Sunday Chatter

This photo was taken a couple of years ago at a family reunion. It is mostly siblings with children and grandchildren along with a a few cousins. The reason for the photo is we celebrated Mom's 91st birthday yesterday as well as other birthdays. So wonderful to share life with my large family.

Haven't done any drawing or painting other than starting a nose study which I won't post. It is so important when doing facial features to see and understand how the features sit in or on the face. I am having trouble setting the eyes in their sockets and the nose, though it looks simple, has been difficult for me to shape when drawing or painting.

My studio is topsy-turvy as I move out some furniture, getting ready to paint and rearrange. Because the room is so crowded it means doing one area and moving things back and forth. I know though, it will be well worth the effort. In the meantime, I want to clear an area so I can at least paint.

Sketch of Gayle

Yesterday was my middle sister's birthday and we will be celebrating it today. I decided this morning to do a sketch of her in graphite and give it to her this afternoon. Hope she thinks it looks like her.

Male Figure, Conte

Drew this sketch this morning using a reference photo from Wet Canvas Figure Forum workshop, using conte pencil. This drawing was not timed but think it was approximately 30-40 minutes, as I was trying to pay attention to proportions and shapes. I still didn't get his left leg to read properly.

Morning Sketch

A morning sketch a using water soluble graphite pencil from a reference photo I took of Mom while she was tacking a quilt.

Conte & Charcoal Figure Sketches

Reference photos used are from Wet Canvas Figure Forum Workshop. Both are 20 minute sketches using conte and charcoal pencils.

Figure Sketch, Charcoal

A limbering up 15 minute compressed charcoal sketch from a reference photo provided by P. Adair in the Wet Canvas Figure Forum workshop. Will be drawing this again taking more time with the measurements/proportions.

Lighthouse, Style Challenge

Northeast Lighthouse
6 1/2" x 9"
Watercolor

Members of Painting Friends were challenged to paint the same photo, then once the paintings were posted by a non-participating member, we were to put the artist with what we thought was their painting. Ha! It was much more difficult than we thought. I had five out of 12 correct.

15 Minute Sketches

Still practicing the figure based on information and photos from the Wet Canvas Figure Forum Workshop. I am so slow trying to get the general placement of the different elements of the body while still trying to hurry, since it is a timed sketch. I am always so conscious of the seconds/minutes ticking by. My pencil marks are still tentative and I tend to go over and over a line, sigh.

From The Tree, Watercolor

6" x 6" watercolor using Cerulean Blue, Indanthrone Blue, Lemon Yellow, New Gamboge, Quin. Burnt Orange, Sepia, Quin. Magenta. Painted from a reference photo taken a couple of years ago of apples from the tree in our back yard. The reference photo was used for the September Paint Along at Painting Friends online art group.

Ready to Paint, Step 1

Last night I sketched in the subject on an 1/8th sheet Fabriano watercolor paper. There is a project at Painting Friends (due today) for its members to paint the same subject (reference photo by Ron Reagan), send via e-mail the photo of their painting with their name on it to one designated member. The designated member will then replace the name on the photo with a number, posting the number on a master list next to the member's name. Once the photos are all numbered they will be posted at one time. Then the members will have a ball trying to pick the artist of each painting. The reason for this project is because everyone wonders if they have a distinctive style, so by eliminating the names we will see how distinctive our individual methods/style of painting are, by the number who guess the correct artist. Should be fun!

Chatter & The Gilcrease Museum

I had to be in Tulsa by 8:00 a.m. this morning so that meant waking up at 4:30 a.m. The morning was spent doing test then a relaxing lunch with my twin. After lunch, we went to the Gilcrease Museum which houses American art. Below is just a sampling of what we viewed.

The Gilcrease has a lot of Western and Native American art. I was thrilled to view Charles Russell and Frederic Remington paintings; then to see some Hudson River School paintings by Bierstadt and Thomas Moran really made my day. I was especially in awe of Thomas Moran's watercolors, one of which is shown below. The biggest thrill though was seeing the Winslow Homer painting posted below. Believe me when I say these photos do not do any of the paintings justice.

Winslow Homer (1836-1910) American
WATCHING THE BRAKERS
oil on canvas, 1891
30" x 40"
Gilcrease Museum

Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902) Am., born Germany
SIERRA NEVADA MORNING
oil
Gilcrease Museum

Thomas Moran (1837-1926) Amer., born England
TOWER FALLS
watercolor on paper, 1872
11 1/4" x 7 3/4"
Gilcrease Museum

Thomas Moran (1837-1926) Amer., born England
SHOSHONE FALLS ON THE SNAKE RIVER
oil on canvas, 1900
71" x 132"
Gilcrease Museum