Category: vlad Yesileyev

Day 133 Really Calling It Done

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I worked on making the people walk in different directions. I think they look better now. Added a lot darks. A few more lamp posts. A flag. Darkened the church towers. Lots of darks. And a few highlights.

Paint alongs with Vladislav Yesileyev

Got this lovely treat Paris in The Rain by Vlad Yesilesev in the mail today. When I looked at it I realized I needed to go a lot darker with my blacks. And whiter w my whites so today I cheated and used masking fluid to reserve some whites.

Margaret Xoxoxox worn out from speed painting.

Day 132 Run Away to Fredericksburg Maryland

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Vlad is back feeling better after his brief encounter with Covid. Thank goodness he’s better. Wear your masks people!!

Tomorrow we are painting the Royal Opera Cafe in Paris. Who doesn’t love Paris?!! You can sign up here.

At this point. I think I am done though I may work on the crosswalk some. No idea how I got it so wonky but I did. Also think the people looks like the walking dead all coming for us. Rofl

Otherwise love it. Finally discovered how to make trees have a lacy edge. Miracles do happen. You just need a VERY dry brush. And that might be my favorite sky I have ever done.

First wash. Kind of like the white cloud behind the church spires.

Heading down the road. I think this was wet when I took the pic. It dried a lot lighter.

Anyway it’s a wrap. Just needs a siggie.

Margaret whose allergies have been beserck. Xoxoxo kerchooo

Day 118 Quayside in Croatia

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with Vlad Yesilesev on a paint along today. Paint and paint brushes flying.

Maybe done. Think so. Quarter sheet 300# fabriano rough aka 11×14″ Dont we wish we could hop on a jet and go there??!

The photo

Sketch with first washes. Yellow ochre cobalt blue and alizarin

Sorry for the blurry pic. I tried to unblur but nope. Not working.

Lots of white gouache highlights. Masts and other dark lines done with the saber brush. I should have blotted it more. An interesting way to spend the afternoon.

All in all I like it.

Margaret Xoxoxox

Day 115 sneezing my Brains out

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Quick post. A day in Giverny where Claude Monets house and famous gardens are. Along the banks of the Seine River. Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev.

1/4 sheet Fabriano rough press. Lucas wc paint which I think gives a cloudy effect.

The photo.

First wash. Promise there’s a painting.

A very interesting class With Vlad Yesilesev today. All about perspective drawing people and cars. He explains things so well. The man has so much patience and a willingness to answer any question. Give him a try.

Margaret going to sleep. Xoxoxo

Day 109 Cumberland

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Half sheet Fabriano. 300#

Took a day long online class from Vlad yesterday. Have to say it was the best class EVER and I have two masters aka taken a lot of classes.

The photo

I have taken classes from some great art teachers Charles Reid and John Salimen who I would take more from if they were on line. Vlad just shares all his knowledge and the man knows ALOT!

I have had some teachers that spent the class trying to sell you their stuff. Annoying and not what I paid for. I have had other teachers that don’t tell you all the info to do what you are trying to do. Also annoying. I have had teachers who never explain things only demo and then want to fix your painting when he doesn’t like what you did. Annoying and NOT helpful.

Value study. Kinda like it a lot.

the sketchFirst wash.

He showed us how to do the sky. His approach is quite interesting. Three four colors all wet on wet. Lotsa water. Let it dry. I defy you to reproduce this sky.

Onto the next layers

The class was very interactive. We could talk to him and he could see what we were doing one at a time. I learned a lot. I even learned some new things about perspective. Two points. The vanishing point and the point of sight lines from the person taking the picture.

Jamie Oliver’s ez pizza and scones from his YouTube. His pizza is a dump pizza. Use what u have and the toppings I ised were delicious. Was not fond of the crust. Will use yeast dough next time and yes I will do it again. There’s also a very tasty pot of his minestrone soup from YouTube.

Then I cooked all morning today and painted all afternoon. So tired I can barely type.

Day 112 Piedmont Park Atlanta

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A beginning but lots left to do. The gazebo on Lake Clara Meer in Piedmont Park. Did not like it at all when I went to bed last nite but today in daylight I do. Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev.

The photo. It’s a popular spot where the ducks teem to get fed. The value sketch. Ready to be hung at the Louvre🤣. Wasn’t sure I wanted boats. They aren’t allowed in the lake but I went with the flow. We always do these first w a 2B pencil and cheap printer paper on a clip board.

The sketch. Rough 300# Fabriano. No more Arches for me. Sorry for the bad photo. Can not improve it. I tried. Drawn w an hb pencil.

First wash. Colors used yellow ochre cobalt blue alizarin dioxizine purple.

I was not suppose to leave all the white in the water. Trying to follow him who is painting lightening fast and cover a half sheet. Groan. I did use my big size 16 kolinsky from Cheap Joes. But still. I do better for details like leaving white columns on the gazebo and making them straight with my 14 kolinsky from Cheap Joes. In my next life I am getting a Raphael or Windsor Newton. Hmm maybe I should try my mop next time.

Moving onto darker colors. But still very sheer. I have to admit painting with Vlad is like running a road race always trying to catch up with the number one runner. Leaves me worn out but in a good way.

How it looked when I quit for the day.

Ok more colors used golden ochre cobalt turquoise. Neutral tint made from indigo burnt sienna and doxizine purple. Adding white coach’s for lost highlights. Still need to do.

Half the trick is learning to use those pesky perla escodas and that saver brush. Vlad now sells his own brand for $89 from Rosemarys brushes but I have two sets of the Perlas so will wait til I wear them out. Some kind of synthetic fibers. I don’t think u can do the dry brush with my much loved kolinsky sable and I would NOT touch my Charles Reid kolinsky da Vinci on this rough paper. I don’t want to destroy it with the texture.

And I know you can’t do those I the tiny details w a kolinsky sable. The sabers have a wobble to them that makes interesting lines. Controlling them well that’s another thing. They really shine on tree branches and railings. Light posts. Power lines. They make graceful lines.

Top two brushes are the sabers. I use the green handled one a Loosey Goosey from Cheap Joes the most. Then three Perlas. Hmm I have four. 8 10 12 14. Got them dirt cheap on amazon. And my two Cheap Joes Kolinsky sables.

The tree Branch is done with the saber brush. An odd paint brush that does hold a ton of water despite it being synthetic. Right now I am trying to decide if the tree branch needs more work. Maybe?!! It is done with the saber brush.

Margaret who needs to quit goofing off make some bread and paint paint paint. Xoxox

Day 110 Done

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Been finishing up assorted paintings. Amazes me how the details can make them really pop. Cumberland half sheet 300 # rough Fabriano so many paint alongs with Vladislav YesileyevCottage Arles, France 10×15″ 300# rough FabrianoGrand Canal Venice 15×15″ 300# rough Fabriano Roofs of Parafuegal, France 10×15″ 300# rough Fabriano

Laguna Beach, California 10×15″ 300# rough Fabriano

I am beginning to make myself tired with all this painting. Three more to finish up still. 😫😫😫

Margaret going to bed now. Xoxox

Day 107 Thinking about it

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Golden Hour, Arles France today. Paint along with Vladislav Yesileyev. Really don’t like alizarin in the foreground. Thinking I can grey it by adding green. And that’s why I wrote thinking about it.

Foreground was yellower til I tried to fix the red by adding green to it. Now why didn’t I think that alizarin red and green is a classic combo for a grey to a black depending on the water.

The Photo kinda nondescript

Also DO NOT alike how the arches paper kept drying out. Since humidity is 82% should NOT be happening. I was wrong it buckled like crazy in any wet wash. Hmmm. If I redo I will be using Fabriano definitely.

Value study. Ready to hang in the Louvre. Lol.

First wash

Lotsa yellow but darn that alizarin. Someone asked Vlad about if alizarin was light fast. He said he didn’t know. Mine is. If you buy permanent alizarin it is light fast. Sky wash next. Cerulean goes everywhere. Some darks on the trees.

Background Trees are in. Should never have sprayed them with my mister. Yuck. The other reason I may do a redo.

Overall I really like the look of it. Love the glow of the building and the guys coming in from the field. I wanted an old guy snoozing by the doorway. I read a book about a guy who lived I S France where Arles is and he snoozed near the front door.

I can always crop out most of the nasty alizarin. Too bad it’s permanent I could put it out in the sun and it would fade away in a few months. Sigh.

Excited the paint along with Vlad Yesilesev is Piedmont Park. My sons will throw down over who gets it. I may keep it. I love Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Mechanical (Botanical) Garden as Livie calls it.

Won’t be using NO nasty Arches. Why did they sell out to Canson who ruined it. 😫😫😫

If you would like to take a face to face class with Vlad he’s teaching in gorgeous Cashiers, NC next months. I signed up. Hope it makes. They still need a few more people.

Margaret ready to put her feet up. Xoxoxo

Day 106 Laguna Beach redo

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Here it is. Better I think except that one umbrella. The blue one needs something.

Here’s the sketch. I painted on Arches rough 12×16″ 140 lb. Blaming it for my stripey sky exactly what Vlad said it would do but it was easier to draw on than my rough Fabriano.

Hmm I just realized it was flat as flitter whole time I painted on it. So not all bad.

Also like the not quite so prominent palms even though I am a big palm tree fan. So many kinds of every shape. They are fascinating.

I also added a few more darks to this. Signed ready for the framer.

Before I added some more darks. I liked it a lot when it was like this but I like it even better now.

And this one. Added more darks. Think I am putting it over my bed so I can have dreams of returning to Paris one day soon. Finishing Paint alongs with Vladislav Yesileyev

Here it earlier. Added some more purple and browns to the buildings too.

Now I am off to Copenhagen with Phil. Great show. Such a funny man. Xoxoxo

Day 103 Flat Iron Building

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Or is it the Fab Four the Beatles??

Did a draw along with Danny Gregory and Ian Fennelly last nite at 11. This is drawn with my 2B Derwent sketching pencil. Love it so dark and juicy. Thick lead gives great lines.

And I like the energy of this sketch. Aka the energetic lines.

Danny gave us the pic and we all drew together along. Kinda can see Vlad Yesilesev influence in this sketch. It’s almost a value study.

Stillman and birn Alpha.

Margaret heading to bed early tonite. Did not go to sleep til 1 am. Kept having watercolor dreams. Xoxoxo