Watch Me Paint
This commissioned work is a formal portrait of a mature woman who desired a nude painting reflecting her Central American heritage. The client wanted an impression of the beauty of a woman not matching the clichƩ of the commercialized American ideal of willowy, leggy and fair female imagery.
The composition features an S-curve created by the background and gold lace mantilla and subtly reinforced by the rim lighting bathing the modelās knees and leg.
(Michelle reading, 24X36″ oil sketch on canvas.)
I have been doing fewer 3 hour figure studies, because my pal Marilyn has blown down to Florida. This is from Saturdayās session. I love the pose.
Three hours for the figure, about another half hour for the background.
Excuse the reflections; at this time of year, paint dries really slowly.
Mark your calendars for a meet the artist reception on 7/29 from 6pm to 8 pm and a roundtable discussion on “Why Art Matters” on 7/31 at 1:00pm (click to sign up).
Carol Douglas is a well-known
She studied figure, anatomy for artists and painting at the Art Students League in
She is a former state chairperson of New York Plein Air Painters and a signature member of that group. She is a member of Oil Painters of American and Landscape Artists International.
She teaches studio and figure painting in her Brighton studio and plein air in the
Crossing Big Bay on Route 10 14X18 Oil
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Kamillah Ramos was game to paint another hour with me after class so I did a quick study. The problem I’m finding is that the paint hasnāt the gamut for the water color. (It’s rare in WNY to have that insane saturated aquamarine, but weāre having strangely clear skies). On top of that, my camera hasnāt the range to record the color in the painting very accurately, but Iāve given it my best shot. Ahem.
I see this scene as a Maxfield Parrish kind of thing, in unearthly light. I think itās worth repainting in a more studied format; do you?
Hereās the set-upā¦ again for benefit of my students. Laid down darks first, then midtones, then lights; then refined the shapes.
My goal was to finish this in three hours, including set-up and tear down, since that’s what I expect of them.
Mayer’s Marine from the Swing Bridge, oil on canvas, 16X20
Saturday, May 7 Ā· 11:00am – 4:00pm
Cobblestone Gallery
The
See Carol Douglasā new plein air work from the 2010 summer season, painted across
Ms. Douglas will be demoing painting during part of the Grand Opening, and there will tours of the facility and other artisans on premises.
The show will hang until May 24, 2011. Hours are:
Monday: 9:30-11:30 AM; 4-7:30 PM
Tuesday: 9:30 AM-12:30 PM; 4-7:30 PM
Wednesday: 9:30-11:30 AM; 4-7:30 PM
Thursday: 9:30 AM-12:30 PM; 4-7:30 PM
Saturday: 8 AM-noon
For more information: (585) 315-2300
One can either read bad magazines or use the time for something useful. This skeleton is at the office of physical therapist Joanne Panzarella. I started off drawing detailed studies of the bonesāthe vertebra (very tough to understand), pelvis, skull, the fascinating details of toe bones and how they attach to two different heel bones.
One day Skelly showed up in a blonde wig and pirate scarf and I knew I āknewā him. It was simple to draw him in all his bony splendor without worrying overmuch about how many ribs he has or where his vertebra attach to his pelvis.
Today he was cuddling with his Easter Bunny. A quick sketchāperhaps 25 minutesābut it gets to the heart of Skelly. Who says that a man without soft tissue is without feelings?
Kim Jong-Il Looking at Things is my current favorite blog. I suppose it amuses me because it reduces a frightening, insane tyrant to an object of ridicule. (I sure hope he doesnāt see it and melt half of
Much of the time, heās wearing a grey-and-lavender parka similar to one my dad used to wear. I assume they have no heat in
It dawned on me that in his parka he looks just like the opossum who was camping out in our basement, so thatās how I painted him. Used Abiās āpetā opossum because the live one has been relocated to public housing elsewhere in the county.
Sometimes this business of painting catches you by surprise. I was all set for the GI Joe toy to give me fits, but it was the rag doll that was hard to paintāall shades of creamy browns, highlights both warm and cool.
