8/08/2008

Page of Small Gouache Landscape Sketches


Canson WC Sketchbook Page, 9" x 12", sketches
in varying sizes NFS
I'm going to be teaching a Gouache workshop
in about three weeks, so I thought I should just
get back in the swing of things as far as gouache
is concerned. These sketches were all done in
a Canson watercolor sketchbook, which is one
of my favorite things to work in. If the pictures
don't get too large the paper doesn't really
wrinkle too much.
I like to use gouache as a combination of
watercolor and the way it is supposed to be
used, as an opaque medium. I love the various
contrasts that can be gotten in that way. It is
also fun to squeegee down a layer of Aquapasto
first, and see what effects that has on your work.
I will also work sometimes on Canson papers, which
have such nice colors, if I feel like working on a
colored background.
The mountains are the Blue Ridge; the river is
the Potomac (two blocks from where I live); the
trees and sky are a park down the way from me.
I really love painting with this stuff. It is relaxing.

8/07/2008

Gouache Sketch after a Pontormo Fresco


7 1/4" x 9 1/2", Gouache on Canson WC
Notebook Paper

I have always loved this image - and certain
other things by Pontormo.

He was a really strange person. He lived in
a room that had no door, but only a window
to the outside, from which he entered and
left by a ladder. He kept a diary of everything
that he ate. He didn't like people, so he didn't
generally use models. If you look closely
his altarpieces, you will see that each person
is the same one, whether they are female, or
male, they all have the same face.
But I've always found this to be a particularly
delicate, almost celestial image. I just did a
quick sketch of it in gouache - some day I think
I'll do a longer study of it in oil.
Thanks for visiting today.

8/06/2008

Tribute to my most esteemed model, Sharon





These are three of the many pieces of artwork
I have done over the past fifteen years with
Sharon as my subject. She has been a never-
ending inspiration, and I just thought she
deserved a little bit of a tribute. The painting
on the top is not for sale, unless someone is willing
to pay me about $8000.00 for it (seriously).
The second piece is just some 2-3 minute gesture
poses on newsprint, and isn't in saleable condition.
The drawing above is in pencil on white sketch-weight
drawing paper. I did it as a portrait demonstration
exactly ten years ago. No one else has eyelids like
that. Her father was from Ireland, and I think it shows
in her soulful face. Thank you, Sharon.