From the bright, throbbing colors above, Elaine T. moves seamlessly to the subtly elegant painting of her mother in her wedding dress. There's very little here (except for the sketch), but we can already see the chair and the regal quality of the sitter. Come back to see how Elaine T. handles the white dress.
Sara did this high key sketch of her granddaughter as a direct watercolor...no preliminary drawing! Just goes to show you can get a great likeness and create a mood without sharp value changes.
Sara is also moving along with her annual self-portrait. This has to be our favorite yet. The colors glow and the shapes draw the viewer's eyes exactly where Sara wants them to go. This is a masterful use of soft color to paint a thoughtful, calmly determined woman.
Ken uses unconventional colors and shapes to paint this woman from his Julia Cameron series. Notice how the mosaic shapes flow with the woman's facial planes. (And, as a side note, did you notice the way her hair forms another face?)
This isn't really a face at all. It's an Egyptian mask. Elaine O. is back to experimenting with her Daniel Smith gold watercolor ground. It's painted onto a surface, allowed to dry, and then used as the base for a watercolor painting. The purpose is to allow a painter to use non-traditional surfaces for watercolor, but Elaine O. is trying to integrate it into the painting. Here, she left the surface rough and added color. Interestingly, the ground color affects the colors on top.
Steve is revisiting his past, too. He's added final glazes and little touches to his beach body painting. He's also concerned with the way the ground affects the painting. This is 300 lb. paper, which seems to soak up color. We think he's got the rich color he was trying for!
We mentioned that Steve painted this before... but wasn't completely satisfied. For your viewing pleasure, we're including his three previous attempts so you can see his progression.
Bear in mind that these were done over the course of several years, with other paintings intervening.
It's always interesting to see an artist return to common themes and subjects!
Alan has finished his painting of Greeta in summer. As you can see, she's pale and red-headed, so she spends her summer in the shade of a cozy glen. This is Yupo (another interesting surface!) and it is perfect for the textures of the trees.
Because Yupo is basically plastic, it's very show to dry. Alan works on this painting while he's waiting to get back to others. Again, the textures and shadows are beautiful!
And Alan is returning to a beloved series—drinking dogs. These are dogs he's seen frequenting various neighborhood bars (many on his vacations in the South) and enjoying a cool drink. In this case, the drink belongs to the dog's owner. He's just holding space. First, here's the value sketch...
... and the beginning of the actual painting. Makes you smile, doesn't it?
Richard spent the day doing quick sketches of the same subject. It's a man on a horse and these are just a few of the many 1-5 minute sketches he did. You can just see the growth in skill and confidence in these. That's why we love our sketches and studies.
Marva is known for her lush, intricate landscapes. Here, she's honed in on a single tiger lily. The brilliant blossoms sing against the complementary color of the sky and we're eagerly awaiting the final touches.
No, this isn't the reference photo. Greeta finished her painting of an adorable mid-century house nestled into trees. We love everything about this.... the sunlight, the shadows, the composition and the exquisite details.
More summer fun! Greeta paints this group of young soccer players. Are they huddled together in a strategy session, or anticipating the snacks? Come back and see!
Speaking of snacks, Susan continues her celebration of Philippine street food. This is kwek-kwek—and it's safe to read on. These are quail eggs, hard-boiled, shelled, battered and deep-fried; then served on a skewer and eaten quickly (hence the name). Susan's arranged the raw and fried eggs and the skewers into a mandala before adding a soft green background.
Janet loves bright, vibrant color! This is one of our newbie exercises where she collages some colors that appeal to her, and then tries to replicate them. Mission accomplished! In case you couldn't tell, the collage is at top, the painted samples below.
Carolina finished her advanced color wheel, where she explores shades, tints, tones and hues. These color wheels get referred to often.
Here's another valuable... and fun... exercise. Carolina is playing with the complementary color pairs and using what she's learned to match her skin color. We love the delicate, watery blues on the right side.
We may have a sparse crowd next week, but we'll be here and hope you'll join us. Meanwhile, you're invited to some special events. Get your pencils and calendars ready!
Upcoming Events
Where:
Ten Cat Tavern
3931 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, ILTen Cat Tavern
When:
Exhibition: July 13–September 1, 2019
Reception: July 20, 2019, 4–7 pm
Art Exhibition. Save the date for Art in Motion, an exhibition featuring our very own Isa. Details will follow, but get this on your calendar now:
Where:
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
When:
Friday, September 6
Where:
Duet Salon
4615 1/2 N. Damen
(right off the Damen Brown Line Stop)
Chicago, IL
