Danielle - Back

This is a great painting of Danielle.

My goal with this was to paint her figure quickly with as few strokes as possible. I think in that regard I am very successful. Other artist I have showed this too really like it as well. There is a spontaneity to the piece that makes it very interesting to look at.

 I really think this painting was very successful.

"Maybe the poets are right. Maybe love is the only answer." 

~ Woody Allen

Student Drawings V

 So more drawings of students.

Again no names.

Odd Fellows - Nona

So another portrait from an Odd Fellows meeting. This is Nona, she is married to Alvin. I both really like and hate this portrait. I like the pattern on her pants and the likeness. However I really do not like how upset the painting makes her look. It is a really good painting though.

HMoA Drawing Class 11-26-12 - Kat

Another Drawing class at the Honolulu Art Academy. Kat was the model this week and I have had some good luck with her in the past. She is really fun to draw.

Above is my favorite of the night. It was the second 20 minute pose of the night with four 2 minute gesture drawings. I was on fire that night. I remember being shocked when the 5 minute warning bell came it because I was doing great on time. Which is a rare and  a great feeling to have in a 20 minute pose.

After I finished one of the other people in the class said, "The Girl with the Pearl Earring." pointing at the portrait. I laughed and can see the resemblance. This gesture drawings in the back are also pretty awesome.

This is the two 5 minute poses with the 10 minute pose. I am unsure how good this picture is. I like the figure on the left though.

This is the first 20 minute pose with two 2 minute gestures. Instead of burnt sienna like normally i used a green to start the drawing. I then did the lights in yellow ocher. I do like some things about this drawing. I really like the hand. Though I think it can be cropped...

It looks much better in this layout.

Last pose of the night. I like how this one came out. I needs a little more work, I may come back to it later.

This life drawing class is on Monday at 7PM. It is located at the The Honolulu Museum of Art School, formerly the Academy Art Center at Linekona. There is a 10 dollar class fee. 

2012 Koolau - Koolau from Kaneohe District Park

I have been painting mountains closer to my house recently. This is the neighboring ridge to my house. The painting above is painted in the afternoon during a cloudy day. The cloud's diffused light made all the purple colors.

Above is the same ridge painted early, in a clear morning. The light was a little softer then I made it. However, I was really happy with how I was able to plan this painting out. It was a really good exercise in watercolor planning. I utilized both my fountain pens, marking the highlights in red and the deep shadows in brown.

The effect looks pretty neat... I may have to try it a few more times.

"Watercolor condenses time and consolidates experience."

~Frank Marcello

Woman Leaning Against a Stool

So looking through old sketchbooks I came across this drawing and was very happy with it.

Why was I pouring though old sketchbooks... well the holidays are upon us and time is becoming a premium. I do have several pieces in the works; Most obvious, a few more 2012 Koolau Watercolors but I tend to want a few days time between posts of the same series to prevent clumps on the blog.

Yesterday I looked through some old sketch pads and found this drawing that amazed me, looking back at it. This was at the Windward Community College Figure Drawing class, so this was a 25 minute pose. I was really impressed with the amount of work I was able to get done in that time. 

There is a mood created by this drawing that I really like.  I haven't done work in Conte for a while. I may have to return to it. 

Enjoy this piece and Happy holidays.

The WCC figure drawing class is on Fridays at Windward Community College at 930 AM in Hale Palanakila. There is a 5 dollar class fee.

   "The quality of the paintings speak louder than the words about them or their creator." 

~ Jane Champagne

Brad

So I did a portrait for a friend of mine a while ago and it ended up in my care for quite a while. Flipping through an old sketchbook is like having coffee with an old friend. Here is the pastel of Brad; I found it sitting there. I think it's pretty good. There are some problems with the drawing, but in general it is a really good portrait. 

"With all the difficulties involved in painting, you still have to 

find a subject's thoughts and intellectual world." 

~ Phan Ke An