CLOSE UP OF A ZEBRA

Last night was another drawing session at the Coppini and the model was good. It's really nice to look around at each break and see what the others have drawn and how different they look just from moving the angle of the artist in relationship to the model. One of today's photos is of 2 drawings -7 to 10 minutes each. The 2nd photo is a 20 minute drawing. I drew her head too large though, and, since it was with conte' pencils, couldn't go back and "fix" that sort of thing. So I've covered the head for this photo. :) The third photo is of a painting I did a couple of weeks ago. It's a zebra's eye and I like the painting so well that I'm going to do a series of animal eyes. It's a challenge working with the light in their eyes. I took of photo of a horse last Summer and enlarged it on the computer and was amazed to see the horizon and other details reflected in that animals' eyes.

Talking about reflections~ one morning I woke up with my hand up close to my eye and suddenly realized I was seeing a very precise reflection of my bedroom window and the trees and sky - on the diamond in the wedding ring on my finger. I'd never noticed those kind of refelctions there before, shine - yes, but not reflections. That could be the makings of a very interesting painting. So, if you ever happen to see me sitting around somewhere with my ring up close to my eye, rest assured I'm not checking out the stone, I'll be checking out reflections!

DRAWINGS FROM THE MUSEUM

Tuesday night was another museum night and they had a pretty big sketching crowd. Lloyd Wright is the instructor for this month and I hear he always draws in the people. We were focusing on shading and shadows using conte pencils. My first subject was an Asian vase and the second one is bust and, I forgot to write down what and where they are from.

My son went along with all of us that night (his other choice was to sit around in a dentist's waiting area with his sister and nephew) and I talked him into drawing with us. He says he hates drawing and isn't any good at it, but he drew 2 little Buddhas and I was surprised at how well he did. It was another enjoyable sketching night!

AMOR

It's a beautiful, sun shiny, day out this afternoon. It's the kind of day that makes you want to grab your paint supplies and head outside to bask in the beauty of nature and create a piece of art too. So many artists feel that plein air painting is the way to go to advance you skills faster and better. I have a tough time trying to paint outside when it's chilly, or hot and buggy - hey, isn't that all our choices here in Texas lately?. I'v decided this is the year to get tough and get past that and "do it anyway". So, you'll be seeing some plein air paintings on here this year. I have several portraits that I'm either starting on or getting back to work on. They'll be on here soon. There are also 7 art competitions that I'm wanting to enter this year and I will post that work on here as well. So, in a nut shell, that's the schedule for 2009. Today's painting is the one I just finished up on Monday and is now at the American Bank of Texas in Seguin. Let me know what you think of it.

Happy February 2009!

Happy New Year! Can you believe another year has come and gone? Are you sticking to your New Year's resolutions? Yes, I've made mine and am keeping after most of my goals. I did let the entire month of January slip by without adding to my blog though and sure didn't mean to do that! I have been making art though. I've been going to a the San Antonio Museum of Art once a week with some fellow artists and drawing from their collections. I've also started going to the Coppini Accademy of Fine Arts with that same bunch of artists to draw from live models once a week as well. Saturday I mailed off a CD with a photos of one of my paintings for a competition. Entering competitions is one of my work goals for this year. Yesterday I finished up a romantic Valentine painting that's now hanging in an art league display at the American Bank of Texas until the 16th of this month. The drawings #1, #2, and #4 were done at the museum and #3 is from the live model sessions at the Coppini. Please post any comments you have. I'd love to hear from you! See you tomorrow!