alex powers – Margaret McCarthy Hunt Art

I don’t usually review books BUT this is a great book for anyone wanting to do figure drawing and painting.

Comprehensive as only older art books are. He covers every aspect. I think newer books are shorter to cut down on costs. You can own this book for about $5.

So what do I like about this book besides its comprehensiveness?!

Well I love his art. It’s sketchy but visually exciting with slurpy runs and drips and smears of gorgeous color. Some Of my favorite things about watercolor and art.

I discovered him when I was at Cityart during the Vista gallery open house last month.

His art is like huge pages ripped from Sketchbooks or figure drawing sessions and combined on big sheets of paper complete with notes.

And how did he draw these in motion sports sketches?! Well now I know. He video tapes and paints from the video. A who knew moment for me.

His first 25 pages covers everything about drawing the head.

In great detail

With great illustrations.

How to draw the figure.

Designing the picture.

Hmm you mean you dont just take great photos?!

There’s more to it than that? Yes there is and he explains it.

And a great section on that hardest of topics- edges lost and found.

It keeps your art from looking pasted in.

Look at the dynamic movement he gets. And he uses a spray bottle. What an idea!

And coloring book syndrome. Never heard of it in this sense but what a great painting.

And lots of practical art business advice from an artist whose been supporting himself with his ar since 1979.

So run over to Amazon and order this amazing book.

Margaret xoxoxo whose looking forward to dr Sketchys tonite. 🤗

I took a great photo of Raisins farrier when he was showing Harley and Beau a couple of weeks ago.

He has luxurious mustaches.
Here’s the photo I took in the barn when he took a quick break.

Filing shaving who knew it was such a job. Not to speak of holding up the foot of such a large beast. Harley is 17.2 hands. A big fellow!

As you can see it’s hard work shoeing horses. They have been known to sit on farriers while their shoes are being changed.

I was surprised he was all done in about an hour. Busy guy!!

The sketch. Drawn on 140# cold press fluid paper.

Marking progress.

At this point he’s pretty scary looking. The shadows on his cheek look too dark.

Not fond of the no lost edges look of his head. Every thing was too hard edged. Not what I had envisioned. So I left him here to think about it overnite.

Besides I had to watch the last show of Call the Midwives. LOVE that series. Now I can watch it all over again. Yes I have it on DVR!

Here he is with the beard in progress and some background added. Starting to loose some edges. I decided to do him what I do when I don’t like the way a painting is going. Add some sloppy dots.

Once you don’t like a painting it’s a good opportunity to just mess with it.

I started reading this great watercolor book that Raisin gave me. Ran across his art at Cityart when I went on the Vista Gallery Walk last month and was thrilled to find he had a book.

One of the things he suggested was spraying the hard edges with a spray bottle?! WHAT?? Yes SPRAY the edges to loose them.

So I hit the background with the spray bottle. What a great effect. Juicy runny spotty color. LOVE The effect.

Did the same thing on the left background. And swished it with a big brush.

Love the speckles the runs and then the light areas. Try it. Such fun!!

It did leave a few horizontal drips on the left that I didn’t like but a few swipes with Mr Clean and zip they were gone.

See?! All gone! Got to love fluid paper for its liftability.

Yesterday I didn’t like the dark ick colored shadows on his cheek. Funny today they don’t bother me. I guess time fixes paintings as well as the heart. Lol!

So he’s done for now. Fixating on his mouth and that hard edge Sean on his shoulder. Oh well nothing’s ever perfect. Going redraw him on an offer sheet of 300# paper today.