Linda Fisler online lesson #1

The second four-week online workshop I’m doing with the ArtistsNetworkUniversity is 4-Challenges to improve your painting skills with Linda Fisler.  It started on the 24th of June.  Each week will present a different challenge for our painting assignment.  The first is a study in values.  The three drawings; geometric shapes, a free hand and gridded drawing of a photograph.  Then paint the photograph on 20x16 canvas in black and white.  Next week we'll add color!  Here’s my first assignment:

K Hu lesson 3, values and baseline color

I put off starting this assignment because I was afraid of "messing up" the block in!  As soon as I started, I was OK. Thanks to the Saper approach - mixing dark and light of hair, background, clothing and skin.  I'm pretty happy with all the colors except the skin.  This is the third mixing - and it's better than the other two, but still needs more value (especially in the lighter tones) and I think the color is too brown and is a bit lifeless. Back to the “palette!”

Paint in one Day - Losing Art Center

Attended a one day workshop at the Losina Art Center entitled: Learn to Paint in One Day.  I took the course to see if I could forget myself and stop taking this whole thing so seriously (and therefore frightening).  Amazing day – we worked really fast, played with tempera paints and learned some sketching tricks.  It became obvious that “it was just paper” and that if I didn’t like something, not a problem – just do another.   If I liked something, figure out what and do it again!  At the end of the day, Olya pointed out that anyone can paint – and enjoy it.  Of course, she also reminded us that to be an artist will require time and effort!  Different things!!!

The progression of paintings (5x7 each) from the beginning of class to the last one.

Value and shape block in

Lesson 2 in the K Hu workshop is to take the drawing and put it on canvas – with emphasis on shapes and values.  Here’s Sarah in TransOxRed and Ultramarine Blue.

K Hu workshop online

I have signed up for two four-week online workshops with the ArtistsNetworkUniversity.   The first is a portraiture class with K Hu.  The class started last Monday with a drawing demo (on YouTube) and reading from our text book: a wonderful book by Chris Saper called “Classic Portrait Painting in Oils.”  Assignment 1 was to find a photo reference, get it approved and do a black & white drawing to focus on the shapes and values.  Here’s my first assignment.

Plein Air in Redlands

Hubby Travis biked and I painted yesterday just outside of Redlands CA. While Travis rode 100 miles around Big Bear, I found a couple spots that appealed.  The first, over the valley through some hills with two lone pine trees.  It was early morning – sun was still below the mountains.  No sooner did I get set up, than “boing” up popped the sun – right on my back!  Pretty bright on the canvas.  I wasn’t there long!  Second spot was a bit down the hill.  I loved the patterns the darks and bright yellows made.  Then, to top it off, a bunch of bikers rode by – so of course, I had to put one in.  Think these need work!

Color charts

First thing I did after Kathleen's workshop was to work on some color charts.  I love the idea of a limited palette, but I also love the process I used with Qiang Huang  and Nancy Medina – starting with transparent paints for the foundation and shadows.  And I didn’t get satisfactory purples from the perm red and ultramarine blue.  So, I was looking for a couple of additions.  I was also finally going to look at several different brands of the same paint color; and do a study of the alizarin and other blue-reds colors to see which were closest to alizarin.   Now that I’ve chosen to add Indian Yellow, Transox Red and Alizarin, it’ll be interesting to see if I use them!