Back to Nap with New Puppy

WC study, 9" x 18"

As is so often the case, I end up liking the color study better than the final painting. It just seems to have that goofy unfinished quality I like, even if the color or forms are off-putting. In this case, I did start in on a more finished painting, but could tell within 15 minutes that it wasn't going to be quite the thing.

Chubby Puppy X 4

28 x 36" Acrylic

I did all homemade gifts for Christmas this year, and finally finished Pete's present -- a Warhol treatment of his favorite girl, who loves to lie on her back and wiggle to solicit tummy rubs. Now that Pete has his own abode in Boston, he needed a little wall art and a memory of home.

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Pencil Study

Already I can see where I kept trying to tighten up the drawing. Next is to do a color study right over this drawing.

Sar/Cowboy/ Napping Doodles

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I have painted this before, in oil and watercolor realist style. I find it is helpful to use a known and familiar image for trying out something new. This year's painting goals involve more expressive drawing and more loose, understated paint. Less literal replication overall. But still realism; that's just me. Playing with shapes, direction, and value.

Fresh Start

I love a clean page. So many possibilities. I've always wanted to do something with this picture, but never sure just what. So a pencil and some paper and just noodle it about, play with shapes and line. And now, I have some ideas.

Back Again

Charcoal and chalk

Here's my favorite from the same session, same model. I don't shy away from doing faces, not at all, but it's almost as though drawing without the presence of the face leads to something unexpectedly pleasing. Not sure why; because her identity is removed and the who and the what and the why becomes more open-ended, less literal?

Long Time, No Art...

Charcoal & Chalk

Finally getting to the end of my "busy" season, wrapping up obligations and whatnot, daydreaming about getting back to making some art with no special purpose. This was done several weeks ago at drawing co-op. I always drag my feet going there, I'm too tired, I should be working, nothing ever ends up looking good, blah blah blah. But afterwards, usually, I am glad that I went and enjoy the few hours spent not being anywhere else.

Blue Ribbon Nude

14 x 11 watercolor and charcoal

I'm actually quite excited about this piece! Not that it's so special, but that finally I am beginning to see where I want to go in my artwork. What I like about this is the hit-and-miss, hide-and-seek of drawn line and painted form, of 2D and 3D taking turns. Is it a drawing or a painting? Don't know, don't care. Also, some of my purist tendencies may be waking up to the magic of mixing media, of using whatever works best for what I'm striving for.

Drawing Studio Sketches

As mentioned before, I have made a commitment to drawing more in order to paint better. So I joined a drawing co-op at one of the local colleges which features a live model for 3 hours. These are from my 2nd session. I am a little more comfortable being there and engaged in the drawing process, but still find it difficult to settle in and do something more than straight rendering/ documenting. My long term goal is to be more expressive in my drawing, and this will undoubtedly take some time to find my "zone" -- whatever that is. But that's part of it, too; finding MY zone, instead of mimicking somebody else's because theirs looks cool.

I had specific goals for this session: 1) to attend no matter how tired I was or whatever other excuse I might have, and to stay the entire three hours 2) to chose views which foreshortened the head, and 3) to not take anything but a sketchbook and a pencil so as to be forced to draw with no means to "save" it with a few pretty watercolor washes (as in earlier post 9/27). Mission accomplished. I am actually looking forward to next week, and some new goals.

Three Guys Reprise

22 x 30 " Watercolor

This is the 3rd time messing about with this picture, a/k/a Holding Forth, a/k/a Beach Bums. One of those things you just have to get painted, so you can move on. I started darkening the background again, one thing led to another, and it's like that book "If You Give A Mouse a Cooke" (he'll ask for a glass of milk, an dthen he'll want a napkin...). It's finally in the frame, hanging outside, just in time for studio crawl. The funny thing is, this was started about 10 months ago, and I don't think I paint this way anymore.