Pizza Night at OCU

When I was staying in OKC I called around to find open studios. One of the events I found out about was a monthly drawing and pizza night at Oklahoma City University.

Sure, I thought. But I checked it out and was glad I did. That was the intro to Mike Wimmer's open evenings of sharing the space and time there with models and other artists. Lotsa fun and cameraderie and Wimmer invited me to sit in on his portrait and figure classes in the following weeks during my OKC stay. Here are drawings from two of those pizza/drawing evenings.

Life Drawings

Drawing from the model several times a week this winter was great practice. It made it easier to put down the form quickly for short or longer poses. 

See my work by category, or purchase at my DailyPainters gallery. 

Portrait and Figure Sketches from Open Studio

I'm getting the sketches and paintings photographed now that have been piling up since the first of the year.

They're a bit out of order, as I shot some of the oil paintings before the charcoal or pastel studies.

Hang tight and I'll eventually show you all of what I did. I do plan to work a little more on a few of them, so those will come later.

These four shown here are from the Open Studio sessions in Scottsdale.

As is sometimes the case, I sketched the models in charcoal, then in another medium. (See the oil study after I did "Dainty", the third piece here, a few posts back.)

After I drew this charcoal study of Peter (at right), I painted the oil shown here.

Faces and Figures

I don't keep all my sketches, as some simply are not worth saving. However, there are a bunch from my work this winter that I am pleased with. So, to photograph and inventory them is taking some time.

I hope you'll enjoy these.

Three of these were drawn from a lovely classic looking model in Norman, Oklahoma.

The other is one of the beautiful models in Scottsdale I was privileged to draw and paint.


 
Please contact me for information on work you see here at my blog. Many of the paintings and drawings are available for purchase. 

Portrait Studies

These four paintings were done during the Artist Guild week in Scottsdale in January. The first two here were finished during the session with the model. The last two, I did additional work from reference photos to build on what I'd done from life with the model.

I do prefer doing the entire painting from life, but when that doesn't work out, a few photos can remind me of what the model looked like, so I can figure out what I need to add. Because my tendency is to add a lot of detail, I have to fight with myself to not paint in everything when there is a photo reference to see.

Having the sitter there in person is so much better than working from photos, as the personality and life of the model come through so much better. And of course, color can be seen for what it is, whether in the shadows or highlights. This is not usually the case with using photos.

More New Paintings

I'm slowly getting my new work photographed and inventoried. Here are a few more paintings for you to enjoy. Soon I'll start documenting the numerous drawings I did the past few months.

These portrait/figure studies are of models at Scottsdale Open Studio. All were painted from life during the model sessions.

Some Recent Portrait Studies

 
As I mentioned in a recent post, portraits and figurative studies have been my principle focus so far this year.

These four oils are a small sampling of my concentrations. I'll have more to show here as soon as I can get additional work photographed and inventoried.

"Mary" (in top left painting), and "Rui" (in third painting) were two more models who posed for my portrait workshop in Oklahoma City last month, mentioned in this post.

"Delicate" is a study at Open Studios in Scottsdale, and "Skip" was painted in Oklahoma City when I sat in on some sessions at OCU. I was so impressed with what I saw at OCU. Professor Mike Wimmer is doing an amazing job teaching his students fundamentals, various painting techniques, and an appreciation of beauty.

These elements of an art education are vital. I missed out on this approach in my own college years, as the emphasis was on abstract art where I was, and I struggled to learn about realism on my own. But, I figure if my eyes hold out, I'll continue to learn. I'm so thankful for time with the models this winter and some input from others.

Please contact me if you'd like me to paint a portrait or other commission.

Portrait Demos

During my trip south, along with escaping the Idaho winter, I also was able to teach a portrait workshop in Oklahoma City.

This was a two day class with three live models. I showed how to capture a likeness using charcoal and chalk, and also how to approach a portrait study in oil.

On another occasion, I gave a charcoal drawing demonstration at U.S. Grant High School in OkC.

These sketches are all from those demos.

More Portrait Sketches

Now that I'm back home there are about a million things to do. One of my main tasks this week is getting my work from the past three months photographed and inventoried. No small chore.

I'm starting off with a few sketches I did during my trip to show you here at this blog.

Portraits and figurative sketches and oil studies were my focus on this trip. Some of those willing to sit for me while I practiced were these sweet younguns.

I always enjoy watching a skilled artist create a drawing or painting right before my very eyes. It's like magic seeing something appear on a previously blank surface. 

A Few Portrait Sketches

I am way behind on photographing and posting new work. Please bear with me, and I'll show you what I've been drawing and painting during my long road trip. Here's a start.

These young men are brothers: triplets, in fact. Their grandmother asked me to make these drawings during a family gathering when they were all together for a wedding.

We had little time to make this work after they all came to town and before they had to get ready for the ceremony, so I met them at their hotel with my sketching materials and drew away as each one sat for me.

Portrait Workshop This Weekend

I've been the gypsy itinerant artist in my travels from Idaho. It's been wonderful to connect with family and friends, collectors and fellow artists.

I was also able to see the Sorolla show in Dallas on this trip. His paintings were instructive and inspiring. In addition to a number of his large paintings, some of his charcoal sketches and miniature studies were shown. I especially enjoyed the sketches, some of which were little more than gesture studies for planning the figures in a larger seaside painting composition with children running in the surf.

Additionally, I've been fortunate to find some Open Studio sessions to work from live models so I can stay in practice and enjoy the camaraderie of other artists. One of the places I've been hanging out is Geatches Art Studio in Oklahoma City. I wish I'd known about it 50 years ago. This was where Sherrie McGraw studied before she ventured to Art Students League in New York.

I've been asked to teach a portrait workshop this coming weekend before I head back to the great white north. I'll be doing demos from live models and teaching how to capture a likeness in charcoal and then in oil. You can find more information about the class at this link.

Paint Cleaning and Storage Tips

Did you miss me?

I've been traveling, studying at the Artist Guild Week in Scottsdale, gallery hunting, painting, etc. Here's a photo of my van all packed for the trip with art, painting and drawing supplies and a lot more. The snow and ice thawed just in time for me to pack up and drive out of our lane. I'll catch you all up on trip highlights later.

Meanwhile, please read on for some helpful painting tips. Perhaps you know these already, but I hope there is something new for you here in these shared tidbits.

Removing Paint

Maybe you've already heard that isopropyl alcohol removes dried paint from your palette or other places? If not, it's a handy tip. I found out about this over 20 years ago, accidentally. One of my children walked past a large oil painting with a loaded toothbrush. When I wiped the smear of toothpaste from the painting, it removed the paint down to the lead priming. I had to ask what was in the toothpaste that would do that!? Isopropyl!

So next time you notice a smear of paint on the door frame (from when you answered the phone in a hurry with a loaded brush in your hand?), just apply a little rubbing alcohol on the mark. Be careful, though, isopropyl might also remove furniture varnish. I accidentally discovered this too, almost 30 years ago when I wiped a dusty end table with a wet wipe. (Not all baby wipes contain alcohol, however.)

The alcohol is handy stuff, though, for cleaning a painting palette. I also use it to clean up paint spatters from sinks and counters. I carry a bottle with supplies in my car when I'm out plein air painting to combat paint marks on my dashboard and steering wheel. And it's handy in a pinch when there is no place to wash hands out in the wild.

Glass Palette

Speaking of palettes, if you want to use a glass one, tempered glass will not easily break. This material can be ordered from art suppliers, glass companies, or you can use a tempered glass cutting board on the smooth side. A glass palette can be cleaned of dried paint with a razor blade. Alcohol works too.

For my plein air painting box, I've painted my glass palette a medium grey on the underside, and attached it to the mixing area with epoxy. In the studio I use an old tempered glass cutting board set over a medium tone panel (see photo).

Saving Paint, Lids, Space

When I have leftover paint at the end of painting sessions, I either cover my palette with plastic kitchen wrap, or transfer the paint dabs to a small air tight container (such as tupperware) and put the whole thing in the freezer. Especially if I will not get back to painting the next day, the freezer is a safer bet for keeping the paint useable.

Another helpful practice is to save a few lids from used up painting tubes. Clean them of dried paint (use that handy isopropyl again) and add a few to your painting supplies and plein air box. That way, if you lose a tube lid down a ravine, or break one, you'll have an easy replacement.

I confess I'm a light weight and hate to carry a lot of heavy stuff when painting out. One of the ways I l keep supplies from being heavy in my plein air box is to pack almost used up tubes of paint. I make them even lighter in weight (and a little tidier for my limited space in the box) by cutting them down.

You can do this by squeezing the remaining paint in the tube to the top, and smoothing out the paint tube. I do this with the rounded end of my pliers. Then I take an old pair of scissors and cut the tube on the flattened part, about a half inch from where the paint is. Crimp the bottom with canvas pliers (or regular pliers can do the job in a pinch.. ha). Fold up the crimped edge and pinch it down well with the pliers, then fold up again. Voilà, a shorter, lighter, and neater tube of paint!

Baby Oil or Vegetable Oil for Cleaning

Also in my painting box is a small bottle of baby oil. It is handy for cleaning oil paint off hands (or the face if you are a really wild painter). At home, I use the bottle of the baby oil for cleaning hands. It can also clean paint out of brushes along with some dish soap. Baby wipes are also good for cleaning up paint.

And vegetable oil can also be used to clean hands or can be used to clean up brushes rather than using solvent.

Okay, that's it for now. Happy painting!