Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Art School: Wendy, Session 1 of 3.

I'm taking a portrait painting class this term that spans three 3-hour sessions.  Here are the results I made during the first 3-hour session, with process shots included.  Each photo represents a 20-minute interval of time (with a few intervals missing).  Many thanks to my instructor, Lucas Graciano, for his help.

Wendy After First Session (Oil on canvas board, 9 x 12").  At this point, I like how it's looking.  It reminds me of a Robert Henri painting.

Initial lay-in.  I used a mixture of transparent maroon, sap green, and ultramarine blue for the contour lines.


Spawned partially from the pace of my plein air painting sessions over the past few weeks, I decided to work faster and more intuitively.  I created a pot of flesh tone using yellow ochre, cad red light, and titanium white and then just added various colors to that to create different values and temperatures.  Since this was the first week, I didn't want too much variation -- I wanted to keep it simple.  I tried to react quickly from what I saw looking at the model.



Monday, November 28, 2011

Sketchbook: Geisha After Frazetta.

Geisha, After Frazetta (Watercolor in Moleskine sketchbook, 4x6").  Frazetta is one of my favorite artists.  This is a watercolor sketch based on one of his obscure paintings.
 

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Sketchbook: Tamara Holding Onto Chair.

Tamara Holding Onto Chair (Gouache in Moleskine sketchbook. 5x4.5").

Friday, November 25, 2011

Sketchbook: Paula.

Paula (Acrylic in Moleskine sketchbook, 5x7.5").

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Sketchbook: Rhino Laying Down.

One of the best values in town is having a season pass to the San Diego Zoo.  It's wonderful having year-round access to all of these animals and catching them in unique poses.

Rhino Laying Down (Pencil in Moleskine sketchbook, 5x4").

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Sketchbook: Rose.

A brief reprieve from the skulls....

Rose (Pencil in Moleskine sketchbook. 4x6").

Monday, November 21, 2011

Sketchbook: Mountain Lion Skull.

Mountain Lion Skull (Gouache in Moleskine sketchbook.  4.5x4").

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Discovering My City: Otay Lakes

I’ve spent time in San Jose and Denver, and while these great cities each contain neighborhoods with names, their flat landscapes cause these neighborhoods to blend together. I never feel like I’m in a unique place, just a different block with different style storefronts. Aside from signs, there are few visual clues to determine where one neighborhood ends and another begins.

One thing I love about San Diego is that due to its dramatic topography and diverse residents, each neighborhood possesses its own distinct personality -- a world onto itself. Hills, valleys, ocean, and deserts envelop communities and create clear lines of delineation. And despite the city’s large size, the efficient highway system makes it seem compact. I can get anywhere to anywhere in fifteen minutes. It’s cozy.

I have lived in San Diego for ten years and while part of me feels like I have investigated every nook, I certainly know better. There are many places yet to be discovered and explored.

A few weeks ago I read an article about a nursery in the town of Jamul that was closing down. Pictures accompanied the article and I found myself intrigued. I had never ventured southeast.  A mini-road trip was in order. Saturday morning, Jules and I began a trip that took us from our North Park home (A), through Jamul (B), to a quick peek at Dulzura (C), and over to Otay Lakes (D).


Along the switchback road from Dulzura to Jamul, we spotted a coyote.


I feel conflicted about graffiti. I hate the act, but can appreciate the art. I found the graffiti on this wall visually engaging, perhaps due to its juxtaposition with nature and the clean lines of the concrete wall.



I adored Otay Lakes. The area provided a wealth of visual sensations. I can’t wait to bring my easel here.




I loved this tree and its background.


It reminded me of a Schiele painting...

Egon Schiele, Four Trees (Galerie Belvedere).


We visited the Olympic Training Center and wandered around its extensive and empty grounds. We watched Olympic rowers in the distance from our high vantage point.


To get a better view, we descended to the lake’s shoreline. While there, we were approached by a slow moving cavalcade of zombie ducks.

Sketchbook: Grant's Gazelle Skull.

Grant's Gazelle Skull (Pencil in Moleskine sketchbook, 3x6").

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Sketchbook: Raven Skull.

Raven Skull (Ink in Moleskine sketchbook, 6x3").

Monday, November 14, 2011

Sketchbook: Flamingo Skull.

On a rainy Saturday afternoon in San Diego, Juliana and I had a fantastic time meandering around the San Diego Museum of Natural History.  There was a floor designed for each of us.  The entire third floor displayed over 200 skulls while the lower level held an exhibit dedicated to gems.

Flamingo Skull (Ink in Moleskine sketchbook applied with Winsor&Newton Series 7 #2 brush, 5x4").

Friday, November 11, 2011

Art: Oogie.

Oogie (Watercolor and colored pencil on 140lb watercolor paper, 5x8").


The original pencil sketch....

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Art School: Winter Term, Long Pose Portrait Painting.

The winter term at Watts is well under way.  Here is a portait I painted in Lucas Graciano's Long Pose Portrait Painting class.  Painted from a combination of life and photo.

Jeff (Oil on canvas panel, 9x12").

Monday, November 07, 2011

Too Many Levels Of Awesome To Count.

Wow.  I just found out about an amazing new exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Natural History.  I can't wait to see it....
 
Please be prepared for many future skull drawings.

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Sketchbook: Rlei

Rlei (Watercolor and pencil in Moleskine sketchbook, 5x5").