busy, Busy, BUSY week - but at least I am getting to paint!!!
I am taking a 5-day workshop with one of the greatest names in watermedia art in the US:
Donna Zagotta.
I've been hearing her name being praised ever since I started painting, with some people saying that hers is the best workshop they ever took (actually, hers and the amazing class that Paintermon is giving, Y'know, the one where you slave to make 20 full-sheet paintings of the very same subject in 10 weeks, and come back from the other side a new person and artist).
And now - I am taking her workshop, which is soooooooooo very cool, only I am tired to tears, as the 2 preceding weeks were so hectic.
So, I knew she is the empress of values and shapes, and is one of the best instructors to learn about composition and design.
What I didn't know is that she is also hysterically funny, and cool beyond description, so there's a huge added bonus.
The workshop is great fun, packed with information and new revelations - on the verge of epiphanies, and I decided to take the opportunity and use what I did for my lagging ArtPact.
I am working on a portrait of someone who kept asking me to paint her. My very beloved niece, Lilush, the mother of Nitzku (the cool baby of whom I did 2 paintings and am planning on many, many more).
I love this photo of hers, as it really shows her free spirit and pretty much captures her essence.
It's a challenge, as she is someone I know and love, it's very tempting to just go for the copy-exact approach and make sure the painting looks like her. But, i am starting to detach from this oh-she-is-too-precious feeling, and to abstractive her.
I'm gonna work from that photo all week long, so one of these paintings is bound to be good, Eh?
Donna makes us do a lot of study before we get to start painting, mostly value studies (value in the sense of dark against light), and personalizing our shapes and elements of design in general.
Most artists hate doing that, but once you get used to it, it's quite fun, and incredibly helpful in pulling the painting together.
I chose this value study to work from.
And, based on it, did these two paintings in class today.
They are both smaller and quicker than I usually work - some might call them bozzettos, some might refer to them as crappy little design studies. But you really don't want to do that.
I've been hearing her name being praised ever since I started painting, with some people saying that hers is the best workshop they ever took (actually, hers and the amazing class that Paintermon is giving, Y'know, the one where you slave to make 20 full-sheet paintings of the very same subject in 10 weeks, and come back from the other side a new person and artist).
And now - I am taking her workshop, which is soooooooooo very cool, only I am tired to tears, as the 2 preceding weeks were so hectic.
So, I knew she is the empress of values and shapes, and is one of the best instructors to learn about composition and design.
What I didn't know is that she is also hysterically funny, and cool beyond description, so there's a huge added bonus.
The workshop is great fun, packed with information and new revelations - on the verge of epiphanies, and I decided to take the opportunity and use what I did for my lagging ArtPact.
I am working on a portrait of someone who kept asking me to paint her. My very beloved niece, Lilush, the mother of Nitzku (the cool baby of whom I did 2 paintings and am planning on many, many more).
I love this photo of hers, as it really shows her free spirit and pretty much captures her essence.
It's a challenge, as she is someone I know and love, it's very tempting to just go for the copy-exact approach and make sure the painting looks like her. But, i am starting to detach from this oh-she-is-too-precious feeling, and to abstractive her.
I'm gonna work from that photo all week long, so one of these paintings is bound to be good, Eh?
Donna makes us do a lot of study before we get to start painting, mostly value studies (value in the sense of dark against light), and personalizing our shapes and elements of design in general.Most artists hate doing that, but once you get used to it, it's quite fun, and incredibly helpful in pulling the painting together.
I chose this value study to work from.
And, based on it, did these two paintings in class today.
They are both smaller and quicker than I usually work - some might call them bozzettos, some might refer to them as crappy little design studies. But you really don't want to do that.
The JohnnyB was appalled by the long nose I gave Lilush.
(no, she does not have such a long nose in reality. It's my screwed-up drawing skills, and the fact it was all done in a crowded class and very quickly!!!).
"Lilush #1", Watercolor on W/N CP Paper, 10"x7.5" (25x19 cm)
"Lilush #2", Watercolor on W/N CP Paper, 10"x7.5" (25x19 cm)
More to come.
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