Intense training

[William Whitaker]

Emily is primarily concentrating on our model

[William Whitaker]

Stacy and Brittany have been working downstairs in the cast drawing room. They begged and they pleaded until I let them join us at the model. Anthony Ryder http://www.tonyryder.com/ gave a demonstration/lecture at BYU this fall and has had a wonderful influence in Stacy. I

[William Whitaker]

And so is Brittany. All of us have plenty of time to get it right. I

[William Whitaker]

It

[Thomasin Dewhurst]

Your sketches are wonderful, William, and your students seem to be doing very well too. You seem like such a kind teacher - no standing behind the students' work and rolling your eyes in silence!

[Ngaire Winwood]

Oh Bill if only...

Please remind your students just how lucky they are to grace your knowledge and share studio space with you. I have turned green just looking at your studio and hearing how you work with your students, what a dream opportunity for them.

So this is what a real studio looks like. It is something to aspire to if not in this lifetime than soon. Thank you and please keep posting updates on your students work and your own. Your posts are truly an inspiration that keeps my dream alive.

[Michael Fournier]

Bill do you have any students that are not attractive young women? As well as great artist in their own right.

p.s. I am not implying anything improper

[William Whitaker]

Michael,
I actually have several very talented men too. However, they are not as fun to photograph. I'm working very hard to replace them with more beautiful women.

Actually, I'm doing everything I can to discourge all of them and drive them away from art. I simply hate the idea of all these fabulous young talents getting ahead and becoming rich and famous.

Every one of them can work a computer better than I can too.

[William Whitaker]

Here is a recent oil sketch I painted of another one of my apprentices. This one is an excessively talented BFA candidate at Brigham Young University. She assists the department head and is so bright that I understand she practically runs the place. She is helping me by excavating my fossilized piles of paperwork.

Some of my apprentices are going to start painting each other, doing head and hand studies from life. They will work in groups of three. Each one will take turns sitting for the others. One will sit for twenty minutes while the other two paint. Then they will rotate. During a three hour session, each artist will paint a total of two hours and sit for one. They will be working two canvases each during the painting session.

I hope to see them do dozens of head studies for the practice. Nothing beats endless life-long practice to master the techniques of painting.

For those of you who need to build your painting skills, get together and try this. One can't beat having free sitters!

[Mari DeRuntz]

Some of my apprentices are going to start painting each other, doing head and hand studies from life. They will work in groups of three. Each one will take turns sitting for the others. One will sit for twenty minutes while the other two paint. Then they will rotate. During a three hour session, each artist will paint a total of two hours and sit for one. They will be working two canvases each during the painting session.

Thank you, Bill, what an astonishingly clever idea! I've recruited two of my fellow students to set this arrangement up during free time at our Weymouth Carriage House studio, where the north light is magical.

I have to pinch myself at my luck to read this thread - they are both truly beautiful, so I will be the most blessed of our little trio.

What glorious work you're doing for all of us.