The Drawing Board

Went out to one of my favorite painting spots today to enjoy the bright overhead sunlight. I stopped first at Wilson Park, but found that everything was pretty hazy and devoid of color, everything was still largely gray on white, with bluish shadows. Ended up near Lake Michigan, standing in a gravel field painting tall grass. The sky had a purple tinge to it, while the water was a vibrant deep blue.

This painting is 9"x12" on Ampersand gray Pastelbord. It offered me a chance to explore my yellows and umbers. This surface is really grainy, and your initial washes don't go very far, due to the texture of the surface. I used a lot of medium on this piece, refined linseed oil, poppyseed oil and Dorland's wax medium in equal parts.

There was apparently a bit of glare on the painting when I shot it, resulting in the white speckles in the painting. I'll have a better shot of this in a week or so, I want the paint to set first, and may touch up certain areas. This gravel field gave me the chance to try different techniques for creating and implying texture, while controlling the focal point of the painting. I also tried a few new painting and sgraffito techniques with some palette knives. I think I need some smaller, shorter liner brushes, and a bunch of new flats and extra-long filberts. To my dismay, I am finding that the ferrules on some of my trusty flats are starting to spin, making their control unreliable. Some heavy use over the past year and a half, so it's expected, but still, I hate having to buy new gear.

I plan to do another small painting tomorrow, then move up to 11" x 14" and possibly larger next week. Figure drawing tomorrow night. Hope my shoulders hold up.

Well, I couldn't take it anymore, I finally bundled up and went out to paint today. After a few hours I realized I should have been painting well over a month ago. I didn't even need gloves today. Last fall when I stopped painting for the cold, I was wearing a windbreaker over a sweatshirt, over two t-shirts and a long sleeve undershirt. I stopped in October because my hands were freezing. The temperatures were in the low 40's and it was quite overcast.

Today, I managed to get out to Whitnall Park, for a rare sunny day. I pulled into the lot, and set up next to my truck. This view overlooked the tobaggon hill, there were several families enjoying the slope today. I was glad to see that I hadn't lost too much with regards to color over the winter. I think the figure drawing sessions have helped a great deal with my concentration. I started working with my palette knives. I've collected a half dozen different knives, I think my next few paintings will incorporate more of that.

Class was canceled last week due to the snow storm. This week we got the guy with the kidney scar again. I found myself getting stuck on minutiae this session, instead of sticking to the essentials. I think I need some new media to work with, maybe some more carbon pencils and some charcoal. I might try that next week.

Well, we had the crackpot model again. She once again set up the entire night, posing from other artists' work. This really annoys me. Even if we were into replicating the work of other artists, there is only one spot in the room that will replicate that perspective - so what's the point?

Not to mention the crappy lighting. The room is so poorly set up, that there is very little control over the light that hits the model, either the room is dark on the left side or the right side, but never behind the model, the model is never backlit, rimlit, nothing interesting...and the lights are the cheapest of clip on floods. I would think that by now MIAD would have invested in some decent lighting for the figure drawing studios...

A rather uninspiring model for a distracted evening. Sometimes the day just gets to you, this was one of them. I wish these models were more fit. It's really hard to work on proportions and anatomy when they are shaped this way.

I am beginning to think that MIAD just likes to hire models with unusual bodies. This gibbonous yogi, with the kidney scar has been a returning model over the past two semesters. Generally he does a good job, but his proportions and flexibility make for some ridiculous poses. With such a long body, when he's adopting standing postures, you almost have to give up on sight-size drawing unless you crop in on a certain area.

I've begun to venture into color, using two hues in colored pencil, and drawing with some unusual colors. I push this idea further in the next couple of sessions. The top drawing was done with a carbon pencil, which has some nice qualities.

Link: http://gobidharma.paintmap.com/

Thanks to Terry Miura for the idea, I recently found this website that will take a location and an image, and overlay the two on a map, even providing coordinates. I think that this is a must for any plein air painter.

I just finished uploading a number of my recent paintings, and plan to continue doing this over 2010. Now you can see the work, and where I was when I painted them, side by side.

Link: http://www.imagekind.com/GalleryProfile.aspx?gid=1e43055e-77fb-4c9c-ab6e-4a43eaaeb6b6

Well, these are the last paintings for 2009. I have one more on canvas that I'm putzing around with, waiting for a decent amount of time to paint, but since it's not finished, I'll call that the first of 2010.

I began most of these works in the time leading up to my Dad's illness, once the prognosis came back as metastatic kidney cancer, everything stopped, not only for myself, my artwork, but for my family. It took a good deal of time to get back behind the easel. Forgetting the stress of the funeral and memorial service, the amazing amount of work he left us with regards to his estate, the house, and also time to deal with our emotions, it has also been very difficult to accept that my Dad won't see any of the work I do in the future. I wish I had done more while he was still around.

These paintings were done in the late Fall, late September thru October. I found that my comfort zone was around 44 degrees Fahrenheit, without more appropriate attire. My hands freeze in a very short time at temperatures colder than this, making my technique clumsy and useless. Next winter I will be better prepared.

I went out quite often during this time, forcing myself to go out, even though there were times I'd rather stay home. And I'm glad I did, as I had a few good sessions. I felt compelled to make the most of the fall colors as the trees changed. I was able to revisit some of my regular haunts, to capture the change in seasons - Lake Michigan, Wilson Park, Whitnall Park, Jackson Park. There is a magical quality to the light at this time of year, the midtones are very subtle.

I have begun to plan for this year's plein air competition season. I am aiming to participate in a minimum of five competitions beginning in April, Beloit, Cedarburg, Wauwatosa, Oconomowoc and Downtown Milwaukee. I may also participate in some national events if I can afford the entrance fees. I think I need to sell some more paintings to help fund this. On that note, if you like what you see, all of these works are for sale, both the original artwork, and fine art prints. If you follow the link above, you can see the prints available online, and choose between different sizes and frames. If you are interested in the original artwork, please follow this link to choose the piece, and contact me with the ID# listed below each piece. I can arrange to have unframed work framed and set up for a viewing appointment.

Link: http://www.sageartsstudio.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=13971

More character sketches from this winter, follow the link above to see the gallery. My Dad's illness took a great deal of time away from all of us. Given the circumstances, I found it difficult to sketch in the hospital, although I did manage a couple of quick studies.

For those of you new to my blog, I'll repeat my process and reasons for using it. About two years ago I decided to reclaim some of my drawing skills, one of which is the ability to visualize imaginative imagery and create from memory. I decided to focus on portraits, most often female as they are most subtle and difficult to capture.

I have several rules when I sit down to sketch. First, I try to do at least 5-6 pages of sketches. Even if I'm wasting ink, drawing the same things over and over, it's the engagement that counts. Second, I work for the first few pages at least, in a permanent medium, where I cannot go back and make corrections. This has included pen and ink, calligraphy markers and brushpens. The first couple of pages in particular have to do with quick gestural drawings, trying to get as may ideas down as possible. Further, when I do these character sketches, I start by putting down a mark or two, then attempt to pull a face out of it, a very zen-like approach, that helps me get past my self-consciousness. I do these drawings in public, to further acclimate to that type of pressure, as often people watch or come up to comment.

I got this idea, of repeating a theme, from Berol Lutsky, from a project we did my sophomore year at MIAD. I was reminded of this lesson a couple of years ago when I saw a pair of videos by Iain McCaig and Nick Pugh of the Gnomon Workshop. Pugh's video had to do with accessing the creative parts of one's skills, and through a disciplined manner working to come up with an original visual language. McCaig's video had to do with developing the visual storytelling process through the use of storyboards.

I'm still working on mechanical aspects, control of the medium, losing a fear of wasting materials, working out my proportions, facial expressions, etc., but I plan to start expanding my imagery to include scenes and more narrative vignettes.

Some of the drawings from my last session for 2009. This model was a complete crackpot. I don't understand why models feel the need to recreate poses from the work of other artists, but she brought in a whole list of paintings and did a brief history lecture before getting to work. I suppose it would have been impolite to say "shut up and take your clothes off." Personally, I have no interest in simulating the work of others, especially when the lighting is so different. One of these days I'll have to start hiring my own models.

I worked largely in markers this evening. The double ended, chisel tipped Itoya Calligraphy markers are phenomenal for their range of marks, especially when they start to dry out. They can give you a range of values that will rival charcoal. I use these primarily when I'm working on character sketches.

After this class, I went to sit with my father at the hospital. This was the first of many long, long nights sleeping in a chair next to his bed. I showed him these drawings that night, and other sketches I'd been working on (which will be in my next post). This was the last time that my father was able to see my artwork. It's difficult to think that there was so much that I did that he never saw, will never see. Cancer sucks.

A repeat of a model we had earlier this semester. A decent model, good muscle tone, capable of sitting very still, an interesting face. I wish they would do more with the lighting, the studio overheads are not very inspiring, and the single clip-on lamp they use for highlights is fairly weak.

I experimented a little bit with combining different colors in a drawing this time, still using primarily colored pencil.

It was on this night that my sister called me to tell me that my Dad's cancer had metastasized. It took a lot to sit there all night, drawing, when I felt like I should be with my Dad. I knew, however, that there was nothing I could do to improve his situation.

You know, I hear that at some schools they have attractive models....or at least interesting ones. The model this evening was devoid of any sort of muscle tone, so I focused largely on gesture and the portrait aspects with each sitting.

Colored pencils have been useful, not only for the color aspect, but because they are plentiful and cheap. I have a large jar full of colored pencils that I never use. They offer a range of values that is acceptable, and are smoother and capable of lighter marks than charcoal, yet deeper than graphite. I believe the bottom drawing was done with either charcoal pencil or carbon pencil.

Tuesdays bring bad news. Each time I went in for these sessions, it seemed that I would get a phone call to tell me that things with my father had gotten worse, one more item of hope had died. Needless to say, that was very distracting, as my mind was elsewhere.

Anyone who has been following my blog will by now have noticed the span of time that has passed between this and my last post. Some of you who follow my posts on Facebook already know the reason for this, but for the rest, I would like to explain that on December 8th, my father died of cancer. The months leading up to that time was greatly stressful, and when his illness took a turn for the worse, everything stopped. Since then, my life has been greatly distracted by the aftermath, organizing his memorial service, making decisions about his funeral, handling matters at the house, and generally trying not to think about it during the holidays that immediately followed.

As I try to get back into the swing of things, I have found that I have become motivationally challenged, in part, I know because I am still grieving the loss of my father and in part because I am still very angry about the circumstances that led to his death. So I intend, here, to tell the story and in doing so, perhaps finally let go of this grief.

Pages: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12

Link: http://www.sageartsstudio.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=7569

More character studies. The sketching, figure drawing classes and plein air paintings are helping each other, indirectly. I am finding not only greater accuracy in my sketching, but the variety has stimulated my imagination more. I plan to keep following this type of imagery until I can fully realize scenes and greater detail. The markers are also becoming more natural as a medium.

Link: http://fineart.sageartsstudio.com

Since I've had some inquiries into whether certain pieces I've done this year are for sale or not, I created a section on my blog to list the available work I have. You can get to this by clicking on the "Paintings" link in the upper right hand corner of this page.

I will be updating this with each new batch of paintings, so check back often for to see the latest work.

Another two weeks off between this and the last session, one I missed to cover a class, the other week the class was canceled because of the school schedule. Not many more remaining this semester. I wish I had a studio to bring models to, I could get some much better work done if I could set up the lighting and add some props.

I've started to see an improvement in my sense of proportions lately, not only in drawing, but also in painting. I think in a year or so my drawing skills will be back where I was when I left college.

The first five drawings were shorter, moving from quick gestures to 10 minute poses, all done in colored pencil. That seems to be a pretty hassle-free medium for gestures, something with a good range of values, that glides over the paper. The third and last pieces are done in marker, I also tried one with heavy compressed charcoal. I have generally avoided charcoal, as it's always so messy, but I think I'll do more with it in the next couple of sessions. Need to get some charcoal pencils before the next one.

I missed a session because of my stupid schedule, so this work is after a week off. I don't know what to think about the models at MIAD, they're so uninspiring. I think the person running the group is just not into posing models for more interesting compositions...no narrative, no lighting, just plop down and get to it. Oh well.

The majority of these are all done with colored pencil, or graphite. The bottom two are done with marker, I experimented with the Copic Wide markers this time. That type of drawing takes some courage, there is no way to erase marks once put down. Plus you have to allow for the bleed of the marker.

A blustery Sunday at the lakefront. I found a nice little windbreak in a corner of some partitions put up to hide some utility equipment for a set of condominiums on Milwaukee's East side this weekend. This was also out of the way of most passersby, which allowed me to concentrate. That being said, I did hand out two cards that day after people inquired about the painting. That got me started putting up a new section to this blog - see the "paintings" link above, right.

I started this one with some pen and ink sketches, to nail down the composition. This field has a lot of visual interest for me, tall grasses, weeds and flowers that lead back into small rolling hills, a few trees, then a drop towards the lake. I think I will be back here to paint this view many times.

This painting is also on a newly prepared canvas board, at 12"x16" in size. I like this format. I think that there are certain formats that work well given the scale of the brushes that one tends to use. This one seems to fit. I have two more boards at this size, and four more at 11"x14" that I am looking forward to trying as well. These size panels don't seem as constricted as a 9"x12" panel tends to for me. I am considering painting larger outdoors, but it will have to be on a location where I have a good 6 hours to paint, and shelter from the wind. Canvas is dangerously airbourne with a strong gust. Even this panel started to kick my easel around when the wind picked up.

I am also looking at ways to speed up my set-up time for the winter. I acquired a few wooden cigar boxes, and I am in the process of converting one to a tripod-mounted easel. I'll post pictures once I've finished & tested it. I figure that with my new tubular steel tripod, and my brush kit, I could be set up in less than a minute with a new rig. Right now my set up time is around 5 minutes with my Julian easel.

The first batch of drawings were five minute studies done in colored pencil. I find that this moves well and allows me to capture the gesture and a wide range of values and textures. I may opt to move into charcoal next week. I need to make a charcoal sock, and dig out my spray fix and a few brushes for this.

I'm still getting stuck on specifics, especially with regards to the facial expression. I think I need to spend a session working only on portraits, to get it out of my system. I wish I could take photos to work from later.

Towards the end of this session, my shoulder was killing me. Repeated days at my easel, plus a strain from a recent Jiujitsu practice has made my utensils weigh a thousand pounds. I am going to have to do some rehab in the gym to be ready for tomorrow.

These last three drawings were done in watercolor and graphite. Still struggling with the media given the time constraints. I think for a decent watercolor piece, I'll need at least 40 minutes.

MIAD hosts an open figure drawing studio each Tuesday from 7-10 pm. These are some drawings from last week. I'm going to try to make the rest of the sessions each week thru November when they break. I've known about these meets for some time now, but have only recently been able to get my schedule to open up. I've been dying for time with a good model, sketching at coffee shops just isn't cutting it.

The first three sketches I did were colored pencil on Strathmore paper. The fourth was on the same with a Tombow Artpen. The last I did with conte.

It felt good to get some actual work done. I had converted my Julian Easel for this type of work, adding a Masonite backboard and some clips to hold my pad. This worked surprisingly well. I still need to modify that so that it's easier to strap to my handicart, the teardown takes a lot longer than I'd like.

I also tried some watercolor. I think I could really go for some longer sessions. Most of these were 20 minute sessions. The first few were 10 minute sessions. I think the longest was a 30 minute session. At least the model was disciplined.

I wasn't terribly pleased with these, for a number of reasons. I think I need to try working on some hot press paper. I like working on blocks, but the majority of those I've seen have always been cold press. I need to work on using more saturated, darker paint, making key decisions earlier, and using more deliberate, less clumsy strokes. I also need to re-acclimate to working with watercolor again. It's like thinking backwards compared to oils.