Large Painting #4 - Day 5

Large Painting #4 -  Day 5 , Oil on Canvas, 72"x48" 2017. 

Large Painting #4 - Day 4

Large Painting #4 -  Day 2 , Oil on Canvas, 72"x48" 2017. 

Anatomical Drawing 2017 #1 Final

Reign and Dave, Graphite on paper 18"x 24" 2017 .

Large Painting #4 - Day 3

Figures #4 -  Day 3 , Oil on Canvas, 72"x48" 2017. 

Third day, working with the dead palette again. Major focus was defining the second figure.

The central figure looks kind of stiff. Its some problem with the drawing of his legs.

Large Painting #4 - Day 2

Figures  #4 -  Day 2 , Oil on Canvas, 72"x48" 2017. 

Today I started the dead palette (yellow ocher, flesh ocher and cold black). I spent most of the day blocking in the space and the major figures.

The biggest change is to the second figure. I reshaped an earlier maquette into this pose and blocked it in the outline.  I am finding working this particular way that it is easy to lean on distortion and anger for an emotional response. Its really easy to tear apart of break the form. I wonder what is the extent of this emotional vocabulary.

Its starting to pull together.

Large Painting #4 - Day 1

Figures #4 - Day 1, Oil on Canvas, 72"x 48", 2017. 

This is the fourth of the 5 paintings that I'm working on for my thesis,

Working from the clay models then translating them into a painting has been very productive.

I am working from a few small study drawings that lead me to this image. Standing in front of the 6 foot image the half figure is a little less interesting and reading very zombie movie. The distortions of the figures im trying to make them look less gory more that is an intrinsic state of the figure.

Today I toned the canvas with Cadmium Red then worked in Raw Umber for the initial under painting.

I think tomorrow im going to start on the dead palette.

Il Papa

Il Papa, 9"x12", watercolor on paper. 2017.

Got a commission from a friend to do a watercolor for his mother's birthday.  It is a pretty straight- forward picture of the pope. This was an easy commission, given my Catholic upbringing.

It's photo-based so there is not a lot to write about. I did make an active effort to make the pools of watercolor rhythm across the page. My illustrator skills are getting stronger.

I did get to see Pope Francis last year when he was in New York. I do like the general change of direction he represents. Plus, he's a Jesuit and St Francis is a great namesake AND the subject of an amazing Bellini painting.

“In the face of unjust and painful situations, 

faith brings us the light which scatters the darkness.”

Pope Francis

Anatomical Drawing Long Pose - Day 3

Anatomical Drawing #1 - Reign and Dave, 18"x 24", Graphite on Paper, 2017

Day three of the long pose is all about details.

Dan Thompson's lesson today was all about the knee so it felt only right to focus on the knees of the models. This drawing is great for comparative purposes. There is a lot of difference between the male and female model's knees.

There is balancing act  between what is there observationally and what should be there. The puzzle of observing a body and relating it to a theoretical system individual to the artist. Keeping it interesting is always the challenge of these poses.

Before class next week I hope to get the background nailed in.

Large Painting 3 - Day 5

Figure 03, 6'x4' Oil on Linen, 2017 

Currently working on this painting, but finalized the external space of the figure. Now gotta re- emphasize the figure. Should be a couple days of work.

"More of me comes out when I improvise."
Edward Hopper

Master Class - Lou Marinaro - Day 2

So after Day 2 of the Master Class by Lou Marinaro, I spent a little longer with the sculpture I was working on and really like the results.

My first impression after this experience was learning how difficult it is photographing sculptures. The strength and quality of the light effect the sculpture in really different ways. I have a new appreciation for how difficult a job this is. I mean, take the pair of photographs below as an example.

I really am not sure which one is objectively better. This becomes all the more complicated once I run the photograph through Photoshop. 

The other pictures are other views of the sculpture before I alter it to make a painting from it. I am thinking of adding another half armature to this sculpture. I am excited to get moving further on the project.

"The longer you look at an object, 
the more abstract it becomes, and, ironically, the more real."
~ Lucian Freud