2nd attempt...

[Jimmie Arroyo]

Hi,

Had a class last night and I started a new piece, same model. I was able to get in closer because one of the students was out of town and I took his spot. The whole canvas is 16" x 20", but only concentrated on 8" x 10" of it. It's with burnt umber and titanium white.

I'm happier with the results of it, and felt better about the process. The drawing could have been better, as the space between the nose and upper lip is too long, but I noticed it late and did not want to spend too much time correcting it. The model also moved, scratched, and rotated her head to the point where her nose almost met the edge of her face on her left side. She was constantly yawning, and was ready to nap. Her gaze was that of a sleepy driver trying to stay awake. I blame the music, real old stuff, not sure what decade. I'd wear plug-type headphones if I were her.

I'm excited about the whole painting thing right now, so if anyone gets tired or annoyed of me posting (which some of you will), let me know.

[Patricia Joyce]

This is great Jimmie. I'm jealous! Did you draw on the canvas with vine charcoal or with a brush? You've already accomplished development of form, especially the nose and the eye on our left side. Wish that the painting class I'm in was portraiture. Still lifes are not as much fun, obviously.

Great to see your posting, don't stop showing us. I am learning from you!

Happy Painting!!

ps do you find it hard to stay in the moment when you are away from painting? All I think about during my work day is how much I miss being away from my art . . . sigh

[Michele Rushworth]

Much improved rendition of the face, Jimmy.

The neck area needs reworking though. Really learning what's there in terms of anatomy will go a long way to improving your work . Knowing where the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the trachea, the trapezius muscles, etc. are will really help you understand what you're looking at when it comes to working from life.

[Jimmie Arroyo]

Thanks Pat and Michelle,

Pat, I used a pencil sketch for this one because I take way too long when using a brush. Maybe if I were home working from a photo would I be willing to start with a brush, but I'd rather not use up time doing so in a 2 1/2 hour class. I'm always wishing I was doing my own art rather than tattooing. I'd like to find $300 a day before I go into work, then I'd call in sick.

Michele, I only roughed in the neck and didn't have time to go back into it. Her neck was pretty relaxed and smooth without much detail, but there was a shadow that went from her chin, across her neck and continued around her shoulder which would have been nice to work on. Thanks for the info.

[Sharon Knettell]

Jimmie,

So much better!

You will see, that just by doing lots, how quickly you will improve. It seems so trite, but that is the key. It is like ballet dancers practicing their steps over and over again until they leap out on stage. Today, most artists are not willing to put in the time, because they think, it will interfere with their self expression. Can you imagine an untutored dancer, thrusting herself on stage at the ABT to express herself during a performance. However that is what is accepted today in the arts.

Models always move, wiggle, droop, yawn etc. If you EVER find one that has the ability to stand still, treat her like gold.

[Elizabeth Schott]

Jimmie... someone is practicing! Much better.

If it is not the intention of the live studio for the model to sit for a portrait, have you tried having some fun, putting some limited color on your palette and using deliberate strokes before blending? I think it is really helpful in seeing the planes of the face (I don't mean the angular cutting in, like you have her neck). I know I have seen a few by the Arizona group that do this ie: Brandon, Jones and Saper.

[Chuck Yokota]

Hi Jimmie,

You are making terrific progress! This is amazing improvement.

It looks like you are painting up to the lines of your sketch and stopping. You won't be able to do this perfectly from both sides, so it will give your edges a bit of a stitched-together appearance. Try painting overlapping the lines and pushing back the edge with color from the other side. This frees up your brushwork and helps you to think more in terms of areas rather than lines. As you become accustomed to this, you will have more confidence in being able to make corrections to your drawing on the spot.

If you are pressed for time, look at everything you are doing and try to move everything that isn't actual painting as much as possible out of the pose time. Premix a range of values on your palette ahead of time, thinned with medium as needed. Have enough brushes on hand so you can use different ones for different ranges of values and for each brush size you need, so you won't need to spend any time cleaning brushes during the pose, but just clean them up at the end.

[Jimmie Arroyo]

Models always move, wiggle, droop, yawn etc. If you EVER find one that has the ability to stand still, treat her like gold.

I wouldn't expect anyone to sit or stand perfectly still, but what made this funny, is that you knew she was doing it to keep herself awake. I mean, she was constantly scratching herself and opening her eyes real wide, then she looked like she was gonna doze off. I have never seen a model move so much, but the other guys thought she did a great job. I figure they don't see many nude young women anymore.

have you tried having some fun, putting some limited color on your palette and using deliberate strokes before blending? I think it is really helpful in seeing the planes of the face

Hmmm, I'm eventually gonna add color, but I'd like to get more comfortable. If I introduce color now, I know I'll be worrying about it and I'll stiffen up. Monday nights are the only day I have to paint, I don't have time during the week. I am making color charts at work though.

I'm putting two colors per canvas, so far I've done Pthalo Blue, Ultramarine, Sap Green, Veridian, Venitian Red, and Alizarin Crimson. Today I will try to do Naples Yellow and Yellow Ochre.

I haven't been trying to blend; the values may be close and look smoother on screen. I'd like to stay away from blending. And I guess I'm not doing it right, but I thought I was making value planes before I added the more opaque layers.

Chuck, good ideas. I tried the premixed values, but it felt too mechanical. I tried it because I had seen D. Greene do it in a video tape my co-worker let me borrow. I'll try the brushes thing, maybe clean them during the five minute break, I don't have enough brushes to go without regular cleaning. Thanks.

We should be getting someone new this Monday, hopefully I can get a nice spot. Thanks everyone.

[Sharon Knettell]

That is Bad Jimmie! You poor thing, it is really hard to paint a moving target.

I guess the other guys were riveted on the parts that weren't moving.

Good luck next time!