Hi to all from Paul

[Mischa Milosevic]

Paul, somehow I get the feeling that I've known you long before you joining this forum. Maybe, I relate to your struggles and approaches. I quite enjoyed reeding your evaluations of self and procedures. Do continue, if you have the time, I am sure this will help you and many others that visit your page.

I too joined recently and can honestly say, a grate bunch!

I am truly happy to make your acquaintance. Welcome!

[Jean Kelly]

Welcome Paul, I've enjoyed browsing through your website also!

Jean

[Paul Foxton]

Originally Posted by Mischa Milosevic

Paul, somehow I get the feeling that I've known you long before you joining this forum. Maybe, I relate to your struggles and approaches. I quite enjoyed reeding your evaluations of self and procedures.

Mischa, you have just completely made my day.

I started the site mainly as a record for myself, and I do ramble on a bit too much sometimes, but when someone says something like that - well, thats all the reason I need to keep adding to it. The next time someone raises their eyebrows about one of my more personal posts, I can tell them it's all Mischa's fault for encouraging me.

I've just been to your site too, and I have to say your work has floored me. Absolutely stunning. There's too much there for me to go into here, but I love the drawing of Oma, I think it has great depth and feeling. Also your drawing of 'Opa' goes right through me. Its not often I get a reaction that strong to a piece of work.

I'm guessing here, but does 'Oma' mean grandmother and 'Opa' grandfather? Are they relations of yours? If so, perhaps that's where that feeling comes from. Either way, beautiful work. For me there's nothing better than when strong technique comes together with real depth of feeling.

I was very interested to see your cast drawings too. Inspired by this thread on profound drawing by William Whitaker, I have just bought (today in fact!) my first cast - a torso of adonis, to begin practicing on. I can't afford to go and study in Florence, but I can afford a cast or two. I pick up the cast on Monday, I can't wait to get started.

Where are you from originally Mischa? I couldn't see it mentioned on your site. I think we have more in common than you might think - I'm a country boy too, and a biker to boot.

[Paul Foxton]

Thanks for the welcome Jean. Sorry, we must have been posting at the same time.

I'm gad you enjoyed the site - do have anything online? Its so much quicker to get to know people through their work when there's a link to a site, and suddenly I have so many people to get to know.

I'm only just beginning to realise the real extent of the talent lurking in these forums. I'm terrible with remembering names, but show me a painting by someone and I'll never forget them!

Thanks in any case, I'm sure we'll get to know each other in time.

[Jean Kelly]

No problem, Paul. I don't have a website yet, but it's on my list of things to do. I've been a member for quite a while now, and learned everything I know about oil on this forum. When I started, i was painting with airbrush ink (also used for fabric painting) because that's all I had. Now I paint as much as I can, have more supplies than I need, and love what I'm doing with a passion. I can see that you do too.

Jean

[Terri Ficenec]

Hi Paul & Welcome!
I really enjoyed looking around your website/blog. Nice! Very interesting format. Must be a lot of work just to maintain it!

[Mischa Milosevic]

Thank you for your enthusiasm. Oma and Opa are not relatives. Oma and Opa are special people. They each have a story to tell a life lived and moments cherished. Still each in their own way reminisce as they wait for the moment of rest.
Most each portrait that I have done thus far has a interesting story behind it. Like the gent with the baseball cap posted by me recently. He in his youth was a soccer ref and I met him at a bus station. I was so attracted by his simple manner that I could not resist but to speak with him. While we talked I learned a lot about his life. In the end I told him that I am a artist and that if he would not mind to let me take a photo of him.

I am sure you will enjoy working from the cast I know I did. One thing that really helped me was the standard set by the academy. Each student was pushed beyond their capabilities. So, try to set your standards beyond your capabilities and the results will come. It helped me learn to see.

I am from former Yugoslavia now known as Serbia and Montenegro. My last bike was a chomped 750 Triumph. Someone stole it some time ago. Even though many a times I thought about getting another I decided against it for many reasons. I think I'm better off without one to many non drivers on the road now days. No matter how careful you are there is always that one that will not be paying attention and cause the accident. If you know what I mean.

Can you get the book Head and hands by Andrew Loomis? I think this will help a lot with your speed and accuracy. If by chance you cannot find it I can e-mail the files to you. Let me know. I am not sure how to faster send large files?

[Paul Foxton]

Jean:

I did some digging and found a couple of the paintings you posted here, so now I have work to attach to the name I will remember you for sure. Can I just say I loved the painting of Noah, lovely and fresh and the light is beautifully caught. I know it's a bit old now, but I had to resort to the site search to find some of your work. I'd love to see what you're doing now. Is there a more recent posting you can point me to?

Terri:

Thank you very much! It is a lot of work to keep the site up to date, but I enjoy it so its not really work. Sometimes I think I should post less and draw more though.

Ah, and you have a site! Yet again I find myself humbled by the quality of members' work here. The stand out piece for me was the portrait of Angel from 2004. I love the way you have the sitter pose for a photo next to the painting. You have absolutely caught her - I always think a good test of likeness is if the portrait still catches something about the sitter even when the pose is different.

Mischa:

That's a nice story about the guy you met at the bus station. I found the painting you mention, it's very nicely done.

Originally Posted by Mischa Milosevic

try to set your standards beyond your capabilities and the results will come.

Very good advice which I intend to follow, thanks. Perhaps I'll post my first attempt at a sight size drawing with my new cast so everyone can have a good laugh.

I knew I shouldn't have mentioned bikes. Now I'm having to stop myself ramble on about them and get myself banned for going off topic before I even get started. Suffice to say that the various bones I've broken over the years know exactly what you mean.

I couldn't find the Loomis book on Amazon (.co.uk), I found one called 'Drawing the head', but I assume that's not the one. I'll have to try some of the bookshops in London. Thanks for the offer to email the files, but let me see if I can find it first - it will be nicer to have the actual book and I can add it to my rapidly growing collection of tutorial books.