You can't get there from here

Just like I've read from the blogs of so many of you lately, the end of February and the beginning of March have been jammed packed for me as well. No time for fun - meaning for me drawing or painting. Extra time spent at work is good for the pocketbook, bad for making Art.
So I was especially looking forward to Monday night's drawing class to be able to just concentrate on nothing but. We've been having life drawing with alternating male and female models. This week we had Carson who looked about fourteen and was really about eighteen. She models frequently and really knew how to hold her pose. I hope we use her again. Chris suggested I add a bit to the back of her head, narrow her neck and then gave me a compliment that made my evening, telling me, "There's not much I would correct here." He walked by me three times after that and just nodded. I have to say I had really felt I was capturing her face, but that sealed it. All the cards fell into place for drawing her that night. Next week, who knows? My hand may have a mind of its own.

Ok friends, let's hope this cosmic block moves on to another galaxy. I want to draw! Live long and prosper.
ks

Tasty

Hi!
There will be chocolate everywhere (especially at work) today. But this one won't be a moment on the lips, forever on the ..... everywhere.
Oil on Canson Canva Paper 10x8 (Still liking it, Azra!)
Hope you all have a sweet day!
Karen

Messed around with it a bit more, so here is the update. Not much of a difference, but..... still tasty!

End of the Beach

So my friend, Azra (everyone says Hi Azra!), posted a painting of roses and an apple on canvas paper and she inspired me to give the paper a try. So out I went and bought some Canson (my personal fav paper company) Canva Oil paper in a sheet and cut it up (from Michael's Art and Crafts cause I was near one and had a 40% off coupon-Yeah!). The first, a small study of a rosette echeveria succulent, felt like it sucked up the oil. So for the second I gave it a coat of gesso (no sanding), then an under-painting in acrylic before moving on to oils. Fun to try something new.

Thanks Azra!

http://azraiqbal.blogspot.com/2013/01/roses-and-apple.html#comment-form

Cheers all!

February Model

Hi and Hello,
Chris had a head shot of this beautiful girl, so I drew her. Don't know if she is one of the usual models over at CalArtInst (or even her name???) Tonight we are supposed to be working from a live model if Chris remembered to line one up. Should be interesting.
 Charcoal on that darn newsprint. Cheers all!
    Karen

SunPower

Hi. Worked on this quite a few days. Like it but I'm open to critiques. I really wanted to make the petals pop forward. (Reading a fictional thing about Van Gogh and got inspired to paint a sun flower - go figure.)
Ok, ever learning.
Hope all is well in your world.
Oil on canvas 8x10
Cheers and God's blessings.
Karen

Hay Bales in Setting Sun

Hello all!
The LA Art show was fun as usual, but crowded! We went on Saturday instead of Friday and paid the price (of crowds) for it. But we laughed our fool heads off and oohed and awed at various pieces. She likes really textural things and I like really smooth work but we came to an agreement over quite a few.  James Neil Hollingsworth had some represented and it was great to see them in person up close (not like in a museum where the guards shush you away). James' work is so "clean" if that makes sense. Absolutely love his work!
 I only saw one of Marina Dieul's pieces so maybe I missed more with the crowds. http://marinadieul.com/

And of course, the Arcadia Gallery at the LA Art Show  as discussed on http://underpaintings.blogspot.com/ was on my hit list. And I think I actually revisited Matthew Cornell's work again in my dreams! Like I clicked a camera and took a frame of it and then my brain absorbed it more slowly. I would link his blog but he hasn't posted to it for quite a while (sigh.) Its at the bottom of my fav list. No ocean work from him this time, just nocturnes of houses - which thrill me! Anywhoo, fun day overall - crowds or no. Nice to spend it with a long time friend, We may go to the Autry next week for the Western Show! I'll keep you posted!
Hay Bales
Oil on canvas 8x10
Cheers! Karen

Coach Model and LA Art Show - Yeah!

See what I did. I dropped his left eye down slightly and that elongated his nose. Ever learning. At least I can see the mistakes now. Its funny, cause if I put my thumb up to block the whole view and just take in parts like the left eye to the the mouth (comparing) then they work. But its almost as if I inserted a wedge slice from the nose up, thereby widening his face. hmmm.  And Chris helped me see that I've been neglecting hard lines. Also he suggested that I blend the outer cheek out a bit into the space around it rather than stopping with a hard line. He's a wonderful teacher. I really enjoy his class.
Anywhoo, yeah! My friend Jaws and I are going on Friday to the LA Art show. (no, those are her initials, which is now actually Jawsp but that's just weird) (And no, she isn't a shark nor does she look like Jaws from James Bond- She is a very attractive blond) We've gone to the show three years now together and I've gone twice before on my own. Usually my favorite section of the show is always around the Acadia Gallery and if you take a took at Underpaintings (listed here as one of the blogs I follow) you'll see a taste of what they're going to display. I will tell you flat out that I'm pretty sure I will nearly fly past everything else just to see Matthew Cornell's work. I absolute love his nocturnes. But I know something else will stop me dead in my tracks and I'll just stand there with my mouth open. I'll drink it in and soak it up and get a tad depressed and then rally back, slapping myself around a bit (IT TAKES TEN YEARS TO REALLY MASTER SOMETHING....and there's always going to be someone who is a bit ahead of the curve.) I can't wait!
Cheers all and God's blessings!
Karen

Warm and Cool in Charcoal

I've gotten pretty close with this one. He has a bit more roundness in his face. But once again, had a blast drawing him. Just loved his pirate look. Charcoal on....newsprint  Cheers and avast ye mateys!
Nick Chao on deviantarts
http://fav.me/d2750w5

A New Beginning

Weirdly enough, I wasn't going to post this on my blog - for the sheer sake that its on newsprint. (Wait, let me say, "That darn DREADED NEWSPRINT."  Did I mention I am NOT a fan of newsprint. Oh, yes, I have. Pardon me for repeating myself.)
Anywhoo, happy enough with it, except for the fact THAT ITS ON NEWSPRINT! (Oops, sorry.) When I scan newsprint, it sort of.....shreds. ?
And isn't that strange that newspaper publications seem to be going away, yet we will continue to have newsprint. I am filled with compassion for those losing their newspaper related jobs. And the demise of newspapers themselves seem to be leading to frivolous junk on the on-line news. If I want to read about some local issues, I have to wade through stoopid articles about what the latest "It" girl is doing and wearing and on-line games. Stoopid.
Charcoal on, yes, you guessed it..... newsprint.

Cheers all!
Karen

More random faces...er, face. Just one.

Hi!
I am so envious of all of you who are participating in the Thirty Day Challenge. Whew! I always tinker with things over and over until I'm happy. I'd be posting everything at once.
Anywhoo, another random charcoal drawing, this time a model from a horrible (you have to pronounce that hurr-ri-bull like we do in this household) magazine that someone was promoting full of snobbish things. Bleck!! (Like I need a pair of $400 slippers or a $40,000 watch.)
So I ripped her out and drew her and tossed the rubbish. On newsprint (not my favorite paper.)
Keep painting and drawing. Hm, with that $40,000 that I'm saving on the watch I could build a pretty nice studio. Just thinkin'. ;)
Karen