Spring Blooms and Mailbox

Spring Blooms and Mailbox

The new studio is located at the end of a cul de sac with thick old woods all around.  With spring upon us, various trees and plants I hadn't noticed before, are announcing their presence with spring sprouts and blossoms.    White flowering trees and pink azalea shrubs are the highlight right now and they look bright and vivid against the oaks, which are still a dull pinkish-gray.

I set up my easel right behind my mailbox and tried to capture my first spring here while it was this pretty. 

Lilacs

Lilacs

I was pulling out my Easter/Spring decor when I found a lilac-scented candle.  After lighting it, the house was filled with its scent which was remarkably strong and authentic. It then struck me that we now have some lilac bushes at this new house/studio.     I am longing to see my very own lilacs for the first time this May - for enjoyment and of course, painting.

In preparation for the real thing, I practiced from a photo in painting this 6x6 inch mini.  I used a color mixing scheme that I learned about online in which a premixed pile of cool, light gray is used to blend with each color applied in the painting.   All colors had a bit of the gray, except for the brightest light, which I wanted to be bright and clean and warm.   I'm thinking the use of this gray harmonized the blues and purples to a softer, less intense palette.  What do you think?   Too muted?

The Empty Tomb

The Empty Tomb

In our increasingly secular world, religious themed art appeals to fewer and fewer people.   I happen to like it and was relieved to hear initial reports that priceless artwork in Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral fire was not ruined.  Works like these could never be replaced!
This week's post is my humble rendition of Jesus's tomb as discovered after the Resurrection.   (His face is in the rocks.)

Open Studio Figure Drawings in Charcoal

Open Studio 1

Open Studio 2

Have you ever been curious about open studio painting sessions?  This is how it works.   The organizer of the open studio typically contracts with a professional model to pose for a group of painters.   Painters all contribute to the "sitting" fee.    Sometimes the model is clothed, but more often they pose nude.   The organizer and/or group decides on a pose and adjusts lighting to both accomodate the comfort of the model and create interesting angles for the painters.   Many models ask that no photos be taken, but I've also had models allow it and just ask for a promise of discretion and use only in finishing the painting.    A timer is set for a particular duration and when it goes off, the model puts on her robe and gets a break.  The total session is usually three hours.

Open Studio 3

There isn't a huge market for nude paintings, but these sessions are great practice for painters.  It helps to know how the human figure is constructed when inserting figures (with clothing) into a painting.

I was happy with the likeness and the angles of these sketches, although not so much with the way the charcoal sat on the paper (bumps, lines etc.)   On this evening, whenever the model took a break, I moved my easel to a new spot, thus the different angles.  These aren't meant to be finished works, but for me reinforcement of figure basics for use in landscape and otherwise.