Magnolia

Magnolia, 16 x 12 oil on panel

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I started today's still life thinking I would paint it with a pallet knife to help me stay loose. But because I've been wanting to try using round brushes more often (after having seen both Randall Sexton and Jill Carver use them extensively in workshops), I decided to experiment with that instead. I must say, I experienced a few "aha" moments today using the rounds and will continue playing with them.

Homework

Glass Cube With Stem, 12x16
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This attempt is for a class I'm taking at Laguna Gloria, taught by Laurel Daniel. The class is focused on painting glass objects in still life. If this particular exercise taught me one lesson, it is to not be late to class! Still life classes often have several set-ups, and it's usually the case that the most challenging set-ups are the ones that always have room for a late-arriving student. With only so much painting time available in class, the simpler set-ups are at a premium. As a result, I was stuck with this little monster, which still has me seeing spots.

Final Class

 

Apples to Irises, 16 x 20

$400

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Above is the final assignment in Laurel Daniel's alla prima class. Being the final class, Laurel gave us the choice of using any of the block-in methods we had explored over the six weeks. Any guesses on which one was used here? If you guessed it was the McPherson method of blocking in the main color masses with accurate "average color," then modeling as necessary before adding the spectral highlights in the final stage, then you get a gold star. I only did one painting using the rub-in, rub-out method, but judging from that one (posted January 30), the method seems to give a slightly different look, where the meeting of some color edges tend to go dark. I like that look, but for this one, with so much overall light, I decided on sticking with the color block-in one more time. If you have any opinions on the subject, I'd be glad t hear them. 

One week from today begins our next plein air class, in which everyone is looking forward to trying out our new tricks out amongst the elements.

More Work From Class

 

Cafe Tray, 20 x 16

The still life above was the assignment we began in last Wednesday's class and showed for critique in this morning's, the final session of Laurel's alla prima class. In this assignment, as in the previous one, we used a blocking-in technique used by Kevin McPherson. My post of February 9th (first of two posted that day) explains the process in detail, which I like very much. I find that this method of identifying and applying the correct average color, along with the correct values, to the main shapes at the block-in stage saves a step by not having to go back and paint color into the different neutrals of a previously painted monochromatic block-in. A key, I find, is to make sure you don't sacrifice the true values of the color masses (especially the darks) when blocking in with color.

More School Work

 

Flowers and Teapot, 20 x 16

SOLD

If this setup looks familiar, you probably saw it on the blog of one of my classmates in Laurel's alla prima class. In fact, Trish Siegel was nice enough to forward me her iphone reference photos, since the angle I had to work from in class didn't offer a very interesting composition. 

The class is exploring different techniques of blocking in a canvas. This one entails using a big brush to apply dark neutrals in very rough and dry form, then using a paper towel to wipe out lighter areas. Repeating these steps as necessary, you end up with a fairly accurate value study and block-in to paint into. I enjoyed this technique because it seems to help me to both loosen up and to work more quickly and spontaneously.

School Work

Still Life for Class, 16 x 16

Here is a still life begun last Wednesday in Laurel's alla prima still life class. We started out blocking in values, using a dark neutral in various densities of paint, coverage, etc. Being a bit rusty, all my blocked in values seemed to come out the same — black.  Since we were to complete the piece for the next class and I couldn't reconstruct the still life at home, I continued on to full color, even though the correct value relationships hadn't yet been established. I struggled quite a bit with the values throughout the execution of this piece. Looking at this piece now, I think it is apparent that I never completely solved these issues, especially in the pitcher.

In any case, this turned out to be a valuable lesson, despite the less than optimal start, and maybe more so because of it.

Can with Brushes

Can with Brushes, 6 x 6
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The weather's been cold in Austin lately, so I haven't painted outdoors in what seems like forever. Today is turning out beautiful, though, so this post may be the first and last still life for awhile.

Value Studies, Part II

Our latest class assignment was to do more value studies, using one color and its range of values for each study. The top left was a set-up from class, while the other three were done from home this afternoon.

Local Color, Value and Light

It's been a busy few weeks with work, travel and the start of a new art class, and thus my postings have been rare. Okay, they've been nonexistent. But that changes with tonight's post, which shows work from my first assignment in Laurel's "Color and Value in Still Life" class at Laguna Gloria.


After warming up by painting a simple value scale from white to black, the first phase of the main assignment was to paint only the local values in any one of several still-life setups Laurel had arranged around the studio. That is, render the inherent lightness or darkness of the objects in one of the still lifes without showing any of the cast light or shadows that we normally use to distinguish shape and texture.

Next, we were asked — ever so sweetly by our wonderful teacher, Ms. Daniel — to now do another study, showing how light and shadow affect the local values of the objects.

Finally, we were to try one more version, this time including the local color of the objects in the lighted scene.

In case you were wondering, the spherical object you see is what used to be called a smudge pot, for some indecipherable reason. They were used back in the day, more or less as heavy-duty lanterns by road crews to light detours or road construction boundaries. And yes, I'm old enough to remember them. But that was in deep East Texas, where I wouldn't be surprised to still find them in use today. So I'm not necessarily that old. Just for the record.

Let's Do Lunch

Let's Do Lunch, 11 x 14

I was running too late for this week's plein air paintout, so I worked inside, on this still life.

Not All There

Not All There, 6 x 8

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More still life practice today. I really enjoyed it, but am looking forward to going back outside tomorrow.

I'm Driving. No, I'm Driving.

I'm Driving. No, I'm Driving, 6 x 8

$85
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Another good day for painting inside. The gravy boat has been in our family since the 1800s.

Coronation

Coronation, 6 x 8
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With the temperature reaching 100º F in Austin today, an indoor still-life seemed the way to go.

Four's a Crowd

Four's A Crowd, 6 x 8
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This still life was begun near the end of Carol Marine's workshop last week, so I had to bring it home to complete. I had hoped the pea pods might have reconciled by now, but the rift appears to be permanent.

Still Life with Scallions

Still Life with Scallions, 6 x 8

I am just back from a three-day still life workshop with Carol Marine at Andreeva Academy in Salado, which I learned about from Julie Davis. Carol is terrific, both in painting and in teaching, and packs an enormous amount of both into a relatively short time. The group of attendees was tremendous and I made many friends whom I look forward to keeping in contact with. The still life above was one I completed during the workshop.