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!

Last Show of the Year!

The Don Valley Art Club Show.... I'll be at the opening reception, which is always a full house and an awesome event! Wednesday Night 7-9pm with 100 artists showing 2 pieces each. I plan to be there on Sunday November 24 too. On that day, we paint from a live model who sits in the middle of the gallery. There's lots of room and extra chairs if you want to bring your sketch book and join us from 1-4pm! Or just come by and say hi!! 67 Pottery Road at the Papermill Gallery, Todmorden Mills, Toronto.

Hot Pink

8x10" original gouache painting on artist quality gray paper

The model's lovely pink shirt bounced colour into her cheeks, forehead and hair. It was tons of fun painting with Opera Pink which is pretty much the 'hottest' pink around. : )

bushy brows

12x6" original oil painting

Here's my paintbox with lots of white oil paint on my grey painter's palette pad.

Blocking in with yellow ochre and figuring out the shadow side first.

Trying to keep the paint on my grey painter's palette more organized!

Palette eventually gets kinda messy on the right hand side... oh well...: )

And here's a detail of the face. Cheers!

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!

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. 

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... ; )

portrait sketch

 9x12" original watercolour portrait. 
Lately I've been reading about Frank Reilly's approach to portrait, which is easy to read about it you just google him. It's a good structural way to look at portrait drawing, very informative. : )
Below is the pencil sketch before I started painting.

afternoon outing

$60 - original 8x10"watercolour painting with 8x10"mat

Well, here's my second piece from the day at the beach. I looooove painting boats (even little ones!) and plan to paint more of them this summer. They are colourful wonderful shapes. Here's a pic of my paintbox. You can see people standing by the boats but I added the little knapsack. : )

pensive in pink

11x14" original watercolour

Today's model has a very intense pink sweater on. So, I used good 'ole "opera pink", which is a wonderfully hot pink. I added the same colour in the background, her hair and in her cheeks to balance everything. She was so still and pensive! Wonderful model. 

Don Valley Art Club Portrait... still at it!

I've now painted our Don Valley Art Club organizer three times. Every portrait of him looks different. I've posted all three if you scroll back and look, (Aug 23rd and 14th... although you might not be able to tell!) He's got a great expressive face and, although I'm happy with all of the paintings, each captures a different aspect of him.

11x14" watercolour painting.

Don Valley Art Club Portrait Session

I spent the day at the Don Valley Art Club, where we artists model for each other for one 25 minute session each. I managed 4 watercolour portraits and I like this one the best. Great exercise! 

two for you

$80 - 8x10"painting

This is the demo that I painted for the lovely Mississauga Art Club. The Iris is a flower with such a magnificent shape, a real joy to paint.