IMC Concept Sketch

OK, Thanks to Chris Kalin for pointing out the obvious to me. Shoot a picture and upload it to my blog.  DUHHHHH!!!   It amazes me how bumbling fools such as myself, manage to navigate this technical world.  God watches out for fools and little children!  So this is my preliminary sketch for the IMC.  We all know it will not remain this way after the first day critiques.  I am gloating back here in Virginia, about how I nailed the gorillas.  Watch how humbled I will be after the critique day. 

Oh Crap!

zOK, so I worked all morning long yesterday, on the foreground of "Awakening".  Cleaned up the brushes and headed to my sons for a cookout.  Got in late, slept too long this morning and headed into the studio in my bathrobe to gloat over the wonderful foreground I painted yesterday.  OH CRAP!  It was awful.  What was I thinking?  I grabbed the turpenoid and papertowels and promptly removed all of yesterdays work.
Moral to this story is "We all need to be humbled once in a while, especially when we think we are approaching demigod status" 

Day 1 - Awakening

I made great progress yesterday.  Got the initial sketch on the canvas and started the background.  I decided to do something a bit different this time and go for a background reminiscent of Fragonard or Anthony van Dyck. Although I don't have a live Faun to study and who can really say if her legs are correct or not,  I intend to adjust the leg length and structure tomorrow.  To me, they look wrong in comparison to the upper body

"Awakening Begins"

The studio reeks with the wonderful aroma of Oil Primed Linen, freshly stretched yesterday.  This is one of my favorite scents.  If I could bottle it, I would.  Of course, few men would find that attractive.  Anywho....onto my new painting "Awakening".   I will crank up the stereo and tune out the world.  Pictures will be forthcoming. 

Mercury Finished

I think that Mercury is finished.  I only see one other thing I may tweak down the road.  (there is always one more thing!!).  I feel the little wings could use more work, maybe.  I will chew on it for a while, but as of right now, I am done.  Moving onto Flora or The Faun this week.

A Perfect Morning

I took this picture this morning at about 6:45am.  I was sipping my coffee from the front porch rocker and Bambi did not see me as she walked out from behind some bushes.  The weather is perfect this morning, not a cloud in the sky and not too hot.  I spent the rest of the morning working on my drawing for the upcoming Illustration Master Class.  That's what I call a perfect morning. 

Rob Liberace in International Artist Magazine

One of my favorite teachers, Rob Liberace is featured in an interview style in the International Artist Magazine.  If you aren't familiar with his work, you are in for a treat.  I have really improved my own drawing ability by taking his classes at The Art League in Alexandria VA.  I am long overdue for another class with Rob.  Congratulations Rob, on the interview and feature of your artworks in International Artist.

Meet Me at the Reception

I was honored to have been juried into the Art In City Hall show, juried by Ali Ringenburg, of Principle Gallery.  Come meet me at the reception, Monday, May 21, 5:30 until 7:00 pm.  My painting, Vanitas #3 will be on view along with the best art that Alexandria VA has to offer. 

Psyched for the Illustration Master Class

I have received the class schedule, along with the assignment choices for this year's Illustration Master Class in Amherst Massachusetts.  Wow, the choices for our in class illustration assignments is overwhelming.  They are so varied and so interesting, I can't decide which to tackle.  I am drawn to one in particular, but worry that I may have too much outside influence to actually be able to develop my own concept.  I grew up watching the 1930s and 40s movies about Tarzan, and even the later TV series.  I would really have to push beyond what I know on the subject to get a new and never seen before concept.  There are also two juicy Sci Fi stories we can choose to illustrate and I am dieing to cut my teeth on a Sci Fi project.  Last year I chose to illustrate a childrens' book idea and although I was happy with what I produced, I felt like I took the easy path and chickened out on the Sci Fi challenge.  If I pick Tarzan, I fear I may come home feeling like a whimp once again. 

I am sooooooo excited about this journey, I have already saved up the gas and toll road money from my tips at the barista job.  I even drug the suitcase up from the basement.   I am pumped!!!!!

My First Veggie of the Season

I pulled up this radish yesterday from my little raised bed garden.  It was so perfect looking and I was so proud.  I washed it up, at dinner time.  Sliced it in half and put half on my plate and half on my husbands plate.  But, the piggy in me took over and I ate both pieces before the plates made it to the table.  MY BAD!  It was delicious and I have about 50 more coming along and they should be ready to eat any day now. 
Working on Mercury today.....back to work now.

Bad Brushes

I just spent this whole day working on the Viking painting and I have hated every minute of the work.  At first I just cursed it, wondering why it has become such a hateful project.  I took frequent breaks, getting a new perspective.  The paint was not moving around for me as it always has in the past.  Maybe I need more medium?   Finally I realized that I had spent most of the time, picking off tiny little hairs from the brushes, that were embedded in the paint.  Instead of nice crisp edges where I needed them, I was forced to keep repainting those edges with a variety of sizes of brushes and different tips, ie. filbert, brights, or liners.  AHA!  its not me today, it's the @#%$@ brushes I am using.  I have just been too absorbed to catch on to the problem.  It seems that these new high dollar brushes I purchased some time back and have had put aside til now, are a bad lot.  I have only used them two or three times previous to today.  I am meticulous about cleaning my brushes.  I use brush cleaner faithfully.  Although I adhere to the wisdom of purchasing the best materials you can afford (these brushes weren't cheap) sometimes the best is not the best.  I think I will go back to using my cheaper brushes tomorrow and see how things go. 
Any fellow artists out there who want to send me their favorite brushes?  How about your best source for these brushes?  Thanks, Linda

Procrastination Pep Talk from Gregory Manchess

I just read a great blog post from Gregory Manchess at the Muddy Colors blog.  He gave some tips for overcoming procrastination for us artists.  As he points out, procrastination leads to paralysis.  I am the postergirl for this problem.  If I fail to adhere to a schedule, I find that I start procrastinating and then when I do finally get into the studio, I am paralyzed by fear.  I move papers around, fiddle with the computer and even decide to dust my studio(I haven't dusted my home in years, but now it seems imperative to dust a studio? What's that about?)
So, I finally got into the studio today and worked on the Viking painting.  I made real progress and will post a photo when it is a little more finished.  
You really should check out the Muddy Colors blog....another posting shows a cover of a new comic about Serenity.  I absolutely loved the tv series and movie Serenity.  The star, Nathan Fillion, aka Castle, is perfectly represented on the cover.  By the way, if I were 30 years younger, I would stalk Nathan Fillion.  He is my favorite male actor living or dead. 

Creative Withdrawl

Its been days since I picked up a brush or pencil and did some actual artwork.  I am feeling less than nice towards the world.....just like when I quit smoking in 2000.  I have been so busy with all the other stuff that goes with being an artist, I have not had a moment to get into my studio.  So, tomorrow does not look much better, work and dental appointment are sure to sap my energy and creativity.  I can see the viking painting from where I sit at the keyboard.  I love my mean viking and won't change a thing about him.  But the rest of the painting is headed for a serious rework. 
I am going to go caress my oil primed linen, the texture and smell soothes me. Ciao!