Contour Characters

 

SOLD

I really focused on the model/fellow artist, and not on my paper, for these contour characters drawn during our Zoom Portrait Session. Sometimes I add a splash of burnt sienna for warmth and some cool purple for darks. For the last one, I decided to leave it alone. I love the mirror behind her. Here's a pic of the awesome Lyra 6B graphite stick. I've been 'into' lately. It's nice and chunky! ; )

Oil Portrait Fun!

Oil Portraits on 5x7" panels that were painted during my Zoom Portrait Sessions. It's just been great! Usually there are about 23 of us artists meeting every week and posing for each other on Zoom. The poses are about 20 minutes each. I prep my panels with gesso and a green wash, then I mix a few colours before the session starts. 

The first one, I was suddenly motivate to block in the whole room as loose as I could, and kept the portrait small. Somethin' different...

Latest Portraits!

(see the cat?!)

These are the latest oil sketches I've done... all on Zoom with my awesome Portrait Pals. : ) I call them sketches because the poses are short and the panels are about 7x9". Sometimes I touch them up but often, I leave them alone. They are what they are! : )

Halloween Fun!

 

Another great Zoom Portrait Sessions. WooHoo! I think the whole group of artists, who pose for each other for 20 minutes, are all getting really good. This weekly practise is really paying off. Everyone has improved!! And today, being Halloween, the costumes made things super fun. Happy Halloween Y'all!!

Portrait of Me from a Friend!

Hey, I thought I'd share this watercolour painting that a friend did of me. I just love it! I sat last Sunday at our portrait painting session, for 25 minutes, and I really think she captured me. : )

silly serious

$100 - 6x6" original oil painting on 1"deep panel

Here's another one from the day we all got the giggles. You wouldn't know it to look at the painting, but this fellow artist barely sat still with all the silliness happening that day. 😀

The 1" deep sides are painted grey. 

quiet dignity

6x8" original gouache painting on toned paper

The Strathmore toned paper is wonderful to paint on however, for this piece, I decide to darken the background a bit with some lovely purple. I think it helps her white hair 'pop'. ; )

calm

$60 - 6x8" original gouache painting on grey paper

Update - this painting is hanging in a show for the month of February.

It was wonderful to paint from life today. 

Lately I've been working from photos (from the awesome app 'sktchy') and it's a great way to learn. Taking that information and applying it to painting a live model has been the best way for me to progress. Back and forth, from photos to life... so far it fits!

I think I caught the calmness of this fellow artist!

colourful gal

SOLD

$20 - 9x12" original gouache painting on artist quality gray paper. 

It is at a great price because there is a gray paint mark, made by me, in the upper right corner. It doesn't bother me... perhaps it doesn't bother you either. 

Today was spent with lovely fellow artists of the Don Valley Art Club. We held our portrait session at the Todmorden Mills Papermill Gallery, since the club's art show is presently hanging there. The model was fabulous too.

I may have to touch up her eyes a teeny-weeny bit... but otherwise I'm very happy with her. : )

twinkle

$80 - 6x8" original gouache on archival grey paper

I'm very happy with this piece - I caught her lovely twinkle. : )

enlightened

$80 - 8x10" original gouache portrait

I painted this in a class where fellow artists and I sit for each other for 25mins. The person keeping track of time calls out how much time in left every once in a while, so the painters know they gotta paint fast! The 25 minutes flies by when you're painting, but when you're the sitter, hearing how much time you have left to sit perfectly still is quite a struggle! Unlike the painters, the sitter feels time is going super slow. It's a crazy juxtaposition.

This model managed to find a relaxed zone which created her soulful expression. I think I captured it! : )

Harry's Hat

 
$60 - 6x8" original gouache painting
I love it when the model wears a hat. The light, or should I say shadow, ; ) that falls on the model's face is quite a treat to paint.

slight smile

$60 - 5x7" original gouache painting with 8x10"mat

My paint box with gouache paints and grey paper palette... and the model's legs. ; )

detail. : )

Art Show!

Tomorrow Night is the opening of the Don Valley Group Art Show. I'll be there 7-9pm. Over 100 paintings from as many artists. Phew!

May 8th at 67 Pottery Road Papermill Gallery, Todmorden Mills. Toronto. Come by and say Hi!

sparkly

$200 - 6x12"original oil painting on board

I painted this bright 'sparkly' model at last week's portrait session. Her hair was so cool, and fun to paint. Again, not sure why but, I love this long thin board size for faces. It gives everyone a kind of graceful long look. ; )

music dude

8x10" original oil painting on a 1" deep wooden cradled panel

I am very happy with the likeness I captured of this model, who is a real music buff, hence the title. ; )
It's a new challenge for me to block-in a painting with shapes, as opposed to lines, as I have done with watercolour for years.

 I cropped the model's head out of the shot for his own privacy... although you can see what he looks like from my painting! Haha...

After a 3 hour session, I was pretty happy with the painting. Just a little touch up back in studio (hence the different easel). I only spent about a half hour on it  to keep the freshness of the life session. 

piece by piece

SOLD

Let me first say how much I love this 6x12" size for portrait. I chose it on a whim as I was heading out to Don Valley Art Club's portrait session and I'm sure glad I did. Especially once I saw this awesome model. I took one look at his long beard, then my long canvas, and thought... perfect!

Below is a pic of my pochade/paint box hard at work. : )

Here's a close up. The oil painting is actually on a 1" deep cradled board for easy hanging. This oil painting experience was definitely a break through for me!

Latest News!

First of all, it turns out that there was an article about our art show in the Toronto Observer, including a pic of me and my art table! Here's the link. 

Second, I decided to use gouache at our Don Valley Art Club portrait session. 

Gouache (opaque watercolour) creates a mat finish of very intense colours.

These 25 minute poses, at 5x7" each, are fellow artists. It's challenging to grab hold of a bit of likeness in the short time allowed. I'm going to keep playing with this medium. 

We'll see... ; )

subtlety

6x12" original watercolour painting

Here's another piece from my last portrait painting session, where we artists take turns sitting for each other. (It's surprisingly difficult to sit still for 25 minutes! If you try it, you'll have a whole new respect for life models.) 

I wanted to tie in the red shirt with the red glasses. I'm really happy with her expression but I'm feeling that the 6x12" size might just cut off people's shoulders, giving them a big looking head!

our fearless leader!

6x12" original watercolour

At our portrait session last weekend, I decided to create 6x12" paintings. Mostly because I had paper that size and I wanted to use it up. ; ) I drew a loose energetic line with charcoal pencil then added lots of fresh watercolour paint.

On most social media, like Facebook and Instagram, you can only post pics as a square. So, here's the complete painting.