Figure in Gray

Not sure how I managed to delete this post but it is gone never the less.  I originally posted this as an entry in the "Just Figures Show". I have recently entered it into a couple of competitive shows. Will keep you posted as to how it does.

Geez, just one adventure after another around here! LOL!

Still unfinished!

I was hoping to finish this painting of our wonderful model George, but I could only stay an hour and a half before I went to my critique group so I will have to finish from my photo on my monitor.  Almost like being there.  Much better than just a printed photo anyway.

Saturday Model session

This is a pose that I transferred to an 8"X 8"  panel (mounted on wood frame)from a sketch I did in Saturday's model session.  I had planned to finish it out as an oil painting but I took it to my critique group yesterday and everyone there thought I should just leave it as is.  This is just what I intended to be the underpainting.  I was so looking forward to painting on it!  I will live with it a bit and see if I can resist. 

Mondays efforts

It's been fun getting back to oils in the Monday paint group. We had a wonderful model who will be sitting for 3 Mondays in a row so that we can do a finished painting completely from life.  I missed the first session and started this in the second session and will try to finish it next week in the last session.  I had a good start with my charcoal drawing and then laid in my value patterns with a thinned dark and all was well. Then as usual I got in a hurry as time was running short and rushed my colors trying to get everything blocked in.  When I got home I scraped everything off with my pallet knife to have a fresh smooth surface to start again next week.  This is what was underneath.  I chose to crop his head to divide my negative shapes and make them more interesting. This is something I picked up from studying with Polly Hammett.

More noodleing on the Cara portrait!

I couldn't help myself on a little noodling on the Cara portrait sketch. she is such a lovely girl and you just want to try to make her as perfect as she is....it's hard to just leave it, as you probably know if you are a painter. Sold

Last attended Monday Model session

 I wish I were more of a technogeek!  I can publish my posts but haven't quite figured out how

to reply to comments!  I have had a few nice comments and love to read them and visit the sender's site.  I also like to see what blogs other's follow regularly (something else I haven't gotten to yet) and have found some wonderful other blogs to look at.  So Many creative people out there!  Thanks to those who have commented!

  

   Here is my latest version of the last model we had in Monday paint group.  Cara is a college student and marathon bike rider.  She posed for us with her bike gear and bike  and then a sitting pose.  I could still change a few things like the light on her neck, but I like it for now.

Expressive Painting

This is a painting I did on Tuesday in my friend, Susan Hotard's workshop.  It was a fun and informative workshop on simplifying the lights and darks in a portrait.  I thought my painting turned out particularly expressive and loose for me.  I was pleased with it.  We had a wonderful model who was very inspiring in her dramatic looks.

Monday paint group

We had an interesting model in paint group yesterday. She wore a pentagram and had a similar tatoo (neither of which I included in my paint study). I may finish it up later and see if I can't soften her up a bit. I haven't worked in oil in so long. It was fun.

Qaing Huang workshop

Took a fun workshop Fridy and Saturday with Painter Qaing Huang (pronounced Chong Wong).
It was arranged by Marty Hatcher at her ARLC (Artist retreat and learning center) located outside of Magnolia on her beautiful property. What a lovely setting to take a workshop!
Qaing Huang is a great teacher and has a very organized presentation that is straight forward and concise. He does wonderful small oil paintings of still Life.

Photos as promised!

These are the two paintings I sold at the Market Street show. This little nude watercolor, 11X15 on Arches cold press, also won first in Watercolor at the Art League Show.  sold
This is oil on gallery wrap canvas 14X14. This is Amy, my friend's daughter. I had fun adding the x's and o's as I know she misses her so much since she's moved to New York. sold

Editing painting photos

Well, I spent most of yesterday uploading pictures and filling out online forms to enter The Woodlands Waterway Show. I entered in Oil and Watercolor. These are just a couple of examples of what I entered in each catagory that I entered. Thanks to my friends Jan and Sharon for helping me get the photos taken and edited in photoshop! Jan is becoming quite the photoshop wizard! Wish me luck! Cheers, Tonya