Apple demo

In Nov.2010 the Martin F. Weber Co/ filmed me teaching a series on "how to oil paint."  This apple was the first, a promotional video really.  Still haven't seen it or the other three.  I know they are in process and hopefully by the end of this month they will be out. 

Organizing Day

 After yesterdays day of sculpting and previous days of painting, my studio was a mess.  Decided to clean and organize. 

 Whew, ready to start again... Better put on my think cap.  Who is that crazy person that got on my blog?

finished La Boheme

I felt the sculpture needed to be lifted because it was very top heavy visually so I created the plinth (bottom portion made of same material that the subject sits on.)  Great, all is going well and ready to let dry....but alas.....long story short... everything started to fall apart.  This is because it was a quick demonstration rather than a planned sculpture.  Armatures are very important.

Rather than piece it all together, I decided to fire the head, which is also splitting apart, and re-bag the clay for future sculptures.  Here's the final sculpture.

Right now it sits in my studio, wrapped in a towel with the hopes of keeping it together.  Let's see what I can do with it when and if it fires.  Onward!

CHA Convention Project

January 29-February 1 I will be teaching a free 1 hour class on painting using WOil paints during the CHA convention at the Los Angeles Convention Center with the Martin F. Weber Company as host.  We will be painting the simple subject of "Apple." Above is the first step in the painting; the block in.

This is a finished painting using the Direct Painting Method, which simply explained is; Wet-into-Wet, starting with the darks and building to the lights.

Fresh off the easel

Just finished this painting of Hydrangea in the WOil Paint.  Sorry, I haven't posted the steps each day, just kinda new to blogging.  This painting was created from a photo I took of some fabulous flowers a student brought to class.    I started with a block in using lavender and then local color.  The photo was used for reference and inspiration, but color was created by emotion and drawing was liberated with brush stroke.

Back in October, the Martin F. Weber Company asked me to create videos for them in WOil, so I went on location and painted several 9x12 paintings to see if I liked the oil.   From those I selected this image and painted a 18x24 in my studio.  I loved the oil paint and was very excited that the  Weber Company selected me to be their spokesperson.  At this time, a promotional video has been published, (which I still am waiting to see) and hopefully the teaching videos will be ready for sale by the end of this month.

ASW event

Today I spent some time getting ready for a fun and FREE event at the Art Supply Warehouse in Westminster on Oct 15,16 and 17.  There will be a lot of different products to try, give-aways and 25% off most items in the store.  I will be teaching with the WOil which is a water mixable oil.  The 20 minute class will be geared toward the beginner but will be a great opportunity for all levels of artist to try the WOil product. I have selected 5 images that will be available to paint from.  ASW wanted me to come up with something fun for the holiday so I created the one below.

Blocking in image

Adding color

Final painting

 I will be there all three days from 10am-1pm.  Hope to see you there.

La boheme

Today was a day for sculpting.  "La boheme" is a sculpture I started as a demonstration during First Thursday's  Art Walk in Laguna at the Esther Wells Collection.   With a model posing, Howard Marchese painted, Jan Magdaleno sketched and I sculpted. Below is the result of the evening of sculpting and then photos of today,s work.

Next step will to design and sculpt the plinth.

Technique:  This is a very coarse clay called FSB or Fullerton Sculpture Body.  It is a cone 5 clay.