Bonnell Gallery

Stretching

2012-02-10T15:02:00.001-08:00

I've been drawing more than painting lately, which is not such a good idea, but I enjoy it so much. Here's the latest...

Pears Study - Available

2011-09-10T20:07:00.000-07:00

Oil on canvas - 5 x 7"
Framed size - 13 x 15"
Susan Webb Bonnell

This painting is available for sale. If you'd like additional information, please email susanbonnell@olympus.net. Click the picture for a larger, detailed photograph.

For additional available work, click on the Director's Gallery or visit my website.

Cherries Study - Available

2011-09-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

Cherries Study - Almost Finished

2011-08-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Cherries - Progress

2011-07-26T14:54:00.001-07:00

Adding color to the canvas. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

Pears

2011-07-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

I told you I would do some work drawing while we were on vacation, and I'm so proud of myself because I DID!!! I sat in the sun overlooking beautiful Crater Lake and drew this from my photo reference. I felt a little guilty that I was not doing a beautiful landscape in such surroundings, but still life is my first love.

I was so engrossed in the drawing and my music playing on my headphones that I seriously sunburned my shoulder, to the point it turned nearly purple and peeled. Jeeze, I haven't done that silly sunburn thing in at least thirty years. Ouch.

Anyway, here's the photo and the resulting drawing. I plan to start painting on it this week or next, along with the cherries painting. My first attempt to have more than one work going at a time.

Cherries - Finished Drawing

2011-06-28T16:09:00.001-07:00

Here's the finished drawing of Cherries. I'll start painting when we get back from our trip in a few weeks. I'll try experimenting with different backgrounds before even starting on the cherries. I'm also sure I'll paint at least one study, probably two, before working on the 'real' painting.

On Saturday we're off to Portland, Oregon to stay at the wonderful Benson Hotel, then Crater Lake, Oregon, staying with daughter and grandson at the Lodge, then to Jacksonville, Oregon to see good friends...all for fun and Bill's birthday.

I'm taking my pencils and drawing board to do some work while sipping wine and lounging about! See you soon.

New Starts - Pears

2011-06-27T15:08:00.000-07:00

Here are the three possible set ups of pears that I plan to begin. Let me know which one you like. Standing Pears, Sitting in the Brown Bowl Pears, or Elegant in Silver Pears....You can email me if you'd rather comment that way, susanbonnell@olympus.net. Thanks in advance.

Working on Cherries, for Shawna

2011-06-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

Here's my set up and the photo reference for my first cherries painting, for Shawna :-)

Rabble Rousers - Available

2011-06-08T14:31:00.001-07:00

Oil on canvas - 8 x 16"
Framed size - 16 x 24"
Susan Webb Bonnell

This painting is available for sale. If you'd like additional information, please email susanbonnell@olympus.net. This painting is framed. Click the picture for a larger, detailed photograph.

Progress on Oranges

2011-05-26T20:01:00.001-07:00

What's New...

2011-05-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

It's been ages since I've posted or actually done any art work at all for that matter! With our trips to Santa Cruz, Carmel, Big Sur and then Roseburg, Oregon for wine tasting, I haven't done much but play! But it has been fun. And we purchased the most incredible painting by Brian Blood while we were in Carmel. His work is fantastic. Click here to visit his web site or click HERE to see the painting we bought!

So now, finally, I have started a new painting, a simple portrait of five feisty oranges. Hopefully, they will do their magic and be nice enough to sit beside the seven apples painting, 'Hooligans.'

I was also privileged to have several of my pieces shown at Gaspare Ristorante in the Phinney Ridge Art Walk last weekend! Thanks to Dianne and Gaspare for their kindness. The atmosphere and food there is absolutely wonderful. Go by for dinner sometime...you won't regret it. Click here for more info.

Working on 'Marigolds'

2011-03-06T18:00:00.000-08:00

Vanessa - In Progress

2011-03-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

Graphite on Bristol Paper, 12 x 18"

Drawn from the model at Gage Academy. I spent seven 3-hour sessions with Vanessa in the studio. What a wonderful model she is. It was a year ago in January that I drew the figure from life for the first time.

Waiting for Marigolds - Available

2011-02-24T16:02:00.001-08:00

Oil on canvas - 9 x 12"

Framed size - 15 x 18"
Susan Webb Bonnell

This painting is available for sale. If you'd like additional information, please email susanbonnell@olympus.net. This painting is framed. Click the picture for a larger, detailed photograph..

Waiting for Marigolds - Finished Study

2011-01-11T13:52:00.000-08:00

Finally finished the study of this painting. There are lots of improvements to make, but I've learned a lot and done enough on this little practice. I'm moving on to the final and larger painting of this set up sometime this week. Let me know what you think. Click on the photo for a larger image. Thanks for following along.

Hooligans - Available

2011-01-10T13:04:00.001-08:00

Vase - Painting Progress 10

2011-01-10T12:54:00.000-08:00

This is just the study for a painting I've planned. But the study was so difficult, I'm having trouble getting motivated to do it all over AGAIN!? I may just draw for a day or two and then get up the gumption to start the 'real' painting.

Vase - Painting Progress 9

2011-01-04T19:02:00.001-08:00

Vase - Painting Progress 8

2010-12-30T18:01:00.000-08:00

The doily is very difficult.

Vase - Painting Progress 7

2010-12-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

It is moving along, slowly, but moving. I have so much to learn.

Vase - Painting Progress 6

2010-12-26T12:38:00.001-08:00

Vase - Painting Progress 5

2010-12-21T09:28:00.000-08:00

Today. A pretty good day. Moved the study forward just a tad.

Vase - Painting Progress 4

2010-12-20T10:56:00.000-08:00

Still struggling along.

Vase - Painting Progress 3

2010-12-17T14:41:00.000-08:00

So this pass really did happen in one sitting. I'm pretty happy with today's work -- on the vase, the background and the shadow. This is the first time with painting this that I have been pleased at all. Finally, a good feeling day.

Vase - Painting Progress 2

2010-12-16T14:39:00.000-08:00

Next set of passes. Let's just call it second pass and leave it at that.

Vase - Painting Progress 1

2010-12-15T14:35:00.000-08:00

Ugh, here is the result of at least six passes, all wiped off the canvas except for this last one. Oh my. Why is it so very hard?

Vase - Finished Drawing

2010-11-26T18:31:00.001-08:00

Think I'll call it quits on the drawing. transfer it to canvas tomorrow, and start the painting process. Makes me nervous! ACK. No confidence have I. But I do keep on keepin' on, and that's what matters, right?

Vase - Progress 3

2010-11-22T19:46:00.000-08:00

Today doesn't look like much progress. There were some parts of the set up that I didn't understand, couldn't 'see,' and thus messed them up, had to erase and start again. I guess that is progress. It was a good day, snowy and cold -- perfect for sitting by my little space heater and drawing. And listening to Govi and Ottmar Liebert :-)

Vase Drawing - Progress 2

2010-11-21T20:41:00.000-08:00

Today's work. It is moving along. I'm starting to like it. I for sure like the set up. Now the question is whether or not I can capture the beauty of it, first on paper, then on canvas...

Vase Drawing - Progress

2010-11-17T21:03:00.000-08:00

Here's the start of the new still life I'm working on. The last time I was at Mama's house in OKC, she had placed this little vase on my dresser in my old bedroom and filled it with her marigolds. She was so glad I was home to visit and so was I and we had a wonderful time. That was the last time I got to spend time with her. She died six weeks later. So I've a special attachment to this little vase.

Reclining Woman - Completed

2010-11-12T12:41:00.001-08:00

Finished. Stopping. Leaving her alone! Moving on to a new still life. Please visit my new website at susanbonnell.com. Thanks.

Feet

2010-11-04T14:42:00.001-07:00

Been studying and working on feet lately. Next hands, then face.

Reclining Woman - In Progress

2010-10-31T11:50:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this drawing for a couple of weeks, now nearing completion. I'll practice with a few studies of hands, feet, and faces before working on hers!

Quick Sketch

2010-10-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

Here's a little sketch of a fellow with his wife at the hotel in Giverny. It came out kind of cute and so I gave it to him when they left. I need to do more of these and practice, practice, practice! But I talk, talk, talk instead of do!

Terrace Table

2010-10-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a terrible little watercolor sketch but it was so much fun doing it. We were sitting outside in the sun (see previous post) drinking rose and eating frites. Of course it didn't help when a woman came up and sat in the chair while I was drawing it. I gave her the painting when she was leaving and she seemed very pleased. She and her 'honey' sat at the table for a long time, holding hands and acting like they were really in love. For some reason I imagined it was a secret affair they were having.

The Artists in Giverny

2010-10-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

HA! Here we are on the terrace of our hotel, in the sunshine, drinking LOTS of rose, eating frites and drawing, painting, laughing...just having a ball. What a good day. Spent the morning at Monet's home and in his beautiful gardens (if I hadn't been so hungry, and no food allowed there, I could have perched somewhere and sketched forever!)...and then back to the hotel to do some work ourselves. The sun came out and life was perfect.

View from Collioure

2010-10-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

Another of Bill's lively watercolors. I like this one a lot too!

Collioure from the Hills

2010-10-14T08:55:00.000-07:00

This is one of Bill's watercolors of Collioure. I think it is really energetic and interesting and a fun work.

Reclining Woman

2010-10-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

My one and only serious figure drawing during the trip. I do like it though. I think I got the pattern of repeated angles and lines in the drawing which seems to give gesture and order to the work. I think I will continue to work on it from a photograph to see what I can do. I really liked the pose...it seems to have a lot of grace to me.

Collioure

2010-10-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

This is a copy I did of a painting by Collioure artist Marie Opper. Her paintings are lovely, colorful, simple, but not easy to do. And she's a very sweet and open woman. She and her husband Howard have a beautiful shop, studio and home about two minutes walking from our flat. She paints and he makes the most remarkable glass beads for jewelry. I'll post a link if I can find their card.

Bowl and Peaches

2010-10-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

The third of my bowl series. The peaches were so good!

Bowl and Grapes

2010-10-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

The bowls in the flat in Collioure were so pretty and colorful. And fruit from the market was beautiful and delicious. I didn't do either one of them justice, but I worked, as promised!

Bowl and Oranges

2010-10-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry to have been gone so long. We had a wonderful time in Collioure with time also in Amsterdam, the Dordogne Region, and Giverny. For the next few days I'm posting some of the work we did while we were traveling. We had a LOT of trouble with the medium....mostly acrylic in very warm weather with no retardant to use...dries way too fast! Like as soon as it touches the paper. But anyway, we worked, and some things are kinda cute...(the shelf in this pic is not crooked...the paper is warped)

I'm now back to serious drawing study and starting on color paintings as I promised myself. Am setting up a still life today to begin.

First Figure Painting

2010-08-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

OK, OK I know there's a LOT of room for improvement, but this is the FIRST time I have ever painted a human being. And from life too. I probably put about 15 hours of studio time into this work. I'm very happy with all I learned from the week with Jordan. So onward from here...

What FUN!!!!

2010-08-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

Whew. Just finished a week long, all day workshop with Jordan Sokol, an advanced instructor from the Florence Academy of Art. It was absolutely amazing. And so much fun! Jordan used the sight size approach which I've not encountered at the Gage Academy (but I was familiar with it from working on my own). I actually liked it a lot! I'll post pictures later, but I wanted to get this posted so you'd know I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Click HERE to see Jordan's fantastic work.

AND, I managed to buy his demonstration painting. It was a must! He and I used the same easel space and footmarks on the floor, so we painted the same pose, same light, same vantage point. A once in a lifetime opportunity. How fun. I even saved the tapes from the floor with my name and his name to mark our feet positions. I know crazy, but I couldn't resist. What a wonderful instructor and person he is! We had a great end of the workshop party and Bill came too, to see everyone, their work and to meet Jordan. A perfect week.

Now the mad rush of packing and preparing for our six weeks in Collioure, all of September, then home mid-October. We plan on painting and drawing in addition to all the beach time, swimming, wine drinking and cheese eating :-)

Katarina #2 - Finished

2010-07-23T15:16:00.000-07:00

Think I'll call it quits on this second drawing of Katarina. I've done as much as I can without actually seeing her in the pose again. Remember to double click on the photo for a larger version. Let me know what you think of it.

Alexis, Sketch

2010-07-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

This is a quick drawing following Michael Grimaldi's instruction during the class a few weeks ago.

Another Katarina, Progress

2010-07-13T20:20:00.001-07:00

Here's Katarina after a few more hours. Double click on the image for a larger picture.

Another Katarina

2010-07-12T13:08:00.000-07:00

Since the Grimaldi workshop, I've been doing some practice work on a drawing of Katrina, using what I learned from both Michael and Juliette (Aristides whose workshop was in January, my first figure drawing efforts). Let me know what you think. It's only in progress, not nearly finished.

Recovery!

2010-07-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been gone so long... I've finally recovered from the two weeks with Michael Grimaldi in the life drawing class. It was incredibly helpful and extremely intense--at least for me it was lots of hard word mixed with some fun and some really nice people from all over the country. I was exhausted after the first week...one day I even slept in the car at lunch and one afternoon I skipped out completely to go home and rest.

Besides the workshop being very focused and concentrated, there was so much information that I couldn't sleep at night for thinking about all the 'stuff' from that day's session. It was listed as an advanced class, and believe me, it was. I can't help but think that much of the information went right over my head. Now I'm reading and re-reading Anthony Ryder's book and it's reinforcing and repeating what I heard from Michael.

I don't have much to show from the two weeks, since it was not directed at a finished product, but at learning and practicing. The little sketch above is just a small 'composition' drawing, i.e. a quick drawing to determine if you like the arrangement and composition of the pose and your work. This model was so very beautiful. Alexandra. Peaceful and calm.

Katarina - Finished

2010-06-17T15:15:00.000-07:00

I had the last long pose with Katrina in the life studio and here's the result of 30 hours. All but her hand is finished. I think I'll do some study on hands before touching that. Let me know what you think. I'm pretty happy. It's certainly an improvement over poor Randy last December.

My two week workshop with Michael Grimaldi, figure drawing from life and learning chiarscuro, starts Monday. Guess I'm as ready as I'm gonna get. I'm really excited about it.

Please click on Kat's image above for a larger, more detailed view.

Katarina - Days 1-4+

2010-05-31T12:17:00.000-07:00

I've put in four three hour sessions at the studio with Katrina posing live, and probably 10 hours at home working from a reference photo. I'm working at home from the pic because I only have two more three hour sessions with her. What a wonderful model she is.

Cast Drawing - Progress

2010-05-25T22:23:00.000-07:00

Still working on this cast drawing...

Katarina - Days 1, 2, 3

2010-05-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

Slow but still moving.

Sorry for the lack of posts. We went to Santa Cruz for three weeks and I did NO art whatsoever. Not a good idea. Went to studio Thursday and it was a near non-drawing disaster. Lesson learned. Draw all the time. No breaks.

Katarina - Days 1 & 2

2010-04-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

The left is three hours of drawing Katarina last week in the reserved studio. On the right is today's three hours worth of corrections and trying to turn the form. Double click for a detailed photo.

Sitges, Spain - Sold

2010-04-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

Oil on canvas board - 9 x 12"
Framed size - 14 x 17"
Susan Webb Bonnell

This painting is available for sale. If you'd like additional information, please email susanbonnell@olympus.net. This painting is framed. Click the picture for a larger, detailed photograph.

Showing at Gaspare's

2010-04-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

I've been invited by Dianne Tranni of Gaspare's Ristorante to show my paintings at the Phinney Art Walk May 14 and 15th. We'll show about ten pieces, at least four of which will be for sale. See the sidebar on this blog for the pieces I'm offering. I'm very excited since this is the first public showing of my work.

Gaspare Ristorante and Bar is a restaurant with a full bar and additonal outdoor court yard seating for the summer. It's located at 6705 Greenwood Ave. N. It is kitty corner from the Phinney Ridge Community Center and is next door to the Francine Seders Art Gallery. Parking is available behind the Gallery. Reservations should be made by phone 206-297-3600.

Bill and I will be in Santa Cruz at the time of the showing, so we'd love for anyone who can to go by Gaspares and see how things look!

Clementines - SOLD

2010-04-07T15:34:00.000-07:00

Finished. Double click on the image for a larger photo. Thanks for looking and following along.

Oil on canvas - 11 x 14"
Susan Webb Bonnell

Katarina #2 - Finished

2010-04-05T14:33:00.001-07:00

Think I'm going to call it quits on this drawing of Katrina. I've done as much as I can do without actually seeing her in the pose again. I'm happy and seeing some progress.

French Watering Can - Available

2010-04-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

Oil on canvas board - 9 x 12"
Framed size - 15 x 18"
Susan Webb Bonnell

Some of my paintings are available for sale. If you'd like additional information, please email susanbonnell@olympus.net. This painting is framed. Click the picture for a larger, detailed photograph.

Handpainted Pitcher - Available

2010-04-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

Oil on canvas board - 11 x 14"
Framed size - 17 x 20"
Susan Webb Bonnell

I'm making a number of my paintings available for sale. If you'd like additional information, please email me at susanbonnell@olympus.net.

This is a painting of a china pitcher my grandmother handpainted years ago. The painting is framed. Click on the picture for a larger, detailed photograph.

Figure 3

2010-04-01T07:17:00.000-07:00

A 45 minute figure drawing as promised.

Clementines

2010-03-31T18:16:00.000-07:00

Getting closer and closer to finished. Today I cleaned up edges, reworked the base, added some orange reflections and worked on those impossible legs. They're not great, but I'm also practicing moving on...Next the leaves, then done!

Clementines

2010-03-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

Getting closer to finishing...top photo is start of painting, bottom pic is end of session...

Clementines

2010-03-30T07:10:00.000-07:00

Now that the oil still life class is over, I'm working to finish Clementines at home. Above is yesterday's start and end...

Cast Drawing - Week 10

2010-03-29T19:02:00.000-07:00

Finally to try my hand at 'turning the form' during the last cast drawing class. What a valuable experience the class was. If you look very carefully you can see where his form is starting to turn to the light and look a bit more than two dimensional (click on the photo for a larger picture). It's extremely difficult. Is there anything I haven't said is difficult? Ha!

I purchased this cast on line so I can continue to work on the drawing. It should arrive soon. I'm determined NOT to work on it until I have the cast in the studio....NO working from photographs.

Figure 2 - Life Studio 1

2010-03-26T07:28:00.000-07:00

I went to a 3 hour life studio session yesterday morning at Gage. And my morning with drawing Vanessa went well. I had fun and I'm pretty happy with the work.

Oil Painting - Week 10

2010-03-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

Here's today's final work from class. Still not finished, but getting close. We had a wonderful, fun lively party, wine and cheese, looking at all our work for the last ten weeks. I'm sure gonna miss that class!

Oil Painting - Week 9

2010-03-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

My at-home work, preparing for the last class Wednesday. Bottom is where it started, top is at end of the day.

Figure Practice - 1

2010-03-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

Did I tell you that I've registered for a two week drawing the figure from life workshop with Michael Grimaldi? In June. He's a marvelous artist and is said to be a generous and kind instructor. I also registered for a five day painting the figure from life with Jordon Zokol of the Florence Academy of Art. I've emailed Jordon back and forth a few times and he assures me that even as a beginner I'm more than welcome in his class...warm and comforting words.

In preparation for these two incredible experiences, I've promised myself to do 90 practice drawings. Here is the first, from a drawing by Joseph Sheppard in his book "Drawing the Living Figure," about 45 minutes worth of work.

Cast Drawing - Week 9

2010-03-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

I spent another hour or so in class making slight refinements on the block in of Bacchus. Now I'm starting to block in the shadow areas. This step, the instructor says, is like the last rest stop before the thousand miles into the desert, i.e. a last chance to modify the shapes by looking at the shadow areas, BEFORE turning the form. After the form is turned, if mistakes exists, it means erasing large areas of layered graphite. Not a good thing for a drawing.

Cast Drawing - Week 8

2010-03-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I spent two and a half hours of class re-measuring and correcting the line block in of my cast drawing, Bacchus. The last two classes I'll practice blocking in the shadow and then turning the form.

Oil Painting - Week 9

2010-03-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

A little movie of the Clementines & Silver Bowl...

Oil Painting - Week 9

2010-03-19T14:01:00.000-07:00

Here's today's work done in my studio at home. I'll leave the oranges in the bowl as 'done' and move to the background and finishing the two oranges on the table. Want to get that done before our LAST class next week.

Oil Painting - Week 9

2010-03-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

Here's today's work. John Rizzotto is a wonderful instructor! Next week is the last of the ten classes. It's gone sooo fast!

Oil Painting - Week 8

2010-03-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

Did one of my infamous wiping-the-canvas-clean routines Monday night at midnight. I decided that the silver of the bowl from that day's work was so dark it looked tarnished. I need to remember that when painting tarnished silver! Above is yesterday's repainting...a little too light this time, but easier to fix than too dark. Class is today, so I'll have John's help with it...I'll post again with today's work.

Oil Painting - Week 8

2010-03-15T16:15:00.000-07:00

I painted on my own today in the studio. I'm trying to move the painting along since we only have two more three-hour classes to work. It would be nice to have it finished by the end of the final class.

Above is where I started and where I ended today. Worked only on the main part of the bowl.

Oil Painting - Week 8

2010-03-12T13:40:00.000-08:00

Here's where I started and ended today. Just drew the base and the little feet in. It's hard to get any real value change with graphite on the too grainy canvas. Next time I'll try a smooth board. But honestly, isn't that bowl just magnificent? I mean the REAL bowl...what beautiful lines it has and gorgeous reflections it makes.

Oil Painting - Week 8

2010-03-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

Here's what happened today in class...

Oil Painting - Week 7

2010-03-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

Here's the values work that I'll be laying the first coat of color onto in today's class. Wish me luck!

Oil Painting - Week 7

2010-03-10T09:03:00.000-08:00

Trying to do a value drawing to get the values just right. I'll try a value painting today on canvas.

Cast Drawing - Week 7

2010-03-08T05:30:00.000-08:00

This week we learned and practiced turning the form...with an egg. Looks easy. I can assure you, it's not!

Oil Painting - Week 7

2010-03-07T17:47:00.000-08:00

I'm going to use a limited palette to paint the silver bowl and oranges. John suggested five colors: cad orange, raw umber, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and white. He also suggested I mix each color with each other color in their purest forms, then lighten each mixture three times to get various tints of the mixtures, and make a chart with the color mixtures on them.

What a helpful thing to do! It did take me a while to figure out how to do the chart so it would make sense and be handy and useful to me (John says as an artist you are often an inventor too, finding new ways to make things work for you. This was a good example of that for me). So here's the little chart with the mixtures. We'll see how things work...

Oil Painting - Week 6

2010-03-05T08:18:00.000-08:00

Top photo is today's. Bottom photo is last week. Do you think it's improving? I'm not sure!

Oil Painting - Week 7

2010-03-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

Here's my still life set up, before I had to modify and eliminate the three clementines on the table. Below it is the final drawing after three hours of drawing in class! (oops, reversed picture taken with computer)

I'd drawn the bowl before class, then transferred it to the canvas. When I went to draw the clementines in the bowl, they didn't fit--the bowl was not wide enough--the proportions were off.

In the past, I would have let it go and jumped right in on shading or painting. But John came over to my easel and suggested re-drawing it to correct the errors. He said something that will stay with me a long time...Bad paintings are often the result of a bad drawing and the artist's trying to correct the drawing by moving the paint around. It doesn't work.

Yep. That's me, trying to correct with paint what was not right in the first place.

So, I re-drew the bowl, and viola! Very happy. Onward to painting next week. Hope I can hold onto what I like about the drawing when I get to the painting.

Oil Painting - Week 6

2010-03-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

Once again, wiped the canvas clean and painted. That's the last time I'll wipe it clean--no more of that on this little painting. I will work on it some more. Lost the color again (today's is top pic, bottom pic is yesterday's). Maybe I'll take it in and let the instructor help. Now THERE's a good idea!

Cast Drawing - Week 6

2010-03-02T10:07:00.000-08:00

Worked on darling Bacchus again in class. I've begun to like him more and more. I ask the instructor to let me take Bacchus to finish with blocking in shadows and turning the form...instead of starting a new drawing for the 'final run' to the finish. I think that will work for weeks 8-10. Next week we will practice drawing eggs.

Oil Painting - Week 6

2010-03-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

I continued to work and rework my sienna and blue painting, adding more color. I think it's improving. Most of all, I'm pretty sure I'm learning.

Oil Painting - Week 6

2010-02-26T10:32:00.000-08:00

A tough day in class yesterday. On the right is work from last week, supposed to be a 'warm/cool' temperature painting in burnt sienna, ultramarine blue and white. John said I had far too little color for the temperature to read. So I worked nearly three hours in class and it looked even worse. Very late last night around midnight, I wiped the canvas clean of yesterday's work and started again, painting over last weeks dry paint.

I worked again today and it has more color and possibility so I'll give it another run, maybe Sunday. Cast drawing practice tomorrow and cast drawing class on Saturday. And it's the end of February already.

Master Copy: Andrea Finished

2010-02-24T13:52:00.000-08:00

I've done as much work on Andrea as I want. I'm not going to finish his shirt, since the hardest part, his face--especially the shadowed side--is done. And I did NOT use a stomp or finger to smudge or smear or shade. Only thousands of pencil lines over and over and over! Actually a soothing process. But DONE. And I'm reasonably pleased with the outcome. I see corrections that should be made, but I want to move on to another.

Cast Drawing - Week 5

2010-02-23T10:10:00.000-08:00

On the left is a modified photo of the cast I'm working on in class. The right is the start of my in-class drawing...Bacchus? It wasn't as frustrating today as usual. Maybe, just maybe, I'm catching on?

Cast Drawing - Week 2-4

2010-02-21T11:35:00.000-08:00

This is my at-home-practice cast drawing -- and with more time spent with him, I'm actually starting to like the cast itself. My work in the class is so poor it's not worth posting. Hopefully we'll have more time to spend with one cast in class and I can make some progress. I'm so slow and I don't seem to be able to focus or concentrate in class as well as I can at home.

I missed the last class since we had a trip to Ashland, Oregon already scheduled. Hate to miss classes! They're so valuable and they are helping me, even though they're so very difficult. And they're just flying by!

Oil Painting - Week 5

2010-02-20T10:29:00.000-08:00

I'm so behind with posting I'll never catch up with the pics of cast drawing, oil studies, life sketches. Yikes. So here is this week's work from the oil class. The task was to paint with only burnt sienna, ultramarine blue and white. Bill bought me the little pitcher at our favorite antique stopping place on I-5, Kalama, WA. He bought me more gorgeous 'props' too, but they're put away til birthday week...which starts NEXT week!

The good news is I'm behind with posting because I've been spending that time in the studio and not taking time to take pics :-)

Oil Painting - Week 3-4

2010-02-19T11:27:00.000-08:00

My first painted sphere nearly finished. It needs at least one more pass but then on to other things. Or maybe on to another sphere for more practice.

Progress: Master Copy

2010-02-05T16:18:00.001-08:00

A little more work on Andrea.

Progress: Master Copy

2010-02-04T19:41:00.000-08:00

OK, so remember my copy of Michelangelo's only surviving portrait, his drawing of Andrea. I've spent some more time working on it with my new knowledge and skill ? from my classes at Gage.

And just in case you can't tell...On the left is Michelangelo's. On the right is my copy, still not quite finished. Double click on the image for a larger detailed pic.

Michelangelo Buonarroti
1475-1564

"Portrait of Andrea Quaratesi" a drawing - Around AD 1532

His only surviving portrait drawing.

According to Giorgio Vasari, one of Michelangelo's biographers, he was most reluctant to make portrait drawings 'unless the subject was one of perfect beauty'. This is the only surviving portrait drawing by Michelangelo. Drawn in black chalk, it shows the head and shoulders of a young man, Andrea Quaratesi (1512-85) who was one of several noble youths much admired by Michelangelo. Though from a noble Florentine family, it is possible that Michelangelo tried to teach this young Florentine how to draw, as the artist wrote on a drawing now in Oxford: 'Andrea, have patience'. The young man wears contemporary dress, a cap flat on his head, as he looks out to his left. The drawing is lit from the left so that the delicate shadows are formed by small, careful parallel strokes of chalk.

Michelangelo rarely gave his drawings away, other than to close friends or pupils. He presented these carefully finished 'presentation drawings' only to those whom he admired and loved. In his own words, they were carried out 'for love rather than duty'.

Information provided by the British Museum.

Oil Painting - Week 2

2010-02-02T19:08:00.000-08:00

At home practice, second week, new painting, same sphere.

Oil Painting - Week 1

2010-01-27T09:32:00.000-08:00

My at-home practice of what we'll work on in class this week and next. Looks easy. It isn't!

Cast Drawing - Week 1

2010-01-27T09:26:00.000-08:00

The cast I am drawing and the first two starts at block ins.