The ladies of the Hearings

November 17, 2019Leave a comment

Ms Val Demings – Fl I think. Such a gorgeous lady.

Ms Jackie Speiers Ca I might need another go round with Ms Jackie. Her face is too wide. It’s really longer and narrower but still a fun sketch.

Ms. Stefanik – NY – I did these ladies because they seem to consistently question the witnesses. There are a few more but at five minutes each tough to catch them. Maybe Monday or Wed or?!

Incidentally the sketch the hearings group is growing. A friend in Aiken has decided to give it a try too. Not seen hers yet but she’s a great painter. Join the fun. Maybe we need a Facebook group?!

Margaret tired after a very busy day watching old old episodes of MASH still just as funny as they ever were. Xoxoxox

And the party continues

November 16, 20191 Comment

Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch wow what a woman!!

I call it a party because my friend Ruth and I discuss our drawings via txt and talk about what’s going on. Always amazing how easy some people are to draw and others forget it.

Beginnings derwent watercolor and inktense pencils. Stillman and birn Alpha.

Adding more layers. Then I dab at it with a wet sable brush. And 8 I think. And if it goes to dark or threatens to run I dab at it with a Kleenex to lift color. Watercolor pencils can get oh so dark in seconds and some colors seem to run like crazy.

Hmm try number two at Adam Schiff head of the Intelligence Committee. Love the sketch but it’s not quite Adam. So will give him another try.

Devin Nunez the opposition. A Better sketch than Schiffs but not as good as the Yovanovitch sketch.

Bytw people are asking me for a book. Who knows. Maybe?! Going to try to draw all the talking heads and the major witnesses.

Oh yeah there are six more of these so far.

If u like this kind of stuff check out parispsalters feed on Instagram. A hoot.

Margaret xoxoxo

Naomi

November 15, 20192 Comments

Was a naughty girl and had to stay after school.

Couldn’t be me could it?!

The very bad sketch. What’s with the hands and that shoe??!

At the end of the portrait session. Was thinking about future mulch pile for her but after looking at her a while and talking to Ruth abt her after I got home I realized some of the problems Ruth was having at life modeling where causing my problems.

Tomorrow I will lift some highlights out and work on her braids some more.

Tape and Mr Clean are my friends once Naomi is dry.

Margaret off to bed soon. Gotta draw some talking heads manana.

Xoxoxox

What I did today

November 14, 2019November 14, 2019Leave a comment

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

David

November 7, 20195 Comments

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.

Paint flinging

October 25, 2019November 5, 20195 Comments

Calling this post paint flinging because my neighbor Drew and I were both splattering each other with our drippy mess. He kept making it rain on me. So I returned the favor. Dangerous painting near Drew. Rofl.

Went to portrait painting today at USC Aiken. Once again can’t decide if she’s done. Why won’t she tell me what she thinks?! I will say the young lady in the painting loved this watercolor. She’s a art student and got recruited to model at the last minute. Poor thing was grimacing trying to hold the pose. Felt bad for her.

First break- Sketch. 15×22″ Think it’s on cold press fluid paper. Just a piece that was floating around in the pile. 2B pencil

Was off to a slowww start redrawing her head and body more than once. Finally drew her from a photo on my phone.

Next break. We painted for about two hours in total. Raw umber and Andrews Turquoise underpainting. Used a lot of alizarin for shadows. Sometimes with burnt sienna. Also quin gold since she was quite yellow.

Third break Adding more shadows with more burnt sienna and alizarin plus dixozine purple. Blacks and greys are burnt umber and ultramarine blue.

And THE END! She had a large drip under her chin which I wiped off when I got home with a piece of Mr Clean. Gave her her nice young chin back. She has plenty of years before she gets a double chin I hope!!

Margaret packing for Daufuskie island trip. Xoxoxox

Random success

October 21, 20192 Comments

So here she is after class is done. Julio and Candace did a terrific job. You can follow them on Instagram or Facebook.

Painting went a lot better today when I realized you could use the egg tempera in a manner similar to acrylic softening edges with my finger smudging the paint.

I also had a lot of fun painting hair with my loose goose paint brush from Cheap Joes. I couldn’t paint straight lines with it if I tried.

The cost of egg tempera is a lot less than acrylic so I may have to buy some of the minerals to mix with the eggs and try it out.

As teachers Candace and Julio were so thorough. We know how to make paint. Tricks to make the painting process easier and how to prepare aluminum panel to paint on or even marble tiles offbe free as leftovers at tile shops. Our class also included a great hand out.

If you ever get a chance to take a class with them do. I highly recommend it.

Margaret ready for a fall nap. Xoxoxox

Busy busy

October 2, 2019Leave a comment

Work is in progress. Henry! Got to fix those eyes. But really like this a lot.

The lovely Kate Marie also far from done.

Margaret ready for BED in Boone NC did I say Tahred and I should be drawing but Tahred is not! Xoxoxo

Live from Boone

October 1, 2019Leave a comment

Xoxoxo

A few more parking lot chickens oops roosters from Key west Wildlife Rescue. Poor things having to live out their lives in a Parking lot. The big buff guy actually spurred the other ones. Meany.

Joe Miller aka Cheap Joe and Fealing Lin. I think he might be dressed as Van Gogh if he loved to be an old man. Joe is a Van Gogh authority and does a delightful one man show about Theo Van Gogh Vincent’s brother which he has performed all over the US including the National Museum of Art in DC and the Met in NYC.

Margaret having too much fun in Boone. Like coming home. Xoxox