2016 Weekly Painting Re-Launch!!

2016 Week 1 

Painted Sketch, Violet & Marigold

8" x 10" acrylic on canvas, January 2016

     I am fortunate to say that the end of 2015 was filled with commissions and thus my weekly painting challenge was put on pause.  With the new year comes new goals, and weekly painted sketches are among my top priority.  I am thrilled with the possibilities that painting on a regular basis brings.  Like 2015, these will remain small for time sake, but full of life and trying new techniques while applying my basic understanding of tones and shapes.  

Sweet Friends

Sharky

9" x 12" acrylic on canvas

I am very happy about this portrait of my friend Sharky.  He is a gorgeous dog who loves to go on walks, bike rides and play with our boys Jack and Davis.  His grey fur has a beautiful blue tint and he is very silky, two traits I worked on capturing here in paint.  This painting is also part of a weekly challenge with friends, we post a new painting every week that we only worked on for that time span.  Sharky's portrait is week 4.  Below are my other submissions starting with week 1. 

Jack and Davis on the Beach in Carabelle Florida

4" x 12"

Week 1 Challenge

Jack, Davis and Grandma on the Beach in Carabelle Florida

4" x 12"

Week 2 Challenge

Yin and Yang

9" x 12"

Week 3 Challenge

Sweet Bee!

Sweet Bee, 4" x 12" acrylic on canvas, April, 2015.

I spotted a few bees in a patch of clover on a morning run with the dogs.  I moved the boys away and observed how gently the bee would lower themselves onto the flowers, it was lovely.  This was a fun study that I painted that afternoon. 

Sweet Baby Animals

Baby Elephant Playing with Ribbon, 8" x 10", acrylic on gessobord, December,2014.

I absolutely love seeing baby animals free to roam and play in their natural habitat.  Unfortunately, the collective man has made this difficult for many species of animals on our planet.  I  have been imagining a series of baby animals for sometime now with my sketches and studies.  Now, I am bringing them to life with paint and added props for playfulness and to create some kind of kindred relationship for all of us to celebrate and delight in childhood and all of its necessary innocence.  

Baby Elephant

Baby Giraffe

Baby Giraffe Playing with Chevron Bowtie, 8" x 10", acrylic on gessobord, December,2014.

 I imagine this baby giraffe to be getting ready for his first day of school and looking at himself in the mirror with a tiny pursed lip indicating his reluctance.  We all want to fit in - why not just be yourself!!

Tone Oil Painting Exercises

My first tone oil painting exercise after several drills with my awesome teachers.

My second tone oil painting exercise - on my own, November, 2014

(I can see the progress already)

I am so thrilled with my progress in tone painting and feeling very grateful for my ahhhmaazzzing instructors, Michelle, Melissa and Susie.   The founder of Mission Renaissance Larry Gluck was in class yesterday and gave us some great words of wisdom regarding how to build a painting and seeing tones.  It was exactly what I have been craving as an artist.

Plaster Cast Animal Studies

Boar Study (cropped)

Camel Study (cropped)

I really like making the drawings more lifelike with a few more details in the face.  I even erased the head straps off the camel to show off his face a little more.  They have amazing eyes.  I am really happy with the boar's snout - a difficult shape to create - but I think I pulled it off.  

Tone Drawing Studies 2

Three Objects Study

Two Objects Study

My tone drawing course is going pretty well.  It's challenging to keep the original shapes while adding the pastel and not allowing the objects to feel outlined.  The idea is to have a nice transition of tone between objects and create any lines at the end with the lightest lights for highlights and the darkest darks for deep shadows.  Overall, I am getting better at seeing the tones and matching them to the original still life.  I am still working on getting faster at each step to make the overall process go quickly so that I may demo it for my students.  One day at a time.

Animal Sketch From Plaster Casts Studies

Sweet Rabbit Sitting on Hind Legs

This sketch is in charcoal on newsprint done from observing a plaster cast at work.  When I get home, I add lifelike features such as fur and sparkles in the animal's eyes. 

Tone Drawing Studies

Three Tones Apple Study

Three Tones Cup Study

Here are my first two studies for the tone drawing course at work.  I'm enjoying the process thoroughly and absolutely love my job with Mission Renaissance!