Ss The Economist

 Yulia Navalnaya is an economist, mother of a son & daughter & the widow of Alexei Navalny, a political figure who died in 2024 while in prison. She is determined to keep alive her husband's fight for freedom & justice. This portrait was based on a interview done by CBS 60 minutes in October 2024. It was a challenge to capture her beauty, grace and grit! I wish her well and a lifetime of positive possibilities!

Alan Fall 4 1/2

 Ken asked to see the steps I took to arrive at a final Yupo painting. So here we go——

This is what I saw from my patio:

After I copped and edited it:

First pass getting in colors and shapes. 

Second pass adding value:

I think I’m finishing but I don’t like it at all. 

Hating the result and realizing I’ve clomped on too much pigment to allow Yupo to do it’s thing I wash off much of the paint in the sink. 

Then I go back in and lightly add color and let them blend. Not quite done yet. I’ve got to do something about those dark blue blobs. 

Inside out …

 

Here are my two building paintings. The top one I did in class and finished at home. Even though the blue and green colors are repeated on the couch and pillow, I think it kind of works..I don’t know why. Not crazy about that jaunty angle of the sofa. 

The bottom one, I like the right window and the couch and pillow. I think Im doing another one of these.

Living on the Edge

 

My center of interest, Soren, is disappointing as he looks to be 7 and he’s 17. Another example of how being a bit “off” when painting a human can have a drastic effect. I did take Ken’s advice and deepened the color on the sweatshirt. What I like most are the little trees to the right and that I left some white for a bit of sparkle. 

A little workout painting in the little book. I now know for sure that I must put in, or at least strongly suggest, the large tree first or the edges won’t work. Also, I think that although the dramatic color change in the sky is effective in the photo, I may have to be more subtle with the transition. 

postcards on the edge

 Here are the cone flower paintings I did in class and an abstract.  Still spinning my wheels.

A couple late additions that I added this morning that I think came out pretty good.  The last one needs a little more work.

Alan Fall 4

I’m giving up on this one. I like several things about it but I can’t get it to hang together. So I’ll put it in the archives and look at it as a memory. 

Here’s the reference photo. 

And here’s my version. 

I’m not giving up on the Yupo version of sunset at the cottage.  I might just wash it off the whole thing and start from the residual shapes and colors.  Here’s the reference photo.

And here’s the painting.  It’s an interpretation.  Perhaps Yupo is not the medium for this painting  

This painting of my favorite book and food store is on coldpress.  I started it in class and it just sort of took off. I like the way the light plays against the shadows. 

November 2, 2024 — Elaine O.

I'm still trying to raise my "glass" game with these marbles. I used to love marbles as a kid...not playing any actual game, just looking at them and holding them. I'd have loved these!

approx. 7" x 5"

It's no secret that I love shadows on architecture! Here, I love the sunlight hitting the spires at the top and the shaft that catches the right side of the back building, leading to the awning in the foreground. I just wasn't sure how it would translate into a painting (too dark? too much background? not enough center of interest?). So I did a quick value/color study to test. I think I need to go even darker at the bottom left and the right building to keep that diagonal stroke of interest. But I think it's worth pursuing.

14" x 11"

Out of sorts…

 Here are the two paintings I was working on in class.i added some dark hair to the portrait and I actually think it looks pretty good as a painting and as a hand drawn likeness. On the bottom one those  Chinese lanterns are still floating a bit but I like how they are painted.i like the bowl too, i just wish the whole thing was on a bigger piece of paper with a more interesting background…

I can’t seem to insert the link to the video about using guided access to lock your screen for tracing. Search google for how to lock your iPad screen for tracing and watch thevideo from Technomtry. 

Darken this, Define That, More Color Here, What Happened There…..This Could Go On Forever

 Composition not to my liking but fun with color especially Daniel Smith Perylene Maroon and Quinacridone Coral. 

Four more cone flower heads.

This is 9x12, a quick take with background and sky.

This is a cute postcard.  

This is on half of an old Arches rough paper block.  Works a lot differently from my regular Strathmore.

 Another postcard. Experimenting with Prussian blue which has been mouldering on my palette for several years.