Month: November 2019

What I did today

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Drawing the impeachment hearings.

My friend Ruth britpeach on Instagram and I draw the talking heads and txt each other about the hearings and our drawings. Actually a lot of fun. I put up my Lamy after this one because the ink kept smearing.

No idea why. And I didn’t feel like dealing with it. Maybe because it was my Lamy joy the calligraphy pen and I didn’t wait to let it dry enough?!

And everyone needs a Jack Russel in their lap when they draw don’t you think?? She did take a break and sit in the sun for a little while then she was back.

Drawn in a stillman and birn alpha, my favorite stillman and birn, with watercolor pencils no ink no pencil to start on most of them.

Friday I will have to take pics to explain how I do this but similar to oil painting where u start with shadows using a burnt sienna watercolor pencil and slowly firm up the drawing.

Margaret whose tired. There are SIX more of the these, three bad ink sketches and two partially finished ones. I can finish those Friday. Xoxoxox

Win some and lose some

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A sketch of Fealing Lin that I did in my handprint sketchbook in Boone last month.

A month ago already. 😪 I do LOVE Boone classes at Cheap Joes and hanging out with Mike Alan and Fealing. That equals a great week.

The painting. It could use a few more darks but quitting for now. After all it is in my sketchbook.

Today I decided to work on this train wreck painting of my dear granddaughter Livie.

I had tried to lift it out when I screwed it up with too much green but that’s easier said that done when it’s hot press.

All I can say is EEKKKK.

TOO dark. And all those odd shaped drips are where the paper is absorbing paint due to the loss of its surface when I was lifting.

As Fealing says I blame the paper for a bad painting. Cant possibly be moi!!

In this process I also lost the drawing. Can’t see it at all.

Good news is there’s another side of the paper Fabriano 300 # hot press. I can have a do over or just go with a new pic of her with better lighting aka shadows and highlights.

Margaret who just took Zoe on a long walk and is hot and tired. I thought we were getting the arctic chill this weekend but it’s almost 70 outside. 😳 Xoxoxox

It’s Saturday

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Ilaina hot press fluid paper 15×22″

What a gorgeous day today. And lots more fun going to life modeling in Aiken then a spot of urban sketching after in Graniteville. Discovered a whole street of about 20 Gothic cottages and a church. All different colors in a row like a planned community with a church gleaming in the autumn sun. Thought it could be a great place to go urban sketching or Plein air painting on a lovely autumn day.

My drawing. I actually drew her twice. First time just from waist up. So I flipped the board and redrew her because I wanted to include the lovely curve of her hip.

There went forty minutes!!😵

Second break. Going for it. Only have about an hour left to paint.

I managed to fiddle away the first two thirds and had to paint fast to finish. Still not pleased with her eye. But it’s done. Ilaina loves it so must be ok. Right?!

My friend Ruth said it looked like some delicious cotton candy.🤗

Flesh cad red light and cad yellow light. Lots of alizarin crimson for darks on her skin. Shadows of more alizarin Andrews turquoise and dioxzine purple

Hair ultramarine and burnt umber w a bit of burnt sienna for red.

Background Andrews turquoise French yellow ochre.

Margaret who walked Alie today and is not Tahred. Xoxoxo

David

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Went Portrait painting at USC Aiken today. What a great fun model to paint. Don’t u love his hair and his scruffy five o’clock shadow?!

Davis was painted in an hour and a half on cold press fluid15x22″.

Drew him in the first half hour session. I wish I had drawn him to include his hands til he started moving them around. Then I was glad I hadn’t. Models rarely reset their hands giving the painter much frustration.

Second break. Really moving along. Used my big size 14 Cheap Joes kolinsky sable.

Here he is again. Finished him off with my beloved size ten Charles Reid kolinsky sable from Cityart (Artexpress.com). Tell Randy I sent you. Truly a brush you will never regret you bought.

Darkened his hair. Love that brush. Lefties a few highlights on left cheek. Added a few more darks here and there. I could keep painting like get rid of the white around his ear but why bother.

Paint used. Alizarin for darks. Flesh alizarin cad red light and cad red light. Cheap Joes Andrews turq with Daniel Smith French ochre on background.

Shirt dioxzine purple and cobalt violet. The shadow on sleeve is pure dioxzine purple that I dipped my paint brush in and literally zig zagged down his arm.

Shadows alizarin Cheap Joes Andrews turq and dioxzine purple

Hair is Cheap Joes Andrews turq ultramarine and burnt sienna.

Margaret ready to put her feet up now.