Tuesday, February 25, 2014

A Unique Surface



A very important part of the assignment required the student to draw a landscape on a unique surface that was somehow related to their drawing.

This student retrieved a plastic bag from the trash. He then washed it and cut it open. He proceeded to draw on it with ink.

This is a bad photo of the drawing, but you get the idea.

Friday, February 21, 2014

Toning!




Yesterday I spent the little studio time I had applying the first tone to some canvases. I love doing this. It is always so exciting to me to start new work.




I worked on six different canvases. It was so satisfying.

 Can't wait until I have a few days to just be in the studio!

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Community


The still life.


I have always been a bit envious of the community that ceramic artists have. Part of it springs from necessity. Kilns are large and require attention as they burn for hours, sometimes days. Depending on the type of kiln and firing, there are critical times where the monitoring of the kiln and skill of the attendees will greatly impact the work being fired. Then there is the unloading of the kiln, when the magic of the fire is revealed. Everyone taking piece out and marveling at the transformation.

In the painting studio, that never happens. First, I don't need, or even really want help stretching a canvas. No one needs to hold my bucket of gesso for me, and there is certainly never a crowd to watch it dry. Heaven forbid there ever being a group of artist in my studio when I start to paint, that would be sheer madness and akin to the 7th ring of hell.

A good part of the reason I am a painter is because I am self directed and like being alone. I like taking full credit for my work, good or bad. I like working alone. I like being alone. However……..the romantic in me longs for a salon of contemporaries to muse over our work, idea, and plans for the future.

So, as an instructor I have an opportunity to do something. To create a community of artist, if for only two hours.


I set up a still life and placed a piece of 40" wide by several feet kraft paper on a wall. I instructed them to start drawing in charcoal, the fruit and to make it no smaller than 2" high. 
        

They were then told to add marks with gesso. Once the gesso was dry I had them move to a different place and draw a different fruit. This time however, they were told to only draw the outside edge of the fruit and could only add value to the area behind the fruit.


This is the result to date.


Left right.


The middle.


Far right.

Monday, February 17, 2014

The Road to Hell……...



So, on day 3 I worked on this watercolor a bit more. Day 4 I had had enough of it and removed it from the board and threw it away.


Day 5 I decided I should make some Valentines' cards, so I began cutting a piece of easy cut.


Day 6 I was going to print. However my relief ink was in my office at school. So, I proofed with acrylic paint. Works in a pinch, but I don't recommend it.

Day 7, throw the easy cut block away and start cleaning up studio.

Day 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 work on stretching & gessoing canvas and cleaning up studio.

Day 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, work on collages. Figure I will have some of them completed to post next week.


Thursday, February 6, 2014

Days 3 - 6



So! I have been working, I just haven't been posting. Promise to get caught up this weekend.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Day 2





Day two of February Daily Art project. Unfinished watercolor. I have a million excuses as to why it unfinished, but lets suffice to say I think I will be working smaller.

Saturday, February 1, 2014

February Daily Art: Day 1


Day One
Liquid Acrylic on Panel 


Day 1 of the February Daily Art project. While I am not entirely pleased with the result, I promised myself NO EDITING! So here we have it. Hot orange daylily on a cold grey day.