Painting the Figure

Sunday evening as I was preparing dinner a friend called me to tell me that the instructor of a week long figure workshop she had signed up for had just let her it was okay for me to substitute for her the first two days of the workshop. My friend was not able to take the whole week off from work. I offered to fill in for her if she wanted me to keep her abreast of what was going on and take notes for her. I offered because my friend spoke so highly of this instructor and she keeps inviting me to join her in these workshops, so here was an opportunity for me to get a feel for what she was saying. We had spoken about it a few weeks ago so when she called Sunday night I had quite forgotten about the whole thing. And the class started Monday morning.

I was able to make it work into my schedule although this week was not a prime time for me to be taking two full days away. What swayed me to go was the opportunity to paint from a model. I have not done that in years and years. Here is the portrait from Monday.

9x12 head study in oil

The instructor had us do a monochrome portrait in the morning. In the afternoon you could finish the portrait continuing with monochrome (5 values using burnt umber and white) or add temperature. I worked on top of my monochrome portrait adding temperature (not color). You can still see just the value on her collar bones and shoulders where I did not quite finish painting over the morning study. All things considered, I was happy with this portrait. Painting from life is a whole different ballgame. I really enjoyed the exercises. The model had such good bone structure too.

Tuesday we did another head study adding color. I wiped that one off as it was fine but nothing I cared to keep. In the afternoon we were to stay with temperature and value alone or add color. I added color. Her skin was so fun to paint. I would have like to have been able to 'finish' this piece but I was happy enough with it as is, until I dropped it on my garage floor face down when I was unloading the car. I had not photographed it yet, so here it is dried grass and all.

12x16 figure study in oil

An artist friend I had seen at the Summer Art Market a few weeks ago invited me to join her at the Arts Students League of Denver to paint long pose uninstructed. This little exercise was just the thing to get me to want to go to just paint from life and be among other artists.