I haven't posted here in many years. Trying to stay in the game. Here's a WIP from this week.

[Jeff Fuchs]

I just checked my SOG profile, and saw that I last posted here in 2011. So at least I didn't wait a full decade.

My life is 100% different now. But that's a discussion for another thread.

Here's a drawing based on a picture I found online. So I can't market it, but I can use it for practice. Constructive comments welcome.

[Jeff Fuchs]

I now rent studio space in an old warehouse. Some really good artists are in my building, and one of them told me I should focus on drawing, because he could see that's what I find most compelling. He's a successful pro, and I respect his opinions when it comes to art, so draw I shall.

[Jeff Fuchs]

Wow. I was just scrolling the site, and see that it's basically not functioning anymore. Some sections haven't had a new post in 11 years.

I hope all of my old SOG friends are doing well.

[Cynthia Daniel]

With the huge growth of social media, most people are spending any extra time on that. Of course, they are totally different venues. It would be nice to see a resurrection. It would take a few people starting to post.

Thanks for the post!

[Steven Sweeney]

Well, Jeff, you haven't lost the chops, in the non-posting years. Good on you.

I went to all landscape, mostly plein air, so "unqualified" myself for the site.

In addition to which: divorce; remarriage; medical issues; travels; relocation; consolidation; decluttering; reassessment. In short, the works.

And though I'm not a techie -- no TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat -- I do, as was suggested, get most of my "stuff" from the deep and broad wealth of other online instruction and groups that didn't exist back when this forum was thriving. It's not a judgment; just the nature of the beast. A surfeit of honey, as it were.

Hope you are well. Keep your pencil sharp.

Cheers,
Steven

[Cynthia Daniel]

Steven, what online learning places are you frequenting? Of course, I assume they are not portrait focused

[Jeff Fuchs]

Originally Posted by Steven Sweeney

In addition to which: divorce; remarriage; medical issues; travels; relocation; consolidation; decluttering; reassessment. In short, the works.



Hope you are well. Keep your pencil sharp.

Cheers,
Steven

Yep. Since my last post I retired, lost my wife to cancer, sold my house, and moved to a nearby college town, where I now rent a studio in an old warehouse. A totally different life than I ever expected.

[Steven Sweeney]

Originally Posted by Cynthia Daniel

Steven, what online learning places are you frequenting? Of course, I assume they are not portrait focused

So, I’m thinking in part of the wealth of DVD and streaming videos now available (though I still have a small library of DVDs from Australian landscape artists, collected in the late 90s when I lived there, so it’s not just a recent thing.) Popular sources for art instruction videos include Liliedahl (www.lilipubsorders.com ), Tucson Art Academy Online (multiple world class guest instructors) (https://tucsonartacademyonline.com/ ), and countless YouTube videos on particular subjects (clouds, for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpoZQMdacJY ). There used to be a great online source called Craftsy.com, but it was trashed by the purchase by Bluprint; protests have led Bluprint to re-launch Craftsy on September 1; I assume it will be available through www.mybluprint.com . If they get their act together, the site has many excellent instructional online videos. A most interesting fellow, Mark Carder, has lots of YouTube (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anILJUpM4EI and https://www.youtube.com/c/DrawMixPaint/videos ), as well as instruction available on his website, www.drawmixpaint.com . For those who are working in more academic drawing and painting traditions, there are sites like www.sightsize.com – sign up for his instructional emails.

The list is pretty much endless. Not every offering is the full tiara, but there are gems in pretty much any and all of them.

P.S. Hanging out with like-minded folks, either in workshops or paint-outs, is golden. For example, organizations such as the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota. Weekly tag-alongs with a plein air group in Australia is in fact the primary reason I decided to pursue more intensive instruction. There's no motivation like sharing what you love.

[Jeff Fuchs]

I would add Patreon.com to that list of resources. You pay a monthly fee to follow the artists of your choice. This is a good income stream for the artists, and good instruction for the patrons.

I currently only follow one artist there: Stephen Baumann, who is a superior portrait artist.

I'm tempted to add Andy Espinoza to my list.

[Steven Sweeney]

One more: Bella Muse, at https://www.bellamuseproductions.com/

Many instructional videos, including portraiture.