.com/EzXTTyW.jpg)

And some WIP pics of the next one.

(http://i.imgur.com/L1660M0.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/TOPg3RY.jpg)

Nice! Did you mask the white areas?

I'm still struggling to get drawing, to carve out the time to do it. Sucks being lazy. I did get a decent skull to start drawing from.

Nope, I drew the lines where I wanted to flow to be, then painted everything else separately.

I used to be all fanatical about trying to not have lines where the painted stopped, which could be a pain in larger areas.  Trying to keep a wet line going when you aren't do a large wet wash was just not fun.  So I've embraced letting the paint dry as it will and if that means there are lines where wet paint goes over dry paint, so be it!  I've grown to like the texture that can provide.

Gotta figure out what fish I want to put in the WIP piece.  I could do a koi again; I like them.

And I don't draw from life nearly as often as I should.  I know it means some of my drawing skills are lacking, but then I go back to my abstracts.

I really like all the artwork you've posted lately Rhyssa, keep it up!

I would totally use a liquid mask for those :) Though the edges might not be as precise as you've achieved, so you're probably doing it the better way! As I said, I'm lazy...

Yeah, using liquid mask can really make keeping some areas unpainted or conserving another color really come in handy when doing larger washes.  Since I was looking for texture to go under the pattern, I was fine with not using mask.

I'm thinking of doing another variation that has the pattern in the flow areas (what's white now in the first two variations) and doing a smooth wash in the rest, so then I'd use mask.

Trying to discipline myself to draw more regularly! More Bargue: https://cashwiley.com/2016/05/25/bargue-sketching/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/bargue_2.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/bargue_3.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/bargue_4.jpg)

I haven't been doing body parts (although I should) but have been doodling in front of the TV lately.

(http://i.imgur.com/TY9LnVS.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/bJGUQgk.jpg)

I have really got to start sitting outside at lunch or something and just drawing trees and bushes and flowers, because my background skills suck.  They are beyond lacking, they are non-existent. :(

I'll be hitting those soon as I start my next painting project (SOOON); which will be a coastal Maine scene. My intention with painting is to focus on portraits and landscapes. Mostly Adirondack scenes, because it's great country and close by.

ARISE!

Letting this one sit after (hopefully) finishing it over this past weekend.  I took my time working on it for once instead of rushing through quick.  More or less pleased at how it's turned out, but I can see a spot where I need to add some shadows to make things look right (around the rays of the sun).

"The Gates of Tomorrow" 9 x 12, watercolor and white ink

Full piece, still taped to the board I work on.
(http://i.imgur.com/AnKhYFT.jpg)

Detail of the top part:
(http://i.imgur.com/0rf3fXq.jpg)

Wow, that's amazing!

After a pretty bad experience with the model at the summer portrait class, I haven't done any 2d art at all. Dropped the class. Unsure whether I'll take portraiture and drawing 101 again in the fall. I dig them, but they take over all my creative time, so no miniatures and (worse) no guitar.

I have begun painting miniatures again, though.

https://cashwiley.com/2016/08/06/oathsworn-female-human-mage/
https://cashwiley.com/2016/07/30/zombicide-black-plague-nelly-samson-and-silas/

I feel like there's a story behind this.

Also, Rhyssa that's awesome. I don't feel that I've seen too many dark watercolors and you really put that together.

Love that Rhyssa!

You guys have inspired me to have a go at learning to draw. I've never, ever been able to draw. Was told by art teachers I had no ability and should stick to science, which I did. So this is really, really difficult for me at the age of 47. Here's a first attempt at an exercise about perspective:

(http://imgur.com/BOaTkuC.jpg)

I like that, apoc!  It's got a nice vibe to it for me.

And never let anyone tell you you can't draw.  Anyone can draw.  Whether you can draw well is a different matter and that majority of that is practice, practice, practice. 

---------------

I've been slacking on the artwork because I'm trying to finish writing a fanfic that I started while on furlough in July.  Yes, I'm a dirty anime fanfic writer, bite me.  :why_so_serious:

C'mon, now Apoc! Fuck the haters. I started painting minis at 42 and drawing/oil painting at 46!

You've clearly got talent, and I bet you'll be awesome at complex scene, biomech, etc from your detail work in mc :) That pic is really cool looking, I like the pen strokes. Only critique I see immediately are the 'corner' boxes, you lifted up the face plane too much at the back corners. That's a tough one to visualize, so find a small box around the house and angle it appropriately and take mental notes on the shape.

A lot of art is learning to see, and you should draw from reality (source pics, models, etc) as much as possible. That's why my still life class was so valuable, I learned how it was training my eye to quickly interpret and break down complex shapes.

Anyway, I'm still working on miniatures and not sure about drawing/painting in the autumn session. I lost a lot of my fine motor skill for mini painting when I was drawing and painting.

Any art teacher who says, "You should just do something else..." and isn't saying it because of the money you'll never make is a talenteless hack who has no business teaching. Full Stop.

No, I don't care who I offend with that. If you say that, you're a shitty art teacher. Talentless yourself or lacking any knowledge of art and art history, so fuck you.

Good job on the perspective. It shows some great understanding and you have far fewer sketch lines than I do.

Cheers folks, see I understand all that about being told 'You can't draw' now, at the age of 47, but 12 year old me didn't understand that so I simply didn't bother for 35 years. I have a different attitude now and that attitude is 'Fuck it, I want to draw, I'm gonna learn'.

The pic is just an exercise from http://drawabox.com/ (http://drawabox.com/). No idea if a website like that is a good way to learn but it's giving me some structure and I'm enjoying it. And a week ago I wouldn't have even considered that I could draw something like that freehand :)

Definitely going to try and stick with this, I'll post progress as I do!

Some of my latest doodles, usually done while sitting in front of the TV.

(http://i.imgur.com/vBOIP4K.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/l83NAHJ.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/DiCxlAJ.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/fTe0CHX.jpg)

Obviously, there's a theme there.

It's vaginas, right?  :drillf: Jk, looks cool!

I've got to make the big decision over the next 30 or so hours, do I take drawing and oil portraiture again for the fall semester? So torn on it. I had a lot of fun and learned a ton, and showed a bit of a knack for it. And the oils instructor is phenomenal. And I know the model this semester, he's got a cool look and is one of the nicest kids I know.

On the other hand, I had major artistic burnout after last semester. Also, I painted no minis nor played guitar and my skills on both diminished accordingly. And it's not cheap, since it's at a fairly big name school. I've been playing a lot of bass lately and I'm just starting to have my brush control approaching where it was last year. I have my den almost completely rearranged to be a small art studio that will accommodate both mini painting (already set up and one mini more or less done) and drawing/painting still lifes.

I've been completely unable to make a decision on this one. My fiancee is unhelpfully finding it amusing.

The struggle, it is real.

And I'm not saying that to be funny, either.  It can be hard to switch between creative endeavors.  I find when I'm in writing mode, I do very little visual art.  I haven't done any watercolors for a few weeks now, mostly because I've been working on a fanfiction that I started back in July.  It's already up to novella length, which is kind of weird in it's own right.  I mean.. it's fanfic!

OTOH, I started doing these doodles in front of the TV as a way to keep my mind occupied and because I had nothing new to read.  It's helped me start to refine a style choice that I want to play with more and I've been itching to start laying down some paint.  So I want to do the painting thing but my brain is still locking into writing this fic that I keep lazing on.  I had a several chapter leeway built up before I started posting it on FF.net, but now I'm caught up because I just can't do more than one creative thing at the same time.

Ugh.

Honestly - I'd say unless you are really jonesing to take the classes again this fall (are they offered each semester?), then I'd say stick with the personal explorations for now and maybe see about taking the class again in the spring if it's offered.

(http://www.sharegif.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/8-the-big-lebowski-quotes.gif)

 :awesome_for_real:  But yeah, they're nice Rhyssa!

Tough choice Sky. Will you regret not taking the opportunity to do the class if you skip it?

If I ended up just wasting the evenings dicking around, probably. Today I was feeling like I should take them. I really do want to get more into 2d art but it's very tough for me to work on it at home, so going to the studio (and paying for it) is a great motivator.

Guess we'll find out tomorrow  :why_so_serious:

Yep, signed up for it. My mantra has always been that I've regretted more things that I didn't do than things I did.

 :thumbs_up:

Note to self: don't take 5 months off something you only spent 3 months learning.

So terrible, but even by the end of the first class I had warmed up a bit and started remembering some of the basic tricks. Had one guy that was in the last class next to me, but on the other side was some grumbly sad sack that I had to ignore pretty willfully. Some people are just miserable, I think he found every single thing to complain about. While ignoring pretty much everything the teacher said.

Anyway. Lots of raw newbs in the class, a few decent artists, so a nice mix. But way too many people, so there was very little critique time as we were doing 3 minute gestures. The key is to follow the teacher and learn from her critiques of other's drawings or at least keep an ear on her as she moves about the room while you draw. Mr Grumbly just grumbled that he wasn't given special snowflake attention. I'd give better than even odds that he ditches (making more time for the rest of us!).

Probably be a couple weeks before I generate anything worth sharing unless you guy want to see the really raw gesture stuff that's not really artistic at all.

I don't get why people do that. At least make some effort to get something out of the class before you moan about it!

I'm still doing exercises from that learn to draw website, most of which aren't worth sharing (unless you really want to see 250 cylinders...), but I'm just working on some dissections - random organic shapes with assorted textures applied - that are fun and I'll post when I've got a few done.

Might want to try setting up and lighting a still life at home to practice on. Use things with basic forms (cubes/spheres/cylinders/cones). Also try pinning up some sheets into interesting drapery. All great practice. If I had kept up with those for practice, I wouldn't need to retake 101 :)

I'm about 2/3rds of the way into getting my den into shape as a studio, so I'll have a place to leave a still life set up for drawing and painting. My hope is to just continue with the 2 nights/3 hours each thing after the classes end.

I think lesson 3 on the website is drawing objects in the home :)

These are the dissections I mentioned. Potato quality phone camera, sorry. I'm happy with the forms but the textures need a lot of practice. They're fun to do though.

(http://i.imgur.com/h29ocuC.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/BEFnwZ8.jpg)

Second week of classes, finally got my initial portrait drawing "done". Needs more work, but the model didn't show last week so to get ahead I'll just fix stuff in paint later. More deets on ze blog. (https://cashwiley.com/2016/09/28/wednesday-night-oils/)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/IntroOilPortraiture_2.jpg)

Nice basics there, Sky.  And painting someone with a mustache is gotta be interesting.

I can't remember, but did you instructor get into doing underpainting first yet or do they just have you work in broad blocks that continually get refined?

Some of the artists I follow on FB have been showing WIPs starting with their underpaintings but that's kind of new to me, tbh.  But it's been years since I've done any formal painting, too, so maybe I'm just out of it.

I'll transfer it to a canvas I've put a burnt sienna/umber ground over. Then block in the shadow masses in raw umber, then the light masses in white. Then start putting in local color and build the rest of the values and hues from there.

I'm not sure what underpainting is  :grin:

I think basically it's when a painter decides what the overall lighting/color of the painting is and lays that down first. You kind of do it in monochromatic work too, only it's just about deciding what the base lighting is. It's why a lot of art teachers wait until a painting class to teach color theory.

A friend asked me to put up some of the fundamental stuff from Drawing 101, I was going to wait until we were at least doing some stuff with values on smooth paper, but hey. Deets in the usual place (https://cashwiley.com/2016/09/29/monday-night-drawing/).

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Drawing101_2.jpg) (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Drawing101_1.jpg)

One bonus of having taken the class once before is I know when I can sneak in some homework between classes!

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/IntroOilPortraiture_6.JPG)

More info on the drawing transfer process in the usual place! (https://cashwiley.com/2016/09/30/oil-portrait-homework/)

And more homework! Finished up the value blocking stage, ready to start putting in local color on Wednesday. Blah blah blog blah blah (https://cashwiley.com/2016/10/02/oil-portrait-homework-2/)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/IntroOilPortraiture_9.JPG)

I've started a Drawing1 course at the local CC (out here in artsy northern NM) and it's easily my fav. class taken in a long, long time.  Charcoal medium on large surfaces; requires more bodily motion.  An interesting skill to learn indeed and very landscapey (of course, this is NM).  

Idea is, you learn the large surface, blendable media (charcoals); broad strokes, subtle interpretation, etc, under a time limit.  The limit forces stroke efficiency and "cheating" via focusing on theme rather than realism.  Then down the road (another class), you start getting into more realism and fine drawing.

I'm in love with charcoal though... wow.  Can do so much with it.  That said, for a sketch-engineer it's almost useless except to develop skill and relax.  I will tell you, I am spoiled out here in the land of O'Keefe as far as art is concerned.  There are quiet, reflective, enchanted places to draw everywhere you go.   :grin:

Makes me want to quit and just fuckin draw for the rest of my days tbh.  I see why people do just that (assuming they can survive).

I'm trying to really limit my love of conte's ability to do smooth shading. I need to focus on upping my drawing skills, I tend to be ok for now with tone.

Tonight's oils session was a bit rough, the position and light angle both changed slightly. Rather than bitch, I rolled with it to learn how to, em, roll with it.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/IntroOilPortraiture_10.JPG)

I like what you have there now, Sky, from a more abstract way of looking at things.  It could be completed as is, but then I like art like this.  ;D

Meanwhile, I continue to produce nothing of any import or depth.

(http://i.imgur.com/wlkXYmQ.jpg)

But hey, this popped up in my timeline from when I did INKtober in 2014.

(http://i.imgur.com/cnFK21D.jpg)

Isn't that kind of the point of doing things you enjoy?  :awesome_for_real:

I was talking about hobbies with my art instructor last night and she was surprised I play video games. And I was telling her that though I love video games, especially when my brain isn't up to being constructive or creative, doing my creative pursuits is so much more fulfilling. Video games are always fun in the moment, but rarely am I left with a feeling that I spent my time wisely (the next day or whatever). When I lose an evening playing guitar, even if I don't record it, I feel like I spent my time wisely and grew as a person. Same thing with art, especially when I'm actually working on something decent, because then I have a physical object to show for it.

Anyway.

Thanks, Rhyssa! I've heard various (modern artist) instructors from the school say they enjoy my (unfinished) work. It's kinda weird for me. That's without getting into what passes for a lot of the student artwork I see on the walls. Yikes.

Your stuff, on the other hand is awesome. How is that Pixie not awesome!?

As far as 'import or depth' goes, I don't know that I'll ever draw or paint anything like that. I'm not into making statements. I just like things that look cool.

Local color lay in, as happens at this stage, lots of detail getting lost for a while. It'll come back!

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/IntroOilPortraiture_11.JPG)

I'm a total masochist for taking on such a difficult hobby!

Really starts to take on depth when you get to that stage. Looking great!

Yeah, really liking how it's developing so far, Sky.  How many sessions do you have to work total?

Hmm...thought I replied here, heh. Sorry! I think it's 6 more sessions, so the same amount I had from this stage last semester (I miss this week due to Louis CK). I think the class was 11 sessions total, with me able to work 9 of them.

Monday night drawing, finally getting to some values, though my drawing sucks pretty bad this time. We were low on time and she had me stop fixing my drawing and start placing values, just ran out of time to fix things. Still, a few successes and more to come.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Drawing101_3.JPG)

Finally got my home studio more or less in a functioning state. Desk for painting minis, drafting table and easel for drawing and painting, area for a still life. Went Saturday to a barn sale behind a restaurant we love and found enough cool little objects to get a start on a still life collection. Going to use this setup to supplement my work in school for drawing still life and start experimenting with painting them.

Here's a quick setup. More pics and whatnot on the blog as always!

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Minis/Workspace/Still_life_stuff2.jpg)

V cool.

I've had to stop with my drawing practice for a while because I seem to have some kind of problem with my right arm, keeps going numb. Doctor noticed that the muscles on my right hand were smaller than my left, and given that I'm right handed that's the opposite of how it should be. Referring me to a musculoskeletal clinic.

Ouch, that sucks. I broke my left middle finger some time last week. Blah.

How'd you manage that?

No idea  :awesome_for_real:

Monday night drawing class, adding a shadow tone means we're up to 3 values now...

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Drawing101_4.jpg)

Back to painting this week, Brad gets a nose!

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/IntroOilPortraiture_12.jpg)

Now he gets eyes!

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/IntroOilPortraiture_13.jpg)

The eyes can totally make or break a piece. Looking good there, Sky.

Having just the eyes in detail at that stage makes him look very Edgar Allen Poe.

Not hand art but still art. I got bored yesterday and needed a creative outlet at work so I did this.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/148769012/Vader%20%26%20Troops.png)

You just made him very happy. His new tatt is a realistic anatomical heart with a vignette of a wooden chair and noose inside...so he likes the darkness...

 :awesome_for_real:

Been wonky drawing the last couple weeks because reasons. Tonight's was rules not allowing us to actually draw in the geometry...more deets on the blog.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Drawing101_7.jpg)

Just used it as an excuse to mess around with values a bit in advance of the next couple classes and trying to come up with a finished drawing later.

Had a real crappy class and ended up wiping off everything I did in the first two and a half hours. Then switched gears and worked on something entirely different, adding in a secondary light to the shadows for the last half hour.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/IntroOilPortraiture_14.jpg)

Nice!  The whole piece is really starting to develop depth and details now  I like how it's going.

The secondary shadow light is interesting. It's subtle but makes a big difference and it's fascinating to see you painting what I would do with light if I was photographing, i.e. adding some fill to the shadows to give depth.

Reminds me how much I learned about lighting by looking at Rembrandt paintings.

Missed my portraiture class this week :( Definitely going to have an unfinished painting....

On the other hand, I'm trying to develop my sketchbook habits and studies. Going to put up a weekly digest to avoid spam (I'll be randomly spamming FB, but collecting them in the digest elsewhere).

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/Sketchbook2.jpg)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/Sketchbook3.jpg)

This week's sketchbook digest: https://cashwiley.com/2016/11/28/sketchbook-digest-2/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2016/112816a.jpg)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2016/112816b.jpg)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2016/112816c.jpg)

Finally got some more time on the portrait!

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/IntroOilPortraiture_15.jpg)

Nice!  The details are really looking great, although the shirt is (obviously) still a WIP right now.  The mustache still looks a bit tubular and solid, but the hair in general has that in progress look to it.   

No idea how to fix the mustache. The hair is pretty much done, doubtful I'll have time to revisit it. Just back to back sessions in 2 weeks, so no time for layers to dry in between. I'll have to try something with the stache, finish the lips. Then focus on the background and shirt/tie. It's funny the amount of feedback I get about the shirt and tie, after everything's blocked in, I don't even touch or thing about it until the end :)

This week's sketchbook digest is up! https://cashwiley.com/2016/12/04/sketchbook-digest-3/

I'm really liking seeing your sketchbooks Sky. Love the vertebrae!

Thanks! Other than the skull, the anatomy stuff so far is copied out of this book as I read through it: https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Human-Anatomy-Function-Movement/dp/0823024156/

Taking figure drawing next semester, and I know the teacher (my drawing instructor currently) is not strong on classical methodology. So getting a head start on my own.

Wait, you mean you're not exhuming bodies from local graveyards in the dead of night to garner sketching material? I'm disappointed  :awesome_for_real:

:why_so_serious:

Hah  :grin:

Trying to keep my daily sketches to the digest posts, but this one turned out pretty cool. Tried my usual 2B graphite pencil I sketch with on tan paper, using white conte pencil for highlights. Tough to get a good pic but it looks cool irl (the values, the pic is wonky).

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/Sketchbook8.jpg)

That's really good! The highlights really make it pop off of the page.

Thanks! As I said, it doesn't photograph well in the warm, dim light of my living room. I'm not a bright light person, which sucks for my fiancee who has difficulty seeing in low light.

 :why_so_serious:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2016/Sketchbook9.jpg)

Female skull? Nice work.

You're the second person to say that, so I guess so!

Thanks! I think I'm finally getting there.

Looks male to me. The mastoid process is kinda large, the jaw is very square from the front and the cranial mass is very deep. The frontal bone is fairly rounded though, as is the occiput, which are more female traits, and I'm not expert enough to say 100% certainly. 70% maybe.

The sketches are great though :)

What made me say female was pointier chin, wider jaw, rounder forehead and narrower mandible that's no square.  I'm no expert either, just my assumption based on those traits.

Maybe Sky could tell us the name that was on the headstone where he got it from?

Guys, it's a shitty drawing that's completely out of proportion. But posts like those are why I love f13 :p

No thread is safe from the f13 derails  :awesome_for_real:

Did some sketching in front of the TV yesterday.  Haven't been motivated to do anything because I'm having shoulder problems that are probably related to the fact that I spend too much time working on a computer and sitting in the same position more or less.

Anyways.

(http://i.imgur.com/iGIiGdj.jpg)

Nice! I dig the linear shading, very cool. I just picked up a drawing board to try and improve my sofa drawing position a bit, all my sketchbook stuff is sofa drawing!

Speaking of which...newest digest for the past week is up! https://cashwiley.com/2016/12/12/sketchbook-digest-4/

Yay ecorche!

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2016/Sketchbook12.jpg)

 :ye_gods:

We're all just waiting for these to slowly evolve into Hannibal-like set pieces.  :grin:

Srsly though, very nice, both of you! I have an appointment tomorrow for nerve transmission tests to see if they can work out what's wrong with my arm. Hopefully get some kind of resolution soon :)

Congrats on your impending robot arm with programmable CAD.

And thanks!  :grin: People were....more mixed about the ecorche. Ranged from enthusiastic (artist and med student) to horrified (nice old retiree).

I don't think I've mentioned it here, but my painting instructor is planning to open an atelier. Turns out she meant, like, next September...so one more semester with her at the Institute and then the new thing happens. She's strongly suggested that the more advanced students will have a teaching opportunity in the second year (it's the traditional way). I kinda blew it off because I work during the day but she said she's focusing on nights and weekends for the first year,

Now I'm torn because it's probably going to be at minimum two semesters of 4 nights of classes, friday figure drawing and weekend classes. But if I don't fuck it up (or burn out), it could be a great opportunity, like a life-changing kind of thing.

Hmm.

Fiancee is supporting me trying the atelier full-time. Ye gods  :ye_gods:

One more session for the portrait tomorrow night, background and shirt/tie. Going to have to live with the rest of it :) Keep reminding myself it's only my second attempt!

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/IntroOilPortraiture_16.jpg)

\o/

That's awesome.

That is awesome! 

And the portrait is damn awesome for a second attempt.  For any attempt, actually.  Probably a lot better than I could do.

Thanks! Of course, like any artist, all I see are the flaws and things I struggle with  :why_so_serious: The instructor actually said I showed remarkable aptitude for art, which was kind of awesome and embarrassing.

Did a quick submission for an Art Card trade that Grumbacher runs on their FB page.  I'd known about it for over a month and waffled about taking part this time, then last night decided fuck it and did the card since today was the mailing deadline.  It turned out okay, IMO.  Theme is "space".  Size is 2.5" x 3.5"

(http://i.imgur.com/B0ML4s5.jpg)

That's really nice.

Yeah, I like the hair in particular. Groovy.

I've been sticking pretty well to my daily sketchbook thing and will be putting up the digest tonight or tomorrow. But I like to highlight these anatomical ones :) (this week has been heavy on superhero sketching)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2016/Sketchbook18.jpg)

Wonky proportions again :\

This week's digest is up! I'm getting more comfortable with sketching every day, which is pretty cool.

https://cashwiley.com/2016/12/19/sketchbook-digest-5/

My second portrait is getting called done now. Still wet, oiled and poorly lit:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/IntroOilPortraiture_17.jpg)

https://cashwiley.com/2016/12/21/wednesday-night-oils-8/

I guess I'm arting a lot lately. I'm kind of getting addicted the more I'm able to pull stuff off :)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Studio/KingsMan.jpg)

Charcoal on newsprint, 18x24. First piece out of my home studio!

I guess I'm getting to the point where I'm just spamming the thread. Do you guys only want to see 'finished' pieces, just the paintings, or is it all enough already and shush? :)

Sketchbook digest was thin this week: https://cashwiley.com/2016/12/26/sketchbook-digest-6/ My favorite:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2016/Sketchbook22.jpg)

Hitting the studio again after finishing the King's Man, to keep the vibes flowing. Love having this spot in my house!

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Studio/Drawing/122616.jpg)

Sky, I actually really enjoy seeing all of it. In fact I particularly like the unfinished pieces, seeing the process is very informative. You're not spamming, you contributing content that at least 2 people find worth seeing. That's better than about 99% of the entire Politics forum.  :awesome_for_real:

I did a quick test of three art apps for Android and an even quicker writeup  :why_so_serious:

https://cashwiley.com/2016/12/29/testing-out-android-apps/

Spoiler: my favorite is the Art Rage app, beautiful charcoal tools without the need to tweak them at all. Here's what I did my first try with two default charcoal tools:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2016/Sketchbook28.jpg)

But goddammit now I want the Surface Book that I cannot afford (Art Rage lags on my old Samsung).

Surface book is superb. Surface Studio is the real though.

Dat 4 gees tho

I've got a Surface Pro 3, not the same I know, but there's noticeable lag drawing with the stylus. It's not huge, but it's enough to make drawing feel really off. I have however played with an IPad and Pencil and that's just lovely. Zero lag, smooth as silk, great feel.

Same app? The difference between the three apps I demo'd was significant. And the best app was also the most feature-rich with the most robust UI, so I'd imagine that had a lot to do with it, too.

No, diff apps, I hadn't realised that there was such a difference between them until I read your blog post.

Thing is, with the Surface, the lag is there in the OS - you can swirl the stylus around on the desktop and the pointer follows with a visible delay, so I can't see that any app would eliminate that. I'd really hope they'd ironed that out with the later models and especially the Studio, but I'd want a first hand look to be sure before shelling out money.

Good idea, didn't realize they were so far behind. My samsung note pro is from Feb 2014, ffs. The Sketchbook app has effectively no latency with the included s-pen. Haven't tried a wacom bamboo, though I'm considering picking one up.

I've got an Intuos that I've had for a few years that I use for photo editing, I love it, but the learning curve was pretty steep. Don't be tempted to get a large one unless you're really sure you need it, smaller ones are much easier to use and fit on your desk! 

Yeah, if you're thinking of getting a tablet, bigger isn't necessarily better. Smaller ones take up less space and for most users, you really don't need that big a drawing space.

I really should get a replacement stylus for the Wacom tablet I acquired a year ago.

Problem is, I draw big :) The bulk of my work until I started sketching daily has been 18x24.

Trust me it doesn't matter. I do Photoshop editing on a 27" monitor and I find my wife's A5 Bamboo easier to use than my A3 Intuos. Drawing on a PC with a graphics tablet is a very different experience from drawing on physical media.

Fiiiiiinally dragged the old lady for a night at the movies!

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2017/Sketchbook30.jpg)

Was just going to do a quick sketch in the studio and got carried away...

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Studio/Drawing/010217.jpg)

Nice sketches, Sky.  Did you use a reference for K2 or do it from memory?

Thanks! It's a late concept out of the Art of Rogue One book, I had to shrink it down quite a bit and change page orientation. Good practice!

I'm actually pretty happy with it, photos never really do justice to the subtleties and I banged it out in about an hour. Trying to maintain (and improve on) some speed from still life class. Got bogged down on the new still life, it was about an hour and a half. Getting into figure drawing in a couple weeks should push that another level!

My first digital painting, done in Corel Painter Mobile. And of course I instantly see an area I didn't finish :)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Studio/Digital/010317.jpg)

What is this, an art show for ants?

Yes.

Anyone in here do clay sculpting, or know stuff about it? I'm looking to make 12 in figures that hold arms fairly well, and there's a buttload of different clays out there with descriptions I can't parse.

Are you using armatures? I don't sculpt but I know a lot of sculptors, mostly in miniature. This FB group run by the Shiflett Bros (google image search them!) is amazing for the topic: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1114208771968434/

Sandy Collora has also done some great FB livestreams on building armatures.

Not sure what is best for that size, a lot of people use monster clay for larger stuff.

Thanks man!

Sketchbook digest is up. Superheroes, Star Wars and Anatomy!

https://cashwiley.com/2017/01/09/sketchbook-digest-7/

Current WIP that I'm doing for the Art for the Paws charity auction that supports the shelter we adopted Jasper from.  This is the third annual event and I'm doing two 6x6 canvases again this year.  One will be a traditional watercolor painting that I'll then attach to the canvas and the other is this :

(http://i.imgur.com/F5DhsrC.jpg)

It's still watercolor - sort of.  I'm using leftover pieces from watercolor paintings and making a paper mosaic.  It's a bit of an experiment but so far I'm having some fun with it.

That's a cool idea. I can see the watercolor bits having a kind of stained glass feel to them.

This week was my first figure drawing and portrait class for the semester. Those updates and another weekly digest are up on the blog, if anyone is interested. I also sold my first piece over the weekend, a small wolverine copy someone asked for.

Initial construction for the portrait:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/2017/IntroOilPortraiture_1.jpg)

WHEEE!  Congrats on the sale!  It feels good to know someone likes your work like that. 

Nice start on the portrait, too.  I should really see about taking some classes to freshen up my skills, but the community college setup on my county is weird.  See, I'm in McHenry County and one would think that I'd go to ... dun dun DUN.. McHenry County College if I wanted to take any classes, right?

Wrong!  So sad!

I would go to Elgin Community College, despite that fact that is actually located in Kane County, because of how the district lines are drawn.   :uhrr:  So very annoying.

I would go to whichever one had the better program. I'm lucky to have Munson as a local option, since quality art education is rare. Even though they're a modernist school and loosey-goosey with realism, I got exceedingly lucky with the portrait instructor who is atelier-trained. And the plans for her atelier this year are still moving forward, she meets with the Academy founder next week and then the founder of the Boston campus to get down the numbers (and learn how many years she'll be broke). I offered my services as a volunteer teacher (or trade for classes) if I become skilled enough to teach a class, until the school is in the black. I've got more of a vested interest in the school surviving the first five years than in making a couple bucks.

Going to be an interesting year, that's for sure!

Last week's sketch digest is up. Only one comic book copy, and a few pages of gesture study to augment the figure drawing class. https://cashwiley.com/2017/01/23/sketchbook-digest-9/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2017/Sketchbook42.jpg)

With the exception of a small break I took before classes, pretty much drawing (or painting) every day for two months now. It really proves that studied effort gets results!

Second stage of the drawing for this semester’s portrait class. Fixing proportions, adding some detail, blocking in the shadow shapes. Ready for transfer to canvas before next week’s class. Graphite on paper, 14×17.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/2017/IntroOilPortraiture_2.jpg)

Nice detail on the sketch, Sky.  I don't remember you showing those before the portrait classes though.  It's possible you did, but I forget, lol.

The watercolor mosaic piece continues on.  I've finished the water and have moved on to the sky area.  Need to finish the rays, finish the sky, then I plan to add some embellishments with iridescent paint before calling it done.  I don't particularly like how jagged the edges of the piece look, but it's canvas; I don't have a sharp edge to work with.

(http://i.imgur.com/eLnscLF.jpg)

My first portrait drawing I had no clue what I was doing. It turned out great for that, but was primitive and looked more like a comic book generic dude than the actual model: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/IntroOilPortriture_4.jpg

Second one I was rusty from not drawing all summer, and I rushed it to try and get the geometry and details done in one class. I did, but it's super primitive and not a very good drawing. And again, doesn't look much like the model (though this time I fixed a /lot/ in paint): https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/IntroOilPortraiture_2.jpg

The third and current one really shows the importance of daily sketching. It's still brutally difficult, but at least I'm more comfortable with the tools and confident enough to just adjust the entire left side of the drawing over 3/4", wiping out the entirely rendered ear, etc. Because it only took me a couple minutes, just ghosting over what I did already.

Another week, another digest! https://cashwiley.com/2017/01/30/sketchbook-digest-10/

"Not a day without a line" Adolph Menzel

Really struggling with figure drawing. The downside to things coming easily to me (and by easily I mean a lot of study and practice), when something doesn't come easily, I'm less equipped to deal with it. Continuing to search for keys to unlock it for me, resigned to just brute force improvement by repetition....

Holy shit, I had a breakthrough with figure drawing yesterday! Spent some time with Prokopenko's videos (Proko on the youtube), practicing and taking notes. Then I applied that in class, along with having a better model this week, had some pretty good success! Still years of practice to get it good, but at least I was able to navigate the initial roadblock.

https://cashwiley.com/2017/02/01/figure-drawing-2/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Figure%20Drawing/Eleni_2.jpg)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Figure%20Drawing/Eleni_3.jpg)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Figure%20Drawing/Eleni_4.jpg)

I'll have to check the videos out sometime.  I know I need to improve my figure drawing but getting back into the habit is tough when I feel like I have no time.  Something's got to change though or I'll keep being stuck where I am.

So what do you feel changed for you?  Just the way of thinking about shapes or something else?

I was drawn to his vibrant capture of motion compared to a lot of gesture I see. I'm also not the most linear artist, so the way he abstracts and then cuts away unnecessary lines is good for me. I can fairly quickly capture a dynamic gesture and then build on it however I want to. Unfortunately, both my instructors use methods counter to his for gesture, so I felt like I was 'wrong', because I kept getting bad critiques to my gestures. So buckling down and really putting effort into the videos was a gamble I took. His motto for gesture is 'motion not contour', letting go of the shapes other than a generalization based on the understanding of structure (ie: you want to almost shorthand the anatomy, not just draw stick figures).

More directly, the basic steps to construct a gesture that helped me break my paralysis when I'm at the easel without a clue where to start or how to construct the drawing. Getting into a rhythm by drawing along with the videos got me into the habit of 'ok, first the head....now the gesture of the sternomastoid...ok now the shoulders...ok now the torso' Kind of a mental punchlist to keep me moving quickly. Of course, adapted to the pose so it makes sense.

Also watching his abstraction methods to keep things stylized. When I was in high school I was in a pilot class for fashion design and I always loved the exaggerated style, so I think that's where my inner vision for gesture comes from (that and Marvel comics!).

I really wanted to nail the gesture part of things, because everything builds on that. Another thing I learned from Stan Lee's edicts is that things should be dynamic. I'd rather have a drawing be cool than a photograph of the model's pose (and that's kind of a sticking point with the teachers, understandably). As a drawing gets built upon, it rarely gets more dynamic. The structure stiffens things up, so if you push the gesture, it ends up looking much cooler.

Like I said, I've got a looong way to go...but I feel good about it now. Taking this roadblock head-on and trying to really find what my own aesthetic is has made things much more enjoyable and is already paying off big dividends (in my opinion), because even though I'm still really crude with the longer drawings, I'm on a path to build better foundations for them.

Here's the main video that inspired me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j39NqwL7s4&t=705s

And the Q&As were also helpful for thinking about it further:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ktfwayByRU (one of my instructors is a scribbly line person)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_YSxO5ojls

Also, making time is my #1 challenge. That's why I'm cultivating the habit of drawing during my breaks at work. School helps a ton with that, but I still need to find more time in the evenings to draw, and I've never painted at home other than just basic block-ins for class. It's a definite challenge for working folks to carve out time when you have chores, a spouse, tired from work, etc.

On the other hand, it's also rewarding as heck when I do make the time and have some new art to show for it. One of my favorite things about art is that unlike music (unless I'm recording) or games, books, tv, etc: I have a tangible thing to mark how my evening was spent. I feel like I did something worth doing.

Even the retirees in class complain about not having enough time. Nobody does!

Thanks for the link!  I started watching a bit of the first video, but work isn't too conducive to that sort of thing, lol!  I understand the principle and actually, already do something kind of similar.  I start with more of a stick figure when drawing from my head and then build up the shapes from there.  I do like what I did see of his process though.  I agree, it's like how fashion drawings are done and those are cool.

I did manage to work a bit again on the watercolor mosaic and even though I was tired (yesterday was month end and we had to reconcile capital costs from last year into this month's recovery, blahblahblah) and go home late from work, it still was nice to get a tiny bit more accomplished on the piece.  Even if it wasn't much, it felt good, so I can totally understand that feeling.

Wednesday night oils! https://cashwiley.com/2017/02/01/wednesday-night-oils-11/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/2017/IntroOilPortraiture_3.jpg)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/2017/IntroOilPortraiture_4.jpg)

Third painting is a go! Onward!

Scotty or Stalin???

I immediately thought Scotty as well when I saw the second pic.

That was the running joke of the evening, yes.

He even said 'there be whales here' at one point.

When I took my live drawing class a few years ago, my frustration was that my work was best when I was closer to abstraction--I could see it, the teacher could see it, the other students could see it. But I don't want to do more abstract work--it's a curious mismatch of what my brain wants to do visually and what I admire in other artists. One of my basic problems is perspective--my mind just really does not want to visualize it in the usual way.

Yeah, I'm dreading/looking forward to tackling perspective at some point.

I'm working on another comic art copy, from Simone Bianchi who is fucking bananas. I knew a couple of the guys I'm copying from, but I've found a bunch of new (to me) names. A simple copy like a J Scott Campbell sketch takes about a half hour, my Planet Hulk Alex Ross copy was about an hour....I think I'll be around three hours before Ororo is finished. But it's going to be pretty cool and I've learned a lot about working detail in graphite. Biggest problem is rubbing off stuff!

The Simone Bianchi copy is more or less done.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2017/Sketchbook46.jpg)

Started a master copy! https://cashwiley.com/2017/02/11/judith-wip-1/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Studio/Painting/Copies/Caravaggio/Judith_1.jpg)

And here's the start of first painting on the class portrait:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/2017/IntroOilPortraiture_5.jpg)

The red shirt has got to be on purpose.  Tell me he's wearing that color on purpose.

Looking good.

My arting these days is mostly digital - in this case, the cover for my upcoming Cthulhu novella. I'm proud of this one.

So after checking, I now know I've missed books 2 and 3 in this series. Glad I have a book buy coming up. Like it!

Cthulhu or hentai?  :pedobear:

Why not a little of both. :drill:

Values underpainting for Judith.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Studio/Painting/Copies/Caravaggio/Judith_2.jpg)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Studio/Painting/Copies/Caravaggio/Judith_3.jpg)

The latest on the watercolor mosaic piece.  

(http://i.imgur.com/U6VkjO2.jpg)

I've run out of the scraps I was using for the sky, so now I get to improvise somehow.  Yay!

Sky - I find it fascinating to see how you work up the paintings with the underpainting to the final layers.  It's been so long since I've done actual representational painting but I really don't remember learning any of that.

It's the old way that isn't taught in modern schools. My instructor was atelier-trained.

About half of the students in portrait class drop out by the halfway point because it's not direct painting that they're used to doing and they think it's a waste of time. Not only does it construct a nice painting, but it develops layers you can't get with alla prima, the kind of physical and optical depth that can't be photographed (because the light from above reflects against each layer differently to the eye of the viewer).

It's definitely not for everyone!

Yeah, it's just a more "thorough" way of teaching, one that probably focuses on the basics rather than jump right into putting down color.  I should look around to see if there are any portrait classes around here.

Stayed up a bit late last night and finished the watercolor mosaic.  Added some iridescent paint on a few pieces here and there to add some interest and because I felt like it.  I love how it looks so I had to restrain myself and not put too much on.  Now to decide how I'm going to seal it  and then move on to the next canvas.  I need to have both done by the end of this month, which won't be a problem.

(http://i.imgur.com/nW9ebgO.jpg)

In the atelier method, you don't paint for a year or two (hard to say, since you also don't get graded, you show mastery of each phase to move on to the next, it's possible to never advance if you suck bad enough). And then it's painting in pure values black/grey/white, of subjects you learned to draw in carbon/charcoal previously.

Like the mosaic, good improv to finish the sky. Only criticism is something you already pointed out, would be nice if the edges were cleaner.

That looks amazing Rhyssa!

Yes Rhyssa, amazing.

And why I will never be able to do any kind of art...

Really, the only people I've seen fail hard are those who are convinced they can't be good and those who don't put in the time and effort into study and practice.

I'm still plugging away at the figure drawing class. Decided to sign up for the next 6-week run. Linking to the blog because boobies: https://cashwiley.com/2017/02/15/tuesday-night-figure-drawing-2/

Had a good night, lots of painting done. https://cashwiley.com/2017/02/16/wednesday-night-oils-13/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/2017/IntroOilPortraiture_6.jpg)

I like, I like.

Sky - do you feel you're getting quicker as you get better in the sessions?  I'd have to look back, but this portrait seems much farther along at this stage of the process (or class sessions) than you're previous ones.  Or maybe I just haven't been keeping a mental count of how many sessions you've had to work on this one yet.  You seem to have a far better range in the shadows, for example, than you did in the previous portrait.  Before it felt like everything was very, very flat for the longest time and with this one, I can see more mid-tones in the shadows.

I'm definitely able to use stuff I learn at different phases of the painting and control each phase better, as I learn the function each phase performs. And looking back over the last two projects, having that perspective is probably the single biggest impact because I can focus better on what I should be doing and execute it at a more competent level. Still super primitive work, but there is definite improvement at each stage. This semester she got a bit more into the theory of first painting and breaking down the variations in plane using tone and hue. I had also been watching some master copies of Singer Sargent on the same theory, since that's a big influence on my instructor, it helps to understand it.

Here's about where I was last year in the same class, same session:


Harder to tell with the last class, since it didn't run the same schedule and I started a week late but did work at home on it.


I'm two full sessions ahead of where I was last year, since I was done with the local color layin 2 weeks ago. About the same ahead of last semester, because the model missed the first class.

My phone was really not playing along with getting the colors or values right this time. There are some nice subtleties (and not so subtleties, I'm still learning!) in the shadows. I was using a mix of browns, greys, reds, blues and greens in the shadows. His ear was noticeably hotter than everything over there, so I mirrored that (and it's also how Caravaggio painted the ear on Judith that I'm copying). And I spent more time structuring around the eye, rather than trying to get the nice eyeball detail I was always putting in too early.

Like I said, I'm still really a newb, but already I'm enjoying the amount of control I'm gaining over what I'm doing. It's really hard and frustrating but also one of the most amazing things I've ever tried. I'm hooked on oils.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/2017/palette021517.jpg)

 :Love_Letters:

Watching the instructor use her palette is at least as instructive as watching her paint. I think I'm the only student in three classes who observes her palette (last semester I parked right next to her so I could watch all class). It's unlocked a lot of control for me, because with miniatures I used to make full gradient chains for each color. She was complimenting me on my palette last night, actually. I told her I learned it from watching her, and about the palette I used for minis and she said that was much closer to the old style where apprentices would lay out full gradient chains for the master to paint from.

This way is so much more organic and lets you just focus on painting on the fly, not worrying too much about everything being exact. Love it.

Finished pieces.  I still need to mount the second piece to the canvas but it's done and that part is easy to do. 

Watercolor mosaic
(http://i.imgur.com/GFkrCWo.jpg)

Footprints
(http://i.imgur.com/dIWnmPf.jpg)

I'm thinking that doing commissions with the footprints piece might work out.  Like, could do a pet's name and one kind of pawprint (blue are dog, black art cat) and personalize it that way.

Hoping both of these get some nice bids during the fundraiser auction that starts at the end of March.

Had time for a 15 minute pose at the end of class tonight. I wasn't real happy with my drawing, but I think this one turned out pretty cool. https://cashwiley.com/2017/02/21/tuesday-night-figure-drawing-3/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Figure%20Drawing/Modelname_1.jpg)

More first painting this week. Got pretty bogged down, starting with a clean palette (mix mix mix) and complex forms. Focus was mostly on the nose and getting some more proper contrast in that area. Also fixed the eyebrow and sketched in the forehead.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/2017/IntroOilPortraiture_7.jpg)

Haven't done a sketchbook digest in a while. https://cashwiley.com/2017/02/27/sketchbook-digest-11/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2017/Sketchbook47.jpg)(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2017/Sketchbook48.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2017/Sketchbook49.jpg)(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2017/Sketchbook50.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2017/Sketchbook51.jpg)(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2017/Sketchbook52.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Sketchbook/2017/Sketchbook53.jpg)

Man, Sky's got such a nice sketchbook with actual studies and practice and here's lazy me, just doing sketches in front of the TV.  Because I'm lazy.

Anyways, if you look at the full size version on FB here (https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16939298_1841110099508350_277522042315265767_n.jpg?oh=e890f5b7fe13b26ceba9f18bcb35715b&oe=593FF888), you can see the blocking method I use for getting the figure down.  I didn't do as many changes as usual for this one, it came together pretty easily for once.

(http://i.imgur.com/MA36Gtb.jpg)

I like it, looks like a miniature I think I have (who even knows anymore, time to start selling some off!).

Lazy is a sliding scale  :grin: I'm actually super lazy and have to force myself out of it. I've been putting in a LOT of effort into making my working environment more conducive to arting and not just sitting and playing GTA or whatever :) Like I'll get up and make a nice breakfast, put on a pot of coffee, get the classical focus station on Prime Music, etc. It's sloooowly getting better, but I still just want to be a lump and play games.

And I've only gotten my shit together with studying in the last couple months. My figure drawing instructor is not good at instruction, indeed her instruction is diametrically opposed to the neoclassical instructors I'm following. So I've had to seek independent study, and it's a pain in the butt. If it weren't for utilizing my breaks at work.... My fiancee still gets a little miffed if I want to study while she's at my house, it's something I'm trying to figure out. She's extremely supportive, but whenever I start to study she'll half-jokingly say 'Oh, it's time for the old lady to leave, huh?' Kinda sucks, but she'll just have to get over it. I can't wait until 11 at night to draw, I'm too tired by then.

The biggest help was getting in the habit of daily sketching in December. Now I try to stick to a game plan (currently figure drawing). It sometimes gets a little off track, like when I started doing head studies. But now I want to take on a second night of figure drawing, so I've got to double down on my groundwork for that. I really hate my figure drawing progress thus far! And the only way out is through, so through I go.

It also helps that I love learning stuff, always have. So art is a good fit in that regard. The downside is I've never been good with homework and it's almost all homework :) Also tough because my 'curriculum' is self-guided, so I have to avoid my natural tendency to get side-tracked. I really want to paint with oils, but outside of class it's mostly a waste of time until I master drawing a lot more.

Finally starting to get some traction with figure drawing. The gesture study in particular is starting to pay off. Still need to dial in my formulation and anatomy studies (and a TON more gesture), but it's a start. Finally. Don't attempt to be an artist if you can't handle long periods of terrible drawings until you're good enough to make mediocre drawings  :drill:

https://cashwiley.com/2017/03/01/tuesday-night-figure-drawing-4/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Figure%20Drawing/Lana_3.jpg)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Figure%20Drawing/Lana_4.jpg)

Just had a very positive meeting with the owner of a local gallery about hosting my figure drawing night. It's kinda nutty for me to be running one after only doing figure drawing for 7 weeks myself, but the level of instruction at school sucks and even if only one person a week shows up, it'll be cheaper for me to run my own! I already know the models and just needed the space and easels.

Just pinning down a night, but looks like it should happen in the next couple weeks. I'm psyched because this is the first step of a lot of the stuff I'm trying to line up for my 'master plan', and the gallery owner is 100% on board for the whole damned plan and we're both on roughly the same timeline. Shit just got real interesting around here for the realist movement.

Really like the second of those two. First is good, second has some real feeling to it.

I bought one of these to help me with the human form (especially scale and posing):
https://www.amazon.com/Figuarts-Man-Gray-Action-Figure/dp/B0177DRVT0

Sure as hell beats the classic wooden dummy.  Can basically pose the thing any way you'd like, even midair.  If you trace projection it has obvious advantages as well; but that feels like cheating...  though supposedly a lot of pro digital guys (comics mostly I assume) use these with a 3d scanner to make cheap, quick, and easy 3d frameworks to draw over.

Wow, that sounds damn exciting, Sky!  Good luck!

Tonight's model might be our second model for the new project! Pics here, more words at the blog: https://cashwiley.com/2017/03/08/tuesday-night-figure-drawing-5/

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Figure%20Drawing/Rebecca_2.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Drawing/Figure%20Drawing/Rebecca_3.jpg)

And last week's portrait work (forgot my camera, so I snapped a quick pic while I was there last night):

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3667682/Scribbles/Classwork/Painting/2017/IntroOilPortraiture_8.jpg)

You do so well everywhere else that it's odd seeing the foot look like someone else drew it.  Guess what your sketchbook assignment is now.  We practice our weaknesses, not our strengths. :grin:

While I do need foot practice, that one's not too far off what her foot looked like (in the confines of relatively fast sketching, since I spent maybe 30 seconds on it). The hand in the previous sketch, tho...on the other hand (ahahahaha) it was also about 30 seconds. Haven't done studies of either in any depth, so yeah. On the list. Not too important yet, my focus is mostly on getting accurate and dynamic gestures in proportion and I've got a loooong way to go.

But thanks for thinking I'm doing well in places!

No worries, thanks for not taking the criticism as an attack on ability. :) Critiques are how we get the best feedback. Judging our own work sucks.

You did, however, just underscore my point. You took the same time on two very difficult parts of anatomy and got a great gesture with one while the other shows your hesitancy. You're unfamiliar with feet in a way you aren't with hands, which shouldn't be a surprise. We rarely see or examine them the same way we do hands.

I'm fine with criticism, and there's plenty wrong with my drawings. I thought the foot was a pretty decent job, since it nailed what it looked like from my perspective. Her left foot, since I didn't draw in the right foot, really. In my opinion the hand is far worse.

Fucking Dropbox.  :mob:

Now I'm just pimping myself out - the links for the auction are up, although it doesn't go live until the 31st.

https://www.charityauctionstoday.com/auctions/art-for-the-paws-2017-1512/items/wavesmosaic-31338

https://www.charityauctionstoday.com/auctions/art-for-the-paws-2017-1512/items/footprints-31339

You can see the other canvases that have been donated as well.  There are some really beautiful pieces this year.

Nice, good luck! I agree, some good stuff lurking in those offerings.

Still haven't set up my stuff on my new host, been brutal at work. Not sure if this link to the FB image will work, but I was actually happy with a 10 minute pose last night.

(https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/17458033_1940484896179448_646925961624420116_n.jpg?oh=19ed6484ec81167b7fc99fa1208e2347&oe=59737AB2)

.

:pedobear:

I thought it was pretty. I've never had a problem with objet trouvé.

Guess I missed something  :grin:

I'm slacking on getting my pics migrated. Still slumming on FB for now.

(https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/17760196_1947991012095503_4540165194920055776_n.jpg?oh=4f88df97839984f7d60cf6f763e33e94&oe=59518800)

(https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/17522967_1947991015428836_847025681065494558_n.jpg?oh=8e02d4e9ce984d7ec13f8773bc3f3e2d&oe=594EC451)

(https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/17523723_1947991048762166_1761876001545736672_n.jpg?oh=fb81421547239dbf74a5af3f73818fe4&oe=59557233)

Also going to update the thread with NSFW because of the nekkid people these days.

I edited because I thought it  was too lame to count as art. Made desktop wallpaper out of parts of a satellite image. But here

So I decided on a whim to take part in the 100 day project.  It's where you pick a theme and do something for 100 days.  I felt like exploring something in my art that I've been doing lately (calling it "lacey vines") and making it easy on myself by doing it in pen or marker, not painting.  Feel like sharing a few that I've done so far.

(http://i.imgur.com/wSsa6IR.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/CAWFPxJ.jpg)

Detail of a larger piece
(http://i.imgur.com/KsewxlJ.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/RK9khiD.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/LLFJSCN.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/rpI9Dkv.jpg)

Nice! It works great with the watercolor, too.

I like those art challenges, they underscore the need to develop discipline.

At some point I'll update here, still need to migrate over the data from dropbox to my wp host. Site is up and functional, though (just lacking all the pictures that make it worth looking at, heh).

Still being lazy about it (I normally do tech chores at work when possible, and I'm swamped right now). Here's a piece from last week, since I'm using it as my avatard :) Copy of a Simone Bianchi because he's awesome.

(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/17990949_1957424934485444_1367669884715317809_n.jpg?oh=a55253d7bacc901daf2a257f88d39198&oe=5977C2B2)

Making progress on getting stuff set up behind the scenes, finally. Here's another random sketchbook page in the meanwhile.

(http://i.imgur.com/ai8OLVk.jpg)

Stephen King show at Gallery 1988. I figured out the show folder (which was stupid easy /king) and bought most of their framed Pennywise shit. But anyway:

https://nineteeneightyeight.com/collections/king

Some stuff here folks might want.

I've seen two of those paintings in progress because I follow the artists on FB (Ania Tomicka and Kelly McKernan).  Cool collection.

Ok, updating the blog again now. Still not perfect, but it works.

I added one more view to the previous study, I had forgotten the posterior view!

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Sketchbook72a.jpg)

And here's a drawing using the SWTOR promo statue of Darth Malgus for reference:

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Sketchbook73.jpg)

Both graphite 9x12. The Malgus is wicked primitive, but very educational in not being a copy of another artist's work. Struggled with the details at the small scale, it's super primitive. I'm trying to learn Photoshop since I broke down and subscribed to CC for Lightroom and it includes PS, so I'm playing with coloring Malgus. Need to find my crappy old tablet and hope it works with the macbook...mouse ain't cuttin' it.

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Sketchbook74.jpg)

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Sketchbook75.jpg)

Still plugging away at mannikins, great proportional tool but I struggle with repetition, though I know it's a key to success...

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Sketchbook76.jpg)

And a friend bought me a Da Vinci anatomy book, so I did a little copy that I'll put on a thank you card for her.,

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Sketchbook77.jpg)

That copy is damn fine looking, Sky.  Nice work there.

Thanks, I like parts of it. My line work is weak, so it was a challenge.

I can totally understanding needing to work on line work.  I have issues with control as well.  All my lines end up being the same weight and value and it's something I've struggled with for years.

Anyways, looked back and realized I haven't posted anything in a while, so here's a bit of an art dump based on my 100 day project stuff. 

(http://i.imgur.com/uPY486g.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/ai8gdYE.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/xwvWksq.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/VDwVIK5.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/PNL090q.jpg)

And then I took a short break for a few days and was trying to get caught up last night.  Everything was shit.  Just total, crappy looking shit.  Ugh.

Some cool variations on the theme!

I relish the few times I don't think my stuff looks like garbage. I'm struggling so much with the proportion stuff. I bought a mannikin to work on, em, mannikin posing. Hopefully that will get me through this phase.

Cut my first mat today!

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Sketchbook30_framed.jpg)

Even more branching into new stuff...tried my hand at making a thank you card. Mentioned this previously, finally got the cards in and formatted the image and whatnot.

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Sketchbook77_card.jpg)

Me likey!

Flexor group of the lower arm, graphite 9x12.

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Sketchbook78.jpg)

First ever Disney Fine Art show w/ Muppets. I spasmed and picked up 3 print proofs, each numbered 1 of 5.

(http://i.imgur.com/egXzgIH.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/nFyB1KD.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/n4dkRb3.jpg)

Would anybody be interested in seeing all the art I acquire for my dumb house?

That Kermit picture is amazing.

(not that the others are bad)

The Kermit is a big ol deal. I'm really happy to have gotten there early.

Those are some nice looking prints, Schild.  I'd be happy seeing what kinds of things you (and others) pick up, because that can always lead me to finding new artists to check out.

I need to get my latest pics online where I can share them.

Test test. I think my Dropbox public folder still works.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/JOEY_SPIOTTO_WE_ALL_FLOAT_DOWN_HERE.png)

Joey Spiotto
"We All Float Down Here"
giclee print
8 x 10 inches
signed and numbered, limited edition of 30
from "King, The Unending Fury" at Gallery 1988

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/JUSTIN_DEVINE_DOESNT_SHE_LOOK_ALMOST_EXACTLY_LIKE_LAURA_PALMER.png) (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/JUSTIN_DEVINE_LETS_ROCK.png) (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/JUSTIN_DEVINE_THE_OWLS_ARE_NOT_WHAT_THEY_SEEM.png)

Left to right.

Justin DeVine
"Doesn't She Look Almost Exactly Like Laura Palmer?"
"Let's Rock"
"The Owls Are Not What They Seem"
Format: Giclée Art Print
Dimensions: 11" x 17"
Paper Type: Ilfor Galerie Prestige Textured Cotton Rag; 310gsm
Markings: Signed

from Nothing New – Artwork Inspired by the 1990s at Guzu Gallery

Bought this one on a whim because well, why would anyone frame a patch? Got lucky and it came in a sick ass treated piping frame. Actually looks great. Deffo paid more for the frame than anything else.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/DALE_MALOTT_LOSERS_CLUB.png)

Dale Malott
"Losers Club"
embroidered iron on patch
9 x 11 inches (never forget)
from "King, The Unending Fury" at Gallery 1988

So, I've actually loved this artist for years, just never had walls big enough for his larger format stuff. Alex Cherry. Out of LA, I think. You can grab all of his shit on eyesonwalls.com.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/ALEX_CHERRY_WE_LIVE_NO_MORE.png)

"We Live No More"
nothing special about this one, just a massive framed art block.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/ALEX_CHERRY_THEY_CAME_BACK_HAUNTED.png)

"They Came Back Haunted"
#27/52
30x20 inches (36x26 inches framed).
100% cotton 275 gsm fine art paper.
Hand pulled screen print.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/KEVIN_CHIN_THE_TRUTH_IS_OUT_THERE.png)

Kevin T. Chin
"The Truth is Out There"
#1/40
Format: Screen Print
Dimensions: 18" x 24"
Markings: Signed & Numbered

from Nothing New – Artwork Inspired by the 1990s at Guzu Gallery

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/TENNESSEE_LOVELESS_BIRTHDAY_WISHES.png)

Tennessee Loveless
"Birthday Wishes"
Dimensions: 30 x 30
Giclee On Canvas
Limited Edition of 195. I think I have number 64. Certificate is in a folder nowhere near me.

Things that are currently being framed.

(http://i.imgur.com/xMTMnMU.png) (http://i.imgur.com/6flwFhn.png)

(http://i.imgur.com/LtQ40RA.jpg)

I guess I'll post those when they come in.

I'm picking up 6 pieces this coming monday including the Muppet stuff. The other 3 are Pinhead, Alex (Clockwork Orange) and a vaporwave Rocko's Modern Life thing.

OH, one other thing

(http://i.imgur.com/g2K68ef.jpg)

Ever seen the movie Oculus? The frame I got looks like the mirror in that. It's matted with I think 1.5inches of black with the inside being bright read. *yum*

I have... a lot of wallspace. And I just remembered 4 more things in the house.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/KATHERINE_KUEHNE_BETTER_THAN_A_FULL-ON_MONET.png)


Katherine Kuehne
"Better Than A Full-On Monet"
#1/10
Format: Giclée Art Print
Dimensions: 12" x 18"

from Nothing New – Artwork Inspired by the 1990s at Guzu Gallery

These were both picked up from Curioos.com

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/PAUL_FUENTES_POPTART_PANTONE.png)

Paul Fuentes
POPTART PANTONE
#3/50
Format: Giclée Art Print
Dimensions: 20" x 20"

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/TATAK_WASKITHO_SKITCHISM_DEATH_BY_PIZZA.png)

Tatak "skitchism" Waskitho
Death by Pizza
#1
Format: Giclée Art Print
Dimensions: 16" x 20"

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/ROSEMARY_VALERO-OCONNELL_TMNT_VARIANT.png)

Rosemary Valero-O'Connell
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"
#100/100
Format: Giclée Art Print
Dimensions: 24" x 18"

from A Nick-Nick-Nick-Nick-N-Nick-Nick-Nick... Nickelodeon Show! at Mondo Gallery

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39720/ART/DANNY_MOLL_LINK_TO_THE_PAST.png)

Danny Moll
"Link to the Past"
Format: Digital Art Print
Dimensions: 11" x 14"

from Nothing New – Artwork Inspired by the 1990s at Guzu Gallery

And this is the list of places I've signed up for or get newsletters from and check periodically for stuff. Mondo, 1988, and BNG (Bottleneck Gallery) are fucking f5-wars and it sucks ass. Also, Conde Nast is fucking amazing but expensive as hell (deservedly so), so I haven't picked up anything there... yet.

(http://i.imgur.com/RLmI1Ut.png)

Finally, there's a very strong chance I'm buying a few sculptures, starting with this once he finishes the column for it to rest on:
 
(http://i.imgur.com/GFFVOB1.jpg) (http://i.imgur.com/jBEZsTs.jpg)

Took the plunge and ordered a Klopfenstein PE101 easel. We use them at the Institute and they're fucking tanks. I've been hating my (relatively high end) wooden easel since I bought it, wobbly and too short for a jarl like me. And made in the US, unlike most of the wooden models. It was nice to actually talk to someone in the office where they're made.

Some artist is going to be really happy with my will, because this thing is definitely going to outlast me!

(http://klopfensteinart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/PE101-Web-2.jpg)

I have a Bottleneck Piece and agree. I missed out on the limited runs of both pieces I wanted and wound up with an inferior low-color version of the one I did buy, sadly. It was so different I decided to pass on the 'standard' version of the second piece I wanted rather than buy it.  It can't help them in the long run selling things this way.

Picked up my Muppets today. They're sick.

Also super double mega scored on fucking eBay of all places. Will post what it was when I receive it.

Okay, that's fucking *brilliant*.

Yeah, the artist is incredible, no one knows he exists. He's working on like 6 things for me right now.

Finally got something posted to share.  I still have a bunch more of my 100 day project stuff to get decent photos of.

Fanart piece I did as a gift for a friend.  It's heading out to her in the mail as of today.

(http://orig09.deviantart.net/6142/f/2017/180/4/8/20170627_op_yellow_submarine_by_rhyssafireheart-dbeiryx.jpg)

I like the colors and textures on that one!

That's lovely! Feels like it belongs in a beautifully illustrated children's book.

Copy of Kirby’s illustration of Iron Man for the cover of Tales of Suspense #39 (1963). Graphite on bristol sketch paper, 9×12.

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Sketchbook79.jpg)

Though I think art collection is a different thread than art creation...  :why_so_serious:

Might want to add another gallery to your list, IX Gallery from the folks who run IlluXCon. Mostly fantasy illustration ala Frazetta/Vallejo etc.

http://www.ixgallery.com/artbyexhibition.asp?eId=970

Thanks!  I tend to have far too much fun with salt in my pieces.


Thank you.  I'm not sure I could manage to illustrate an entire story, but it might be fun to try.  This was definitely fun to do, too.

Finally uploaded my latest pics to somewhere shareable.

(https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19146276_1897890577163635_7392963773483098205_n.jpg?oh=03bba0158881122b1fac27f6d07c4352&oe=5A0DE820)

(https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19247562_1897890620496964_4971911146959545711_n.jpg?oh=52bc968339e49a5e387ba2eedcaff60d&oe=59C539DC)

(https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19731934_1908053426147350_6960678397296914310_n.jpg?oh=59d1886074d403ecc439e1e1ac1cd204&oe=59C63CA0)

(https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19756363_1908053472814012_3070876261327191542_n.jpg?oh=fcdfba4412c98c388e71e54df0cf7672&oe=5A00AF82)

(https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19748363_1908053596147333_8108673210850707812_n.jpg?oh=220f27361db219c58266deeb758eb99f&oe=5A028B04)

(https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19665107_1908053769480649_4895551764421562854_n.jpg?oh=9e38b0a29306f0d4290b32e34504e527&oe=5A0E64E2)

(https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19702507_1908053816147311_1312858909793452423_n.jpg?oh=6d38fd937ca04334b339eacc9b481ecf&oe=5A085171)

(https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19732200_1908053942813965_3880697784136385695_n.jpg?oh=c8706652b62bfff683d82e976cccf493&oe=5A04CBDD)

(https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19657382_1908053992813960_1130030183363217612_n.jpg?oh=57afd8345b81a5aa9df2e361985bbdaa&oe=59D616C2)

One thing this 100 day project has done is really allowed me to take something (what I called lacy vines) and expand and twist them into what I've been doing lately.  It's been a fun exploration so far and something I'm going to keep pushing.  The last pic posted was finished last night, just lines on a watercolor background.

Oh, almost forgot - that easel is incredible looking, Sky!  I'd love to have room in my office for any easel, but that would involve some serious reconfiguring of the space and I'm really not up for that.  Plus, the husband won't let me pull the carpet up.

The 30-day challenge I ran on FB in December was a critical piece in my progression as an artist. Developing sketchbook discipline was so tough, but those challenges really kick things up a notch.

as someone with a BFA

nah

Well then

Had a plein air drawing lesson with my painting instructor today in Little Falls. Got a late start due to rain, had about an hour before the actors had to hit the stage for some Shakespeare. Love the scene they fell into.

Charcoal, 14x17

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Plein_air1.jpg)

Nice!

What kind of board is that you're using?  I need to look something like that up to do some plein air watercolors.  I've decided to want to get outside and sketch/paint a bit to stretch beyond just doing abstracts.

There's nothing wrong with doing abstracts, but I -personally- feel like I'm limiting myself, even though I love doing them.

Just an 18x18 drawing board. I bought it a while ago, I'd rather have straight masonite without the handle or integrated clip but I can't seem to find 1/4" masonite anymore. Not commonly used like it was before.

Masonite is a brand name and still pretty commonly used, they probably have it but stocked as something else.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hardboard-Tempered-Panel-Common-3-16-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Actual-0-155-in-x-47-7-in-x-95-7-in-832780/202404545

Masonite is GP's copyrighted name for hardboard. The dark brown stuff (which doesn't start to disintegrate the instant water hits it) is "tempered hardboard", as per Merusk's link :)

I'm aware it's tempered hardboard. I'm old and that's what we old timers call it. Only kids at shitty chain stores don't know what I mean. The stuff the chains stock is too thin and bendy for use as an art board, 1/4" or 5/8" is ideal.

I appreciate the attempt to help, though! It's been a pain in the ass because I want a couple dozen custom sized for my art class thing. I've got what passes for a larger board from the school, but it's boards glued up: fine for propping a sketchpad on, but no bueno for clipping a sheet to, as the seams show. I could sand and poly it, but I'd rather just have the stuff I know works!

If you are wanting something as thick as possibly 5/8" you could try 1/2" MDO, which is a sheet of 1/2 plywood covered by a very thin layer of MDF. There are places that will sell MDF as thin as 1/4" but it is extremely brittle.

You could also look at one of the variants of Gator Board which would be both more durable than MDF and about as light as you can get. Expensive though.

Meanwhile I'm going "3/16 is only 1/16" smaller than 1/4" it's fine.."

Trying to mix Carolina Blue is interesting, especially in watercolor.  Have a commission for one of my "splatter paintings" as my friend calls them, but it's for a friend of hers and she wants Carolina Blue.  I'm working with tube paints for the first time (I've had them for a long while, just prefer using my liquid ones more) so that will be a learning experience because they flow differently than liquid paints do.

The trick is black.

(I did a series of texture studies in my final year of school and one of them was mostly blue, and I came across carolina blue on accident with 2 shades of blue, black, and white).

Edit: The other option is to just use Cerulean Blue Chromium - it's a close enough approximation to the untrained eye and frankly, fuck the tarheels.

Ha!  I ended up going with Cerulean Blue and China White, so it was close enough.

Friend likes the resulting painting, so I think I got it in one, but The way the tube paints worked on the paper just made me somewhat dissatisfied.  It feels thick compared to my liquid paints that I'm not sure if it's just me not being familiar with using them or if it's just because there is more pigment floating in the water.  Still, I opened the Prussian Blue and fell in love with that shade, so I'm going to keep playing with it for a bit.

Bad photo of final result:

(http://i.imgur.com/90yGZ7v.jpg)

Informal copy of Bargue plate 9. Graphite on smooth bristol.

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Sketchbook83.jpg)

Nice range of values on that foot, Sky.  Do you use a blending stick for the shading or just straight linework?

Gel pens on a background I didn't like.

(http://i.imgur.com/60fzcdU.jpg)

The tools for that drawing were: HB and 4B graphite (I may have used a bit of 8B, I forget already!) and a kneaded and pen eraser (the little clicky erasers) for detailed cleanup. So yeah, it's all done with the pencils. I was using the HB somewhat like a stump, though, to smooth over transitions.

It was a learning project for my new paper, smooth bristol, recommended by the Draw Like A Boss author, Ash. So smooth and nice to work on. I'm working on plate 10 on newsprint, it's....less nice to work on. Worked great for ghosting in the envelope and basic construction of the drawing, really scratchy for putting in values with dark graphite. Good practice, though, trying to make them smooth despite the paper fighting me.

I might just bite the bullet and work on the smooth bristol board. Though I'll be pumping these Bargue drawings out, since I should be taking some private instruction with my painting instructor. Getting a head start on her atelier training until she can open the school.

You did a good job on smoothing everything out and not having the lines showing in the shading then.  HB is good for transitioning between values, I've done that in the past.  For general practice, why not try a generic sketchbook, or are you doing these at a larger size than normal?  The paper won't be a smooth as Bristol but also won't be as rough as newsprint.  I remember really only liking newsprint for charcoal or pastel stuff, since it can be such a rough surface.

Yeah, I'll use the regular sketchpad. I just got the newsprint pad for less arty stuff like my perspective lessons and warming up for stuff. So I figured I'd give it a whirl.

I'm not actually using many lines, I expose the pencil lead and sharpen it to a taper and use the side for broader, smoother strokes.

As mentioned, plate 10 on newsprint. Not a fan of smooth shading on that paper! Graphite on smooth newsprint, 9x12.

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Sketchbook84.jpg)

And some WIPs:

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Sketchbook84a.jpg)(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Sketchbook84b.jpg)(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Sketchbook84c.jpg)

I had a larger piece (11 x 15) that I was doing that just wasn't working for me.  So I took a knife to it and chopped it into 4 equal pieces (5.5 x 7.5).  Immediately, the smaller pieces looked much better compositionally, so I started in on finishing them.  Here's the first one done.

(http://i.imgur.com/OUovhl9.jpg)

I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out, although I did manage to fuck up my crow quill pen nib that I've had for over 25 years now.  I accidentally bent one side when cleaning it and even though it apparently went right back into place and it "looks" fine, it's just not quite right any more.   :heartbreak:  Going to have to get myself a new one.

Mostly doing review studies in the sketchbook right now, getting ready for fall classes. Also doing a proper Bargue plate, now that I've warmed up on them with informal copies. I did a writeup on the blog, but here's the progress pics (currently 20+ hours in):

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Plate_49_Construct.jpg)

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Plate_49_articulation.jpg)

More words here: http://cashwiley.com/2017/09/bargue-plate-49-wip/

Been digging on a youtube channel called Croquis Cafe for figure drawing practice lately. Both 20 minutes, 18x24, charcoal on newsprint.

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CC1.jpg)

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CC2.jpg)

Very nice!

All I've really managed late is doing some daily doodles in front of the TV, like this one from last night :

(https://i.imgur.com/iQwr7QE.jpg)

In other news, I figure I'll post here, just in case someone's interested - September is a milestone birthday month for me, so to celebrate, I'm giving away gifts to folks.  If there is any piece of my art that you like and want (and it's available - first come, first served) then let me know and I'll send it to you.  Partly to see if I can clear out some pieces and partly because I kind of feel like giving away art to people if they want it.

https://www.facebook.com/lahuttonartworks <- link to my FB page that has a pretty comprehensive showing of my work.

Nice, I like the line work on that one.

First session of figure drawing for the semester. 20 minute pose, 18x24 charcoal on drawing paper.

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/09192017.jpg)

Some things I produced at hospital (art therapy)

My first try at painting since school, and not really supposed to be art, it's most about the process and how you feel. But still feedback very welcome.

(https://i.imgur.com/k2qAnN2.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/CB6MExL.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/diJFGA7.jpg)

Interestingly I identify most with the 2nd, which probably doesn't do much for outside observers. I started it right after giving up on the 3rd (which looked very different in my head). The idea behind it was sort of Japanese calligraphy. Sort of peacefull.

The third piece has a very feathery feel to the two main color blocks, and a rougher blending on the edges.  I like it.

The first painting is very segregated and joined together only by the pattern of lines drizzled across the space.  All the color areas are very separated from each other and feel isolated a bit.

Definitely get the calligraphy vibe from the second one, I like it! It's almost a reversed mirror image but not quite, and looking for the differences is cool.

 :thumbs_up:

This week's figure drawing. 20 minute pose, 18x24.

 (https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Eleni_092617.jpg)

Had to rush the legs, and it shows.

Your wife?

I wish she had that girl's figure :D No, I draw random naked strangers (though I've drawn this particular girl a few times now).

Started a new thing today, something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time. My inspiration is the legendary James Gurney. I spent my break period in the library cafe sketching a patron on her phone. About 10-15 minutes, graphite on sketch paper 5.5×8.5.

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Wilderness_sketching_1.jpg)

Very nice for a quick sketch.  It's really showing how all that practice you do has paid off, IMO.

Time for another portrait. Schematic about ready for transfer to canvas.

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Lyf_WIP_2.jpg)

Figure drawing, had the model from portrait class sitting last night.

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Lyf_2.jpg)

20 minute pose. Vine charcoal on drawing paper, 18×24

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Lyf_3.jpg)

30 minute pose. Vine and compressed charcoal on newsprint, 18×24.

This semester, rather than block in values in harsh extremes, we developed a grisaille. For this we used titanium white and raw umber, thinned with oil and gamsol. About two hours, goes much faster when I don't have to consider hue or chroma.

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Lyf_WIP_3.jpg)

Continuing with the variation on the theme for doing more refined work at the early stages, the local color lay-in this time is much more vibrant than the usual dead color we use. Part of this is the desire to get to later painting stage instruction, despite the time limitations of the class.

Model was running late, so only had around an hour and a half of sitting time, at least a half hour of which was mixing paint. So lots left unfinished, because of both less brush time and less mixing time (didn’t have time to whip up mixes for the hair or lips).

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Lyf_WIP_4.jpg)

As always, we lose a bit of the drawing at this phase. Getting a little better at not completely wrecking it, though!

I'm dropping figure drawing for the second half-semester. The weak instruction in still life wasn't too bad, but it's really apparent in figure drawing. And by weak I mean approaching non-existent. I'm going to try setting aside the three hours to work on figure drawing at home using online resources like Croquis Cafe. Doesn't help that the school is short on models, so they're either tired or completely unskilled and terrible.

fair warning, I had a felipe pantone sculpture come in and have fridriks and kalab stuff coming

so i'm definitely posting more art i didn't make this week

Continuing the local color stage, adding hair, neck and lips. Then I put in the background and clothing to better gauge relative values. I’m going to rush the early and middle stages this semester because I want to spend some time learning glazing, which is a later step.

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Lyf_WIP_5.jpg)

Your progress on this portrait, as compared to the previous two, is so much better and your growth is really showing.  I really like how this is turning out already.

I'm currently working on a postcard to be donated for the Twitter Art Exhibit.  It's something I ran across a while back on FB and I've decided to join this year because I really does sound like a cool idea.  Art for Charity!

Right now this is the first phase with all the layers done; I just want to make sure it's really dry before I move to phase two, which involves gold watercolor paint and a dip pen. :D

(https://i.imgur.com/AhGJC7N.jpg)

Here I’ve begun to refine the highlights, using the additional elements of local color I finished up last week. The local color of the background showed how relatively dull the highlights on the face were, though the shadows aren’t too bad relative to the black shirt.

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Lyf_WIP_6.jpg)

Went to see the Andrew Wyeth exhibit at SAM today - if you're in the area, please go see it. It was amazing to see the work in person.

He was a family friend, I wish they had kept some of the paintings. This is a relative of mine:

(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/e2/9b/92/e29b9214c3a6f905ed54f05aad4fb18e--andrew-wyeth-paintings-jamie-wyeth.jpg)

Oh wow, that's an awesome painting and link to Wyeth, Sky.

Haven't been doing much myself.  Doodling, but that's about it.  I have managed to complete this piece, which needs to get sent off for Twitter Art Exhibit 2018 (supports charity work), so there's that.  The designs in gold paint are kind of hard to see when viewing straight on.

(https://i.imgur.com/ZhK8XQI.jpg)

I started painting again at the prodding of my wife. :|

Nice! Pooooost it

Eh tomorrow maybe.

Reminded me I forgot my update from two weeks ago...

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Lyf_WIP_7.jpg)

Trying to improve my brushwork and loosen up a lot more.

Wow!  That is looking excellent, Sky! 

(https://i.imgur.com/a8EuAV3.jpg)

Zebes, 91cm x 91cm, acrylic on canvas.

edit to the edit: ok replaced with sunlit picture

Just got this in the mail from Canada:

(https://i.imgur.com/3QzewYb.png)

I like the painting, Schild.  Is the second one actually 3D or does it just look that way?  It's hard to tell from the angle.  Either way, I like it.

Finished this today.  Watercolor and ink on paper, 9" x 12"

(https://i.imgur.com/AJvfmN7.jpg)

Painted.

From this dude: http://www.danieltoumine.com/

That's lovely Rhyssa.

Last oils class of the semester. Since it's likely we'll have him sit for the next semester (to work advanced painting phases), and we had a bit of a holiday party, this is mostly just tweaking things here and there.

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Lyf_WIP_8.jpg)

 :Love_Letters:

Thanks! Officially, he's halfway completed...

I've been doing a lot of daily anatomy studies, nothing too exciting. Working from Hampton's figure drawing book, which is excellent. I'm trying to carve out Tuesday nights for studio lessons. Tonight was skull studies with Chris Legaspi of New Masters Academy. About 20 minutes each.

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Sketchbook102d.jpg)

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Sketchbook102e.jpg)

Really interesting to watch the struggle between a looser style and a more formally representational one in the development of that portrait.

Thanks! It's been interesting for me, too, as I try to find my own style. On the one hand, I still have by love of Caravaggio (and even in strict representational work, there is a looseness in some application like clothes and hair that I'm trying to learn). On the other hand are guys like Jeremy Mann and Vladimir Volegov, who marry figurative realism with impressionism.

Had a random background sitting around that I wasn't sure what to do with.  Figured it out after my last piece "Jellyfish Daydreams" and finished it the other night.  I'm kind of enjoying this method.

"Under the Sea", watercolor and ink on paper. 6" x 9"

(https://i.imgur.com/mNQCbUo.jpg)

So apparently annual summary pics are a thing.

(https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017Summary.jpg) (https://i2.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017Summary.jpg)

(click for bigger version)

New semester, more work on the painting. Getting somewhat into second painting stage, finally...

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Lyf_WIP_10.jpg)

That is really developing quite nicely, Sky.  The right side of his face is lacking something for me as compared to the left side, but I'm having trouble articulating just what it is.  And since this isn't finished, I'm not sure it won't be addressed down the line.  I think it's a certain vibrancy or richness for me.  The left side has more of a contrast/tonal range than the right does currently, and I have a feeling (could be wrong) that you're still adding depth to the shadows on that side.

And some new things from me, even though none are as interesting as what Sky does.

(https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/26993373_1998596367093055_2566434591168621011_n.jpg?oh=8413fe6285cd631d71393e249d449907&oe=5AE379B4)

(https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/27067885_1998596223759736_1576961135307009529_n.jpg?oh=67e2c38fbeb56e6f4b3dbbf827b67d02&oe=5B24170B)

(https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/26993668_1998596343759724_6852590704085201495_n.jpg?oh=46aed02f0c85293224100eb6a459da06&oe=5B25A0DE)

I like the fish & jellyfish  :heart:

Would fit in nicely down around the bar if you ever feel like selling...

It's small - about 5 x 7 and I'm always open to selling.  PM me an offer if you like, because I hate trying to price my work (I've sold very few pieces, not from lack of trying, and feel like I over-price things).  Plus, I kind of like seeing my work go away to others.  Gives a warm, fuzzy feeling.

Thanks, I'll PM ya.  Almost every artist has that feeling of overpricing things, and the internet is no help for trying to get a feel for something that subjective.

I intentionally "overprice" things, because fuck that  :why_so_serious: But seriously, a TON of local artist sell their stuff so close to cost of materials, it's stupids. Make your cash flow on prints and whatnot. I'm looking into making larger runs of my Bart card (this image (https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Sketchbook94.jpg) on a kraft card) due to numerous inquiries, for instance. (intentionally withholding my unsolicited opinion on pricing since there is a deal in progress  :grin:)

Also, bullshit on your stuff not being as interesting as what I'm doing.

I massacred the edge of the matte, I need to cut a new one or it's going to bug the hell out of me--but the pic's in its new home, Rhyssa :)

(http://i.imgur.com/yVHtCXR.jpg)

 :Love_Letters:

Oh that looks awesome matted and framed!  Glad it arrived okay, I was going to message you today if I hadn't heard anything from you.

The museum glass to keep out the UV won't arrive until next week, but I couldn't wait to put it up :) 

Wow that looks awesome folks. You teamed up well!

Fourth annual Art for the Paws charity auction is coming up at the end of March and I have my donated pieces turned in.  This supports the local shelter where we got our current dog, Jasper. Canvases are 6x6.

(https://i.imgur.com/WPNeFWc.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/HCM5TOL.jpg)

Nice stuff! I've been lax in updating anything, but I've had my nose down in the studio doing features studies.

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sketchbook111.jpg)
(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sketchbook112.jpg)
(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sketchbook114.jpg)
(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Lyf_WIP_12.jpg)

Thanks, Sky!

I like the anatomy studies.  Are those notes you've made for yourself, or are they part of the study you're doing?

Portrait work - something is off with his right eye.  Maybe it's the image size, but it looks like it's squinty all of a sudden.  Overall the lighting and mood of that piece are excellent though.

Nah, his eye has been off...he told us (after 6 months of struggling with it) that it was damaged in a fight when he was a kid. Lid is kind of flatter and lower. Always measures out, I've measured it hundreds of times.

Those are notes taken from the voice-over of the video lesson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6-bCgRmcko&t=3s

Getting toward the end of Stan's portrait course. Last two drawings are, welp, portraits. Charcoal on newsprint, about 11x14.

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Nicolai.jpg)

Wow.  That is fantastic looking!  :heart:

Thanks! Seems like it's taking forever to get my chops up, but it's nice to see a bit of tangible progress now and again.

That's a great pic Sky.  Keep at it.

Thanks, Nebs! I'm a full-blown addict. Yulia loves it, because it's so rare to find people who love the slower, more technically demanding classical style. It does suck that it takes so long (that's a 12 hours charcoal portrait that needs another half hour or so of touch ups), but it's incredibly effective training. If only I had access to a real atelier!

And another session on the oil portrait...

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Lyf_WIP_14.jpg)

Our model didn't show up last night, so I did an hour and a half self portrait study in oil, 8x10.

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Self_Portrait_1.jpg)

That's only 1.5 hours?   :rock:

You're not what my inner eye has supplied though.  I knew about the beard, but somehow didn't expect short hair.

That's a really evocative working--definitely something to keep messing with (but don't overwork it--the soft,  underdone character is really good).

Thanks! It's already been overworked a bit. I don't do alla prima, and I had to rework the right eye when I realized I wasn't going to have time to put in my glasses.

Rhyssa, hair has been crew cut for a few years now, but I've switched to taking the sides and back completely off with no fade, long top (it's about 8" now!) last year. Needs a trim, but I'm pretty happy with the treatment I was able to give it in paint. Even the facial hair came out acceptably, and hair is one of my weak points in paint.

I've been focused only on heads and portraits, so when I was given this kinda pop quiz, it was nice to jump in and just give it my best shot. Only one other than the instructor who got a somewhat finished painting, thanks to all that study of things like head abstraction and proportion, big form modeling, and also having a pretty solid idea of how I like to light portraits (I had my head layin done before the other students put any paint down). Still, I surprised myself by getting most of the basics in and nailing the likeness in such a short time, and actually having a few fairly well-painted spots here and there. Definitely proves my autodidact curriculum is effective thus far!

Khaldun, I'm hoping this is the first in a series of these small studies. My goal for the second half of 2018 is to work my painting skills, the the overall 2018 focus is portraits. So this was so perfect, not even mad at the model for not showing up.

Portrait model couldn't make it again this week, so we had a sub. Really great model. I got kinda carried away with the layin, decided to just keep working it in monochrome. One brush for paint, one for turps. 2 hours.

Oil on canvas board, 8 x 10.

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Kevin.jpg)

You've got some really good expressive skills there when you have to work on the fly.  That's a good thing!

Thanks! Obviously I still have a ton to learn, but it's nice seeing some of the studies I've been doing come into play when there is a time limit ticking. And a lot of the faults with the painting are things that I either struggle to fix at my skill level or just didn't have time to work on.

The main problem with it is I rushed the lay-in, so to get a more perfect drawing, it would've cut off the top of his head. I should've just done that and not worried about keeping it entirely in frame.

Return of the regular model. Head is basically done, one more session (which is usually food and wine more than painting). Really happy with how the hair came out, since loose and gestural has been a struggle for me.

(https://i1.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Lyf_WIP_15.jpg)

Test for echo  :why_so_serious:

Final portrait from the Prokopenko course. It was a slog with the hair and costume! Charcoal on newsprint, 18x24.

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Morgan.jpg)

Seeing some really striking development of your work in the latest things you're posting.

Thanks! The focus on portraits and sticking with both online and studio classes has helped. I'll most likely be voted onto the board of the local art association in a couple weeks, if I can get a couple projects underway I should be able to add another night or two to the curriculum. I suspect that's the point at which I'll start getting pushback from the old lady...

Those portraits are excellent and I'm jealous you have a local art association around there.  I need to dig more deeply to see if there is anything active around here that doesn't involve a half-hour drive minimum.

This past Saturday was the reception for the Art for the Paws charity event and I made an appearance to look at the mosaic wall of art.  Every year there is some really fantastic art, some meh stuff, pieces done by kids, and then mine.   :grin:  On the upside, both my pieces sold for more than the minimum price and one was bought by a co-worker who I'd been talking with about my artwork (I've decided to put my whiteboard to good use and hung my various lunchtime doodles on it), so that was cool to hear.

Have some pics of the mosaic wall. You can see my pieces in pics 1, 2 and 4. 

Just got back from a 5 day workshop on head construction at the Academy of Realist Art in Toronto. Really brutal (I got eviscerated for my line quality), but so good. I got it toughest because the teacher and I got along great and the class content was pretty much exactly where I am in my autodidacting. But it pushed me hard and not only did I do some decent work in class, I have a roadmap for improvement across a few skills. Here's the piece from the last day. It's not finished, more of focusing on different components of producing a finished drawing. Charcoal on Arches 90lb cold press, 11x16.

(https://i0.wp.com/cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Day5.jpg)

Cheers, man. You have put out some great work - having a pro eviscerate you means you're doing something right. Having them say "oh you're doing great" would be a waste of your time and money. Keep at it.

I'm digging the pseudo-cubism style on this piece. I want to see him animated and talking in that style.

(https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/deusex/images/6/6b/JCDenton2.png/revision/latest?cb=20110907150643&path-prefix=en)

I only realized today how much harder he was pushing me than just about everyone (one student was his student from the school).

It's still geometric because I didn't have time to progress the rendering very much. But it does look cool! I decided to leave it as-is, as a learning piece. Back to the portrait I was working on the week before, feeling way more comfortable with it. Drew so many heads last week!

if i'm being honest i like it more than anything else you've done

it has a relatively unique style, whereas everything else slides nicely into a sub category of each given medium

go further

Thanks, man. I'll keep that in mind, because there is a pretty clear path to replicate the style again.

My first non-classwork portrait.

Prince Lyf
Charcoal
18x24

(http://cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Lyf_charcoal.jpg)

That is an excellent drawing, Sky.  I actually like the drawing a bit better than the painting, since it's obviously the same pose and model.  I feel the mood is much better conveyed here, or maybe it's just me.

--------------------------------

I've been in a not good place with art recently.  Like staring at the paper and not even wanting to try putting anything down or when I do, having it all seem to be total crap.  Finally did a few small pieces the other night that don't feel like complete garbage.

(https://i.imgur.com/D4UF7Sj.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/ctNZtlD.jpg)

I like both of those!

I hear you on motivation, that's why I don't believe in it. I almost ragequit that portrait, but I pushed through my jerk-of-a-brain's chemical dump of negativity (by drinking beer and killing zombies).

I agree the drawing is better, but that's because a) I've learned a lot since I began the painting in September and b) I'm a shitty painter  :drillf: I'm on a path to maybe be good in a few years, but I have no illusions about exactly where I am on that path.

 :cthulu:

(https://i.imgur.com/xVnK85B.jpg)

ayyy

Whooo!   :thumbs_up: :yahoo: :rock:

Nice! Congrats!

Good on ya!

Well done, sir.

Very nice.

Congrats Sky! 

Well done indeed!

Thanks, everyone! I framed it, too. Had to learn how so I could cut some costs without cutting quality.

It's beautiful.  Srsly. 

Fuggin A!

Very impressive. I'm always amazed by artistic people since I can't do it at all.

Love it!

Sure you can, it's just a learned skill.

Coming in late, but that's a ribbon well-deserved. I walked through a big regional art show in Southern California six months ago, and that would have smoked 95% of what was on display there.

Wow, thanks! I don't think my work is particularly good yet, but I know what I'm aiming for and where it falls short. In my area there's only one teacher doing a few night classes, everything else is shoddy modern instruction. I've been in two modern drawing classes and it's painful listening to a teacher explain something as fundamental as values, because they've only been taught part of the topic as each generation has forgotten more. So simply having a bit of training in proper technique can have that kind of impact, even without access to an atelier (if I had access to one, I'd actually be pretty good by now).

I just wrapped up a short portrait class, twice a week for 4 weeks. Rather than rush through a traditional painting and end up with yet another unfinished painting, I decided to do a series of studies. One 8 x 10 study per class. For the last class I just took a break and did a quick charcoal sketch.

(http://cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Meredith1.jpg)(http://cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Patrick1.jpg)(http://cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Meredith2.jpg)(http://cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Meredith3.jpg)(http://cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Meredith4.jpg)(http://cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Meredith5.jpg)(http://cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Meredith6drawing.jpg)(http://cashwiley.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Meredith7.jpg)

Meredith1 and Meredith5 are my personal favorites. With 5 the style reminds me of modern Latin American portrait style. For 1 you brought the eyes to life, combined with proper shadows on the face. Keep up the good work man.

I put a hard stop on mini painting and started slowly working myself into watercolor. This is far harder than I thought it would be and I'm currently looking for classes. Oddly, here in Seattle the cheapest option seems to be our community college. There's a handful of artists and programs that teach but I can't seem to find anything less than $400 per class block.

Watercolor is probably the only thing you can find approaching decent instruction. Instruction in general is horrible if you care about developing skills. Good luck!

I'd like to get back to painting minis at some point, but the drive is just too strong to work in charcoal and oils. I should probably sell off my minis, I've already sold a few of my mainstream collection (mostly Reaper stuff because I have a ton to offload).

I've heard there are some good YouTube videos out there for watercolor techniques.  I obviously haven't watched any of them since I do abstracts and don't give a fuck.  Or effort. Or something.

Anyways, hardest thing I struggle with when doing watercolor (when I try to paint like a normal person) is having to go light to dark.  It feels and seems so counter intuitive to me, but that's how it is.

Have some mixed media stuff.  Base is watercolor and lines are marker, 4.5" x 6"

(https://i.imgur.com/zWNUIUU.jpg)

That is really good

Quick update, things are blowing up here. I'm going to be the facilitator for a local figure drawing group we just formed (took a year and a half to find someone willing to actually host it). Our art association got kicked out of our home since 1972 (because they cray), but a new arts complex is developing a space just for us. Both venues are flush with some grant money right now and developing spaces, so it's likely I'll have to put together a couple workshops for next year...zany. I didn't expect to start teaching for at least another 8 years!

After the nutty July, I've just been doing a few small studies here and there but finally did get something on the easel (in charcoal). Should have it done before class starts up in September.

Oh, and my portrait instructor is doing urban plein air on Saturdays, so I'll probably take my sketchbook and start my initial foray into not-portrait stuff...

Wow!  That sounds exciting and not a bit scary, Sky.  Good luck on the move to the new space and starting teaching.

I was also on the radio this morning  :awesome_for_real:

It's amazing that people are listening to my nutty ideas and they're becoming reality.

Really great!

Concur, hope it keeps up and is great for you Sky.

Thanks, folks! I've been getting a bit more professional about stuff, since time constraints were already a thing. Still being primarily a student, I have to balance my training time against these new opportunities. One nice side benefit is it kicks my butt to start hitting the basics hard, since that's likely one of my first offerings. So I'm doing stuff like value strips and shadow comps, which will be both demonstration tools and lessons for my early classes (if you can shade a sphere, you can shade a head).

I'm also using the sphere example to practice rendering in charcoal, since I'm still working up that skill from the method Esteban taught me in Toronto. That might end up being part of an intro to classical methodology class. Sucks I kind of have to fumble my way up the skill tree because I don't have live instruction, just a few minutes from May...but it was enough to unlock the basic goals, so I can develop it from there.

It's pretty damned difficult at first, smoothing out all those little light and dark imperfections of charcoal on paper. But that becomes a cool zen thing, put on some good music and just get in the flow working across a piece. The challenge now (and we didn't cover this aspect live!) is that it skews the value lower. So if I start with a charcoal wash of value 5, after the first pass of smoothing it's value 6 and after the second pass it's value 7. So it's critically important to learn how to anticipate and control that!

Sorry to get a bit rambly, that's where my headspace is right now, just trying to keep my hands on a lot of levers without losing the primary focus. I don't have any show pieces ready to go, so I'll share my most recent sketchbook study for putting up with all the rambles...

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/eljmq2cralvz2d9/Sketchbook122.jpg)

Some nice head studies, Sky.  I've been thinking of taking a life drawing class if I can find one fairly close by that I can get to (long commute messes everything up).

I started something new last night.  No idea how it's going to turn out since I'm not used to working so large (paper is 11 x 15) but oh well, it'll be what it'll be.  This is the start.

(https://i.imgur.com/Hj5VLeM.jpg)

Finished the piece I was starting in the post above, got a good scan of it created (had to do it in sections) and submitted it to an art show yesterday.  I'm pretty leased with how it turned out.

(https://i.imgur.com/KAj7STK.jpg)

Latest.

(https://i.imgur.com/GsM63K3.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/wRLE414.jpg)

New model is awesome. The hair is already as much fun as I'd hoped. Oil on canvas, 16x20.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ispfwyffvm9ftms/Diane_WIP_4.jpg)

I missed your latest post above, Sky.  She looks like a fun model to draw, any updates?

I haven't been doing much seriously. Started working on my postcard for the 2019 Twitter Art Exhibit and it didn't get off to a good start.  I found out my "Waterproof India Ink" wasn't.  Started to bleed as soon as I began to apply watercolor over the lines (usually I go ink over watercolor).

(https://i.imgur.com/AnwO858.jpg)

And this was the other of my possible TAE2019 entries.  Since I couldn't paint over the lines, I painted around them instead.  I don't like it but it's gotten positive responses.  Go figure.

(https://i.imgur.com/CnEI3Te.jpg)

And some lunchtime fun with pens and highlighters.

(https://i.imgur.com/fkl5RHG.jpg)

Maybe a fixative followed by some clear gesso? Looks cool, though! Happy accidents!

I did one more session on the portrait, but haven't been since. Model was out two weeks and then the fatigue from work kicked in hard. I should be recovered by next week, but that only leaves two or three sessions after the holiday. My plan is to take some pics with the good camera and maybe play around with charcoals or something.

I may also take next semester off, I've been taking the class since January of 2016. I'm hoping to focus on color recognition and paint mixing, since those two things get more frustrating each semester, instead of easier.

All I've been doing lately is some unserious figure drawing, since we're running sessions here now and I'm a facilitator. Hard to get any serious drawing done when I'm facilitating, since I can't get into flow at all. On the nights the other kid facilitates (about every other), I can get into flow...but then my lack of skills rears its head. So I just keep it loose and informal and I'm not worrying about producing anything good, just playing around with ideas. That's been fun, so I'm sticking with that until I get in some more study on figure (my focus next year).

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/k6gtnqettoqr116/Meredith_2.jpg?dl=0)

That's her elbow in the first gesture (fiancee thought she had weird boobs, heh). These are 3, 5 and 10 minute. I like the 10 minute, actually (the one with values roughed in).

Something new and a bit of a new look.  I was originally planning to just do the two center lines and then add ink lines over that, but I liked how it looked and expanded on that idea somewhere.  Need to flatten it out once I take it off the board. The tape didn't hold as well as it should have this time around.

(https://i.imgur.com/edhwyOp.jpg)

Revisiting the non-waterproof waterproof ink issue - it does become waterproof.... if I let it dry for long enough.  Which means longer than a day at minimum.  I was using that ruined section of paper to do some testing and got water on the old lines and they were fine, so it just means if I want to do color over ink again, I just need to plan it out for longer thank usual.

That's a cool technique, I like it!

I've been slowly getting back into drawing, wish I could retire tomorrow. Seems like work gets needier every year.

On a whim, I decided to make little holiday cards for the co-workers and give these along with a small stocking and some chocolates.  Cards are only 3" x 4.5" so about index card size.

(https://i.imgur.com/l1k60Qn.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/BY2UvXS.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/cyo4iFI.jpg)

Anyways, just submitted this for an art show "Women's Work 2019" that's held in the town next door.  I submitted something last year, too, but didn't get accepted.  New entry for this year.

"The Red Ribbon of Fate"
8 x 10, watercolor and ink
(https://i.imgur.com/g9Rwz8x.jpg)

Good luck, RF!

I'm starting to hit figure drawing more regularly, though I'm mostly doing some gestures during short pose then I switch to portrait for longer poses. I just lack the training to do too much more, which I hope to remedy this year. The chick who is supposed to be running it has basically ditched for no reason. This session I ran across the street to grab a coffee for the model and the girl who is supposed to be running it was there with her friends....drawing. What the fuck. I told the gallery owner, so we'll be revamping the sessions the way I want them next season (we had set it up per her schedule). I really dislike irresponsible people!

Anyway, here's a 25 minuteish drawing from this past weekend, maybe 18x18 charcoal on newsprint. It's wonky, but less wonky than what I could do in a similar time a couple years ago.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/10smegczcvp3pwo/Brad_1.jpg)

Thanks for the good wishes, Sky.  They must have worked:

(https://i.imgur.com/z2B6kg2.jpg)

 :drillf: :heart: :drillf:

Anyways!  That's pretty dang good for a quick sketch.  You have plenty of detail but there's still some roughness to it.  There seems to be something out of balance between the two sides of the face, nothing major though.  Maybe the eyebrow is throwing me off.  Also, his adam's apple seems a bit high to me, I thought they were a bit lower to the middle of the neck more.

That's awesome news, congrats! Well deserved.

(https://i.imgur.com/R2XKQcU.jpg)

Thank you Rhyssa!  :heart: :heart:

Awesome, congrats!

Making some small progress with figure drawing, it's going to be a long road before I get good!

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/yk57ouqjnx1mumw/Beth_1.jpg)

You're welcome! That doesn't look too bad at all. :D

A random page from my small sketchbook I keep by my recliner.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/q4742pexpcto891/Sketchbook129.jpg)

Hands are from the pictured book, from the Repin Academy in St Petersburg. Arm abstraction and simplification from another book, the eye was from memory of a cool angle I saw on tv.

Crappy ballpoint, 5.5 x 8.5

The artwork I purchased in East Moline finally arrived.  We had to wait for the exhibition end date for it to be available for shipping, and then for my lazy ass to actually hang the paintings...

Quad City Arts in Rock Island has a small gallery in the Quad City Airport, and while passing through around 10pm on the way to my parent's house one of the vases on display caught my eye.  The first thing that popped into my head was "wow, they really nailed the look of wood with that ceramic."

Turned out it was wood  :oh_i_see:  But that didn't make me like it any less.  I don't have the equipment or raw wood stock to turn out something like this, and even if I did it's really easy to fuck up.

(https://i.imgur.com/MTOunVL.jpg)

That's turned out of a white oak burl by a guy named Steve Shippey through the Quad City Wood Turners (http://qcwoodturners.org)

While I was browsing the woodwork, my wife picked out a couple of acrylics by Iowa artist Sri Rao (http://sriwatercolors.com)

(https://i.imgur.com/i4Ld17Y.jpg)

I don't have closeup photos of either handy but they could be located on her website.

Landscapes of the Midswestern US may not be your thing, but we were visiting my parents at a bad time and for an unhappy reason, and they managed to cheer us up.  My parents are also both from the midwest (mom was born in Missouri, Dad in Kansas) and since Mom passed at the end of November it just feels right.

This year is going to have a lot of bewb and peen. First up is a 15 minute 12x16 charcoal on newsprint.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/0gp0idsjrl68d6k/Tom_2.jpg)

And then a loose portrait, 30 minute pose 18x24 charcoal on newsprint. I was trying a new loose charcoal method that was really enjoyable. After I blocked in tonal areas with the side of a charcoal stick, I should've taken a picture because it was abstract and really cool. I probably could've sold that 3 minute sketch through my associate's gallery (it's mostly abstract 20th century style stuff).

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/tpom3mh5t80brb8/Tom_3.jpg)

That vase is gorgeous, Polysorbate.  I'll definitely have to check out the website because I love looking at turned wood items like that.  I follow a wood turner artist on FB and some of the bowls he does are just gorgeous. He uses colored woods too and it's just cool. BwA Woodturning (https://www.facebook.com/BwaWoodturning/) - FB page.  I realy like the color pallette in those paintings, too.  It's realistic but nice and brightly non-real at the same time, if that makes sense.

Sky - I like how the details seem to emerge from the more vague blocks of black in the portrait.  Especially how the hand looks there.  If goes from a rough black to a smoother and refined hand.  It's good.

Thanks! I'm studying both the loose Chinese/SF style and the tighter academic style and trying to incorporate the best of both.

This is not an easy task.

Tonight I began my journey to learn color. Makin' strips and chips.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/q2s06e59zkfas5j/Munsell_valuestrip_bench.jpg)

45 minute pose, charcoal 18x24

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/0yfbxofg58d3yzk/Tom_4.jpg)

50 minute pose. Charcoal 18x24.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/fjg7c5zbpb7nusw/Robbie_2.jpg)

40 minute pose. Charcoal 12x18.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/q1glhdxsg0wn0mk/Robbie_1.jpg)

This is NSFW so I don't want to put it in the photography thread. I don't think it fits the T&A thread though.

I've been experimenting with cyanotype prints. You coat watercolour paper with potassium cyanide mixed with ferric ammonium citrate and let it dry. Then you place a negative on it, weigh it down with a sheet of glass and leave it in the sun for half an hour or so to develop. Wash the paper in boiling water and hydrogen peroxide, and that washes away the excess and fixes the image.

I make A4 sized negatives by inverting a monochrome photo in photoshop and then printing it onto transparent film.

This is my best one so far.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/7920/40462236133_9209e7d796_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/24Dvx7V)
Cyanotype001.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24Dvx7V) by Iain Compton (https://www.flickr.com/photos/requiel/), on Flickr

That's amazing! Straight into my Compton inspiration/reference folder  :grin:

That is really nice, Iain!  I haven't heard of the process before (and now I think I'd like to try it) but the image turned out very nice.  Great pose.

Sky - nice quick pose studies there in charcoal.  The second one looks a bit more liney without as much blending and smoothing, but that's likely a result of the amount of time you had to work with.

I've managed to put together a postcard for Twitter Art Exhibit 2019 and sent it off to Scotland.  Hoping it gets there by 12-April considering I sent it off on 16-March.  A month should be enough time, right?  I kind of understand but I don't why the bendability of my item determines if it goes as a letter or a package.  I mean, I don't want it to be bent (postcard art, after all) but it's a half-letter sized envelope with a piece of cardboard in it so you don't bend it.  How does that make it a package?  Also, trying to fill out a Scottish address using a form set up for US addresses was all kinds of mind-bending convoluted, lol.

Other than the art show opening, I've done fuck all related to art lately.  Oh, wait.  I put all my smaller loose pieces into a box so they weren't scattered around.  Does that count for anything?

Oh, link to the gallery post (https://www.facebook.com/www.oldcourthouseartscenter.org/posts/1050777688456307?) about the show, with some photos.  My painting is in the fifth image, lower right in a white frame.

Thanks, here are the two other successful attempts so far. I will be doing a few more at the weekend (it's dark when I get home from work, so I only get to make one a day in the morning before work during the week).

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7909/47375065882_38eaeac6da_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2fbnAyJ)
Cyanotype003.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2fbnAyJ) by Iain Compton (https://www.flickr.com/photos/requiel/), on Flickr

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7853/47375063052_bf59e9c745_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2fbnzHW)
Cyanotype002.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2fbnzHW) by Iain Compton (https://www.flickr.com/photos/requiel/), on Flickr

So this just took Outstanding Portrait in a larger regional exhibition. Pretty cool.

Though it's not exactly placing (=real money, 4-5 figures) or putting me into the Master category for next year or anything, I think there's some money attached and more importantly it's a nice introduction to a larger regional group of artists and collectors.

I should have this year's piece done by the end of next week...since it's going into our 60th anniversary show. Unless the local art center un-fucks itself and announces the regional show I won last year. They kicked our art association out after 50ish years and were surprised by the vacuum of artists and volunteers afterwards, heh. I prioritize shows that have a potential of giving me money  :why_so_serious:

Maybe sticking with portraits in a region with few portraitists (and no ateliers) is a good idea...

Woo!  That's excellent news, Sky.  Congrats on the win/recognition.

Show my painting was in closed last weekend, so tomorrow I'm going to drive over to pick it up.  I assume it's there waiting since I didn't get any sort of notice that it was sold.

I've been creatively empty for a while now.  Part of me wants to try acrylics and part of me wants to keep playing with watercolors and part of me (which is winning right now) doesn't really give a damn either way and therefore does nothing.  Maybe this weekend.

I'm just coming out of a really long stretch of non-creativity or really any desire to draw, started around September of last year. It was quite a bummer, like 25% or so of the time I've been doing art! But as I feel my motivation and excitement rising (then bolstered by the award at the View), it's affirmed that I'm going in the right direction by continuing to focus on portrait, rather than push myself into figure this year.

I also taught a little bit this week, when I dropped into my mentor's portrait class she had me take over with a new student. That was so brutal, but great to open the eyes as to what I know and can relate to others.

That’s so awesome Sky. Must be a great feeling.

Dry spells are common. I went 18 months unable to get any engines built and now I’m doing 2, so it’s definitely a common thing.

Nice work Sky!

Congrats dude! It really is a great piece of work.

Someone from out art assoc was at the gallery I mentioned and apparently the director and curator were both talking about me with her. My goal was to use this as an introduction to a wider regional set of artists, so, uh, mission accomplished.

Anyway, I'll have a new gallery charcoal portrait to share next week. In the meantime, here's my first homework assignment from yet another head drawing course I'm taking.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/8eftgqwfmrviqwb/Head_Lucas_1.jpg)

Here's my current gallery season piece. I won a small community award, the judge for the exhibit was a modernist and 2 of the 4 drawings that won were...bad. *shrug* part of the game, Not even mad because of what I was talking about previously, the mis-managed gallery did not unfuck itself.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/3wkp8wnfgjd04d3/2018_Selfie_sm.jpg)

Self Portrait
Charcoal on paper
18x24

Here's a cool little study I did with some alternate reference from my current head drawing course. Mostly trying to learn the capabilities of the Wolff 6B pencil (I only broke 2) and practice hair design. So it's a bit sloppy but I like it.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/rxkpec07owp7fax/ChristinaB_2.jpg)

Study of ChristinaB
Charcoal on newsprint
18x24

As an aside, using both my cell phone and camera to take pics of charcoal portraits has shown me a lot about how much cell phone cameras fuck with images. It's almost impossible to get a decent pic of this stuff with a cell phone. It's like a funhouse mirror with no nuance, all the subtle tones are lost, way more paper white reflected back than in person.

Another portrait study for class.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/oy76301ug89ceoq/Head_Lucas_2.jpg)

Charcoal on newsprint
18x24

They are all great, but your self-portrait is fantastic!

Agreed, that self portrait is marvelous, Sky!

I was expecting a much longer beard though. More Viking-like.  :awesome_for_real:

Thanks! I keep the beard more civil these days.

The selfie is a longer drawing, done relatively tightly. As well as being my gallery piece for this year, it was mostly an experiment into process. I'm drinking from a lot of wells of learning, and every now and again I like to make a concerted effort to develop one or more to a higher level. This one was based on the Academy of Realist Art approach. Lots of measuring and careful rendering build up slowly, no fingers and limited blenders. Great learning piece.

Those are great.

Thanks, K.

I think this week's assignment turned out decent. It's all about repetition, grinding for skill, lol. Charcoal on newsprint, 18x24

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/633n4grl0qgyoty/Head_Lucas_3.jpg)

Another week, another portrait. This week’s model was surprisingly challenging, getting his symmetry was eluding me. It was a beautiful day and I could smell my neighbor’s campfire and hear them playing with the dogs…so I cut this one short and went over to Margaritaville :D

This one feels similar to the school's style, so I'm pretty happy with it despite it being incomplete. They've got a lot of tricks I'm trying to pick up.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/8dydpr586e7vk9z/Head_Lucas_4.jpg)

This week's homework:

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/2kwdbdthvkplba9/Head_Lucas_5.jpg)

And a 20min head lay-in from a live model:

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/kr3003xbzn8mgr3/Jasmine_1.jpg)

A couple more. Repetition is the mother of skill, they say. Second one took about 3 hours, the first about 2 and a half.

Charcoal on newsprint, 18x24.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/m65be6hevibzkzt/Head_Lucas_8.jpg)

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/wvo9yb1gtiyhwfx/Head_Lucas_6.jpg)

Young females are tough.

Charcoal on newsprint, 18x24 (detect a theme?)

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/f6vo21me2ptb10r/Head_Lucas_9.jpg)

Spent an afternoon making props from wire, feathers, crystals and silver ribbon.

(https://i.imgur.com/zOWWYvW.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/yWcr4m4.jpg)

Got to use it in a photoshoot.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48328344786_18a4363975_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gCBpaU)
IMG_0797-Edit.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2gCBpaU) by Iain Compton (https://www.flickr.com/photos/requiel/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48267048361_681d1e5a93_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gxceSZ)
IMG_0815-Edit.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2gxceSZ) by Iain Compton (https://www.flickr.com/photos/requiel/), on Flickr

Haven't been arting much lately, but decided to so a trading card swap that's organized by the Grumbacher Fan Page over on Facebook.  It's basically doing a 2.5 x 3.5 sized piece of art, you send it to the organizer and get someone else's card in exchange.  Really a fun thing.  This month's theme was "bees" and I actually did something non-abstract.

(https://i.imgur.com/l1lodec.jpg)

Plus, doing this gave me an idea to do for TAE2020, so I can get started working on that postcard, too.

Love it! I hadn't drawn since that last post of mine, just started up a new term at Watts, taking head fundamentals to fix a few, ehm, fundamental flaws in my drawings. It's been pretty rough getting back up to speed after  4 months! The first couple weeks, skull abstraction and reilly heads. Charcoal on newsprint, 18x24, as usual.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/x6ss21hvsc2rkd6/HF_Brian_1.jpg)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/9p7w5pwjp9qjd1g/HF_Brian_2.jpg)

Those look like a cool way to build a nice foundation, Sky.   I want to get some newsprint so I can just do larger gesture work for playing around.  I've found that spending so many years now working on small pieces, the few times I've tried to work larger are intimidating and I don't know how to use the space properly or even very well.  I feel constrained when I want to go big.

I use Wolff carbon 4B or 6B (sharpened to a long point) on smooth newsprint. Lays down a nice tone, but the paper degrades quickly. Remember to draw from the shoulder when working big. I love it, tiny work is tough for me.

Finished my postcard for TAE20, now I need to trim it and throw into the mail.  I'll probably wait until after the holidays to do that though.  I based this off the art trade card I posted earlier, obviously.  The brownish spots are actually gold paint and it's nice and shiny when seen in person.

(https://i.imgur.com/Of1HXQ9.jpg)

A random abstract I did last week to try to get myself back into doing anything artistic.

(https://i.imgur.com/6H8Guii.jpg)

And from last night - broke out the little travel kit I bought a week or so ago.  Winsor and Newton Cotman half pans in a little travel case.  It's the student grade paint but that's still high grade since it's W&N.  Just doing the little color chart made me happy.  The paint felt good going down on the paper, and the tiny blue-yellow mix I did gave me some texture from the salt I put on it, too.  The other paints I've been using (Sakura Koi pan watercolors) don't give any texture when using salt and that's something I miss a lot.  I think the W&N will give me that back, although I am planning to buy some Dr. Martin's Hydrus watercolors soon.

(https://i.imgur.com/4yhQB22.jpg)

Almost forgot - how have I gone so long without having a filbert brush?  The one in the pic above is new and I love how it feels to paint with it.  I typically use round brushes of various sizes but this filbert is a nice change.

I am hijacking this thread (and making another thread) -

This is only going to happen in discord because I want to keep it private.

As I have developed relationships with dozens of reasonably well-known and lesser-known artists, I realized I was doing a disservice to f13 not setting up some kind of print club. Well, that disservice has come to an end. In discord later today (in the channel with a painters palette) I will be dropping a link to a survey. I will be getting - if possible, and I'm pretty sure it is - f13 exclusive print runs from artists.

Signing up basically means you're willing to pay for the damn thing though each individual piece will have its own survey. I don't really care what you do with them but my plan is to have them numbered f13-*/X where * is your prints number and X is the total print run.

Basically it came to my attention that I could be creating value for everyone and art is basically a license to do so. As such, let's do this thing.

I'm sorry its in discord. Get over it. It's so fuckin easy.

If you need a discord invite, PM me.

Finished my holiday cards for co-workers last night and handed them out today.  Only did 6 this year (boss, co-worker/teammate, 3 co-workers I'm good friends with, and the head admin).  Almost forgot to take a pic of the cards so it's not the greatest.  I'm particularly pleased with the star and the happy holidays tree.  I keep telling myself I'll make up a bunch of cards like that starting in July and sell them but never seem to get it done.

(https://i.imgur.com/jio4QIQ.jpg)

Can you let us know what your favorite tools are for watercolor? Paper, paints and brushes? I’m back to working in watercolor and need to invest some money into my stuff. What’s your favorite practice paper?

I don’t feel like I’m good enough to spend on cotton paper yet and am just trying out lots of new techniques.

Sure!

Paper - I typically use Canson (https://www.dickblick.com/products/canson-xl-watercolor-pads/) or Strathmore (https://www.dickblick.com/products/strathmore-300-series-tapebound-watercolor-pads/) paper, basically because I can't afford single sheet Arches.  Arches pads are still a bit pricey for my blood as well but if  you can get them on sale, go for it! Minimum weight is 140 lbs, anything less is way too thin and will buckle badly if you do wet washes. I've never seen 300lb paper in anything but single sheets though, but if you're working larger, that's the only way to go.  I tend to buy larger size pads and then cut the paper down to the size I'm working in, that's a money saver as well.  For practice though, you could also use a mixed media or wet media sketchbook instead of using sheets of paper.  It gives you a decent enough surface to practice brushstrokes or mixing washes but doesn't use up your paper.  I also use the scraps from cutting larger pages down to practice on.

Brushes - I'm partial to Winsor & Newton brand but that's just me.  It's what I started using years ago and I've stuck to it.  It's worth getting a good round brush that you're comfortable with, usually a 0 or 2 size is a nice middle ground.  If you're going to be doing small details, definitely get a good small brush, don't try to fake it with a larger one.  I also have a bunch of basically cheap junk brushes that I use, mostly for doing washes and things like that.  Having a good brush can make a difference though and if better if you start out with the better student grade items.

Paint - So this is something that can be very personal for each person.  I started learning watercolors using Dr. Martin's (https://www.dickblick.com/products/dr-ph-martins-radiant-concentrated-watercolor-sets/) liquid watercolors, so it kind of spoiled me for other types of paints.  When I started getting back into watercolor a few years ago, I just got out my old set from college and they are all still good.  I think only one color (scarlet) was degraded to the point it wasn't usable.  I found out that their Radiant line isn't lightfast though so the colors fade pretty easily (they're great for illustration that will be scanned though).  I want to switch to their Hydrus (https://www.dickblick.com/products/dr-ph-martins-hydrus-fine-art-liquid-watercolors/) line because that is lightfast but in the meantime, I just got myself a travel kit of W&N Cotman (https://www.dickblick.com/items/00337-1059/) pan paints.  I love it!  The paints are so smooth and I can get salt textures again!  :drillf:  I also have a travel set of Sakura Koi (https://www.dickblick.com/items/00378-0249/) watercolors and while I like them, it's not as much as I do the W&N ones.  The paint goes down and is basically set.  You can't work back into the color again once it's dry which I don't like and it doesn't take salt for creating texture.  The Dr. Martin's and the W&N paints can be worked into over and over again.  The little travel kits are a nice bargain for wanting to try some paints out without spending a lot because watercolors can last.  At least they do for me.  I also have some assorted sets of tube watercolors from places like Michael's and JoAnn's but they aren't anything to write home about.  Good for playing maybe but I've come to see that the colors tend towards muddy, which is really obvious once you've seen how nice even the student grade of quality paints are.

Also, if you have the patience, then Blick's is a good source to purchase from.  I'm lucky enough to have one within driving distance so I can just go there to get what I want, but they have great prices on items in general.  I don't really have anything else "fancy" for my painting.  I use a smaller old pickle jar for my main rinsing cut and a small jelly jar for my dipping cup (the water stays cleaner).  Remember to rinse your brushes well, wash them regularly and never, NEVER ever store them bristles up unless they are COMPLETELY dry.  Otherwise the water oozes down into the ferrule and can damage the handle and loosen the bristles from the handle.  I had that happen with one of my favorite round brushes (because I was stupid) and ended up slipping slices of paper in there to hold it together. It's best to just store your brushes flat or hanging bristles down.

Hope all this helps!

ETA : forgot to mention - I generally tape my paper down to something stiff.  I use basic painter's tape and tape the paper down when it's dry.  The paper will still buckle if you're doing a large wet wash but the tape holds it down and the paper dries back flat again.  I use an assortment of stuff to tape the paper to as well - a square piece of plastic, several old plastic mouse pads (like those Dell ones that would come with desktops), a plastic clipboard... but I work small though.  I do have a larger piece of masonite?  Something board that I can tape larger papers to.  I do have some actual watercolor boards but don't use them any longer because they're more for stapling your paper down.

For fine detail, W&N Series 7 (I prefer sizes 0 and 1) and Rosemary&Co Series 33 (ditto sizes) sables are some of the best brushes and well worth the extra couple bucks over crappy cheap brushes that will splay and generally be more trouble than they're worth. Cheap brushes have their role, but splash out for the fine detail brushes. Take good care of them and they'll last quite a while. I painted a few years' worth of minis with just a couple brushes.

I've been a piece of shit slacker when it comes to art, no show&tell. Can't seem to get over the hump to get back into it.

try painting by feel

Wow. My gear is pretty much exactly like yours, so I’m guessing I just need to spend money on more paper and keep practicing.

I like my Princeton brushes that I splurged on but I’ll grab a few W&N brushes to test. That little travel Cotman set is perfect, I have a few of them. One I took the pans out of and replaced with some different tube colors and let the paints try right in the wells. Then I can take two small travel kits with me when I go. They’re darn perfect.

Thanks for the post. I guess I’m on the right track and just need to practice.

lol

I'm surprised that this piece took 2nd in drawing at the bigger regional competition (the one where I took Outstanding Portrait last year). Not just because it's a show packed with good work, but the judge this year was a 20th century modernist. I basically never expect to win, most judges around here are.

Your bread is tidier than I pictured in my head.

It's ever a work in progress! Last autumn it was back to Sven Forkbeard levels. I got into the habit of lining it up when I was going to an awesome barbershop in town, lots of latinos. I told him to just do whatever and he gave me that look, pointed goat and all.

Trying my hand at landscapes. Charcoal, 18x24.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/w5as5oiosy1k0jb/Watts_Landscape1_WIP2.jpg)

Very nice!  You have a nice range of values in the overall drawing, which is good.  Could maybe use a few darkest areas to really set off the light side of the mountain, but that could just be me.  I like it!

I've not been very arty lately.  I'm trying though.  Here's the latest.  Did a few layers of watercolors over each other and it turned out not too bad, IMO.

(https://i.imgur.com/pfdcqNo.jpg)

Love the landscape and the watercolor.

My plan to do portrait work this spring has kind of gone to involuntary shit. I should be doing some street shooting of all the interesting contrasts in the city, with my mask on, but it's a bit more daunting/less fun when you think "I can't stop for a coffee and lunch along the way."

I haven't been the most artistic this year.  In fact, I number my paintings to help keep track of how many I do and the one I just finished for TAE2021 is number 2020.  I guess that's supposed to be ironic or something, lol!  I went back to the bee well for this piece and found that I enjoyed the process I used (layers and taking my time, mostly) although I hate the wings. They gave me so much trouble. And after I pulled the tape off the edges, I discovered that my line was off on the left side and cut into the image.  I've already managed to fix it though so that's a relief.

"Honey Bee"
Watercolor and watercolor pencil.

(https://i.imgur.com/oQiBDFr.jpg)

I love these colours!

My New Years Resolution is to paint something. Trying to work out where to begin but I would love it end up with something as nice as this!

Thanks!

And sometimes "just do it!" is the best way to get started.  That painting is basically layers of watercolor with plastic film placed over it, wrinkled around, and then left to dry.  So playing around can be a fun way to begin.

I am currently in the process of closing on a commercial space where I will open a small, private gallery and consulting service.

not a joke

pandemic messed with my priorities a bit

Congrats!

Nice!

You're the man now, dude!

Seriously, good luck. I have a friend who opened a small gallery a couple years ago, he had a phenomenal start and somehow managed to navigate the pandemic. He also had stuff happen that made him shift his priorities and he's never been happier. It's allowed him to be the person he actually is. I enjoy seeing people get to do that.

Yeah I'm like, slow rolling the start. We're talking six months out. Im not waiting for the pandemic to ease, I'm waiting for it to be *over.* But it's a very small space on purpose, I don't want shows, I want people that actually want art in their house. We'll see how it goes. I am outright getting the entire space though, so I get to do whatever I want which is great.

That's excellent!

Finished a new piece earlier this week.  Decided to get my masking fluid out and play with that.  Getting a blister taking it all off was worth it though, pretty please with how this turned out.

Currently untitled, 11 x 15 (less the margins to be removed to get rid of the staple marks).

(http://www.coeurdefeu.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210518_untitled-scaled.jpg)

And a detail shot.

(http://www.coeurdefeu.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/20210519_untitled_detail-scaled.jpg)

Lovely.

That landscape I posted (basically the only thing I drew in 2020) was accepted into a juried regional show. Judges are now sus, it's a crappy drawing (maybe a good first try, but a bad drawing nonetheless).

Or (and don't take this badly) it was a good entry in a field of crappy entries.  Could also be because it's good for the study of values in b/w work, too.  Is it technically perfect?  No, but I really like it for more of a value study than overall as a landscape. 

Either way, take the win (accepted) and add that to your art CV and run with it.   :awesome_for_real:

Exactly. Not like juried shows in the best of circumstances make decisions that make sense.

So I've been working on some artwork for Holiday cards this year.  Came up with 6 designs I like (cribbed from online tutorials for a few) and have 3 sets of each.  The idea is the attach the 5x7 pieces to cardstock, include envelopes and try to sell the sets.  I'm also messing around with printing sets on cardstock and selling for a lower prices too, but that's giving me problems atm.  I'm getting closer though.

Here's the set of images I'm going with (marvel at my magnificent namings!) :

"The Winter Trees"
(https://i.imgur.com/lvQd1Uq.jpg)

"Mistletoe"
(https://i.imgur.com/1wUOtzg.jpg)

"Ornaments"
(https://i.imgur.com/PI9B2TB.jpg)

"O, Christmas Tree!"
(https://i.imgur.com/JlwxC1S.jpg)

"Four Christmas Trees"
(https://i.imgur.com/Axgjjks.jpg)

"We Three Trees..."
(https://i.imgur.com/7rpOv69.jpg)

What the images can't show is the shiny - the stars and garland is gold paint and so is the border on the mistletoe.  The ornaments were overpainted with sparkly colors, too.  I was thinking asking $15/set (each card is hand painted so each set is unique) plus shipping. If I can figure out the laser printed on cardstock ones, I can mix things up and offer sets of the same card (with the variations) or sets of the six different cards.  Not sure on the price for those though.

Those are nice!

Yeah, those are indeed awesome!

I've actually been slowly plinking away at a new portrait in charcoal....since June 1. Trying to not pressure myself to get back into it, but now I just want the damned thing off the easel :D

Lovely. Really great designs.

Hadn't checked this thread in a while but just have to say, I think this is awesome. Super awesome.

Dang.  As someone who rarely checks this thread, I would absolutely put that up on my wall.

Don't you permanently live with your VR heaset on like the Lawnmower Man? You could just "pirate" the image posted here and put it on your virtual wall  :why_so_serious:

Some artists will even trade commonly-accepted currency in exchange for allowing you to put that up on your wall!

Sign me up to this crazy new world.

How can I be sure I actually own it if it's not on the blockchain, though?

So, I guess we technically actually open in uhhhhhhh

7 days

Thanks!


Well, it's not on anyone's wall yet, so there's still a chance for you!  :awesome_for_real:


Sky gets it.  :heart:


Well, see... instead of a comment in the blockchain, you'll have this piece of paper with a bunch of paint splashed around on it, and it will be in YOUR HANDS!  And as we all know, possession is 9/10ths of the law, after all!


Good luck!  Do you have an online viewing gallery for those of us not local?

You're The Man now, dude.

I'm feeling oppressed.

I'm reworking the website, I'll post it later this week.

Two most recent pieces.

"The Shores of Night" 6 x 17

(https://i.imgur.com/z0TrOtb.jpg)

"Dawning" 4 x 4

(https://i.imgur.com/7DnKnqe.jpg)

Painted Dawning while waiting for FFXIV queues.

I forgot to do this

http://www.canvasatx.com

Need to add a few artists and update an exhibition among other things

Kolander is pretty cool without being too gimmicky. I know it's the thing to be gimmicky, but ugh.

Fuckin rad little space, though. Love the aesthetic.

I'll be taking new pictures next week. I have 16 track lights w/ 4000k 99r Soraa Bulbs in the car.

Nice looking!

I did an introductory glassblowing workshop over the weekend, because I've always thought it looks neat and I wanted to see what it's like to actually do it.  My six hours or so of playing with fire produced a funky paperweight and a chonky shot glass (pictured with whiskey):

(https://www.dropbox.com/s/x1o364zhr195f5j/2022-03-09%2011.48.47.jpg?raw=1)(https://www.dropbox.com/s/9x63vgy836rc0on/2022-03-09%2011.47.39.jpg?raw=1)

Similar to when I did a one-day taxidermy class several years back, I'm glad I did it to get a better idea of how it works, but I don't think it's my new calling.  I have renewed respect for people who are able to tease out complicated shapes and make it look easy.

Chonk shotglass is awesome.

Like 'em both. Nice work.

Those are pretty cool. I still want to try that myself. I did a pottery (wheel) class eons ago and came home with three tiny pots, two of which are actually functional and pretty! But definitely not something to drop my day job for, if I had one.  :awesome_for_real:   I have this thing for not liking my hands to be dirty/gritty.  This can actually be a kind of useful trait for keyboard work, but not so much for making pottery! LOL  Because of it I used waaaay too much water and thus could never get anything to stand up taller than 3 inches.

One of the best fundamental Reilly method instructors split off from the Watts Atelier to start up his own site: https://foundationartschool.com/

Hands-down the best head construction instructor I've come across, at least at the fundamental level, and Watts basically restructured their courses to include his fundamentals.

If I was in better drawing form currently, I'd take the figure class at the crit level (he will likely run this the same way Watts did, demo vid then a weekly draw-over crit, the crit is SOLID GOLD btw) and probably the hair class, since few Watts instructors went into much depth about hair. Still might take the hair at the audit level (with crit, just watching other students get critiqued is very informative and expands the material).

Just an FYI if you draw or want to learn. I'm pulling for the kid to succeed, because as I said, he's really good at this niche of instruction.

edited to add: oh, and I did an umber pickout sketch a couple weeks ago. Quick graphite sketch onto 8x10 cotton panel, then burnt umber + mineral spirits. Really enjoyable way to paint, I've done several. Main downside is you have to work fast (due to the spirits) and once it sets up you can't go back and massage any edges (which is evident in this sketch!):

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/7o84pb2d6zon8ea/Meredith_2022_burntumber.jpg)
(open in new tab for full size)

That portrait looks like it would be a good base to work over with in colors now that you have the basic values in, Sky. 

I've been messing about with tea staining watercolor paper and then painting on that.  Along with learning bookbinding.

"Contrails" 8.5in x 5.5in watercolor and white gel pen on paper.
(http://www.coeurdefeu.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20220410_2022-03_contrails.jpg)

"Fox and Butterfly" 8.5in x 5.5in watercolor and white gel pen on paper.
(http://www.coeurdefeu.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20220414_2022-04_fox_butterfly.jpg)

And a link to a quick video (https://www.instagram.com/p/CbnqpuMKmon/) over on Instagram of the one book I've finished so far.  It's 8in x 5in with 40 grid pages.  Hand stitched and I put a cloth cover over the spine.  My biggest "mistake" was making the cover the same size as the pages.  I should have made it just a bit bigger.

Quick little painting for a library tiny art show. I haven't done much landscape (1 charcoal and this is my 2nd painting), so I learned a ton, despite the diminutive canvas.

St George Schooner, oil on canvas, 3" x 3"

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/xzpc9ruwhgb3ykz/Tinyart_WIP4v.jpg)

Sorry for teh crap pic, hard to photograph a glossy varnished painting. Looks much better not magnified quite so much. Step back from the screen a bit heh.

That's really got some nice details for such a small painting.  Very nice!

I'm still working on bookbinding and making small journals.

Small journal with tea stained pages, 5.5 by 8.5
(https://i.imgur.com/YsjLTTy.jpg)

Mini-journal with red dye stained pages , 4.25 x 5.5
(https://i.imgur.com/MJ9IdxC.jpg)

Talking to myself,  :star: yeah yeah yeah...  :star:

Untitled, 9 x 12
(https://i.imgur.com/LRS2vcc.jpg)

Old Growth, 9 x 12
(https://i.imgur.com/Q0qabF4.jpg)

I need to figure out a better way to take photos of my art.  I only have my phone for a camera, which is fine actually.  It's the getting good lighting and making sure the paper is flat that I'm having problems with.

Back in the day when I'd try to take photos of my paintings, I'd have to ensure that I was using sunlight for the best exposures. That might help, though you usually have so many options for editing lighting & color on phone cameras these days, you may not need it.

These are great