Not much

This is starting out as a tree, but it could end up as anything.  I need to flow untrammeled on something bigger than 3x4 

Thought I was done here, but I see I am going to have to straighten out her head.

I should probably just toss this and start again.
 

One More Go With Edith

 

This is large and a lesson in going back and forth with changes to just about everything. I’ve managed to paint a different woman in each of my versions. Where the highlights were lost, a damp paper towel brought them back. 

Spring colors…

 

In class I started the “good” portrait.  I’m Working on hot press, not sure if it’s going to be my friend…

I started this little quick sketch in class and finished it at home. It doesn’t quite have the drama of the previous window sketch —see last post—but overall it’s a more interesting painting imo, however the darks need to be darker to make it pop. I’m going to do another version of this —cause I think I have a frame this size…!

May 3, 2025 — Elaine O.

I've finished and waxed this little portrait on Aquaboard and I'm happy with it. For some reason, I'm especially fond of the shirt. It's a particular favorite of the subject and I think I've done it justice.

6" x 6"

Because I haven't been able to find decent transfer paper lately, I've had to resort to actually drawing. Imagine! I did a direct watercolor and a pencil sketch of an old B&W snapshot. I love the photo—there's something quintessential about her stance and the way she holds her pocketbook. Now to figure out the background and do some color studies.

A4 sketchbook spread

SS Sisters Dance 5.3.25

 One of the bonding moments of us, 3 sisters, is to dance together as a trio, in any social affair, formal or informal in the greater Chicago community. My youngest sister is disabled and was born with Cerebral Palsy & her greatest joy in her physical limitations is to sing and dance, which is quite ironic, but we addressed in our family as just Life! So every time, a familiar tune is played by the music deejay in every get together, the 3 of us, would dance as a group, amidst the dancing couples and the line dancing crowd, with gusto and appreciation. My Watercolor painting done during the last class of the spring term showed us with eyes looking at each other, moving with the music and being grateful that we could create happy memories together at any moment physically and free!

Painting like Van Gogh….

 Well, I didn’t cut off my ear, but I can’t hear out of my right ear b/c of an ear infection— same difference!

This girlie is done, I think, altho I wonder if the colors are strong enough. Sometimes I put a painting behind glass and the colors seem to fade. FYI she’s not behind glass yet…

This is a pre-painting of my next project. I’m trying to work out colors, shapes, values before I do the real thing. I cut down the volume of her dress….Her dress will be a lighter blue and all her party hat will show. I like the top background but the rest I’m not sure of. So much for working out all the details…

These are sketches I worked on while waiting for paint to dry.i like the color saturation on the top one, although i was really trying to think about composition…the second one I was trying to capture my lovely dogwood tree in bloom, although i really over worked it. The interior part of the sketch is nice tho…

The Lost Smile

 This is Jack Wallace, Chicago actor. The photo had him slightly smiling with a twinkle in his eye.  Worked  to retrieve that but not there yet. Rest him on the piano and see what will happen  

New Kitties

 So this is my atelier these days while waiting for Amazon to deliver a new 6' long table, sometime late this week.  All I can paint in this tiny space is 3x4's.

I did a little one of those catalpa trees, which got closer to what I was trying to do with the previous one, and I think probably enough said on this subject.

And here come the kitties.

And here they are, and actually they are here also, although they are still hidden away, casing the joint as it were.

I didn't do any kind of gridding or preliminary drawing and it shows, but if you put that aside I think they have a kind of casual air that lends them a kind of charm.  That's what I think anyway.

April 26, 2025 — Elaine O.

I'm still working on finishing up supplies, so I chose a 6"x6" aquaboard for this intimate little portrait. I'm not finished yet, but I'm questioning the wisdom of painting such a shadowed subject on this support. It's hard to go dark and VERY hard to get smooth shading without sharp edges. Oh, well, I'll keep going and remember that it's only paper (actually aquabord, but you get the idea). 

6"x6"

And knowing that aquaboard isn't conducive to fine tuning and endless adjustments, I did some sketches and color and value tests first to really get to know my subject before I started.

11.5" x 8.25"

Burnt Umber is Fun

 Using archived photos from my phone. All 9x12. 

The first one,  my youngest grandson at a younger age, looks like him