This is a little different from some of my other recent paintings. But it’s a “guilty pleasure.”
“Ginger Cowboy” is from a series of art I’ve done for years. Somewhat campy, romanticized, corny (if you will) portraits of cowboys inspired by my childhood love for TV westerns. (I loved—and still love—those old reruns like “Wagon Train,” “Maverick,” “The Big Valley” and on and on!).
This was painted with no reference, no model, no photo, just from my imagination, which explains why he looks a little different from some of my other work. When I paint these cowboys, they are a compilation of every handsome TV cowboy that I loved since childhood!
Cowboy Plate, earthenware with commercial underglazes, on wheel-thrown plate.
Here’s a plate I made years ago, during my ceramics phase (which I hope to return to very soon!). I’m very fond of “my” cowboys. They’ve been my fond companions for a very long time.
I’ve been a busy, busy bee, painting and painting and painting!
This post is the story of two profile paintings, and learning when to stop, or in other words, am I quitting too soon? Or going too far? I am still learning and don’t always get it right.
The other day I started a painting, got it sort of “done,” and posted it on Facebook. I got some compliments. But I didn’t think I was done! So I did some more to it. And then even more. And I do NOT think it’s improved. I should have quit while I was ahead.
So tonight, I did a little oil sketch and “quit while I was ahead.” Maybe I’ll have to find a few dabs here and there to touch up, but I very much hope that there won’t be much more to add to it.
Blue Shadows, 6×8″ oil on panel
Thanks to hermitmessiah on DeviantArt for the use of the stock photo. I found the reference photo so fascinating because of the strong color shifts, and wanted to try to capture warm/cool temperatures in the blues and greens in the shadows and reflected light, as well as the muted flesh tones. Also loved the overall pose and expression.
Here’s the painting from the other day that I should have also quit while I was ahead, but didn’t.
Eavesdropping, 6×8″ oil on linen panel.
There’s a little more I need to do; it’s probably not “ruined” (at least I hope not) but I should have just stopped earlier.
The problem was, it didn’t look enough like the reference photo, and while it doesn’t have to be an exact likeness (I was going for a feel, and expression, not the likeness per se), I wanted the likeness a little better! I mourn the loss of the original version, which was fresher and simpler, but didn’t look like the guy in the photo at all.
This painting is part of my “novela” series, which I find great fun, so many wonderful expressions and emotions to explore!
Again I use a “favorite” model, Jason Aaron Baca. (Photo reference credit: Photographer Portia Shao positivevista.com – Model: Jason Aaron Baca jasonaaronbaca.deviantart.com) Mr. Baca has a plethora of stock photos on DeviantArt, available for artists to use as reference. So often his photos are fraught with drama and imagination, so I have used his stock several times and plan to use more!
With this photo, it was a photo of his figure (I think waist-up) but I found the expression on his face so arresting, as well as the dramatic lighting, that I thought I could make something of it. Really enjoyed working on this one.
Painted on an oil-primed panel by RayMar. (Love my Raymar panels!)
I’ve mentioned the Zorn Palette before. It’s a limited painting palette that consists of four colors: White, Black, Vermillion (Orangey-red) and Yellow Ochre. It’s incredible how many colors can be achieved with just these four paints! The background on this painting “looks” blue, but it’s just black and white mixed together. (Black is often a bit cool, which will create the illusion of a muted blue.) The purple in the shadow side of her face is a mixture of white, black, and vermillion. Mixing colors was so fun for this painting!
Here’s another recent example of the Zorn palette in action. (Scroll down the page to see the second painting.)
Again I used a stock photo for reference. Thanks go to shewarmachine.
Many thanks to Mehlissa who made her stock photo available for artists to use as reference.
I found this photo a few years ago, and finally got around to using it! I enjoyed trying to analyze the shadows and cool muted tones in her skin and attempting to capture them with paint. In a way this painting was a major breakthrough for me, as I’ve been trying to push my understanding of color and brushwork.
I painted on Gessobord, by Ampersand, a wonderful type of artists’ panel that is primed with an acrylic-based “gesso” that has the texture of eggshell. It’s an absolutely sublime surface to paint on, for either oils or acrylics! With this painting, I used oils.
Yep, another study from a stock photo I found on DeviantArt! This time it’s a fellow named This-is-RArt. I loved his blue dreadlocks.
Blue Dreads, 5×7″ oil on panel
I’m studying warm and cool tones, and how they relate to the portrait especially. After attending a workshop taught by Adam Clague, I have felt like something has “clicked” and I’m seeing things differently! It’s strange, because it’s not like I didn’t “see” before—I’ve been drawing and painting for a long time. Continue reading “Blue Dreads – oil on panel”→
I don’t know where that title comes from. I need a name for a painting, and this will do.
Exotic Simplicity, oil on panel, 8×8 inches
I must credit Cathleen Tarawhiti, whose photograph I used as reference. She makes some of her photos available for “stock,” as a reference for artists, and I’ve got quite a few of her photos stored on my iPad.
A few weeks ago I was hanging out with some artist friends and wanted something to paint, so I pulled up a photo on my iPad and started this little study. I did most of it in one night.
The original photo is of a figure, but thanks to my iPad’s capabilities, I was able to zoooooom in and just look at her face. Maybe someday I’ll do a painting based on the full figure.
Until recently I printed out photos to use as reference, but was encouraged by some friends to work from a computer monitor. That wasn’t convenient, so instead I use an iPad. It’s working out great! And I needed an excuse to indulge in an iPad.
I’m loving this new portrait drawing group! We meet weekly (won’t meet next week due to the holiday, alas). Each week we get a volunteer model to pose for us—three 20-minute poses. We are a diverse group, and use a variety of mediums—oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, charcoal, and good old pencil. I’m doing pencil so far, but hope to drag my oils in soon! I rarely get a chance to do a “long” (one hour being relatively so) pose.
Here’s this week’s offering:
“Karen” on 9×12″ sketch paper.
Karen was a wonderful model, very patient with us! She said it was hard to keep a smile on her face (we all understand how that is!) and so her expression ended up being more somber. She wore a lovely and colorful print dress, which I didn’t bother to capture since I was just drawing in pencil.
I just started attending this art group that meets once a week (more or less) and draws or paints a volunteer model. It’s a wonderful group of people and allows us all to get some valuable practice from life!
I often harp on how important drawing from life is. Photos don’t capture things the way they really are—not quite. I don’t mind using photo references, I won’t be ashamed of using them, but at the same time I realize how important drawing from life is!
I hope to bring my paints to one of these sessions, as other artists have. We have an hour of model time (one pose) so that should be enough time to do something!
Very, very excited about this.
Last week’s model was “Marisol” who came with her adorable little dog, who was a rescue. The dog was nervous but at the same time, a great model! As was Marisol. I used the first two 20-minute pose sessions to draw Marisol, then used the last 20-minute pose to draw her and the dog. Here are the results:
“Marisol” drawn from life, 8″ x11-1/2″ in my sketchbook.
Available for sale on DailyPaintworks. Oil on cradled panel, 6×6″.
I actually did this painting last year, but finally, finally I post it on this blog! I used an old B&W public domain photo reference, and as such, had to add the colors myself. But that’s an enjoyable challenge!
