My Funny Clementines

I think I will call these little clementines done. I've learned a lot about the color orange here, and had a good time painting. However, it's been a while (a whole week!) since I have worked on a figurative piece, and I am ready to get back to one. Perhaps what I have learned so far with this 'dead color' method will carry over into the figures, too. I plan to keep painting these little stills as well; they are fun little projects and are satisfying.

Also, it is my birthday today!

Clementines, Continued

Orange is slippery color! One minute I will see more yellow, and the next it will appear to need more red. It's also a difficult color to photograph. Regardless, I am having a great deal of fun trying to put my finger on just the right hues and values of these clementines, while I dine on their tasty siblings.

Oh My Darlin'

I can't help but think of that song every time I see or hear of a clementine. This isn't exactly a 'dead color' layer, as far as I know, but it is void of most of the value and hue range that I see. There are some wonderful highlights and reflected lights that aren't even hinted at here. We will see what happens next!

Red Pepper, Finished

Red Pepper
5" x 7" Oil on Canvas Panel

Completed this little painting tonight, and then fed the pepper to my guinea pig to seal the deal. A sad fate for such a lovely pepper, I know. I was so happy with the painting experience that I decided to start another one.

Red Pepper Update

The red pepper is now nearly complete! I will spend just one more session with it before I call it done and pass the pepper on to my guinea pig, Julian. He will enjoy it.

Exposed

This painting may or may not be titled "Exposed." I am somewhat undecided. Either way, it is finished: 14" x 11" Oil on Linen Panel.

Red Pepper

I am working on painting this red pepper from life on a little 5" x 7" canvas panel. I am following a technique favored by an e-friend of mine, Richard Murdock, who creates stunning little still life paintings (among other works.) He starts off with 'dead color,' and slowly adds depth with each layer. Here is my dead color layer:


This is after my second session, where I have started to shift the hue and value of the pepper to create form: (Never mind the napkin, please!)


I am enjoying the process very much! It is very much different from the way I have been painting, where I start with the values and then adjust the color. Updates to follow.

Life Drawing

I had the pleasure of drawing two heads from life yesterday; this is the better of the two. The subject is my 8 year old son, Shannon. It is very difficult to draw him because, as you can imagine, he doesn't sit still. Even more challenging is the fact that he cycles through various facial expressions as his mind wanders, which I find completely hilarious. When I start to chuckle, it makes Shannon laugh, and we both wind up laughing so much that we can't speak. This can make it very difficult to draw!

Gasp! Painting Update

The painting is progressing well and I am pleased thus far. Now I just need to come up with a clever title before it is finished!

The presentation last week at H&R Block went well, and it was a pleasure to meet new people and share ideas.

Speaking Engagement and Sketch

14" x 11"

Above it an oil sketch, just started last night. I took the picture with a flash, so the lights don't show the full range of values and there is some glare, but you can still see where I am going with it. I always want to just add color to the light areas, and leave the shadows in this sketchy manner, but something inside takes over every time and I wind up painting over every inch of the canvas.

Tomorrow I am to give a presentation at the H&R Block World Headquarters downtown. I have a slideshow prepared, and I will talk about my ideas on art and realism as well as share my work and how I create it. I hope to meet lots of new people and have a good time!

MyArtSpace Blog

I was recently interviewed by Brian Sherwin of MyArtSpace.com. Check out the blog here!

While you are at it, take a look at the interview with Mark Ryden. I enjoy his work a lot, and am happy to occupy this virtual space with him.

Danette, Revisited

I just completed the above pastel of my friend, Danette (see my previous post, Danette, Unveiled.) I am toying with the idea of cropping this into a square. While not overt, I have intended the light and composition in this painting to be symbolic. More on that later. (Anyone care to guess in the meantime?) For now, a detail image:

Holiday Show at Pi and Art Fair

These are a couple pictures from the First Friday opening at Pi Gallery. It is the "Back to the Future" 2006 retrospective show, and I have 6 pieces placed throughout the gallery. There was also a Preview Party on Thursday, but it was snowed-out. Another party has been scheduled for Friday the 8th, 6-9 pm, to make up for the missed one. Stop by if you can!



Saturday was the Lawrence Art Guild's Holiday Art Fair at the Lawrence Arts Center. I would have brought more pieces with me, but I thought I would only have six linear feet to hang in! The exhibitor next to me was unable to make it, which gave me a little more room to spread out, and allowed me to sit and chat with a neighbor in the empty corner.

I also got my very first ticket this weekend. I was flying at a screaming 0MPH; that's right, I got a ticket for backing into a parking space. What can I say, I just wanted to unload onto the sidewalk instead of into the street!