"Theological Studies" My Newest Giclée Reproduction

This image is the most recent addition to my print gallery.

It is available on canvas and other surfaces, in several sizes. Additionally, framing can be easily ordered, which gives you ready art for hanging on your wall, or for gift giving.

More information and order buttons are at this page.

Figurative Art for the Bath

(left) "Arm Shadow"
Charcoal and pastel
with acrylic coating, 7"x5"
©2012 Diana Moses Botkin


SOLD

I've been working on that large nude figurative commission for my client's bathroom.

It's been a bit of a challenge to find the right materials for this piece and develop a suitable drawing surface, then add some kind of appropriate coating to protect the original charcoal drawing without framing and glass.

(second drawing at left) 
"Light Dance"
Charcoal and pastel
with acrylic coating, 7"x5"
©2012 Diana Moses Botkin

SOLD

I do like a challenge, so it's been an interesting process to experiment a bit for this. I wanted to get familiar with my new materials and the technique I needed to use for the collector's large custom drawing so I decided I should do some smaller pieces first.

(third drawing at left)
"Morning Stretch"
Charcoal and pastel
with acrylic coating, 10"x8"
©2012 Diana Moses Botkin

SOLD

After some mess-ups and unsuccessful color/surface applications, I did several keepers, which will fit right into an upcoming solo show I'm hanging soon. (I'll post about it in a week or so and tell you a little more about it.)

It's good to be doing some figurative work again. I felt quite disoriented back home in my studio space after working outdoors doing landscapes at the plein air events at the end of the summer.

(fourth drawing, left)
"Bathing Pose"
Charcoal and pastel
with acrylic coating, 10"x8"
©2012 Diana Moses Botkin

I like this drawing technique and am getting used to the new materials. I'm feeling less clumsy with it, finding out how it behaves, learning what to watch out for and prevent as I work.

It is not as forgiving as a nice soft cotton charcoal paper with a laid finish, but it's workable, and allows me to do original drawings that can enjoyed in the bathroom environment. Nudes seem an obvious choice for art in the bathing area.

Please contact me if you'd like to purchase these or commission a similar large work for your own bathroom or spa.

October Painting Challenge: Adolescence

Welcome back to the Challenge, Suzanne, and thanks for picking our subject this month!

This one is a continuation of sorts of last month's theme. I enjoyed thinking about what adolescence might mean in a symbolic way (and, I admit, stressed over it a bit).

That preteen age is still rather care-free for most kids, but thoughts are taking shape about adulthood. I wanted to show something of that transition in life.

(image above left) "Soothing Break" Oil on hardboard 6"x9" ©2012 Diana Moses Botkin

For my reference I used a photo of my youngest from a few years ago that I'd snapped while he was enjoying some relaxing time in the warm sun and the company of our fuzzy orange cat. I thought he looked like he might be pondering some of life's questions while lying on the ground.

We've all been super busy lately but I'm very glad we've managed to keep up our monthly puzzler. I think everyone's paintings are stellar.

Every one of us has had our own challenges to deal with, so it is especially delightful to me that all of the group was able to come up with a painting for this one. You can see larger images at each artist's blog link.

 (first painting)
"Adolescence"
Oil on canvas
6"x8"
©2012 Suzanne Berry

 
(second painting)
"Tyler the Teenager"
14" x18" Pastel
©2012 Vicki Ross


  

Mark's painting, an early work of his, is impressive for a youngster, and perfect for our theme! 

(third painting)
"Self portrait 1968"
Oil on canvas
27" x 18"
©1968 Mark Adams

Driving and Painting, and Driving, and Drawing

During the past couple of months I've participated in several plein air events. This means I've put a lot of miles on my van. I've also painted some decent work, sold some, and won an award. All good.

Besides the finished plein air pieces at the shows, I also have over a dozen new unfinished pieces now sitting in my studio space. These are paintings started en plein air which needed more time to bring to a good conclusion. Looking at them now, I think several can be finished up in the studio. We'll see. Plein air work is a challenge in itself, and finishing a piece off-site can be even more difficult.

I'm also working on an interesting figurative commission, which is presenting some unique challenges. The client originally wanted a charcoal figure drawing for her bathroom. I advised her that works on paper, which need to be matted and framed under glass, would not fare well in a humid bathroom environment. Think rippled paper and mold under the glass in a few months.

She then considered a giclée reproduction on canvas of one of my figurative pieces, but the size she wants is much larger than the art would reproduce well. Finally, I came up with a plan for an original drawing on a surface suitable for a humid bathroom environment with an applied protective coating. So I've been experimenting with the drawing surface and coatings.

And another challenge is coming up right after the weekend when it will be time for our monthly Challenge! I hope you'll check back here on Monday to see what the group creates this time.