The White Still Life

This was a challenge. Painting a white still life requires lots of decision making about what color white being painted. There are warm whites in the light and cool in the shadows and then lots in between.

Here is the still life.

 And here are the various interpretations.

 Rita

Dolly

Jan

Lisa

Joyce

me

And one more photo if the finished horse. Great, Jan!

There is also some news from the Gem of the Valley Art Association. Susan Frommer received a third place ribbon and both Dolly and Rita were awarded honorable mentions!!

Very proud!

Thurdsay at Dolly's

We've moved to Dolly's house for the near future. There's lots of room and it's warm!

We had a small group but with great results. Look at this exquisite glaze painting from Jan. It's taken weeks to get the layers of glaze on and dried but now that she is adding opaque paint, it's gorgeous.

And we set up a floral still life this time.

Dolly

 Rita

 Lisa

Lisa from the previous class with some work on the leaves in the background. 

 Me

Thursday at Joyce's

We set up two still life settings and went to work on Thursday. It was really fun to see the different takes on a bunch of tulips and a bowl of radishes. I always find that when I do a fast painting, about 95% gets done with observation then later maybe there's a touch or two to make something clearer to a dark darker.  I went back into mine and recuded the size of one of the flowers and was happier. Not photographed yet.

Rita

Amalia

Jan

Dolly

Me

And here is the other still life. The glass bowl presented a challenge. It's a matter of really looking at the colors ( slightly more neutral) and edges ( blurred) then wrapping the edge of the bowl around so that it appears the contents are inside.

Joyce

Lisa

And here are some apples from out previous session.

Dolly

Joyce

Lisa

I don't think I mentioned this in the blog but our own Susan Frommer got another ribbon at the Gem of the Valley Art Association luncheon.

Congratulations!!!!

We met as Susan's and here is her latest work in progress. I particularly love the garden area in front. It's beautifully painted and very suggestive of a desert rock garden.

I set up a still life and we painted strawberries. I forgot to photograph my demo but will add it when I get to the studio.

Amalia

 Dolly

 Joyce

 Eliana

Lisa

And here is Amalia's pepper painting from two weeks ago. I love it!

Amalia

I am pleased that we are having this opportunity to paint from observation. It pushes drawing skills, use of value and color all without the distortion of the camera lens. Keep up the good work!

another day at Jan's

We were at Jan's last week and worked in doors again. I set up a lighted still life arrangement and four of us worked on that. Here are the results.

The set up

Joyce

 Dolly

Jan

Me

Susan and Jan have other work going also. Jan started this equestrian painting.

 and is in the process of glazing this great painting of a horse in very dim light.

And Susan is working on this entry way from a photo that she took of a friend's house.

Happy New Year !!!!!

We met at Jan's house last week and had a very light turnout due to the flu. It was freezing outside but so nice and cozy inside of Jan's kitchen / art studio. 

Here's a start on a glaze painting from Jan. just a blue underpainting and a coat of burnt sienna. This will be fun to watch as the layers build up.

And Susan is starting on that interesting photo of the cat in the window. there will be two of these paitnings as Susan J. is doing this too. 

I set up a still life and did a demo. I think it is an excellent idea to keep working from observation now that we are stuck indoors. There are so many lessons that one gets about how to compose, paint light and shadow and use value that you just don't get with when you use a photograph.

This is Jan's

Joyce's

Mine

And hopefully I'll be able to ad Amalia's later today. I'd like to do something similar on Thursday.