ANNUAL ART RETREAT

It's THAT TIME of year again - time for our annual art retreat!

Hopefully, after a week of good food, good wine, good friends and - oh yes - good painting!!! - I'll have something to show you when I return.

So please be patient with me - it will be a couple weeks probably before I'm able to get a blog post ready.

See you when I return!

A CAT - 2

Of course, I forgot to take photos mid-way through the process (so what else is new!) so . . .

. . . no photo for this part, but I laid in a black wash over the back, leg and face of the cat and lightly over the ears.  I darkened some of the shadow areas in the paws, mouth area and nose.

Then another layer of black on the cat, and around the edges of the ears to make that little fold over they have on their ears.  I played with the eyes, deepening the greens and adding shadows.

After that I assessed what needed to be darker, then removed the miskit.  You can see how “fat” the whiskers on the right eye are, I didn’t like that – that’s where I thought using the Xacto would have been better.

I softened some of the grays on the face and think I played up the pink on the nose a bit.

Then I had a black and white cat! 

I think this is only the 2^nd cat I’ve painted, the first being many years ago in a class.  I’m sure I could do better, but I think this will definitely help my student be able to paint her own cat’s portrait.

A CAT - 1

One of my students wanted to paint her departed cat who had been black and white.

I found a random cat photo on the internet to use for this purpose and, lo and behold, the photo I choose quite coincidentally represented her cat! 

I drew out the cat and miskited a few whiskers.  Later I decided it would have been better to just use an Xacto knife to indicate those.  I also miskited some of the white fur where it overlapped the black, and that idea worked out better!  There were some white highlights in the eyes which were also miskited.

Then I laid in a light gray-ish wash for the shadows on the face and around the paws.  I also washed in some pink on the face, nose, ears foot pads.  Then I began playing with the eyes.

Adding Quin. Gold and some greens and browns all run into one another began making the eyes the color I saw on the photo.

Behold - the beginning of a cat . . .

HOOSIER SALON

Ever since I've been painting, I've heard of the Hoosier Salon.  Last year after viewing the show, I decided my work might finally be worthy, so I joined when we drove to Indy to see the show.

This year, my first year to enter, I entered 2 and was very happy to learn that one was accepted.

Japanese Tea
Watercolor on Arches, 22x30

More info on my sidebar about the show, if you would like to attend.

HANSEN CENTER PROGRAM

I was asked to give a short program for some of the staff at the Center.  Our subject was a sunflower.

Of course, I didn't get photos of all of the paintings - some of the women had to leave early - but I finally remembered at the end, so have these 4 paintings to show for the evening.

Most had never painted before, but certainly had a fun time trying!

POURING WORKSHOP - APRIL 26-27, 2014

Several folks took my pouring workshop at the Cincinnati Art Club at the end of April.

All hard at work.

On Day 1 we all painted together in the morning to get started, then they were on their own for the rest of the day since the process time will begin to vary by individual.

Marion with her painting - first time she had poured.

New student, new to painting

Another new student and new to painting

Love the delicate pinks and corals in this one

This student was not happy that her lines showed - so I suggested that she "embrace and go with it."
She will be adding some line work with a Micron pen to actually accentuate the lines more

Another one with such beautiful and delicate color changes

On Day 2 they could paint their own, with my help.

The following photos are of some of the work completed over that weekend.  Of course, I didn't get photos of everything - but would you expect anything else from me!

I thought this one turned out beautifully - she thinks she will re-do it with some slight changes

Gerri with her Day 1 (right) and Day 2 (left) paintings

Day 2 - first time pouring - "by George, I think she's got it"

What a challenge this one was - how to represent poured Gatorade!
I think she did a very good job!

WOMAN'S ART CLUB AWARD

I received my Winsor & Newton Award from the Woman’s Art Club of Cincinnati in the mail.

 

The palette closed.

The palette open - paints are in a drawer that slides out.

It’s much heavier than it looks!  I will probably not use the palette, but will certainly use the paints.  I have used Daniel Smith paints for years, but will give these W&N colors a good try in an upcoming painting.

Colors included are transparent yellow, Winsor yellow, scarlet lake, alizarin crimson, Winsor green (blue shade), cobalt blue, Winsor blue (green shade) yellow ochre, burnt sienna, burnt umber, raw umber and lamp black.

As you know, I don’t use black, but will try to find a way to incorporate it into a painting, since it’s here!

Also included with my award was a short letter from the Club’s president.  In it, she told me:  “The judge was captivated by your perspective and amazing detail.”

 

The Anniversary Clock
Winsor & Newton Award
Woman's Art Club 2014 Show

It’s always nice to know the reasoning behind an award, but you don’t always have the opportunity to hear it, so I appreciated her note.