Jim's Pitcher WIP

Half the people we know are, and have been, without power for over 24 hours. While the sun came out...peeked out, really, soon it was late afternoon and clouds moved in. Virtually no clearing today. Randy, the hairy kids, and I just stayed in did whatever we wanted to do. For me, a new painting.

Last week when I was complaining about having to take a whole day to go to Poor Richard's Art, (my art co-op), Jim Young  had brought in some new pottery items. Jim is a master potter and a wonderful teacher. He even got me on the wheel...talk about a mess! ME and the WHEEL. While I enjoyed it, it didn't make my heart sing. What happens in pottery, stays in pottery!

He and his wife, Sarah gave Randy and me a very nice bowl the first time they came over. The next day I did a painting of it. They bought it on the spot! The title is 'Odd Man Out'.

The pitcher had to be mine...and became the subject of a new painting. Here is my setup...tried to get it close to the easel (ala Tim)...strong lighting...ala Qiang Huang...box with the top out...ala Theresa.

The light got a bit stronger as the afternoon wore on. I had to add the black cardboard because this spot is in a bay-type window and I was looking into the bright icy light.

This pitcher is a real beauty...shiny glaze on the darker green and a matte finish on the icy blues.

oops. my toning layer had too much liquid and most of it dripped off the bottom. I could have gone to thicker darks to go over the top...but forgot. Drawing looks pretty good.

Next stage...I like the drippys...elipse is off on the top. Colors not too bad. I'm using my Ann Templeton palette...and the Richard Schmid swatches I painted with her palette. Love using it! Even if I just pick 2 color mixtures, they are always something I wouldn't have thought of on my own. And from there, the sky is the limit!

lookin' pretty good...top is still off. added some table top, conscious of keeping the hard lights

I sure do like that little burst of color on the top right of the pitcher. Hope my elipse is fixed on the last photo. Colors are right on! Added some backgrounds so I could work on the shape of the pitcher.

Remember what Tim has taught...to sweep the brush stroke off the item and into the background for a believeable stroke. Then to come back and repair the background.

I don't know...don't think Tim blessed this box! And you can see in this photo how shifting your position to take a photo totally changes the viewpoint of the painting. I was sitting forward on the chair to paint, and sat back to take the photo. SO, I was looking down more into the pitcher than the actual photo shows. Whew, this painting life has SO many elements. Just noticed how my pitcher looks like it is slanting to the left, but so is the PHOTO. HOW can that be?

Elipse looks somewhat better. Later in the afternoon I started seeing the shadow on the left side. Decide to work on that a bit. have lost some of the roundness now

don't know what I was doing here...don't see much difference

not sure I like the backgrounds. looks like a beginner (teehee)...but the pitcher looks pretty good (sorry for the glare on the left side.

Still need to work on the roundness a bit. Drawing of the pitcher is pretty good. may tone down the hard lights.

I did keep a bit of that mark I liked on the upper rim of the pitcher.

here is the slideshow:

Flemish Method 2nd color layer French Girls

I have been painting, but on a challenge that is secret until posting date! Getting my first taste of waiting for oil paint to dry...these new methods build on previous dry layers. I learned alla prima (all at once) so you are in and out in 3 or 4 hours. Friend/mentor Ann Templeton made the comment about me 'if I could just get her to slow down'. Well, 4 hours today on just skin tones is slow enough for me.

Am finding that I am using methods, tricks, techniques from Tim and Delmus with these projects. And Mr. Les for his palette of colors and methods of applying the paint to the canvas...and of course, Ann for her spectacular palette...only occasionally adding Burnt Umber, Black, Yellow Ochre ala Tim.

As an OCD/ADD person...what, you didn't know about that? I either pick something down to its last molecule or just skim the surface! Anyway, I was using a size 1 sable at one point today...and loving it! Do I want to work this tight all the time? NO. I love the juicy pigments and drips and smears of looser styles...but, a combination of the 2 may will be interesting!

Here is the French Girls after color layer 1 (minus arms). I started with the remaining 'deal layer' areas, then moved into the 2nd layer on their faces.

I did nothing to other parts.

photographing oils is very difficult...almost as bad as trying to photograph through glass...any tips will be greatly appreciated! In my old studio, I kept my camera on a tripod and always controlled the light. The results were a bunch more consistent than with my natural north light and hit and miss OTT lights. Grey days and sunny days yield different light.

AND, since everyone loves the process photos...here is the slideshow...4 hours of work!