Seated man
 

Well, I finally got out on a Wednesday evening--first time in a long while--to go to the open studio at a nearby college. The model was too far away for me to paint a head (I am nearsighted but I can't seem to get the hang of bifocals) so I painted a smaller scale figure. I only had about 1 1/2 hours there so there are a few rough spots that I didn't have time to "clean up," but it sure was a lot of fun.

WOW Alexandra, this is truly impressive. So fresh and bold - you paint with such confidence, it really shows.

You've inspired me to go find some life painting opportunities in my area. I'd love to be able to do what you are showing us with this piece.

David

Wow, this looks like allot of fun. It's so free flowing but solidly expressed. I love it.

Nicely Done!

whoww Alex,
Did you really sign it with a kiss :?

Allan

Great job.

I'd still be looking for tthe yellow ochre.

Thank you all! The WOWs were unexpected--I like the "free-flowing but solidly expressed" description, Pat--it looked a little amorphous to me, but now that I look at it again, it's not too bad.

Julie, some day you can show me some tricks with pastels.

It was just luck and good connections (friends who have their ears to the ground) that led me to this place. We just made some noise about wanting to find an open studio or start one, and pretty soon we found this one. So, David, just start asking around.

Allan, it took me a while to realize you were taking about those red strokes on the side of his face! It really does look like I gave him a big smooch. Maybe if I sign it the regular way, I can shift the focal point (Ha-Ha).

And, Sharon, if I had brought my new French easel I, too, would have been still looking for the yellow ochre. I tried to practice setting it up beforehand and realized that I'd better leave it home unless I wanted to spend the entire first hour trying to keep the drawer from sliding open and spilling all my paints while I got the legs up.

Very nice! Makes me want to run out to the local open studio sessions too.

Here's the trick: assemble the legs upside down while the whole top and box of the French easel is still closed and locked tight. Then turn the thing upright. After that it's safe to open the box and put on your canvas.

But in an hour and a half I'd still be looking for the yellow ochre too!

Thank you, Michele!

Nicely direct and bold, Alex. I think you have a real a knack for painting men.

I would like to lobby against setting up a French easel in an open studio classroom since the legs splay open much more than an upright studio easel. I've been in several crowded classroom settings where portable easels have been set up and somebody (either the easel owner or somebody else) trips over one of the legs and chaos results. The Soltek has an especially wide spread and though I trip over the legs of mine all the time, I'm by myself and I don't take down anyone else with me.