Pastels and Watercolors (and a few other art media)

[terri]

Fun assignment! I think you did well. You picked a hard one, IMO. But off to a good start!

Where are you at with it?

 

[SquarePeg]

Fun assignment! I think you did well. You picked a hard one, IMO. But off to a good start!

Where are you at with it?

I did not have a chance to work on it at all over the past week because I was spending some time in New Jersey with friends, but I finished it in class today. I’m happy with it. It’s not perfect, but I did learn a lot with this assignment. I kept wanting to put my own spin on it or change things about the painting that I didn’t like or would’ve done differently, but I set out to copy it so I stuck with copying it as best I could.

Here’s the reference painting again.

 

[snowbear]

Awesome work, Sharon. Feel free to scavange my Flickr feeds.

 

[terri]

Great job! What you described is how I prefer to approach using a photo ref - it's just a reference, an idea to get going, and I always feel free to change things. It's actually harder to me to go for a straight copy!

This is a challenging one - all the mini-horizons and shoreline curves. Very tricky. Glad you are happy with it, you should be!

 

[SquarePeg]

Great job! What you described is how I prefer to approach using a photo ref - it's just a reference, an idea to get going, and I always feel free to change things. It's actually harder to me to go for a straight copy!

This is a challenging one - all the mini-horizons and shoreline curves. Very tricky. Glad you are happy with it, you should be!

The format of my canvas was a bit different which threw me off a bit and I ended up a more close up perspective I think. The assignment was to copy something. If it was a work of my own I’d fix some of the issues but I’m just going to move on.

Now I’m working on my final project - painting one of my all time favorite photos. Here’s a WIP but this is just the practice piece on a thin canvas sheet. Will paint the final on a larger canvas.

Once again I wanted to paint loosely but have already passed that point into details… I just can’t seem to do it. Someday…

 

[snowbear]

Hey, I know that place! Off to a good start.

I orderd a trio of (progressively more difficult) wooden boat models. I just recieved a second set and wasn't charged. Message to company asking what I need tos end one back.

 

[terri]

Hey, I know that place! Off to a good start.

I orderd a trio of (progressively more difficult) wooden boat models. I just recieved a second set and wasn't charged. Message to company asking what I need tos end one back.

Maybe they'll just tell you to keep it!


@SquarePeg : I love the scene! You're off to a good start. I don't think I could paint loose if you paid me. I always blamed it on my use of oil pastels: gripping those things like pencils seemed to invite adding a little more detail here or there. But you seem to struggle with the same issue with your brush!

 

[snowbear]

But I don't need two sets. We'll see what happens.

 

[SquarePeg]

Final result, I think. Going to repeat this on a larger canvas for my final project. Definitely a few things to approach differently. If I have time before Friday I may go again on the practice sheet and try for a looser style.

And the reference photo

 

[terri]

Final result, I think. Going to repeat this on a larger canvas for my final project. Definitely a few things to approach differently. If I have time before Friday I may go again on the practice sheet and try for a looser style.

View attachment 281726

And the reference photo
View attachment 281727

Love your vivid colors!

 

[SquarePeg]

Had my final class on Friday. While I will miss having the in person feedback and I liked my classmates and instructor, I will not miss trying to drive home from Boston at 3:30 PM on Fridays! The MFA is right in the middle of several large colleges and Friday was the last day of classes before winter break for a lot of schools. It was chaos trying to get out of there with moving vans, double parked and people caring suitcases and boxes everywhere and crazy crazy traffic.

Here’s my last assignment - a repaint of Portland Head Light.

 

[terri]

Wow - big improvement! I like the previous version with the purple sky, too, but this is definitely cleaner overall in execution. Your brush strokes look neat and crisper. Great work on the sky here, too.

I'd say that the class was worth it. Very cool!

 

[SquarePeg]

Been painting some textured abstracts on canvas. I like this one a lot but can’t decide if it needs a focal point or just another color for contrast. The left center and up looks like a forest to me. I might play that up a bit. Thoughts? Advice?

 

[terri]

Yummy!!! I love the colors and textures.

I looked at this painting upside down. The beautiful swirl then becomes a framing element around the light center, which looks vaguely floral to me.

As an abstract, I'm not sure it needs much, if anything. For me it works better upside down, but if you have something else in mind, it may not work for you.

Regardless - I love it! Nice work.

 

[snowbear]

Upside-down it reminds me of an Edison-style light bulb. Not a help, but it does.

Maybe one darker corner (lower right) or nothing else. I’d try a piece of colored paper or PS to the digital copy rather than actually painting any more