Cold - Hot - Cold

This is an interesting shot of cold icescikles against hot magenta and cool cyan and high chroma; sharp contrast of black.


Opening the aperture at night; interesting movement.

Beauty and Sadness

A study. My intention was to give a feeling of sadness.

Merry Christmas

Edited: 12/26/07

This is addressed to all Christians.

May you experience the very presence of the Lord, to remember to worship Jesus our Christ, our Lord, who is God in the flesh (Immanuel i.e. God with us) ... by giving thanks for his gift of Himself to redeem those whom the Father had given Him (John 17). Therefore it is not what man can do for God; it is what God has done for man. It is a free gift that can be accepted or rejected. It is never a "gift" plus something else. Jesus' sacrificial atonement is sufficient to save.

There is no other religion or belief system on the planet that offers Grace to man ("Grace" i.e. the unmerited favor of God - of Grace not of good works lest ANY MAN boast). ALL works of man are filthy rags to God. All means all. Therefore, there is no other way to gain right standing with God Almighty other than through Jesus;and the world will hate Christians just as it hated Jesus. Why? Man likes to take the credit for good works and righteousness and thinks that all men are basically good when the truth is that all mankind is basically not good.

Remember Christ's admonition that is so appropriate for our age.

Mat 5:11-16 "Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

"You are the salt of the eretz, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can't be hidden. Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."


Edit: Just to clarify I have added the following.

So what about this thing called "good" works.

When the rich young ruler addressed Jesus as "good Master" what was Jesus' reply? "And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God." That was a loaded rhetorical question packed with great meaning because indeed Jesus was "good" ...for He is the only good man who ever lived...BECAUSE He was Immanuel (i.e. God with us in human flesh). Man is not made righteous by good works doing ... man is unrighteous therefore an unrighteous human being doing a good deed means nothing. (Mark 10:17) Jesus was teaching about man's depravity in this story. It was given to show man's love for this world and the things in it. This young man was coming to God with his good works saying ... "I have kept the law from my youth." Jesus countered, "sell all that you have and follow me." He couldn't do it and neither could any other human. Wherefore, the young man went away sorrowful for he had much wealth. You see, his depravity was showing. If you can't do anything for God to gain his favor what is left but a desperate need for the unmerited favor...Grace of God.

All "good" works are of God not man. ALL means ALL. Man is just a willing and sometimes even unwilling conduit for good. However, when man cooperates fully with God, his life becomes blessed because God's blessings are flowing unhindered through him; the kicker is that man dose not gets credit for initiating them, God does.

What is the significance of this?

God gets ALL the credit and man gets NONE except his willingness to cooperate; for that man will be rewarded in heaven. The idea that all men are basically good is not scripture. The idea that man can build up Karma to gain heaven ...makes God indebted to man forcing God to bless man. That is nonsense. (Gonna be lots of surprised people in heaven.)

In heaven Christians shall all be crowned and rewarded for those good works that God channeled though us because we were willing ... but we shall throw those crowns at the feet of Jesus because we know that all good are His works not ours.

If you would like the scriptural basis for anything that I write, please email me or comment. I will be happy to supply many scriptures to support what I am saying; I never used just one proof verse.



This is the Good News (aka The Gospel of Grace).

OCD Christmas lights

Decorations by a obsessive compulsive.



This is the ultimate in Christmas lighting. It is not possible to top this holiday display since every single twig and bush has carefully placed lights in perfect order.

Once you see this house live, you might as well just go home.

Drama in the ice.

For those of you who do not watch TV 24/7, we are having an ice storm here. We lost this tree this morning...I am worried that the other half is going to fall on our house. More moisture and below freezing temps may pull other trees down tonight. I'm nervous. (Yesterday I ordered a new SONY 100A (Alpha) DSLR camera body for all of my lenses and soon I will be posting much better images.)


Guess we'll get a new mail box.

Cennini Lesson - Merlin Part II

This is a continuation of a Cennini Forum Lesson. The following are examples of illustrating Merlin and the Lady of the Lake. Here is the part of the poem that I chose to illustrate. (Reference previous November post.)

"And from her brown-locked head the wimple throws, And takes it in her hand and waves it over the blossomed thorn tree and her sleeping lover. Nine times she waved the fluttering wimple round, And made a little plot of magic ground.”

The task is to create big abstract black and white forms that convey the story in a powerful way. Next part is to make two color versions of the same illustration but create a different mood with a change in palette. One to create tranquil scene and one a dark and evil feeling of doom. The vertical ones appeal to me but I failed to lesson. I like these but I did not accomplish the lesson's objective...and that is less detail and more abstraction. On the vertical one I did get a shift in mood. I hope I will do better in the next lessons.

HORIZONTAL COMPOSITIONS





VERTICAL COMPOSITIONS

Ozzie ... a God send.

This is a pastel sketch ... for which I have absolutely no training. I am certain that to the trained artist this will appear technically off but I really like this sketch for it captures Ozzie's special look. He is, we think, part Schnauzer and who knows what else (about 20 pounds). These darling floppy ears often stand straight up on their own translating into jack-rabbit ear status especially when Oz is hopping around the yard chasing squirrels. Maybe he is a Jackanauzer. It's comical but it is not his floppy ears that made him so endearing to me but the feeling between us is quite mutual. You see, this is the stare that I get every single night. Oz plops down next to me and turns his head and just stares at me sometimes for longer than one or two minutes. I've never ever had an animal do that.

You see, returning from physical therapy six years ago, deeply weary of fighting to regain my mobility and ward off the effects of the worst surgery experiences of my life, I was returning home that autumn day when there on my porch was this little white puppy presenting himself before me at the front door as if waiting for me. He was all white and had a small black collar but no name.

Halley, our standard white poodle had to be put down recently so I just couldn't bear getting another pet plus I was too sick to take care of anyone or anything. It was a dark time for me.

This cute little thing looking up with those expressive eyes produced enough pity to offer him a drink for he looked like he needed some care and he was so eager. When I opened the door inside he dashed disappearing around the corner past the dining room. I couldn't see him anywhere. I called; nothing.

Too sick and full of pain to do anything about it, I closed the door behind me and yelled again for the puppy but he was no where to be found. My hospital bed had been moved into the morning room since the stairs were too difficult to manage everyday. As with so much of my life at this point, I just couldn't cope with the pup. "How much damage could the little thing do anyway," I thought. The pain medicine had made me drowsy so I laid down and soon surrendered to unconsciousness.

Who knows how much time had passed when finally I opened my eyes and before me sitting with his two front paws so perfectly aligned and still, the pup at first didn't look real. Our eyes locked and up he jumped onto my lap and into my heart when, as if recognizing what a hard time I was having he placed his muzzle on the side of my neck, collapsed flat on my chest (I'm not kidding), and with his paws literally hugged me.

I wept. Everything just gushed out of me. I had not known how much emotion was pent up inside. It had been a hard two years trying to regain my health and function. My career ended, my life seemed to be frozen in time.

It wasn't long before Ozzie was officially ours after putting out "lost dog" signs and no response thankfully. It would have been impossible to give him up for we were indeed attached to each other and soon Ozzie gave me a reason for getting out of bed.

He's a puppy, right? So every hour on the hour I would have to get out of bed and walk to the door back and forth to let him out to take care of his business. And it was Ozzie who loved to lounge in my lap and make me laugh with his antics. Finally, I taught him how to push open the door and close it all by himself. (Maybe I'll post that video if I can figure out how to do it.) And it was Ozzie who helped motivate me to take our first walks together. Soon, I began to recover and gain strength and I owe a lot of that to the little guy who was definitely one answer to prayer.

So it is with a lot of love that I enjoy sketching Ozzie boy who is truly a critter sent from God.

November Drawings

Phyllis (a local Cennini member and pastel-ist) and I, armed with cameras went out this morning on a hunt for images. Oklahoma is horse country so it was not surprising to find one. Here is a vine charcoal on newsprint...a quick sketch.

It was good to smell the "roses" ... in this case the lovely country side. It was a perfect ... sunny autumn day.

Is it murder to dissect? aka "smell the roses"

AN EVENING SCENE ON THE SAME SUBJECT
By William Wordsworth (1888)

UP! up! my Friend, and quit your books;
Or surely you'll grow double:
Up! up! my Friend, and clear your looks;
Why all this toil and trouble?

The sun, above the mountain's head,
A freshening lustre mellow
Through all the long green fields has spread,
His first sweet evening yellow.

Books! 'tis a dull and endless strife:
Come, hear the woodland linnet,
How sweet his music! on my life,
There's more of wisdom in it.

And hark! how blithe the throstle sings!
He, too, is no mean preacher:
Come forth into the light of things,
Let Nature be your teacher.

She has a world of ready wealth,
Our minds and hearts to bless--
Spontaneous wisdom breathed by health,
Truth breathed by cheerfulness.

One impulse from a vernal wood
May teach you more of man,
Of moral evil and of good,
Than all the sages can.

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings;
Our meddling intellect
Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:--
We murder to dissect.

Enough of Science and of Art;
Close up those barren leaves;
Come forth, and bring with you a heart
That watches and receives.

On Cennini Forum, some good advice was given me...i.e. "don't over analyze... observe and paint more."

This is my personality and why I am writing a blog. The problem for me in art is that in the past I always felt I was experimenting all the time. I knew what was in my head that I wanted but I didn't know how to get that down on paper or in paint. So over and over I worked and usually felt I never achieved the effect on canvas that I wanted.

Is it "murder to dissect" when it comes to art. I would say it could be if one tries to be mechanical about painting and forgets to "smell the roses." I don't think that is possible for me now ... but I could spend too much time reading and not enough time painting and observing.

Now, with the wealth of information on Cennini ... I see that there are artists that have forged through and solved a lot of the problems already ... and developed techniques that will help me achieve the results I want. So as one who loves to read and study this new resource is in fact taking a lot of my time.

So my goal is to paint 5 days this next week at least four hours each day. I will just paint and enjoy myself. So that was good advise.

A fellow artist and I will spend time searching for ideas for painting tomorrow. Wahoo.

1998 Still Life

(This is not a very good quality jpeg - its very dark and pixilated and there is glare right in the middle...and it's not in sharp focus. Maybe I need new scanners and cameras. It will have to do for the moment until I can replace it with better quality.)

Ten years ago, I painted this big watercolor which is about 24"x30" D'Arches. Matter of fact it is the biggest watercolor I have ever done. I like challenges so I got as many reflective things, tectures, etc. in one painting as I could. I have dried roses and ferns, patterns and all my beautiful inherited glass. Notice the hand painted wine glass on the left (if you can see it. Now that artist could paint!) And my prized antique venitian glass.

I am hesitant to post it because I would do so many things differently now. (I tend to bash my work and pick it to death. That is why so little of my work survives the axe.) However, there are parts of this painting that do what I wanted to do -- beautiful reflections -- and that pleases me. The bottles are the best part and that makes it acceptable to me. Maybe I should have just cropped everything else out... Aargh!!!!

WIP New Study - Praising the Egg

EDITED AND UPDATED: NOV 18, 2007
NEW WIP PHOTOS/EDITS

At this stage, the painting is still "cool" in temperature. I intend to warm it with glazes in the next layer. Lots of things to fix. Still struggling with my photography; however, I think the problem is in the photo editing software.

re: OIL STUDY - On Praising the Egg - WIP 1 - 8x10 canvas board
(REF Previous Post: "Laws of Fresole" - art is praise.)



This is the first layer. It will be sanded down after it dries. On the next layer I will try to follow some advice I got on Cennini Forum.

WHY PAINT AN EGG STILL LIFE?
I am attempting to praise the egg. (REF Previous Post: "Laws of Fresole" - art is praise.)
My goal is to show the loveliness of those shades of yellow which is surrounded with soft and subtle colors of white and texture. I'm trying to make that feeling you have every time an egg is cracked open ... it is so lovely to the eyes you want to touch it. A little egg -- encasing the potential for a living creature; this little egg is such a necessary ingredient to bolster the taste and texture of food. It gives us so much pleasure -- don't we all "eat to live and live to eat" --- the humble little egg.

NEW SILVERPOINT WIP PHOTO - re: A Silverpoint Egg Study (8 x 10 gesso hardboard)



WHAT IS SILVERPOINT?
A silver rod is substituted for a pencil lead .... and thus silver is deposited on the surface instead of lead or graphite. The silver marks will tarnish in time, and darken to a nice patina . . . this Work-In-Progress (WIP) ....still working on it.

PHOTO SET UP


Stay tuned.

New Cennini Lesson - Story of Merlin

I like the scene from the Story of Merlin:

"And from her brown-locked head the wimple throws, And takes it in her hand and waves it over the blossomed thorn tree and her sleeping lover. Nine times she waved the fluttering wimple round, And made a little plot of magic ground.”




I can see this in my head; the sleeping happy in-love Merlin asleep under a beautiful but thorny tree, and the conniving woman twirling her wimple in fluttering circles over him to cast an evil spell.

Could an image be drawn to create a contrast of vulnerable innocence of love, and premeditated evil conniving deceit in just one scene – like a blossom and a thorn?

I am hung up on the blossoming thorn bush/tree. The fairy could twirl her wimple over a bush but how could Merlin lie under it? So I guess it has to be a huge blossoming tree and she just twirls the wimple over Merlin lying underneath. ohhhhh…big abstract forms.

Rob instructs: "The first thing to think about is the point of view...where is the camera/eye positioned. Is it above, looking down through the trees. I wonder how long a wimple is when it's unfurled? I suspect it would make a big circular shapes if waved deftly, so you can have a strong white circle in a dark field with Merlin's light head in the center.

Think about the big shapes, not the eyelashes!"

Rob went on to say on another post to speak the emotions with the forms not with expressions on the face. Great direction. Did I accomplish this. Will up-load on to Cennini and find out.

BTW - The Thornbush is a flowing tree. It has five petal clusters and three pointed leaves. The wimple head covering: Worn by Medevil times (nuns wear them) a shoulder length scarf to cover the head, neck, forehead of a maiden. A cloth is cleaned, cut into strips and sewn into a sash measuring six or seven inches wide and ten or twelve feet long.

Note: The Cennini Form has gone to subscription only as of November 1st, and is no longer available fully. You can check out the forum as a guest at .

Cennini Artist Technical Boot Camp - Haverhill Massachusetts

This is the Artist Boot Camp Studio with Rob Howard.

Located in Haverhill (pronounced Hayv•rill - long "a" and not too much "r") a very quaint New England town of about sixty thousand. It was a beautiful sunny autumn day in the middle of a picturesque downtown. (pictures take up one way and down the other.)




Meet Rob Howard, Master Painter and Instructor. A brilliant man and fine instructor. His knowledge of the chemistry of painting is phenomenal.

This is one of his paintings that he used to demonstrate how to apply a finish using Gallery Varnish and Wax Medium.

Meet a few of the boot camper, fellow artists…a really diverse group from all of the US and Canada. All of us agreed that this experience definitely improves our skills and abilities.
Personally speaking, this is to me a turning point in my life. I learned so much that I am trying to absorb it today. It has given me some self-confidence that I have never had with regards to actually moving to a (horrors) white canvas with much more deliberation and less experimentation. I learned about all of the different supports available rather than wood and canvas; how to properly stretch and prepare a support, what all the mediums actually do and where to use them, what the brushes are actually made for, how to guild gold leaf properly, how to properly finish a completed painting and pack it for transport to a gallery, the importance of lead in paint, how to do a verdaccio and glaze it, how to glaze under painting, tips and tricks I had never thought of, what is silver point, how to grind emulsions with egg yoke, how to tube paint, etc., etc., etc. (I could go on...)

My plan is to attend the Art Camp and the Portrait Camp...meanwhile, I'm painting!!!!

EDIT UPDATE: Just finished the Art Boot Camp in February 2008. Visit my new review. This also delivered another growth spurt in my abilities and I highly recommend it. See my slide show.

Study In Progress

This is a study in progress (SIP) on canvas board that I am doing using underpainting gray-scale with 5 values. I intend to glaze this to had very subtle color. This is white on white. I am searching for a colored object to place in the composition and see what that does to the white and the color and the composition.

It has to be something that will give the eggs relativity in size or maybe not. I am also studying folds. I'm planning to keep the table cloth white but with a white design.

Can anyone guess what I am trying to say?

Lesson2 - Big Forms

These three compositions are bigger shapes but I think they need to be more abstract. I tried to make the drawing purly abstract forms but it wasn't making an impact on my thinking; I therefore, returned to more recognizable forms. I need guidance in this area. The impact of the composition, however, is more powerful although the middle ground and background are difficult to conceive.

Pressing on ... I think i will turn these into drawings that have more detail and texture.

Cennini Lessons on-Line...

Compositional abstractions. These are difficult to design! It would be easier, I think, if I did not know how to draw. The art lesson in composition is designed to teach how to "speak forth a message" visually from an imaginary story and it is challenging my mental ability. With that said, I am beginning to see how crucial it is to think this way before ever swiping a brush loaded with paint onto the surface of a canvas.

Here is my initial failed attempt.



(Moderator) Rob gives us an imaginary story of an Indian brave who wants to join his departed bride in the after life and his acceptance of that separation. He wants big abstract forms to tell the story. "What do you want to say?" Now, I must take that story and say something abstractly without using details, or symbolism, or rendering. I see that this is the key to creating a powerful statement.

I will post my progress and see if I can eventually come up with something acceptable. Right now, my drawings show how shallow my thinking has been. Instead of making big form abstractions, I went straight to rendering expressions which is big mistake and the focus in on the wrong character. The brave is the focus not the medicine man. The bride needs to look ghostly.

In reviewing this composition however, I did employ a compositional method without knowing it. I made the space narrow forcing the figures to come out. Originally, I chose to make pyramid shapes; pretty obvious. The moderator suggested that I strengthen these shapes and abstract them. I had trouble placing these in a composition so I decided to work on posing the figures separately hoping to work out a composition in steps. Here are the two sketches. I am still "drawing" instead of making abstractions. I am back to doing quick compositions in black marker on index cards. I think some designs are beginning to come forth. I will post these next.

Practicing the Piano = Skeleton From Memory

REVISED DRAWING

In the original draft, I forgot to adjust the radius/ulna and humerous joints upwards but this is still not quite right. It is the hand and fingers that are not in proportion. Will need to revise it again. I see how important accuracy is.

Like playing scales on a piano, I will get faster and more accurate as I practice these drawings.
----------------

It's a good start and I pat myself on the back. I am going to continue drawing these to gain speed and accuracy ... a good discipline. Like practicing the paino, you just have to do it to get better.

Next comes the muscles. Whew.

(Just a coincidence that these skeletons are posted in October. I do not celebrate Halloween as most of this Christian nation does because it celebrates and promotes darkness and evil. I do, however, love to dress up in nutty costumes, act silly, and gain at least a pound eating candy ... yum .... and that is how my children enjoyed this national holiday. Fight evil with good behavior and faith. More on this in another post.)

Beloved Poppie

After Lesson #76 learning to draw the skeleton from memory, I sketched this of pop (my dad who passed away 10 years ago this September) ...drawn from a formal portrait that was done for my parent's 50th anniversary. It surprised me easy and swift I got his likeness; the drawing lessons I am doing have made a huge difference. I am drawing faster.

After years of unfinished paintings and destroying much of what I have made because it was mediocre, I have finally come to realize how prudent that was. Until just recently, after years and years of drawing, my skill when to a new level. It has taken me THAT long. Now at this point I realize this: I cannot express what I am trying to say if I do not have the proper technical skills mastered...this fact, I am totally convinced of. Then and only then will I see if I am any good at all as a painter.

Anyone can learn to draw; not everyone can breathe life into a drawing. That is my goal. Same thing is true with painting...which is next. First step is Technical Boot Camp - Cennini Form's Rob Howard held Nov 1 in Haverhill Mass.

October Drawing Lesson: Contours

This lesson is suggested in the Great Master's Techniques Book: to draw a complete contour using little or no shading to define the form. I did this without grids, eyeballing everything and I am quite proud of myself for how clean (except for the coffee spill on his arm) and accurate it came out. It surprised me. I used the eraser only a very few times so it made me concentrate hard; a good discipline.

(Looks like Darren to me from a photo.)

Feeling Stupid

This is a very quick drawing of my Ozzie boy, a mixed breed white schnauzer who found us five years ago. Often when I draw my pets as soon as they see me staring at them they literally turn their entire bodies the other way and hide their heads. It is really funny.

This drawing is typical back of the head sketch.

Today, however, Oz was snoozing on the couch facing me with his usual one leg hanging off; I loved the way he was nonchalantly posed motivating me to reach for my sketchbook.

I’m quickly sketching away (don’t wake up Oz…) when slowly he opened his eyes but he didn’t move a whisker. “Just lie still,” I whispered. “Good boy,” with not too much enthusiasm in my voice. “I love sketching you, little guy.” Soon, the quick sketch was done. He yawned and rolled over. I'm a dog whisperer!!!

Why am I feeling stupid?

I can’t figure out how to get a small detailed gray scale jpeg. I’ve tried everything. I’ve read every thread I could find, tried all their suggestions with no really good results.

I wish someone could enlighten me how to do this without losing the lighter side of the gray scale.

The Laws of Fesolé

Few books I read have the power to change me. When I read an author's work that does, I never forget what is said. This is one book that did just that for me and helped this artist get a better perspective on what needs to go into producing art. I needed to understand the great importance of painting only subjects that I truly love and in doing so, to strive to praise that subject. Ruskin explains that artists always fail because the real thing ... reality ... will always be far superior to the greatest masterpiece on canvas. A perfectionist and arrogant artist who does not comprehend his rightful "place" and human limitations could be driven into the ground trying to do something that is simply impossible. After reading this little book, I felt that it had put the artist in me literally in my rightful place and it gave me a goal for every painting ... which is exacly what I needed. My goal now is realistic; to express what I love to the best of my ability. -- PAD


The Laws of Fésole – All Great Art Is Praise
By John Ruskin*
Principles of Drawing and Painting from the Tuscan Masters
ISBN 1-880559044-7


1. The art of man expresses his rational and disciplined delight in the forms of the laws of Creation of which he is a part.


2. All art is the skillful expression of pleasure in an experience or thing.

For example: A lamb at play, rejoicing in its own life only, is not an artist; but the shepherd, carving the piece of wood expresses in that image (even unconsciously) his pleasure in the laws of time, measure, and order.

3. Unconscious delight in the laws of nature has the capacity to create great art. Art is produced when, by reason and discipline, the artist has become conscious of the ravishment of an image before the artist.

4. Expression and delight in a beautiful or lovely thing is no less attained by sadness of its loss, than gladness of its presence. Art is often tragic or pensive; but all art is praise.

5. All art is praise as a law has no exceptions. If an artist cannot appreciate fully the subject he can never paint a great painting of it.

6. All art is the praise of something that the artist loves. The rank of an artist is determined by the height and breadth of his/her love of the subject.

7. Only that picture is noble which is painted in love of the reality. It is a law that embraces the highest scope of Art.

For example: If an artist desires to draw that the artist may represent something that is loved, advancement will be swift and sure. However, if the artist desires to draw that the artist may make a beautiful drawing, a beautiful drawing will never be made.

8. The best paintings are those that completely represents that object that the artist loves and has undertaken to represent; as the best language is that which most clearly says what the person undertakes to say and so the discussion of respective grace or admirableness of method is closed.

9. If painting is to be entirely good, the materials of it must be the best possible, and the conditions of time and place most favorable.

10. Perfect art perceives and reflects the whole of nature: imperfect art is fastidious, and impertinently prefers and rejects.

For example: The foible of Correggio is grace; Mantegna, precision; Veronese, narrow in gaiety; Tintoret in his gloom; Turner, light.

11. Knowing an artist’s weakness becomes an artist's strength; and the joy of every painter by which he is made narrow, is also the gift by which he is made delightful so long as he is modest in the thought of his distinction from others and no less severe in the indulgence of his proper instincts.

Accepting the artist's place … the artists will find distinctness, glory and use; but not doing so destroys the art in demanding that all men should stand in his compartment, or see through his color.

* John Ruskin (1819-1900) was the most influential art critic of the 19th century. He was artist, scientist and philosopher. Oscar Wilde, one of his students, said of him, "To you the gods gave eloquence such as they have given no other, so that your message might come to us from the fire of passion, and the marvel of music, making the deft to hear and the blind to see." -- from the cover

Assignment - Part 2 (of 4 parts)

Okay this is the 2nd part of a 4-part assignment (August) Assignment from Cennini Forum. Now to understand this Minotaur drawing assignment, you will have to visit the forum and read the "Minotaur Story" at:

http://forums.studioproducts.com/showthread.php?t=28619

A minotaur is a creature from mythology; a creature that is half human - half bull who is placed in a maze to contain the fierce creature. A warrior is sent with a sword and a ball of twine into the labyrinth to kill the minotaur. Part one of the assignment was teaching us how to combine - or morph - two un-related objects into one. On this part of the assignment we are to morph a man and a bull, tell a story, and express emotion.

I doubt if my story makes sense to anyone who hasn't read the myth. I made my minotaur without clothing and lots of hair and flesh. The drawing assignment is suppose to tell a story, express a feeling of depression, sadness, betrayal, entrapment, and impending doom.

I got the idea for the shadow from the forum's posted assignments ... so that was not an original idea however it was a good solution to simply the images. The assignment is also about composition but I think that will come in the final parts.

My attempt is okay but it could be much improved; there are much better solutions on the forum. However, I am learning something new with each assignment, and it is stimulating my thinking.

Re-do Morphing Assignment - Part 1 (of 4 Parts)

This is so cartooney to me . . . but how do you get around it with this assignment? Here is my new rendition. (I don't know what the (brack & white) brack fern has to do with this and neither does anyone else it appears. We'll find out today I think.)

One artist suggested that the crab enjoys the bugs collected on the front grill...clever thinking! Wish I'd thought of that.
Here is the link for the on-line lessons and the other artists' results on the Ceninni Forum. Quite clever.

http://forums.studioproducts.com/showthread.php?t=28619

UPDATE: Rob wrote on the forum today: "Wow! You guys are really warming to the subject and I'm impressed with all of them. They are absolutely individual. This three-part exercise was in preparation for illustrating a serious story about transmogrification. I will post that story later in the day and you'll see why I created this exercise. This sort of thinking will stand you in good stead for the coming assignment." (I did not post my drawings on the forum, so Rob's response was to what the other forum member artists work that was posted.)

Forum Homework Assignment

The following is an AUGUST assignment from art forum.

FORUM HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: "We'll begin with two drawings, one of a taxi (I always think of those New York Checker Taxis of the Dick Tracy era but you might have a different vision). The other drawing will be of a crab. As you know, I have quite a history with paintings those critters, so bear in mind that I will be looking at your crab with a
practised eye." -- ROB Howard (Moderator of Ceninni Forum)




CLUE # 2: Taxi-Crab. Brack and white. -- ROB



CLUE # 3: "Some of you made a joke about a taxi-crab, but that's where we're going with this. No, the final image will be about something else (and with a great story attached to it). What this evolution will be about is to take the salient parts of the taxi and those of the crab and combine them to make a new creature that shows the parentage of both (kinda like crossing a piranha with a bowling ball to produce Rosie O'Donnell). Make this new creation something that will work...something that will combine the qualities of a taxi along with those of a crab. Give it personality. I'd like to see the sketch on Friday morning. I hope that you are looking forward to this Taxi-Crab as much as I am." -- ROB

Two problems. I sort of went off on the Rosie example ... and missed the real assignment to "Make this new creation something that will work. i.e. a taxi-crab" ---ooops, hummm. Back to the drawing board for me....again. However, I did get a chuckle over this as my imagination went a little wacky. --- PAD



To see how all the other forum artists works on this assignment -- go to:
http://forums.studioproducts.com/showthread.php?t=28619&highlight=assignment

A Sketch Study a Day

A pencil study - Monsieur Marcotte by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres

Ingres is one of my favorites. He is just amazing.

That is my goal. A detailed pencil sketch a day surly will be beneficial to my skills.

On a Mission to Learn

Alsatian Girl by Jean-Jacques Henner (French 1829-1905)
This is the second study of profiles. How do you protray emotion in a profile ... that is the mission. I have learned that the profile changes least over the years. If you want to portray a person's likeness over their lifetime, do a profile but one must create the essense and energy of the person and that is a challenge.

I'm working on it.

HOW TO?

Painting: Franco-Flemish School (Early 15th Century) - Profile Portrait of a Lady

The black and white pencil sketch (below) is a study of this painting examining the edges and tones of the lady's face.


So far, scanning seems to be the best method though not as good as I would like.

Unfortunately, the scanner recorded the skin tones rather coarsely. The digital versions are unacceptable so far. When trying to adjust this in photoshop, if I lighten or soften the highlights, the dark values wash out and then all of the fine skin tones are lost.

I also have problems photographing my paintings in color; they go dark and when I lighten them in photoshop it never looks like the original painting.

I need to be able to make good digital black/white and color photos. What am I doing wrong? My photography is usually exceptional.

Can anyone offer some help?