the life painting Thread.

[Bojee]

Nick- Your right, there's a big difference from when I open it in my computer to when I post, the values are quite a bit stronger. I've got to play around with my monitor more to get that transition right.

When you going to post again?, the Onion was cool.

Oh , I'm painting right around 24x36" to 36"x48" for portraits.
:D

[antongranik]

Nick, you're right about red. Thx! Here's the work I finished minutes ago. :-) 2.5 hrs.

155192

[cheeseandbread]

Hi everyone! I've been looking at all the art here(CA) for years and have been picking up tidbits of knowledge from you all and trying to apply it. I recently started 'trying' to do some oil painting. I know these suck, but what can i do to improve? They are small, about 5X7 and 8X10 respectively:

-My daughter at about 2yrs old
http://www.loadedpixels.net/younghana.jpg

and

-My wife (still not finished yet)
http://www.loadedpixels.net/hotlou.jpg

[Adam Carnes]

http://www.adamcarnes.com/gallery/dailies/6-04/6-9.jpg

[cheeseandbread]

Wow! Ireally like the intensity of your work. How long did that one take?

[nick reynolds]

Adam: Very nice

http://www.colossalart.com/images/life/life_007.jpg

[mermuse]

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/bliss.jpg

another figure painting... this one didn't turn out as well. The foreshortening and muted lighting made it a nightmare. I also let my background get way too busy.

Nick and Adam - nice colors and mood!

Here's a quick repaint with a simpler background...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/bliss_blue.jpg

[Adam Carnes]

cheeseandbread- about 6 hours

mermuse- I like the color and brush work, gestural and sargent like. the simple background does not suit this piece. I like the original better.
what bothers me in this painting is how the cloth runs along the edge of the model; bad tangent. I like the diagonals. the top left negative space could be utilized better.

nick reynolds- too washed out and the anatomy is off; the neck and chin area is akward. the color is boring.

[cheeseandbread]

Is my work so bad I can't get a crit??? I really want to improve and some advise/criticism would be very welcome!

[Adam Carnes]

cheeseandbread- sorry, i was just replying to the last replys on my work, I didn't realize that you just recently posted paintings= very busy. daughter painting is very nuetral; boring color. looks like it was done from a photo, flat. in the wife painting, the texture looks amature and out of place. the tonal rendering on this one is washed out. do some more master copies, a lot of color studies and more life paintings/drawings. what palette are you using?

[fredflickstone]

cheeseandbread-your skintones are good. THe midtones from the repros, feel a bit out of tempreature and possibly slightly out of chroma with the rest of the image, I am mostly speaking of the little girl painting. THe yellow ochre raw sienna looking tones stand out or jump off the canvas rather than blending in with the face more appropriately.
And the eyes on both of the paintings need more care put into them. They are a bit out of scale to the rest of the features and volumes, and they need more rendering, or better adhesion of all the edges in them. They are a bit too cut out and cut apart in terms of lots of little fragments. I am saying this in regards to the way they are painted vs the rest of the painting. If both the eyes and the rest of the painting had a more chiselled or mosaic effect, the eyes would work bettter with the rest of what you have stated in paint as well.

Does anyone know what happened to dr darrow?


Sorry I havent posted in a while, I got into some deadline jams, then I lost my CPU to a virus, and I am just now getting back into it.

I will post more soon, and make some comments, I have a couple things I have to take care of first.

Good to be back...nice stuff everyone has been posting. Boj...you going to Austin...heh


ROn

[Bojee]

Ron- Can't make it for a couple different reasons:D ,tear it up down in austin, a few people I know are going down there and I told them to pick your brain for me. Doc posted recently on PandaWhipped's thread but I don't know where he's been. Alot of people have been missing lately, geering up for the big gathering I guess. Take Care:D

[fredflickstone]

155193

A few new ones to add to the scrap pile. Finally did my Sorolla demo, and I think I did ok. It gave me a huge boost of confidence that I have been needing to start going bigger...


Glad to be back around...thank goodness for fire walls...


Ron

[cheeseandbread]

Adam Carnes: thanks for the crit! I see what you're saying about the painting of my daughter. It was done before I even thought about warms and cools and midtones. I was basically using yellow ochre and burnt sienna and white paint on it. The dress also was pure black (dumb, I know). Also i used paint thinner and no medium at all. It was the first oil painting i'd tried in about 12 years. The one of my wife is partly an experiment in the pallete knife (quess it failed. I AM an amateur, after all! lol). When you say washed out what do you mean? And by pallette do you mean the colors I used or the medium I painted them in? I will definitely try to do some studies and copies. Thanks a lot :)

fredflickstone: AH! Thank you for the positive comment on the skintones! I see what you mean about the eyes. I will try to make them match the rest of the paintings better. I'm still trying to learn good brush strokes. Thank you both so much for taking the time to help out a noobie!

[bwkeough]

ron- that sorolla copy is really excellent, it's completely beyond me how that was done in 3-5 hours.

I'm looking forward to seeing you and targete do oil demos, I can feel myself gravitating towards that medium for illustration and concept work. Prepare yourself for lots of oil noob questions!

[krispee]

hi all
fairly new here and was wondering whether you all just posted paintings that were painted from life or do you allow works from any source?

Ron: lovely work, reminds me of sargeant....i`ve seen your work many times, used to always check your site out and downloaded your tuts on drawing head and hands, which were v useful....
do you work alla prima only then or do you also allow your paintings to dry sometimes and if so how many layers would you consider ok?

thanks

krispee

[draw]

Forbidden Fruit


http://img71.photobucket.com/albums/v215/markfeiler2004/forbidden-fruit03.jpg


please crit !!!:bow:

[drdarrow]

Originally posted by krispee
...was wondering whether you all just posted paintings that were painted from life or do you allow works from any source?

Well, people do have to be reminded from time to time that this thread is all about painting from life, since the disciplines relative to painting from life differ from those of painting from photos, etc.

I don't think anyone here has an objection to painting from photos, but this thread is all about painting from life. There are many paintings in this thread that were clearly NOT done from life, and in my opinion, they should not be here since they are technically off-topic.

That one paints a realistic nude, for example, from a photo does not make it a life painting/drawing.

If you're looking for critques, you can always post in another thread and ask for critiques from members of this thread, providing a link to it. Then if they/we want, we can critique the work "over there."

[krispee]

drdarrow: ok, it was just that, that there were clearly paintings from different disciplines here....not that i`m complaining, perish the thought, i`m learning as much, if not more, than anyone else.....
but thats an interesting idea with the linking....never thought of doing it that way....
thankyou for taking the time.....

krispee

[krispee]

i did actually post an image here:
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25178

it is finished but if you want to crit it that would be great, i can apply any new ideas and thoughts on my next work....

thanks

krispee

[drdarrow]

Originally posted by krispee
It is finished but if you want to crit it that would be great, i can apply any new ideas and thoughts on my next work...

That's what crits are all about... it's a rare artist that goes in and changes a finished work. It's all for "next time."

:-)

[AmishCommy]

wow wow wow

can't believe i overlooked this thread for so long.

Love all the criticism, please dont hold back on mine.

http://www.arkadyroytman.com/drop/StudioJournal/2004_-_05-11c.jpg

I did this one about a month ago in a life drawing class at the local museum. took about an hour.

I never really worked on the figure in oils before this. Still struggling with oils. there're a ton of stuff i don't know about the medium. I'm not making any excuses. i need more practice.

[mermuse]

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/arched.jpg

Heres another attempt at painting the full figure.

With each attempt I seem to be getting worse...
I guess I just got lucky the first time.

[AmishCommy]

Dr.Darrow - not sure waht you mean. I mean that I love all the constructive critisism. No sarcasm there. for once. In my experiences i learn more from people saying "that's off" or "fix that" than "wow, that rocks!"

[Main Loop]

he's talking about your signature..

im having a tough time painting plants and such, but i feel its a worthy subject to conquer..

here was my first try:
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/116.jpg

2nd attempt at the same subject:
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/133.jpg

and a watercolor:

http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/117.jpg

[mermuse]

I like the second one. That one feels more like you are putting down the colors and values you see rather then trying to paint each leaf or petal.

There are also some nice abstract colors at the top of the first one... but the pink flowers at the bottom make the image feel very off balance to me.

[Main Loop]

yeah, neither of these are composed very well... i was trying to figure out what to leave out in the second one to make it still read.. its very hard since you are bombarded with so much broken light and shadow, not to mention changing light direction.. you have to work quick.. does anyone have tips on painting this kind of stuff?

[AngeloNR]

A few small oil paintings on wood panel from the last couple days. Love to hear some comments and critiques. Ron, your Sorolla demo is stunning. You're a mentor to legions of students that you've never met- dr darrow as well- It's an exciting time that we live in. Anyhow, these still lives were sketched first, then transfered on to boards about 8 1/2 by 11. I will post the drawings on another thread if there is an intrest.

I'm experimenting with composition and application- making the drawings first so that I don't get anal about proportions when I'm looking for the color. The chat on this thread about color was especially informative. My feeling on these is that I need to enlarge the scale and focus more intensely on color varation- really catch those cool and warm transitions, and slight variations in tone, while keeping the economy of each brush stroke in mind. Mostly I just need a fresh eye- so have at em.

They are all slightly less red in real life.

http://studentpages.scad.edu/~nradko20/paintings/still_lifep.jpg
http://studentpages.scad.edu/~nradko20/paintings/stilll_life2p.jpg
http://studentpages.scad.edu/~nradko20/paintings/still_life3p.jpg
(detail)
http://studentpages.scad.edu/~nradko20/paintings/detail_SL3.jpg



Thanks

[AngeloNR]

Loop- are these painted Plien Air? I assume that's what you mean by changing light direction. I think your colors have a good integrity, likely very close to what you saw, but your values are confusing. If I squint down at your painting the light seems to be hitting everything flush, the form of the leaves do not turn. The form works better perhaps on the first one than on the second. I might try picking a focal point and really emphasizing the form in that area- then perhaps you could afford to leave some of the painting loose and abstract. I like the direction you are going with the watercolor- it has a dark Andrew Wyeth quality to it. Although he would splatter some paint on the edge and some how it would look perfect. (sigh)

Amish- that composition is killing me... looks like some one took a meat cleaver to him. But I like where you're going with your paint application- there is an attitude to your brush strokes that you should strive to keep as you learn more about the medium. Your sense of light is coming along- it would benefit you to get rid of the white of the canvas early on, or tone it, so that you can simplify values as you build up the paint. It's also easier to find a correct color when you place it in an environment and not against the stark white of the canvas.

Draw- same deal with the stark white. Some people can pull it off, but it doesn't lend well to those who are just getting started. A simple form like a pear is great practice.. perhaps try it in a traditional media? Getting messy seems to be an irrevocable part of the learning process. Also, as you start a painting, think about the abstract shapes and how they work in their environment. A well composed image should hold up with only two values. Think about the gestalt before the individual objects.

mermuse- I dig those poses. Must be an excellent model. I like the foreshortened figure alot. Well handled. How long are the poses?

[dumah]

AngeloNR - Those two paintings are excellent. I can't offer much critique as I am just getting started in painting, but I do know that your work is pleasing to the eye. (at least my eye)
I can't wait to see more of your work.

[mermuse]

AngeloNR - I love the one with the bat! That one definitely has the best composition and a very strong focal point.

The poses are two and a half hours.

[Main Loop]

angeloNR: those have3 a really nice sense of light and shadow, but in the 2nd one, i cannot tell what that thing is... i know there are two shoes there, but what are the other things? 3rd one is my favorite..
the shadows seem too dark on the other ones... with light that strong, id imagine more reflected light in there..

i see what you're saying about mine.. i think i chose a subject that was too hard, because there wasnt a clear light and shadow pattern.. it was very patchy.. next time ill try for a better subject..

[AngeloNR]

Main- Good point about the reflected light. I stylized the shadows so that there is very little variation where the light does not fall. This sacrificed a little realism, and i think we're getting at the same thing when I say I need to enlarge and focus on the subtle varations in tone/color.
As for the second one, the subject matter is wrestling (collegiate) gear. Medals hang on the top, there is a headgear, wrestling shoes, a knee pad, and a wrestling bag. Part of the thesis that was driving these still lifes for me was the recognition of the universal objects, to the idiomatic, to the very personal. With the impressionistic style of the application, the veiwer's experiance is contingent on their familiarity with the subject matter, as well as the clarity of the strokes. Some of them straddle a thin line. Thanks for noting that, I wonder if a viewer familiar with wrestling gear would pick up on the subject matter, or if only I recognize it because it belongs to me.

Either way, I put more stock into the traditional elements than the conceptual- so thanks for the imput. I posted the drawings here (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?p=252360#post252360)

I'll be out of the country for a while, and will to return with some work to show. Keep this thread rolling

-angelo

[nick reynolds]

I just got back from a 5 day workshop with Steven Assael it was the most amazing experience ever. Here's some things i turned out while there. I really got some direction from this workshop and where i need to go to get back on track.

8x10
http://www.colossalart.com/images/workshop/assaelworkshop_04.JPG
detail
http://www.colossalart.com/images/workshop/assaelworkshop_06.JPG

15x20 or so...
http://www.colossalart.com/images/workshop/assaelworkshop_02.JPG

[stephen]

dang, nick, i realllly wanted to goto that. looks like you did a good job in it. i stopped by for alittle bit on monday, and saw his painting.... it was freaking AMAZING.
im definitely not going to miss that next time he does it.
good to see people from laafa representing :p

-s

[dumah]

Nick - I love your shadows on that figure. The colors you see are magnificent. I wish I had your eye. I like, especially, that warm shadow on her right torso.
Any tips on how to improve on "seeing"?

[nick reynolds]

Stephen: Yeah it is defiantly something to see that man paint, absolutely amazing. I still can’t believe he did that painting in 6 hours, I believe he is finishing it up the other figure today you should get over there and check it out if you’re close by. Take pictures and send them to me if you can ;)

dumah: I am definably not someone to talk to you about "seeing" and if you want someone’s eyes take Ron’s or drdarrows. I struggle with color so much and it’s almost a guessing game with me, I constantly second guess what I see when I should just go with my gut the first time. The one thing that Steven said that really helped me out with recognizing what is cool or warm is to look at the area in question and compare it to an area that you know is cool or warm. For example the area under her right breast and next to her arm, if I just stared at that one area it all looked warm to me, yet in actuality if I looked at that area then the cool grey wall and back and forth I could see that green was creeping into the shadow from the center of the abdomen. So constantly compare, look and compare I have trouble doing that. Also squinting helps do it often very often. I hope that helps, but you really don’t want my eyes they suck. :crosseyed

[mermuse]

Nice work nick! I really like the background on the bottom one... it has a lot of energy and I like how the legs slowly become part of the background. The way you dealt with the hair on the smaller one is very elegant.

[Main Loop]

heh, yep nick those definitely have the steve assael influence to them, red shadows and super thick highlights.. does he have you guys start out on a red tone base? or was that you? either way, it works for that particular piece

[nick reynolds]

mermuse: thanks, you taking any classes this quarter? I'm gonna be in the tuesday night head and figure painting,the saturday plein air painting and the open sunday long pose. Gonna be fun, I'm not in crunching at work this time so it should make it a better quarter.

Mainloop: He had us start out with the red ground, he said he works with a warm ground when working from a cool light source and then a cool green ground for when he is working from a warm light. The ground shows through on his thin shadow areas so it help kicks up the cool of the color. He is an amazing painter, I am still in awe.

[mermuse]

nick : Lets see... I've already signed up for the Sunday open and Tuesday night figure. I still haven't decided if I'm doing the Saturday plein air class. I don't really have a passion for painting landscapes but I've been paint them a lot for work and that's the area where I'm the weakest. So If the class isn't full already I'll probably be signing up.

[nick reynolds]

haha sounds like i'll be seeing you a lot.

[inno8sky]

Hello, my name is Fausto Mauro.

I was surfing by the other night and stumbled across this site, there's some amazing talent on these shores. I was so impressed and inspired I thought I should post some of my images for critique and viewing so I did but someone suggested that I should post to this thread instead.

The first three images are all produced with soft pastel on illustration board, the last few are painted with oil on canvas

Please feel free to post any remarks or comments you may have.

Please take a look

http://www.floatingrock.com/forum/artwork/thewind.jpg

http://www.floatingrock.com/forum/artwork/silverdollars.jpg

http://www.floatingrock.com/forum/artwork/sacredplaces.jpg

http://www.floatingrock.com/forum/artwork/riposato.jpg

http://www.floatingrock.com/forum/artwork/redparasol.jpg

http://www.floatingrock.com/forum/artwork/oranges.jpg

http://www.floatingrock.com/forum/artwork/decanter.jpg

http://www.floatingrock.com/forum/artwork/gramas_jug.jpg

[Bojee]

Fausto- Great work, for me I like the still lifes the best, I'd have to see more of your figurative work to talk about it, this one looks like it's from a photo and seems a little stiff and little washed out but no denying your skill. Are they all from photos? What timeline are we talking about , how long are you spending on them?

[inno8sky]

Hi there, thanks for the great comments.

The figure piece is in fact a combination of photo reference, life sketches and imagination. The piece was done specifically for a group show, the theme, sacred places. I thought I'd do a tongue in cheek sort of thing something less spiritual and mysterious unlike the other artists involved in the show. If you look close there's a reflection of a girl running past this fellow evident in his glasses. The thought was, here's a man sitting on a park bench drinking a cold miller lite watching the young women roll by, this could be just as sacred a place as any.

The piece was really challenging because the subject's face and hand are almost entirely in shadow. Trying to give anything form, a sense of solidity when you don't have light to contrast the shadow is difficult to do. In fact, I think that may be the cause of a lot images having hot spots and breaking up or not working all together. Shadows are tricky because the more you look at shadowed areas the more your eyes adjust, the more you see the more you're likely to paint. To paint something that's totally in shadow means that all bumps, creases, landmarks need to be painted in a very close value range.

http://www.floatingrock.com/forum/artwork/sacredplaces_bw.jpg

http://www.floatingrock.com/forum/artwork/riposato_detail.jpg

The rest of the pieces are painted from life in my studio. Obviously I took some liberty in the effects of light. Timeline, these pieces represent some of the work done over a 5 year period, just a selection really. Aside from Riposato, the violin painting, and sacred places, I'd spend about a week to 10 days completing an average work. That would represent the total effort however, from idea through sketches to final piece, so 40 to 60 hours. The decanter (second to last) piece was done in one sitting on a sunday.

I'm afraid I haven't had much time to devote to painting since starting my business, hopefully that will change in the not too distant future.

[kang]

Good stuff Fausto. You might like to try smoothing out your background on the violin piece though because the patchy background, while great for figures, has a rather distracting & disconcerting effect, especially in contrast to the smooth rendering of the violin.

[nick reynolds]

Wow some really awesome peices here, thanks for sharing.

[krispee]

fausto: like it....i`ve never got on with pastels so i`ve got a lot of respect for artists who manage to really work them.....but your oils are great as well.....i`m with bojee, love the still lifes.....
what size are these works?

krispee

[dumah]

inno8sky, Your work reminds me of David Leffel's. I hope that is a compliment to you, it is meant to be.

It is really great to look at. I'm sorry that I don't have any critiques however — to me they are just beautiful paintings.

[nick reynolds]

8x10 Plein air painting, was the first time for me and i got a wicked sun burn on my arm to go with it. Any help would be appreciated.
http://www.colossalart.com/images/life/life_pleinair_001.jpg

Borjee... drdarrow... where you guys at, you've been gone a long time? :hmm:

[krispee]

nick thats great, love it...the free feel of the strokes.....almost sargeant`ish certainly impressionistic.....you have a real knack for this......
keep doing it.....

oh, and maybe use some suncream lol
mind you some of the old painters used to use a big kind of parasol.....type of thingy....give themselves some shade.....

krispee

[mermuse]

Painting from this morning...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/redrobeSM.jpg

and one from Topanga Canyon...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/air01.jpg

[Adam Carnes]

About 4 hours

http://www.adamcarnes.com/gallery/dailies/7-04/7-10.jpg

Mermuse- nice colors in your landscape

[mermuse]

Adam - Thanks. It was a challenge because I was working with a limited palette (yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, white) which meant I couldn't create any bright greens.

I love your dailies. It's very inspiring to see that you find the time to draw or paint every day!

[mermuse]

from last night...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/redfro.jpg

[Adam Carnes]

About 8 Hours
http://www.adamcarnes.com/gallery/dailies/7-04/7-13.jpg

Mermuse- how long were your last two figure paintings?

[mermuse]

The wine bottle looks great. My figure paintings are about 2 1/2 hours each.

[Adam Carnes]

Mermuse- in your figure painting of the women, her head is to small. In your last painting, the hands are to small. Pay more attention to your proportions. Otherwise, I like the brushwork.

[Adam Carnes]

4 hours
Incomplete
http://www.adamcarnes.com/gallery/dailies/7-04/7-14.jpg

[Main Loop]

^very nice handling of metal

[Adam Carnes]

nick reynolds- how did assael conduct his workshop; what did he emphasize, what exercises did he do and how did he explain color theory? He is one of my favorite artists, I wish that I could afford to study with him.

[krispee]

adam i agree with main loop in that i think the metal is very nicely rendered but unfortunately i also think that the handle is coming out of the saucepan at the wrong angle......it just doesn`t look right......

krispee

[Adam Carnes]

krispee- I agree, it needs more foreshortening. I should have spent more time on the drawing process. I got a little impatient. I appreciate the criticism.

[Main Loop]

nick reynolds, the way you handled the backgorund trees and houses in the plein air study is wonderful..

Some plein air studies of my own.. 2 hours each more or less.. its incredibly hard to keep up with the light sometimes..
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/154.jpg
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/155.jpg

btw this was the first time using water soluble oils.. at first they felt sticky going down on the first layer, but once you get the hang of it they feel the same..

[krispee]

hi
i`d posted this on an new thread when i realised that it was suitable for this thread.....

http://www.fluidimage.co.uk/images/still_life.jpg

alla prima.....6 hours, roughly.....oil on board....size about 46x18(cm)


adam: i like your still life work, didn`t see it before, especially the wine bottle but the overall composition looks good...

krispee

[Adam Carnes]

9 hours
incomplete
http://www.adamcarnes.com/gallery/dailies/7-04/7-17.jpg

I would still like to push the contrast on the right side of the painting(in the objects)

Any suggestions?

krispee-thanks for the comp. it funny= the wine bottle was the last thing that I did on the painting. It was 4 oclock in the morning and I was tired of working; so I quickly painting the bottle to finish up a blank area. Sometimes when you work fast, you get a better product.

On your still life, on your vegetables= the white areas are blending into the background. It could pop more. Think of contrast. Maybe if you darkened your shadows, vegetables would seperate from the white cloth. I like the handling on the tomatoes.

Main Loop- your color seems muddy, what is your palette? Do more color studies with saturated colors, no brown.

[Main Loop]

for those two it was all cools, they just happened to be the only colors i had at the time.. lemon yellow, alizarin crimson, phtalo blue, black and white..

[mermuse]

Plein Air painting from Eaton Canyon .
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/bent.jpg

and a figure painting ...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/spiral.jpg
unfortunately I was set up right next to the spotlight so I had virtually no form shadows.

Main Loop - I love the second painting... it has a great energy.

[krispee]

adam: thanks for the crit....after looking at the 'real' thing again there are greater differences there than the photo shows, but the shadows could do with deepening you`re right, and i`ve realised my choice of background material was a mistake.....took a painting to make me realise i need to choose my components more carefully.....
your pic is coming along nicely...i think your contrast is ok, could be worked on more but it won`t harm the painting as is....look forward to seeing the finished thing...be nice to see it a wee bit bigger

mermuse: like your last two....i understand about the form shadow for the girl but looks like it worked out ok, colours certainly look well handled, but the first, now that`s nice.....lovely work dude

main: your work looks ok, shaping up, but you are taking on big subjects for your plein air work, maybe a simpler subject would help you finish a project, at least until you`ve got to grips with the principles....i`ve only just started doing alla prima work and decided on simple fruit and vedge to start...even so, took me long enough to finish.....

you know, its nice to see this thread keep going despite the adsence of D R Darrow, JRR, El Coro, Ron and the reast.......they must be busy....

krispee

[Main Loop]

Adam: I admire your willingness to spend so long on your pieces.. no real crits from me..

Mermuse: I love that plien air study.. very nice.. the legs of the figure dont seem too well defined, and there's no real shadow side.. looks flat..

"main: your work looks ok, shaping up, but you are taking on big subjects for your plein air work, maybe a simpler subject would help you finish a project, at least until you`ve got to grips with the principles....i`ve only just started doing alla prima work and decided on simple fruit and vedge to start...even so, took me long enough to finish....."

Yeah i know what you mean.. im planning to settle down and tackle some simple still lifes soon, but for now im enjoying the outdoor work for the sheer challenge of it,even if they do look like crap heh

[krispee]

Yeah i know what you mean.. im planning to settle down and tackle some simple still lifes soon, but for now im enjoying the outdoor work for the sheer challenge of it,even if they do look like crap heh

they don`t look crap main, overly impressionistic, yeah, but not crap.....lol

krispee

[Main Loop]

aw thanks buddy hehe.. yeah i know they're not THAT bad.. but not that good, face it..

but anyways, something ive ran into after painting outdoors, when you bring em back in they never look the same! the seem to be way too light of an overall key, and most of the value gets obliterated.. do you guys ever run into that? what do you do about it?

[nick reynolds]

but anyways, something ive ran into after painting outdoors, when you bring em back in they never look the same! the seem to be way too light of an overall key, and most of the value gets obliterated.. do you guys ever run into that? what do you do about it?

I've had this problem to but i just got a umbrella from dickblick.com and what that does is attach to your easel or stakes into the ground and then it shadows your canvas and your face so your pupils are super small and your can judge value better. I think no matter what you're going to have a difference in look from the painting outside and then what it looks like inside, just different lights you cant really do anything about it. You could always hang it in that one spot in the house that always receives direct sunlight. :crosseyed

What i tired to do while waiting for the umbrella was cover my eyes with my hands or a hat and then shadow the canvas with your hand. You'll see a big difference but its kinda getto and a pain in the ass because you are guessing too much.

NIck

[Main Loop]

well that solves the problem when there's TOO MUCH sun, but my specific problem was when i painted in the evening, therefore there was not enough..

[nick reynolds]

well that solves the problem when there's TOO MUCH sun, but my specific problem was when i painted in the evening, therefore there was not enough..

Oh sorry, you need to do multiple sittings across a few days i guess. You could always ask the sun real nice to stick around a little longer he will understand.

[Main Loop]

oh yeah me 'n em go back, shootin craps on jackson & third we used to clean nahmean? he owes me a favor n 20 dollars

[Adam Carnes]

6 hours
http://www.adamcarnes.com/gallery/dailies/7-04/7-20.jpg

[mermuse]

from last night...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/hip.jpg

[Adam Carnes]

mermuse- I would like to see what your work looks like in a diferent palette. When using a limited palette, you cannot acheive all the true colors in nature.

[mermuse]

I use a full palette for the figure paintings and a limited palette for the landscapes... I use the limited palette purely to help reduce the amount of weight I have to carry up into the mountains. I kind of like limited palette because they guarantee color harmony. I need to try using different limited palette so my paintings don't always look the same.

[Adam Carnes]

I like your landscapes, brush work and color. Your figure paintings do seem very similar in color. If you use a full palette, play around with different variations of color. For example, you seem to use the same purple and skin colors. It looks like the color choices are redundent. The more you experiment the more you learn. Keep up the good work.

[Main Loop]

Here's my 2 latest..

http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/160.jpg
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/161.jpg

adam: if i were you i woulda used a different cloth, cuz gray on white is kinda redundant and monotonous.. also, its hard to tell exactly what plane the bust is resting on..

mermuse: nice colors, but the head drawing is off.. the planes are a bit too defined in the torso, and the purple lines in the cast shadows look like gashes.. i think your brush strokes shold follow the form more.. i agree with adam to try out new color combos.. nice values and composition though..

[Adam Carnes]

Main Loop- I agree about the bust not resting on the right plane. If I lighten the forground it should help the cast look like it is sitting right. I figured that I would try a low key palette for a change. It does seem to have a dull quality with grey instead of color.

Your color is great! Those paintings are full of life. I love it.

[mermuse]

Yeah I agree I've become a little too set in my ways... I'm going to try and force myself to try different techniques. What's off on the head? Is it the size or the perspective?

[Main Loop]

adam: yeah i wasnt sure if you were going for a grisaille or something, in which case ida adjusted the lighting to be more dramatic.. are you referring to my paintings? thanks!

mermuse, actually its the angle of the eyes in relation to the rest of the features.. the nose and mouth are parrallel but the eyes are at an angle.. maybe the model moved while you were painting? either way its something you should pay attention to, and its something im instantly aware of after taking head drawing classes

[Adam Carnes]

Main Loop- yeah, those last two paintings you did are great. Very nice color.

[mermuse]

from last night...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/Mika02.jpg

[Adam Carnes]

2.5 Hours
http://www.adamcarnes.com/gallery/dailies/7-04/7-21.jpg

mermuse- your portrait has a nice feel to it. I like the blue usage in the shirt. good work

[Main Loop]

mermuse: nicely handled in the upper face.. the neck and (her) right cheek got a little wonky, like you didnt care as much.. good color too.. how long do you usually spend on a painting?

adam: good rendering, but everything's tilting to the left.. the rim of the wine glass looks a little too undefined..

[MindCandyMan]

Some Plein Air studies...the first are just value studies that my teachers suggested that I do because I had never done plein air before...I'm glad I did them too it helped things make much more sense.

155194

155195

155196

You guys are doing awesome...I check this thread almost daily...awesome

[bwkeough]

wow, you guys are really cranking these paintings out; your dedication is impressive.

[Adam Carnes]

check out this painting by Jean Lecomte du Nouÿ
http://www.artrenewal.org/articles/2004/Du_Nouy/large/Lecomte_du_Nouy_Gate_of_the_Harem.jpg

MindCandyMan- nice studies

Main Loop- your painting is a little confusing; could be rendered more=defined. good to see you working with vibrant color

[krispee]

MindCandy: i too like your studies, nice bold brush strokes....good work...first 2 look like monochrome studies.....raw umber maybe?
i see you too get the same problem when you`re taking a photo of your paintings......light reflecting off the paint....drives me mad....

krispee

[mermuse]

Plein Air painting from Los Angeles County Arboretum.
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/air03.jpg

And a figure painting from this morning. I'm getting a little tired of just painting exactly what I see so I decided to paint her as a mermaid... The smaller version is a photo (of the painting) in which the colors aren't accurate but I kind of like them anyway...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/Mermaid.jpg http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/Mermaid_blue.jpg

[MindCandyMan]

The plein airs and the figures look great mermuse. I particularly like the plein air ones. The only suggestion I would make is to be conscious of your palette. Everything I have seen so far has been kind of purple in nature which is cool but just don't get stuck into a mold.

[mermuse]

MindCandyMan - Yeah I know what you mean. I'm trying to change the way I approach my painting to force a change in my palette. I'm starting to look for a theme or mood that the subject reminds me of and use that to push my work in a different direction. I've started to notice a gradual change.. . but it may be a while before I'm ready to give up my purples. I've always liked the color harmony between flesh tones, reds, and purples.

[Main Loop]

mermuse: great paintings.. the plien air study has a nice feeling of evening.. the figure is good too.. nice handling of the torso, good composition.. yeah you're the purple guy.. better switch it up or im gonna start calling you Grimace..

mindcandyman: I love the color of the raw umber, gives it an old-photo tone.. i should be doing stuff like this.. the color one doesnt seem as successful to me.. composition isnt as good..

I re-uploaded the wheelbarrow one.. that other pic didnt do it justice..

http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/165.JPG

then some quicker studies, 4 pics on the same canvas..

http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/166.JPG

closeups:

http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/167.JPG
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/168.JPG
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/169.JPG
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/170.JPG

['becca]

I know exactly what you mean about the loss of values en plein air, read that a lot of artists start with a colored ground to help deepen those dark values,and reduce glare bouncing off the white canvas, but I resolved mine with using sun glasses not blue blockers, but the orange ones that don't change all the colors just the really blue white glare, and paint with them on, and hold out the pallette knife at arms length with one eye closed to check my paint for value against what I'm trying to paint.
I always take a photo from the same spot I paint from to check at home in case I have to adjust something but, usually don't need to. I consider the painting a success if I get the same "ah ha" feeling from the painting as I did when I chose that particular site to paint in the first place.
BTW, the painting will never look the same indoors in artificial light as it does
outside. That's why the painters who hung in the academy would come in and touch up their work where it was to hang in the gallery. They are going to be viewed indoors, not outside, after all. Good luck and good work, too.

[Main Loop]

i think i'll try some plein air studies on toned ground, thanks for the suggestion.. I probably wont try to paint with sunglasses on, it changes things too much for me.. if it works for you fine...

[hito]

another still life at long last... colors are alot less muddy than the first. composition still seems off. Should have considered the surrounding space more when setting up the objects.

gouache, 3hr, 9x12
http://stu.aii.edu/~nll181/sketchbook57.jpg

[Main Loop]

nice rendering of the shoe.. i think that the shadow of that apple-thing should be a lot more red, since something with that kind of surface would reflect a lot more color than that.. the cast shadow edges are too hard.. i really like the feeling of roundness at the lip of the vase, you handled that part the best.. i wish you carried that all the way through the vase, but the rest looks kinda flat, espec. around the edges..

as a suggestion id choose some objects that have better color harmony together..

[mermuse]

from last night...

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/redredrobe.jpg

notice the limited use of purple.

[krispee]

yeah, and i like it....good form on the model and lovely background, like the loose, unfinished feel to it......

krispee

[Jokisalo]

Here is my entry to this thread!
Did this simple piece for trying out my new brush and technigue.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/Jokisalo/clouds.gif

[Main Loop]

thats a really cool technique! was that digital? if not what kinda brush was it?

[Jokisalo]

Main Loop: It's oil on canvas and brush i used is http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/Jokisalo/Studio/brush.gif

[krispee]

a fanbrush of course....usually used to blend but you`ve used it to create an interesting technique there.....very good

krispee

[Jokisalo]

krispee yeah cool brush isnt it?
i used it for blending the bg but then i used it too with creating trees.

[krispee]

Jokisalo: yeah, very cool.......i`ve never used it to paint per se but have used it to blend, must use it a bit more often.....your technique to create trees is very effective i must admit....it looks almost like a scumbling technique.....works with what looks like cedar or pine trees?

krispee

[mermuse]

Pein Air painting from Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/cacti.jpg

and a figure painting from yesterday...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/redgoth.jpg

[AbcArt]

Sorry I haven't been posting lately. I have viewing often though and everyone is doing great stuff. Here are a few done in the past couple of months at the life drawing session in downtown Seattle.

50min oil on canvas
155200

50min oil on canvas
155202

3hrs oil on canvas
155204

[xia]

U go Master! More? I thought there are three or four more. :cheerleader:

[drdarrow]

Here are a few done in the past couple of months at the life drawing session in downtown Seattle.
These are simply excellent. Great brushwork, nice thick, direct paint; nice values/hues, and smart edges. I really enjoy your work! I'm anxious to see more. Thanks for posting them!

--Doc

[jrr]

abc, if you varied your brush strokes and sizes alittle more i think it would bring those pieces together much better. but still excellent paintings.

[mermuse]

aaron,

Wonderful work! Please show more...

[Main Loop]

ABCArt- you've improved a lot since i last saw paintings of yours.. those were already good, but these are more cohesive, more controlled, and are way more subtle.. beautiful work man

[Ben Mauro]

tonights first pass, about 2.5 hours

http://www.artofben.com/lp/life_11.jpg

[Bojee]

AbcArt- Seattle represents ;) , Great stuff Abc, you should post more, I know you've got more stashed away... inspiration to us all.

[Bojee]

Ben- Keep it up, your making progress, it may seem slow at first but your hard work will pay off. :teeth:

[mermuse]

from last night...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/chairshadow.jpg

[inno8sky]

Sorry I haven't been posting lately. I have viewing often though and everyone is doing great stuff. Here are a few done in the past couple of months at the life drawing session in downtown Seattle.

50min oil on canvas
155800

50min oil on canvas
155801

3hrs oil on canvas
155802

Absolutely love the feel of these studies, as well as the figurative work on your web site, it reminds me of Malcom "Skip" Liepke one of my all time favourites.
Samples of Skip's work (http://www.principlegallery.com/artistView.pl?artist=49)

look forward to seeing more!!

[AbcArt]

Thanks for all the positive responses.

3hrs oil on canvas
155207

6hrs oil on canvas
155208

4hrs oil on canvas
155209

[drdarrow]

ABCArt.

Awesome work.

They are all great paintings, but I particularly like the exaggerated hues to bring out the tan vs. light flesh in the nude.

Good eye. Nice brushwork.

['becca]

a couple of months and am trying to finish my second study to post here for your feed back. I painted for 7 hours today and removed it all. Trying to paint a cut crystal dish in the still life... Oh MY God what a nightmare. Just like I'd never used a brush before sometimes when I'm painting what I've never painted before that happens. I am hoping for some advice from you, Main Loop. Love your critiques, what an eye you have! Also, watching your paintings Mermuse. You are doing what I hope to do this fall in life-drawing class. Wanting to paint instead of sketch... How do you begin? Are you drawing first or just starting to paint? Last year painted the neighborhood children head and shoulders only, 20 minute sketches. Gave them their pictures so they would pose, or I would post them. The life-drawing group I belong to does 20 minute poses also, how long are your models posing? Can I get a good start and then finish in that amount of time do you think? Wish I was in L.A, instead of Las Vegas. No life-drawing at the college last year not enough interst they said... so we started our own little group. Anyway , thanks for all your posts. I am painting six hours a day now. You have inspired me. Keep on keeping on <3

[nick reynolds]

Lots of nice stuff showing up in here.

a few things from this last month or so. The 2 figures were scanned in halves so that is why there is a line, i didnt want to bother photoshoping it out and messing with the painting.
http://www.colossalart.com/images/life/life_figurepaint001.jpg
http://www.colossalart.com/images/life/life_figurepaint002.jpg
http://www.colossalart.com/images/life/life_pleinair001.jpg
http://www.colossalart.com/images/life/life_pleinair002.jpg

[Main Loop]

nick you always have some nice pallettes for your plien air work.. The figures nieed some nice highlights to define the form better, and just make it interesting.. what colors are those in the female flesh?

[Main Loop]

been a bit since i posted in here

this one's got icky drawing i know..
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/172.jpg

http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/173.jpg
This one was so fun.. they're great when they just flow off the brush:
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/174.jpg

[MikeHayes]

I am new to conceptart and I am blown away by some of the work I have seen in this thread. Here are some portraits and self portraits in gouache that I have done in the past few weeks. Please feel free to critique my work, god knows I need it

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/mchayes/selfportrait_07_29_04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/mchayes/selfportrait_07_31_04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/mchayes/valerie.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v439/mchayes/costumemodel_07_29_04.jpg

[nick reynolds]

nick you always have some nice pallettes for your plien air work.. The figures nieed some nice highlights to define the form better, and just make it interesting.. what colors are those in the female flesh?

female flesh.. hmm probably titanium white, cad yellow lit, cad red lit, viridian, and naples yellow light. I think... I'm not 100% it was 3 weeks ago and i just started using this new palette. The cad yellow and red make a cartoony orange then the viridian brings it down a bit and says "chill winston" then the white to bring it down in value and then some naples yellow to modify. For the guy i subbed out naples yellow like with golden orange sienna. To make it darker i think i was using burnt sienna/transparent red oxide and ultramarine blue.

[thickpaint]

Some kick ass stuff happening on this thread.
here is dump of some old and new.

http://www.kresoja.com/forums/redshirt.jpg
http://www.kresoja.com/forums/blackmalenude.jpg
http://www.kresoja.com/forums/nude-001.jpg
http://www.kresoja.com/forums/nudeoil-002.jpg
I was next to abcart when painting this one. :)
http://www.kresoja.com/forums/nudeback-01.jpg
20 min sketch
http://www.kresoja.com/forums/goaucheheadstudy-01.jpg
some plein air
http://www.kresoja.com/forums/greens.jpg
http://www.kresoja.com/forums/coldtrees.jpg
http://www.kresoja.com/forums/reddoor.jpg
http://www.kresoja.com/forums/poleinback.jpg
http://www.kresoja.com/forums/yellow-tree.jpg
a couple still-lifes
http://www.kresoja.com/forums/greenlightredchair.jpg
http://www.kresoja.com/forums/tubes.jpg

[mermuse]

from yesterday...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/bluebrows.jpg

This one looked good about halfway through but unfortunately I didn't stop and ended up overworking it.

[nick reynolds]

Wow awesome stuff thickpaint!

[Bojee]

Thick Paint- Glad to see your posting again, there's so many it's hard to pick them out but I like the 3rd one, the guoache study, the beach scene and the telephone pole the best. Post some more when you get a chance.

Nick- I've been meaning to tell you that i like where your going with the plein aire stuff, some of my favorite work of yours. I also like the second figure in your last post.

Abc- Keep posting, 'm getting to see some stuff that i don't get to see in The session.

Mike- not bad but I really think you need spend more time with your drawing and then I think you'll be happier with the results. Check out Thick paint's website he handles guoache relly well or Ron's( fredflickstone) tutorial's.It might give you some clues.

[drdarrow]

I don't know if this is disallowed in the forum(s), but other than the handful of friends I have that paint, you people are the only crazy-about-painting people I know, so if this helps some of you, I'm glad. Aaron Brothers Art Mart is having another twice-annual 1/2-off brush sale... It's a good time to stock up on just about any brushes.

Getting Robert Simmons SIGNET bristles (flats, brights, filberts and rounds) at 1/2 price (or two for one; same, same) is worth the 6-month wait.

If you want to know if there is an Aaron Brothers near you, click here for the store locator (http://www.aaronbrothers.com/app/locator). They seem to be mostly in the western United States. Call your local store to see if they are participating in the sale. (www.aaronbrothers.com (http://www.aaronbrothers.com)}

--Doc

[nick reynolds]

Awesome thanks!

[thickpaint]

Bojee- thanks man! Let's see some of your goods i know you have tons. :bashful:

Nick - thanks

[Christian]

This is a great collection of work! Thanks for posting you guys. The times are a great thing too. I take so long to paint something and I always wonder how long other people take to paint something. This is very helpful info. However, I do not see the size on many works.

Thanks again to all that post here. :D

[Main Loop]

I did this one earlier today.. i wish i made it a bit more symetrical.. kinda hard..
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/180.jpg

these are old paintings from school that i dont think i ever uploaded..
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/181.jpg
http://www.remtek.net/0/mainloop/default/images/05/182.jpg

i love your landscapes, Thickpaint.. MikeHayes, gouache is tough, but keep at it.. most of the probs in yours are drawing related.. mermuse, i think you're using a bit too much orange for skin tones.. prob too much cad red/cad yellow.. try some more neutral combos..

[mermuse]

Mainloop - I love the painting of the hand!

This is a new one from last night...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/purplerobe.jpg

[Christian]

from last night...

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/redredrobe.jpg

notice the limited use of purple.


Mermuse, how big are your paintings and how long do they take usually? I really like this one!

[killing.people]

this thread is fantastic! nice work everyone!

[mermuse]

Christian- Thanks. They are all about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. I need to stop earlier. I usually like my paintings more when they are halfway done then when they are done. I tend to overwork them and loose the spontaneous flow and brushwork of the earlier stages.

[Christian]

Christian- Thanks. They are all about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. I need to stop earlier. I usually like my paintings more when they are halfway done then when they are done. I tend to overwork them and loose the spontaneous flow and brushwork of the earlier stages.

I assume these are done in a class room. How big are they? What do you do with them when you are done?

[Bojee]

Thick paint- I'll post more when I get a chance to upload some more stuff. I do have tons but most of it I haven't taken to the next step of digitizing. ;) I want to see more of yours too , don't get a chance to see as much of it these days.

Mainloop- The hand painting is really cool.

[mermuse]

11X14

Usually the originals sit in a stack in my living room collecting dust... some day I'll paint over them. I consider the physical painting to be a study or underpainting because I usually rework them a bit in photoshop or painter in the end. I usually like the digital version more then the physical version. I love the luminous quality of digital images but I still prefer the brushwork of traditional painting.

There are always problems I can't solve in the physical painting because of time limitations so I always challenge myself to find a solution for those digitally.

[mermuse]

some small plein air studies from today...

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/air05.jpg
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/air04.jpg

[nick reynolds]

cool mermuse... i drove out there but ended up being 20 minutes late and no one was there at the meeting point :( drove out for nothing. :er: drove around for a bit to see if i could find you guys but no luck.

[mermuse]

from this morning...

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/redchair.jpg

I'm back to my purple phase.

[Bojee]

What's up guys ,been a while since i posted images. these are quick ones. 20 to 25 mins.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/figures/fig12.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/figures/fig14.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/figures/fig16JPG.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/figures/fig18.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/figures/figpage2.jpg

[Main Loop]

mermuse - values are good. I think you should spend more time on the drawings. The arm just doesnt work, it weakens the whole painting..

bojee, the last one is really cool, i think your style works best on the thumbnail scale.. the other ones feel a bit patchy, especially the 3rd one..

[Bojee]

Main Loop- Thanks, The 3rd one on the group of 5?

[mos667]

Bojee - I really like the "patchy" third one (I believe he is refering to the 3rd one posted, the big one). It shows confidence in the brush strokes, and I think it looks awesome. I guess that's just my opinion but I love the style you present :).

[Bojee]

mos667- Thanks , I appreciate it. :rendered:

[makotierra]

Bojee: your heads seem small in your 20-25 mins drawings. Not sure if you were trying to get value down on them, but they feel a little too light in their shadow sides. I like the use of color though

[Main Loop]

Main Loop- Thanks, The 3rd one on the group of 5?

yep..

[krispee]

Bojee: i actually like your quick figures, small heads an all, an interesting take on things.....and your colours complement the difference of the figures......

keep it up

krispee

[Bojee]

makotierra- I appreciate the comments. Checked out your site really like the drawing of the city.

Main Loop- Got it.

krispee- Thanks dude. :teeth:

[mermuse]

head study...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/colorful.jpg

[Bojee]

Mermuse- How big is the painting? and how long did it take?

[mermuse]

11X14 and 2 1/5 hours...

One of the things I'm struggling with is that I'm doing these paintings in classes or workshops that are a certain length so I feel like I should paint until the class is over but I usually prefer my painting in the earlier stages. I keep painting even after I'm happy with them and end up overworking them. I like the spontaneity of earlier stages but I also like the subtlety of the later ones... I need to find a balance between the two.

[Bojee]

mermuse- Maybe just bring more than one canvas.

[Bojee]

Wow the pacing of this thread has really slowed down, must be summer. A few more.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/clothed%20figures/aurora2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/clothed%20figures/carrielee2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/clothed%20figures/amanda2.jpg

I'm most happy with the last one but they all seem a little stiff.

[Main Loop]

bojee, i like the textures in your paintings.. i like the 3rd one the most too.. are these oils?

[Bojee]

bojee, i like the textures in your paintings.. i like the 3rd one the most too.. are these oils?

Yeah, oils on brown butcher paper. Thanks for the comments.
:teeth:

[mermuse]

I really like the last one too! It might work better if it was cropped in closer around the head....

[Bojee]

I really like the last one too! It might work better if it was cropped in closer around the head....

Thanks Mermuse, haven't really thought about cropping, just posting right now.
:teeth:

['becca]

That would be so much easier for me to put images on. 'becca.

[mermuse]

overcast lighting study from the San Gabriel Mission...

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/portal.jpg

[Bojee]

That would be so much easier for me to put images on. 'becca.

Becca- Were you saying that you couldn't post?? If so check out this link, might help.
How to post (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=28184)

Mermuse- Hazy days works well with your color scheme.

[mermuse]

a small one from this morning...

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/dogcollar.jpg

[thickpaint]

Bojee , I like your smaller quick Gouaches. :^^: There is a freshness and rhythm in your smaller stuff, that doesn’t seem to translate to your bigger ones. I think it’s because your color is a lot cleaner and brushwork has more variety when you work small. :teeth:

thanks for sharing

[Bojee]

Bojee , I like your smaller quick Gouaches. :^^: There is a freshness and rhythm in your smaller stuff, that doesn?t seem to translate to your bigger ones. I think it?s because your color is a lot cleaner and brushwork has more variety when you work small. :teeth:

thanks for sharing
Thanks Dude, Coming from you that's quite a compliment. For me your the man with the Gouache. Thanks a lot.
:teeth:

[mermuse]

from last night...

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/redhead.jpg

['becca]

[QUOTE=Bojee]Becca- Were you saying that you couldn't post?? If so check out this link, might help.
How to post (http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=28184)


and, yeah. I've been waiting to post because they have restricted hours for using photo bucket, but I could attach images now if it were turned on. Thanks for the link, though. It's good to know another Musashi fan, BTW. Have you ever wondered why they wrote a book on the art of war, but nothing on the war of art? 'becca.

[Bojee]

Mermuse- I kinda like this one, I think the highlight on her forehead is a little distracting though. Do you ever play around with your pallete? Changing one
color can change the overall feel. I like your brushwork but sometimes it seems no matter who the person is your always handling them the same way color wise, it be fun to see what else you could come with. Keep'em coming. :)

[heartbeat]

Hi everybody this is one of the threads I look through regularly.
This is my first try with my tablet.And one of the few with color from life.
So yor critics will be appreciated.
http://n.1asphost.com/flowerchild/Onion.jpg

Have a nice day ! :^^:

[Main Loop]

heartbeat- i like the softness and edges.. There's no real light and shadow pattern though, and the table shows a lack of confidence.. There should be a cast shadow on the tbale somewhere, but since there doesnt seem to be a clear light source, i dont know where it would be

['becca]

9x12 oil on canvas board
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/tafkam/birdcreek.jpg
This is the still life I'm working on in my studio. oil on paper 18x24. I have about 12 hours into the painting and 15 hours into the crystal dish not painted yet, because I have painted it in and removed it twice.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/tafkam/stilllifestudyII.jpg http://
These are details where the crystal dish will go and the background blocked in. The second one is the photo I took laid against the painting to check the accuacy of drawing. So far, so good.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/tafkam/stilllifedetail.jpg http://
http://ttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/tafkam/photodet.jpg http:// Let me know what you thinkl. 'becca.

['becca]

I tried four times on the last post and the twice on a second one. What's up with that? An I thought I had this figured out :nohope: Tomorrow's another day. It's taking me longer to post pictures than to paint 'em. 'beccca.

[Mindflaw]

Becca: Hope you don´t mind that I fixed the link, the yellow part is what you got wrong get rid of it and it works :rendered:
http:// ttp:// img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/tafkam/photodet.jpg

Beccas last pic
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/tafkam/photodet.jpg

['becca]

I am delighted! <3 Thanks a bunch. l appreciate the time and effort taken to help me learn these new tools of the trade. (New to me). thank you, thank you, and BTW, thank you.......I'm happy.. :cheerleader: 'becca.

['becca]

like your picture. Main Loop is right IMHO, although it looks to me as though maybe you laid in some shadow at the bottom, but cast shadows have a definite shape, not a hard edge, but an obvious one. It looks like you took a lot more care with the onion, and you have to render everything with the same amount of care, if it's in the picture frame. Subtle transitions are hard to render and I think you did a great job except for the table. Is your new tablet something for computer art? If so, my hat goes off, I don't have enough computer sense to post well yet :dead: Keep on keeping on...'becca.

['becca]

I like your paintings, must agree with Bojee about the highlight on the last one but she is nice, the one before that, though, looks like she has a bad over-bite. I might have fixed that even if she did, it is distracting. I believe you posted earlier about over-painting because the poses were long. I don't know how your classes are set up, but maybe take a break and come back with a fresh eye and refine, instead of going for more detail or just busy-painting? Just a thought. Good work, though. 'becca.

[mermuse]

I just got back from taking a road trip up the coast.
Here are some paintings I did along the way....

lake casitas, ojai
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/trip1a.jpg

arroyo burro beach, santa barbara
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/trip1b.jpg

firestone vineyard, los olivos
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/trip1c.jpg

arroyo burro beach, santa barbara
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/trip1d.jpg


http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/tripsketch.jpg
---------
Thanks for all the feedback. The highlight on the last one is mainly the result of bad photography and wet paint... I need to re-shoot that one. Yes I do seem to fall back on the same colors over and over again. For a while I removed purple from my pallet and now I don't seem to rely on it as much but now I guess I'm relying on other colors too much.

[Main Loop]

mermuse - i think those are the best paintings you've posted here. I guess doing landscapes takes you out of your comfort zone, as far as coloring goes.. for your figures, what colors are you using for skin? i suggest you try using yellow ochre and alizarin crimson to mix flesh colors in caucasians..

[mermuse]

Main Loop -

Thanks. I've definitely felt more challenged by the landscapes because the lighting and mood is a different challenge each time. The lighting at the places where I paint the figure is always the same. I'd love to do a mix of the two ... figure paintings in a landscape from life.

I also went to a lot of galleries on my trip and was really inspired by the work I saw. Ojai was interesting because you could just stop by the local artists houses and see the paintings they were working on and talk to them about their favorite places to paint in the area!

[Main Loop]

ya know, id love to do a life study of a figure outdoors as well..

[Bojee]

mermuse- great job, I really like the first one a lot, and the thumbnails rock.:rendered:

[mermuse]

from last night...
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/hooknose.jpg

I feel really burned out on the figure! At the end of class last night we watched a video of richard schmid's painting process where he starts from the center of the painting (like with the eye) and paints out... instead of sketching everything out first and laying everything in at first. I think painting like this will definitely force me out of my comfort zone so I'm going to try it next time.

[Main Loop]

mermuse: Yeah, ive tried doing that.. very tough to get it right.. whats even more amazing is that his canvas is untoned.. he paints right on the white, which f**s me up.. really hard to get the right color on the first stroke.. Being able to get te right color direction and position in every stroke, he's a master.

[Bojee]

from last night...
I feel really burned out on the figure! At the end of class last night we watched a video of richard schmid's painting process where he starts from the center of the painting (like with the eye) and paints out... instead of sketching everything out first and laying everything in at first. I think painting like this will definitely force me out of my comfort zone so I'm going to try it next time.

Did he talk about why he starts that way??


You've inspired me to post some location stuff. Some old some new, still got a long way to go but it's fun making the attempt.:rendered:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/plein%20aire/duwamish2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/plein%20aire/freighter2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/plein%20aire/wtower2.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/plein%20aire/peachtowers8.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/plein%20aire/castle5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v88/bojee/plein%20aire/bridge4.jpg :rendered:

[schadenfreude]

holy shit, those are nice paintings bojee. my favorite is the one with the semi, it reminds me of when i was a driver.

heres some of my work, tell me what you think

http://groups.msn.com/pandagroup/ar...oto&PhotoID=608

http://groups.msn.com/pandagroup/ar...oto&PhotoID=609


also, does anyone know how i can put these up? im on a mac, i could do it if my Pc was still alive.

[Bojee]

holy shit, those are nice paintings bojee. my favorite is the one with the semi, it reminds me of when i was a driver.

heres some of my work, tell me what you think

http://groups.msn.com/pandagroup/ar...oto&PhotoID=608

http://groups.msn.com/pandagroup/ar...oto&PhotoID=609


also, does anyone know how i can put these up? im on a mac, i could do it if my Pc was still alive.

Thanks, like I said I know I've got a long way to go. Tried to check out your stuff but was't sure which ones you were talking about. Of the 3 the sketchbook page is my favorite then the schoolgirls. It's kinda hard to get an idea with only three images. You should upload more work.
:)

[Main Loop]

bojee: i like those.. i like the first one, with the boat, the most, the last 3 fit your current style the most though

i have a magazine article where he explains the "why" of his process, ill type out some of it here:

"typically you make a line drawing and then start introducing value and colors and gradually bring the painting to a finished state, sort of like paint by numbers, and its also the startng method ost often taught in art school.
At. some point in my career, I asked myself why i was goign to all that trouble throughout the process when i could just get it correct from the start. From the very first strokes on my canvas I try to get it correct all respects-the correct colors, the correct values, the right size and shape of the brushstrokes. Its a spohisticated procedure because it takes a lot of concentration to do. And since I dont have an aproximate sketch that Im working from, it also requires that i have a fairly complete picture in my head as i work."

soem of the bullets from that article:

Dont use a lot of heavy paint in this kind of procedure because it will limit your ability to control the paint. I save my juicy brusstrokes for the end, and i dont use medium.
Dont be in a hurry. I never hurry when i do a painting. If i fail to get everything that i want to capture on the canvas, at least what I have done is correct because I took the time to get it right.
Once you have your key directional marks in place, use a mirror to check for any mistakes in your alignment.

[schadenfreude]

wait, use a mirror how?


PS: anyone know how i can just put my pics in the posts? im on a mac

[mermuse]

I painted a bust last night using that approach. At first it was really frustrating but eventually I got used to it. I also finally figured out when to use my soft sable brushes. My paintings usually start falling apart halfway through because I try to make small adjustments and end up just taking all my earlier work off with each new brushstroke. I finally tried using my softer brushes for the last half of the painting and the result was so much more enjoyable.. it felt effortless!
http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/bluebust.jpg

Main loop- thanks for the article. The tape we watched was such a bad recording that I couldn't understand what he was saying most of the time.

Bojee- I really like the last landscape.. it has a great color harmony and the grouping of shapes is very strong.

schadenfreude- you turn around and look at your painting (and or subject) reflected in the mirror for a fresh perspective. Its like turning your painting upside down. I usually turn my painting upside down and paint on it that way for a while near the end of the painting just to force myself to slow down and really look at it as a whole.

[schadenfreude]

oh. cool. i'll try that. Usually i dont go for the art school stuff like holding your pencil up and shit but that one seems useful.

[Bojee]

Mainloop- Thanks, Thanks for the comment and thanks for aswering my question. I've known about Richard Schmidt for years but I didn't know his thought process.

Mermuse- Thanks, I appreciate it.

schadenfreude- Instead of doing a link, once you have someplace hosting your work that'll allow remote linking, you just click and hold down the mouse until you see a menu, click view image, once your image comes up in another window highlight and copy and paste it into the area that comes up once you click on the image icon on your reply menu . If that's confusing go to the lounge and there's a how to that Jetpack42 did.

[makotierra]

hey, finally had a chance to update my site, so I'd thought I'd show some of the work I've done from life this past semester. The rest of what I've done is on my site. Nice job Bojee, I like the painting of the highway the most.

http://www.kevinbentz.com/t102.jpg

http://www.kevinbentz.com/t95.jpg

http://www.kevinbentz.com/t96.jpg

http://www.kevinbentz.com/t97.jpg

http://www.kevinbentz.com/t99.jpg

[Bojee]

hey, finally had a chance to update my site, so I'd thought I'd show some of the work I've done from life this past semester. The rest of what I've done is on my site. Nice job Bojee, I like the painting of the highway the most.


makotierra- Thanks a lot. I like your BW stuff the most, that drawing of the skull on you site is sweet. Actually I really like your comic stuff too.
:rendered:

[mermuse]

painting from this morning...

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/ElMatador.jpg

[Bojee]

Mermuse- Wow, I think that's one of my favorite so far.

[jrr]

http://www.jrtistic.com/images/junk/phillis.jpg
this was done sophomore year in college.

[Bojee]

this was done sophomore year in college.

So are you still in college? If so what year now? I like it, How big is the piece and how long did it take you? Looks pretty fast. :wink:

[ErikH]

jr - have you done any life painting since sva?
good work. spent some time with assael i see....

cheers.

[jrr]

i've been out of college 2 years now, that painting was done before i took steve's class. there was a awesome painter named nicolas uribe benninghoff that was in my class that i totally copied. this painting probably took anywhere from 3 to 4 hours.

[Bojee]

i've been out of college 2 years now, that painting was done before i took steve's class. there was a awesome painter named nicolas uribe benninghoff that was in my class that i totally copied. this painting probably took anywhere from 3 to 4 hours.

Cool , do have anything that you've done that's more recent?

[makotierra]

nice job jrr. it really feels like there's form.

[mermuse]

here's one from yesterday...

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/NobleSaxon.jpg

My usual painting class was cancelled for the holiday weekend so I set up a bust and painted it instead.

[xia]

Bojee>> good to see you here. Nice work!

Learning Oil (few hours from life) : (fucking hard as hell)
sorry for the crappy oil... :P
No.07
155210
No.08
155211
No.09
http://www.angelfire.com/wa2/xia/images/Oil009.jpg

digital study from life (few hours)
http://www.angelfire.com/wa2/xia/images/painting069.jpg
peace!

[Bojee]

Xia- Nice to see you posting here too, your oil painting's come a long way, I think the digital painting is probably my favorite. Keep them coming. :^^:

[mermuse]

painting and sketch from last night...

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/ScurveGirl.jpg

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/ScurveSketch.jpg

[Layil]

Hey guys, ive been following this thread and youre making great improvements!

bojee: i really like that last batch, especially the looser first two.

Mermuse: the landscapes are lovely, especially the last one. I think pumping the saturation slightly would add more vibrancy to your work.

Xia: the paintings are nice, but keep an eye on your proportion and your values could use a bit more contrast. your digital piece is the strongest of the lot, maybe your more comfortable with that medium (gotta love that control-z) but dont be afraid to be bold with your oils as well. after all, every painting teaches you something, even if you dont end up liking the final result.

makotierra: your values are good in you b/w pieces, but you seem to lose them in the oil. perhaps try doing a few in black and white oil paint to see if you can get more comfortable with the medium?

good job everyone. Ill be posting as soon as i get my ass painting again!
>:| ;)

[ELDER]

Mermuse, that's a really nice piece. There's a great sense of form and nice observation on the colors especially in the reflected light and color(on the underside of the thigh) How much time are you given during the painting session?

[mermuse]

Elder- Thanks. Class is about three hours long but I usually only get about two hours of actual painting time.

I'd gotten really burned out on painting figures but now I have a passion for it again!

[Bojee]

"bojee: i really like that last batch, especially the looser first two."

Layil- Thank you, Just found your self-portrait thread, gonna be checking it more often. :teeth:

Mermuse- I like it, same color scheme but more confident some how. I like that you included the lay in. :tihi:

[tpro]

I haven't posted in a while here... been busy with a new kid....

Anyway here are my last 2 demo's from my workshop...

[/IMG]http://www.tonypro-fineart.com/rachel.jpg

[/IMG]http://www.tonypro-fineart.com/sidelight.jpg

My advanced figure and head painting class will be resuming at California Art Institue this fall. I am back from taking hiatus due to the birth of my son.

The class will be a strict, academic class focusing on the painting techniques and methods I have learned over the years from my instructors and studies with Richard Schmid, Morgan Weistling and my extensive research into Sargent and Zorn.

Students must have a good level of draftsmanship because I will not be teaching drawing in a painting class.

We will focus on the effects of light on form and mixing THE RIGHT color using either the Zorn pallete or a slightly extended pallete.. this will be based on my approval of your level of experience with color.

12 week course on monday nights from 7-10pm at the location in Thousand Oaks.

Signups are limited and are on a first come-first serve basis.

For more info, please email me @ my email address (tony@tonypro-fineart.com) or call California Art Institute (http://www.calartinst.com) at 805-496-6906.

Thanks! Hope to see you in class!

Check out the website Tony Pro Fine Art (http://www.tonypro-fineart.com)

I need good students!!! Save me from these horrible blue-haired hobbyists!!!!!

[Main Loop]

i love those, Tpro.. are you Tony Pro? ive seen your stuff in magazines.. good to have you here..now Ron Lemen aint the only teacher in here.. lmao@ blue haired hobbyists..

[tpro]

i love those, Tpro.. are you Tony Pro? ive seen your stuff in magazines.. good to have you here..now Ron Lemen aint the only teacher in here.. lmao@ blue haired hobbyists..

Thats me!

I need serious students!!! The blue hairs have been driving me nuts!!!!

You guys down at Watts and over at LAFig should come out for the class... Visit the school that started them all!!!

Come visit anytime! We love to see good tallent!

[Ben Mauro]

http://www.artofben.com/lp/LIFE_16.jpg
http://www.artofben.com/lp/life_15.jpg
http://www.artofben.com/lp/life_12.jpg
http://www.artofben.com/lp/life_13.jpg
http://www.artofben.com/lp/life_14.jpg
http://www.artofben.com/lp/environment_1.jpg
http://www.artofben.com/lp/environment_0.jpg
http://www.artofben.com/lp/Environment_3.jpg
http://www.artofben.com/lp/environment_2.jpg

[Layil]

Tpro: wow, i checked out your site and my jaw is still aching from where it hit the floor. I dont suppose theres any chance you could come to the CA workshop in san fran is there? it would be awsome to watch you paint and pick your brain..... Absolutely gorgeous stuff, very remenicent of sargent indeed. Well, if youre gonna have influences, pick the best i say!

please post more demos when you begin teaching again. Any chance of you throwing together a tutorial in a spare moment?
pretty please?

[tpro]

Tpro: wow, i checked out your site and my jaw is still aching from where it hit the floor. I dont suppose theres any chance you could come to the CA workshop in san fran is there? it would be awsome to watch you paint and pick your brain..... Absolutely gorgeous stuff, very remenicent of sargent indeed. Well, if youre gonna have influences, pick the best i say!

please post more demos when you begin teaching again. Any chance of you throwing together a tutorial in a spare moment?
pretty please?

Layil: Thanks.... anything is possible... I plan on visiting SF very soon as I am going to be talking to a gallery up there. Would love to do a workshop up there....

I always say in my class... W.W.S.D. (What Would Sargent Do?)

Will post more soon...

Tony

[mermuse]

tpro - amazing work. I've always wanted to take a class out there but its quite a drive through hellish traffic to make the night classes after work.

Here's my latest from this morning. We have decided to only paint at the beach for the rest of the summer. We will start going back up into the mountains when it finally starts cooling down. This is El Matador again... we saw at least ten other painters there this morning.

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/greenmoss.jpg

[tpro]

[QUOTE=mermuse]tpro - amazing work. I've always wanted to take a class out there but its quite a drive through hellish traffic to make the night classes after work.
QUOTE]

I live locally but I work in Santa Monica so I habve do deal with traffic too... trust me, its worth it!

Tony

[mermuse]

from this morning...

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/pinknighty.jpg



tpro- Cool. If I can get my company to let me off early I'll try it. Do you know of any classes or workshops where you paint the figure outdoors. I'm getting really tired of studio lighting.

[tpro]

tpro- Cool. If I can get my company to let me off early I'll try it. Do you know of any classes or workshops where you paint the figure outdoors. I'm getting really tired of studio lighting.

Cool.... maybe we'll do a Saturday outside... believe me, I am just as tired of studio lighting as you are.

[Zesty]

Here are some oils I've done since I started Painting, they are from life. They are in order from newest to oldest.

http://gitrdone.net/zaphod/painting/10_candle.jpg

http://gitrdone.net/zaphod/painting/7_portrait.jpg (model left after 30 min.. couldnt finish)

http://gitrdone.net/zaphod/painting/9_pepapple.jpg

http://gitrdone.net/zaphod/painting/lemons.jpg

http://gitrdone.net/zaphod/painting/pot.jpg

http://gitrdone.net/zaphod/painting/wine.jpg

http://gitrdone.net/zaphod/painting/still_life.jpg

[zenmaster]

hey,

For doing life drawing and painting and some plein air work, what are the good workshops to attend in North America... hum.. East Coast preferably...
What some really inspiring areas ? NY? Virgina? Bradywine forest?

Can anybody help?

thanks in advance

[mermuse]

from last night...

http://mermuse.jmwebdesigns.com/post/leanback.jpg

[Bojee]

mermuse- nice man, My favorite stuff of yours now is the outdoor stuff now that I've seen it. :) I like your color in them. :)

[stephen]

mermuse, i like that last one, the form of the head reads really well.
i dont know if you guys ever try just leaving the spotlight off, but the skylight is a great alternative during the day. it might be nice to try it.

main crit right now, I'd say alot of your paintings (the figure paintings) are looking very saturated, everywhere.
you might want to control the saturation alittle better by keeping it down throughout the painting, and pumping it up more to where your focal point/s would be. that's just one possible way.

its really always a balance between opposites during painting, the yin and yang. contrasting/comparing one thing with another thing.

an example,
that red torso is blue compared to that red arm, that red arm is blue compared to the redness of the hand. if you ask these things while your painting you can find your heiarchy of colors/saturation/values/edges/etc, right away, all from observing the model.
so from coolest to warmest it would be
torso
arm
hand

the edge of this nose is hard compared to the edge of this forehead, but the edge of this forehead is hard compared to the edge of this cheek, but this chin is alittle harder than the cheek, but not as hard as the fore head.
from hardest to softest
nose
forehead
chin
cheek

i hope that helps alittle.
ps. those examples arent actual formulas. just something you may or maynot observe

[mermuse]

stephen - Thanks for the input. I must admit I'm really tired of scholastic art... tired of painting in classes. I'm only taking one class next semester so I'll have time to work on my own art again.

I tend to let my color saturation get out of control. I have an overwhelming fear of creating boring paintings so when a painting starts going bad I tend to try and fix it by pumping up the saturation. I think I'm just bored of painting and drawing what I see... I keep telling myself I'm going to start pushing the design in my work but I never seem to be able to do it. When things start getting difficult its always easier to just fall back on what I see.

bojee- I agree. I definitely have a greater passion for landscapes. The weather and lighting conditions are different every time and its always an adventure seeking out your next location to paint.

[Bojee]

bojee- I agree. I definitely have a greater passion for landscapes. The weather and lighting conditions ar