Terry Miura Challenge - Final

"Red Light Green Light"

Painting is 18x18x1.5" - Linen

I had fun with this. Each car has it's own personality and shape. As much as I wanted to leave more abstract shapes, I feel that I went a little too far on the cars. This was a great learning experience for me, and I enjoyed keeping it SIMPLE. I try to do this with all my paintings by starting each shape with only two values, and going from there. It is like a building block. Or as I say to my students, start with the silver dollar, on top of that put the fifty cent piece, then the quarter, and only if it is necessary, add more detail. Detail should be only the last 5% of a painting at most.....

Be sure to go to http://terrymiura.blogspot.com/ to check out the rest of the entries for this challenge. Terry is one of the best blogger's out there because he shares his thought process in a very honest and generous way. Much for you to learn on this site. And Terry, let's do this again soon!

Challenge with Terry Miurra...Progress

Here is my attempt at painting from Terry Miura's photo. The challenge is to simplify, and because I am on this path lately to simplify and paint with the concept in mind (rather than to copy), I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I haven't had a lot of studio time lately, but I started with the under painting a few days back. I don't always start a painting the same way, and to me this one called for breaking down the value shapes into no more than "two" values  - why not? I've been using a varnish medium to wash in my under paintings and decided to try it for the block in. The result is nice and transparent. My goal here, other than to simplify and stay out of the details, is to paint the "idea". I love street scenes, and have been admiring Terry's new Street Series.

In fact, I just finished a new street piece, but it had people and not cars. So I decided that I could do this in the same manner, kind of. Or I was hoping for the same type of result, where I would paint "shapes" not people, and "shapes", not cars.

Okay, for the concept. I was in Carmel last weekend where I got to get up close to some large paintings by Ken Auster. I just love the way he can take a city scene in San Francisco and guess what-- SIMPLIFY.

I bought his book and in it he talks about the way he will use warm and cool to bring life into a gray painting. So, I wanted to paint this piece with that in mind. Cool shadows, warm light. I want to do it without going crazy with color, which I have a tendency to do.

Today I had a chance to get back to the piece finally.  I wanted to establish the values again buy comparing the foreground to the middle ground to the background. To create distance you want to be careful to use the tools of a painter - cooler, softer, grayer, smaller, etc., as to painting recedes.

I'm hoping to finish this up and I'll post the final asap.

Challenge with Terry Miurra....Should be fun!

I consider myself very fortunate to be teaching at the School of Light and Color. First of all, Susan Sarback is an amazing artist and teacher. She founded the school in 1989. So not only do I get to teach along side Susan but also Terry Miura, David Lobenburg and others who are just amazing artists.
This week Terry has challenged us to join in painting a city scape in a simplified manner, so read up and join in the fun. I'll be posting my work and progress after I get started....

Simplify! - A Cityscape Challenge

by Terry

OK! Looks like we have a bunch of takers! WooHOO~!

I'm glad so many of you want to try this. I think it'll be very interesting and instructive not only to do an exercise like this, but to see how others solve the same problems. How exciting~

OK, so the photo above is the reference we will all use to do a painting. Everyone is welcome to try - this is just for fun, remember, so don't even worry if you feel like you're too much of a beginner. Just give it a try. I guarantee you'll learn something!

I think we ought to have some basic guidelines.

• Use the reference photo above. If you click on it, you'll get a larger version on your screen. Feel free to download it to your desktop to print it out or whatever you need to do to make it easier for you to paint from.
• Deadline. Let's say three weeks. You have to have it done and posted by March 11th.
• By "posted" I mean you can send me a jpeg via email, or if you're a blogger and you'd like to post your efforts on your own blog, just email me the link.
• Any medium.
• Any size.
• Remember the point is to simplify. NOT to try and render every damn detail.
• You may use some or all of the "rules" that I talked about in my last post. You don't have to use any of them. You can come up with your own set of rules. You don't have to have any rules at all.

Again, this is just for fun so do it in the way you feel comfortable. There are no rules as to technique or methods or sequences. I just want to see how different (or similar) our solutions are.

If you're a blogger, you might post the work-in-progress on your blogs. Might be fun, and your readers may want to try, too. If you do post your progress, please send me the link.

I think that's it for now.  Good luck and have fun~

Cityscapes are hard to paint not only because everything has to be drawn well, but also because there's just an overwhelming amount of information that needs to be processed. Simplification is key, but arbitrary editing of detail can easily end up with a weak painting that lack a sense of intent.   With so much "stuff", it's not easy to know what to include and what to edit out, especially because you know all that detail contributes to the texture of the city clutter.

One way to approach it is to have rules for editing –and you know by now I like rules. This way, you can do it systematically (more or less) and it helps me to get the painting going in the right direction. Here are some that I use often;

• Decide on a dominant color theme (in this case, blue green) and mix every color as a variation of it. (you want violet? start with blue green and bend it towards violet. Think of it as a violet-er version of the original blue green)
• Paint every element (car, tree, asphalt, etc.) in just two values.  Later on you can add a third value to the more important elements.
• Link all similar valued adjacent shapes.
• Have a large passive area. (Forces me to have an area with NO detail, juxtaposed against which the more active areas need less "stuff" in order to look detailed)
• Treat super sharp edges as exclamation points. Don't shout everywhere.

These are not rules for all painting nor are they for every painter. They're just rules that guide me to do what I do, and they work well for me. With another painting, I may have a completely different set of rules. The point is, having this type of structure is helpful in keeping my mind organized and focused. It helps me avoid making arbitrary and thoughtless decisions. 

I had this idea of inviting anyone who wants try this way of approaching the cityscape to give it a go, and sharing your results and thoughts on the experience.  I would post a reference photo for us to use - we'd all use the same photo so that we can compare and contrast how we each respond to the same problems. Wouldn't that be interesting?  Challenging, to be sure, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

JUST WHITE by Randy Blasquez

Just White, by Randy Blasquez, 30 x 30 x 1.5"

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm still out here. The holidays this year were wonderful, but I got off to a late start as far as planning goes and I thought I'd let you know what I'm up to lately.

Classes are going great. What a blessing it is to work with a student over a period of time, and see tremendous progress. I'm starting to really see what happens when a student comes in and wants to learn to paint after perhaps many years of thinking about it. It can be daunting to be sure, but with a little encouragement and some continued effort, a little light begins to shine. When I see this little light begin to shine, I know that this particular student has been reading about art, visiting art galleries and museums and sketching. These are all huge in the scheme of things if you want to grow. And the next thing you know this student is stepping out of their comfort zone again and taking another workshop with a new instructor. They might begin to see where their weaknesses are, and address them by taking a drawing class. Or they might try painting the same paintings again, only working out the flaws. But when I have a student that brings in her/his work from home to share with me, I know they are on the train to success. They are on the train to success because they are doing what it takes, making time to paint and paint and paint....

This is when I get excited about their excitement about painting, because I remember how that feels, and still does. It feels like a whole lot of joy!

So, as this year begins to come together I know I want to take some classes with Terry Miura and glean some of that beautiful design juice from him. The way he is painting the figure right now is amazing.

I have decided what shows I want to enter if I can get my act together, but I have not set my sights too high. 

I'm considering renting a studio space close to the school. Just looking around right now.

I'm hoping to go to the Weekend with the Masters event in September in San Diego. 

And I've been busy painting some large scale paintings for a new gallery.  I am ready to make delivery in a couple of weeks so I decided to share one of them with you today. The rest will get posted after all is said and done, and you just never know.

Just one more thing, I'm seriously considering a workshop abroad next year and have been doing the footwork for that, so if you want to know more, just ask! Beginners Welcome!

Better Results using Proportions and Angles

Provincial Vista from the Village

Oil on Linen - 16x20"

I just wrote a short lesson for my classes and decided to post it, even though I haven't taken photos to help with it. I will do some demonstrations in class and ask one of the students to take some photos. So I'll just add those later. 

I painted this scene upon my return from France a couple of years ago after spending two weeks painting in the Villages of Provence. It was like going back in time to walk the cobble stones among the old 15^th century buildings.

BETTER RESULTS using PROPORTIONS and ANGLES

To paint well we must first learn to see well. Part of that learning curve is the necessity to learn how to see and draw proportions and find the angles of our subject.

Really it is just learning how to measure what we see rather than just eyeballing it. I have seen paintings that would otherwise be very nice, but it is always obvious to the viewer when something is “off”.

This can be done free hand using only your brush and your view catcher. Set up a simple two object still life and let’s get started.

1.     First I do a simple thumbnail sketch using a black Prismacolor pencil to block in my composition and values, relying on my view catcher.

2.     After I turn to my canvas and wash in a transparent tone, I am ready to measure my proportions and angles.  

3.     I need to look through my view catcher again, this time use the sides of the opening edges to find the location of the objects. (note*-the proportion of the canvas must be the same as the view catcher, if it is not, change it to match the canvas you will be painting on.) When I say use the sides, compare where to top of the object is in relation to the top/botton and left and right sides of the edges. Mark these one at a time. Do this first for the composition as a whole, and then for each object in your set up.

Note: To make sure the perspective is correct, I extend my arm fully each time I look through the view catcher or brush, then close one eye, and make sure that I stay in the same position while looking at the subject.

4.     Now connect the dots with a light line of paint. This is your composition. Does it fit onto the canvas the way you want it to?

Note: You will have made this decision in your thumbnail sketch, so check to make sure it is approximately the same. Now is the time to move it if you decide.

5.     Now put down the view catcher and begin to look for the proportion of the objects. Your marks are in place. This is an estimate. Now use your brush to find the proportion – which is a measure of increments. You will need to choose an obvious unit of measure, (a length or width of something important in the subject – such as the width of an apple – that you will compare to the width and height of another object in the set up.

Note: Hold your brush and with your thumb and index finger, line it up with the tip and the edge of your object, and compare the distance to the opposite edge, this could be top/bottom or right to left edge. Use this same unit of measure to get the height and width of the other objects.

6.     After you measure, check your original marks and adjust as needed. Now begin to connect the marks to make your drawing.

Note: You will need to learn how to find the angles at this point using your brush the same way as before, only now you are tilting your brush to line up with the edge and then bring it to the canvas to record it. Just mark on your canvas what you observe with your brush.

            **Note: Measure as many times as you need to get the correct proportion. Often you will not get it right the first time, so if you get the feeling that something is off, just measure again. If you continue to use this practice it will become automatic and you will soon be able to accurately depict on canvas what you see. A huge payoff!

Christmas in a Jar

Christmas in a Jar    20x16"

Christmas on a Silver Platter      11x14"

Last week I had two classes, one intermediate and the other a beginning oil painting class at the School of Light and Color. The students wanted to paint something for Christmas this week and it turned out to be a fun exercise.

The first painting, a study in red, was the most challenging. I started with a red and violet wash, which was a mistake I think, because it made it all that much more difficult to get this all red setup to have something else to say. The red wasn't standing out enough, but in the end as I added more darks, the reflections in the warm and blueish tones, and the highlights on the glass, it started to come together.

The Poinsettia piece was a lot of fun. I tried to stay out of the lights as long as possible, and after the block in I began to add some light. I like this way of "sneaking up" on the lights in a painting. I find that I am much more successful at knowing when to stop.

Thank you all who have been a part of my classes this year. You have been a huge blessing to me. Merry Christmas...

Painting With Friends

Allison's Red Shoes

This past Saturday I invited myself to join my friend Allison Carlos as she was instructing a wonderful group of ladies for a one day workshop. She had set up a beautiful table top with a couple pairs of her shoes and some fruit. I am blessed to have her as a friend and she is an amazing  painter. She made a wonderful Italian meal for lunch also. Had a great time. 

When we spend a lot of time in our studio alone, there is nothing better than to join a group of painters. It is the best of both worlds. Wonderful group, wonderful painting time and great food!!

We are planning to take a few days next Spring and teach a workshop up in Lake Tahoe. Can't wait.

Check out this piece on the FASO art contest if you want to "like".

FASO Art Contest

Small Daily Studies

 Painting Demo Sketch

A few years back I participated in the 50 paintings in 50 days show at the 20th Street Gallery in Midtown, for 3 years in a row. I submitted to the show because I wanted to learn to paint small and I did, but I learned so much more than that. As I painted each day I began to simplify the painting, and I noticed that my brush strokes were looser and more direct. I was getting more comfortable with my tools, and most of all I learned to discipline myself to focus on painting regularly. But in addition to that, when I went back to larger paintings, I was able to use the things I learned - things like value, shapes, and color. Over all it was very beneficial in a lot of ways.

This week in my beginning oil painting classes at the School of Light and Color in Old Fair Oaks, California, we have begun a new series of studies. I decided last week that this would be a great way for new painters to practice painting small while at the same time learning about - you guessed it - simple value shapes, shadow and light, color mixing and color harmony. My hope is that this will improve every body's confidence because when you paint one small painting in each class, you will have to put together the steps that I have been teaching and still have time to finish a painting while the inspiration is fresh.

So I asked everybody to bring in a small object that they felt inspired to paint, and we put a light on it right next to their easels. Then we used our view finders to crop and compose some beautiful shapes and shadows and light. Not much time to get over-involved, just paint. Everybody did a great job today.

Next week we will paint the same object with white and black paint only. I will teach them to mix a value scale and work from that. After Thanksgiving week, we will do a complementary color scheme using only two complements and black and white. Maybe after that do it again using analogous colors or something like that, very fun!

Follow This Link If You Like

http://faso.com/boldbrush/painting/26407

Small to Large Paintings

Twice a month on Tuesdays I am teaching an intermediate oil painting class. I was recruited into coming back to the Capital Art Center at S12 Studios owned by Patris Miller. Last January I left this location to teach beginning oil painting at the School of Light and Color in Fair Oaks.
Some students had been studying with me for years, and wanted me to come back. My friend Renee White made it easy for me. I'm so glad she did, it is a wonderful talented group. Twice a month is about all I can fit in but I'm loving it. We are having a good time right now. Last time we met we painted a small study and next week we will be paint a larger painting. Or, starting a larger painting.
I started out with a scene from Italy in an old village with people walking with their umbrella's. I've been wanting to paint people walking in a street scene for years.Since then I've changed my mind because the photo I was attracted to was not my own, and I thought about all the Paris photos I took a couple of years ago. Wonderful street scenes. I've looked at them over and over and until now had not had a vision for a painting. But after painting the Italian scene in a small study version, it came to me and I went to my Paris photos. I found lots of possibilities...and I don't have to paint umbrellas and rain to get the reflections I want if I use the photos from twilight that I took. The light at that time of day in Paris is amazing!!!

I have other photos with the red awnings and lights so I've decided to add those in.So, now the real challenge, to make it work in a very large format.
I'll keep you posted....
S12 Studios at 1200 S. Street, Sacramento

Don Hatfield

Today I spent the day in a figure painting intensive workshop with Don Hatfield. We had a great model and that is always a good thing for inspiration.
http://hatfieldfineartblogspot.com
Patris set it up at her studio in downtown Sacramento. Check out Don's work, it's amazing. He is a really good instructor and quite a fun person to paint with.

 I didn't finish, got tired. But I learned a lot.....

Ovanes Berberian Workshop in Carmel Overview 2011

Let Them Eat Cake by Randy Blasquez  $800.

I got back last week from my third workshop with Ovanes in about eleven months. I should be painting pretty well by now right? Well, the truth is, I'm a slow learner. What I mean is that I've discovered it takes hard concentrated work to get anywhere in the business of being an artist. I'm not talking about the business side of things, I'm talking about just picking up new information, processing it, and integrating it into your paintings. Every time I learn something new, it takes a long time to go through that process. If I don't have time to do the work, or if I don't get to it I will end up losing it. So if I'm going to spend all this money and time learning from Ovanes, I'd better get to work! More practice, more practice, more practice.

Speaking of practice, I've been doing just that for about six months now, working on a new series of still life florals. It has been difficult, but at the same time rewarding. I've been discouraged, confused, unfocused, excited, and tired! But I'm glad for the opportunity to push myself to this degree. Maybe someday you will see these paintings. Ha! Most of them will be going in the trash. Hopefully, with continued study and practice, I will have a few successes to show.

Back to the workshop. Ovanes has a beautiful cottage home/studio in the Carmel by the Sea area. Quaint little neighborhood, beautiful garden. He held his workshop right there in the garden. There were about 14 of us set up to paint plein air still lifes. The first day he did what he usually does, and that is a lecture and do a quick demonstration of what he wants us to accomplish (attempt).

 Then he sends us out to spend the whole afternoon in the garden. (His workshop in Carmel last year was at the beach). The days started out cloudy, and in a couple of hours the sun came out. This made problems for me because I failed to understand that when the sun comes out, you move to another canvas. Ugh! So I ended up chasing the sun/shadows to the point of confusion.

What was very good for me was that I have come to love this new technique that he has taught me this year. He uses a gum turpentine/damar varnish/linseed oil combination medium that you use to brush in very clean transparent washes. I am finally getting the idea of this and loving it. 

In the next post I will give you the process. I am teaching it in my intermediate classes in downtown Sacramento as well.

In the mean time, here are some photos from the workshop.

 Ovanes's assistant, Susan, is teaching the students how to set up their palettes...

 My palette in the foreground.....Chris next door.

 Renee under her umbrella.....

 Chris hard at work......

 Connie looking good.....painting apples.

 Renee and her paper towels.....

Weekend With the Masters

As I mentioned before, I attended my first  Weekend With the Masters Conference a couple of weeks ago. I had been wanting to go for a couple of years, and because it was so close to home - only three hours by car - I decided to sign up for a couple of lectures and a one day workshop with C.W. Mundy.

 It was the right thing to do for the first time I think. Next year I'd love to buy the whole package and really delve into it.

The artists that were there were the same ones that I love and follow pretty closely. (With the exception of Ovanes Berberian and Terry Miura) The experience better than I could have hoped. Not to mention that I love Monterey.. I was glad that my friend Ronna Scott and I took it at a reasonable pace. We got in a little bit of everything including some very good eating.

The event was held at the Portola Hotel very close to the shore. Many of the plein air painters chose to conduct their workshops right there. 

Ronna and I arrived with plenty of time to get checked in and unpacked and take a tour of the area on foot. When we left Sacramento it was 100 degrees and when we arrived it was only 59! As it turned out the little main street in Monterey was having their weekly market and fair. We prepared for the next day and went to bed early.

We went to lunch at the famous Casanova Restaurant, yum!

The next morning we attended our first class at the event, a lecture with C.W. Mundy. We were very entertained and at the same time I love the way CW drove home the trusted belief in the importance of the focal point. He talked about his journey as an artist and musician. You really must read up about his 7 foundational truths for a successful painting. He is an amazing painter and teacher.
 http://www.cwmundy.com/artist/

The next day was our workshop with CW.

 This is Mundy's demo piece

And this is my piece from the class....

Last but not least on Friday evening we attended an amazing demonstration by two artists who painted the same model. 

On Friday evening of Weekend With the Masters, Quang Ho and Daniel Sprick will take the stage to conduct a side-by-side painting demonstration of the same model. Although Quang and Sprick have different painting styles—Quang paints in a representational manner this is firmly planted on the foundations of painting but that pushes into the realms of abstraction and expressionism; while Sprick’s tightly controlled, Old Master-like technique coupled with his contemporary subject matter are bridging the gap between realism and modernism—they both have strong philosophical views on the process and purpose of painting, which will they will share with audience members as they conduct their demonstrations. 

Definitely worth the price of admission. Next year the conference is in San Diego, so who wants to drive??

Cantelope Finished Pieces....

These are photos from Wednesday's Class at the School of Light and Color...the students did a great job!

Cantelope and Plums

Today we continued in class on the "fruit still life" theme. The students are really enjoying this beautiful fresh fruit. When I got home today I was so hungry and it looked so good, I had to eat the melon!
It's been a good exercise in really learning to "see" what we are looking at. It helps to know what you are looking "for". We were looking for VALUE, SHAPE, LIGHT, & SHADOW. If you look you will find it......
I brought my two paintings home to photograph and post. One of them got mushed in the car ride, ugh!
After my trip next week (post coming soon about that), I will finish the two pieces in class while helping the students complete their works. I will post more photos at that time.

More Melons

I wanted to re-post the photo from Tuesday and add the second melon piece...........