Brain Dump

Last Wednesday

I hope by connecting my phone to my phone I will be posting more often. I spend a few days a week traveling I would be able to get some work done. I believe it will help free up time allow me to post more frequently. I hesitate to get on my computer in my studio, before I know it 3 hours have gone by. May not be as productive as I would like. I want to spend more time painting , working on animation. I may have a few private students in 2012.... Looking forward to the challenge. Exciting news. My studio in the historic Star Line building is ready for me to paint and move into. A great way to start the new year. Wishing you a prosperous, heathy and peaceful New Year.

11x14 oil  I was having trouble with proportions so I quickly sketched in the hand. Also it was a gray day the North light kept coming and going , so the monitors added some side light. Very challenging. It felt like a split personality rising in side me. After lunch the lighting was so different, I found my self chasing the light. Ugh

11x14 oil...Terry so graciously posed for us. 3 hours minus breaks

oil 11x14 , well ....its practice

oil on canvas 11x14

This is day one of a two day pose, we worked on it in class. After lunch I stayed for open studio, we had the same model and pose. so a 6 hours with breaks. I'm experimenting with new brushes and paints, cheap and expensive ones.

I'm taking a five week class with Mary Qian at the Palette and Chisel. I can see a difference in my work after the first class. I love to put my figures at the edges of the paper, giving space for contemplation , I like that it overlaps the boarder unfortunately this one will not work as well when the tape is pulled off. I need to be careful when placing the head.

Painted in my studio in the morning, took a stroll through my garden saw a few Hosta flowers hanging on in the heat, picked on and brought it in, set up a little still life with my favorite rock. When my car was returned in the afternoon I went out to the farm.....not as successful as the morning. Well....one will make more bad paintings than good....chalk it up to that experience thing.

I can not describe in words the experience I had in the field of sunflowers. I hope I was able to catch it with paint

Hello anyone out there, reading this or looking at it?

"Solvents in history. Painters have been using turpentine for hundreds of years because it was commonly available. Pure 100% odorless mineral spirits (OMS) is an innovation of the late 20th century so it is no wonder that many painters are just beginning to understand how safe and available OMS is. Too bad artists of 50 years ago did not know that before they created huge canvases of oil colors that were diluted with turpentine. It is not surprising that these artists experimented with, then later switched to water based media. Turpentine, a known respiratory irritant, has a fast evaporation rate and a low permissible exposure level. It causes nausea and lightheadedness, dermatitis, kidney and bladder disease, and asthma. Turpentine is the only solvent commonly available to painters that is absorbed through healthy, unbroken skin. Turpentine is toxic. Rembrandt used no painting mediums. He did not need mediums because hand made paints are thin and very fluid. Si...

I pulled out the Artists Handbook of materials and techniques. I had a few questions about colors, remembering some conflicting information that I received about using black, particularly Ivory Black. I found some interesting information about it use. I was told by several teachers while in school not to use it, make your own black, recently it appeared on my supply list for several workshops. hesitant to use it, I did, now after being comfortable with it, knowing its not going to turn into this monster on my pallet I needed to know what its story is.... so here it goes. Ivory Black (PBk9) Paris Black An inferior grade of ivory black. " Impure carbon. the black most widely used by artists. Most ivory black on the market is a high grade bone black, made by charring bones. Contains only about 15 to 20 % carbon, and about 60% calcium phosphate, and about 20 % calcium sulfate and other impurities, some of which are water soluble. It should not be used with in fresco or for mortar o...

R James Healy: A Zoetrope! What's That? : "It's been brought to my attention that not everyone knows what a zoetrope is. Here's the Wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoetro..."

R James Healy: The Camera Never Lies... : "... but each has it's own particular version of the truth. You only need to speak to a photographer for a short time to appreciate the bread..."

Today , I have to drive my son to his destination, while driving the plan is to check out possible spots for painting. I love being outdoors, its good to get out of the studio and socialize, maybe not so much.LOL. Attending an opening this evening.....lots of driving today. I need to let my brain wrap around why my work, " you will make more bad drawings and paintings then good." Marion K. Hopefully this is a learning experience for me.

should have known ...wood. When in animation school we had a class in Layout that included background painting. Well wood and glass.....well, "C" and that was a gift.

Its a very HOT afternoon in July....taking time for lunch and a quick update. The first part of June I took a workshop from David Laffel at the Palette and Chisel in Chicago. Since then I have Joined the Palette and Chisel in Chicago to practice with what I have learned, (LOL and much more to learn.) So I am going down two days a week for painting. Maybe 3 if I can get my Sundays organized. Due to a work shop for 6 weeks the workshops are suspended. The plan is to paint at home and outdoors. Will be a Visiting Artists again next year, very pleased with that. I enjoy working with my second graders and each year I change it up a little. They are great little teachers. LOL I broke down and turned on the AC in my Studio with the hope that I will return after lunch and this evening to post my recent work. I am pleased with the progress that I am making and with the support I receive from my new friends at the Palette and family.