1ST SLIDE SHOW OKLAHOMA WORKSHOP!

This was the Tyvek demo I did today.  Everyone finished up their painting today.  Some had a chance to do more than one.  For some, this was the first portrait they had ever done, for others this is a continuation of their exploration of portraiture.  As always, a wide range of experience, but everyone tried something new and worked on stretching their skills.  Here is a slide show of their efforts.

1ST. DEMO FOR OKLAHOMA PORTRAIT WORKSHOP!

Here in the Tulsa, Oklahoma suburb of Broken Arrow, the weather is running hot and cold, wet and dry but the workshop is HOT HOT HOT!  Everyone is really into the work and progressing nicely.  Tomorrow I should be able to create a slide show of the first paintings.  This is the first demo.  I always like to start with a forward facing older face.  I put a textured gesso surface on the paper and used Dr. Martin's Hydrus watercolors.  

MY DEMO DAY 3 SAN DIEGO "VARIATIONS" WORKSHOP

I am trying to create a slide show of the work from Day 2 but the slide.com web site is not working properly and I cannot get it to "save" the slide show.  If anyone knows how to fix this problem from my end, let me know.  

This painting started out as a failed painting.  I collaged several hand painted and stamped tissue papers I had made previously, leaving a little of the original paper for contrast.  When the collage dried, I painted on top with Hydrus Liquid Watercolor by Dr. Ph Martin.  I used a little white gesso for the opaque areas.  The challenge was I brought the wrong set of colors.  All my favorite colors are sitting in my studio!  So this was done with Thalo Green, Sepia, Cobalt Violet, Permanent red (practically day-glo [yuck]) and lemon yellow.  Somehow I made it work.

ANOTHER DEMO SEQUENCE FROM ISRAELI WORKSHOP!

This demo is on Tyvek so I had to work flat.  Using the tray as a support turned out to be a great solution.  Of course, it limits the size you can work on.

I met with my friend, Janak, today to bring him some Tyvek paper.  He is planning to visit family in India and they wanted paintings.  His solution was to work with Tyvek using acrylic and oils, then travel with them rolled up.  A great idea!  The acrylic and oil looked excellent on the paper and there was no problem with the paint flaking off when it was rolled up.

Enjoy the slide show!

PHOTOS FROM ISRAEL WORKSHOP

I am back home and now I have to spend a few days reorganizing my art and setting my house in order.  Looks like the mail and dust piled up during my absence.  In the meantime, I have some images to share with you.   Carol Feldman (Drawing Tel Aviv) did a fabulous job of photographing the workshop.  It was wonderful getting to meet her in person and have her in the class.  I'm not sure what I had to teach her, as she is incredibly accomplished.  Carol has all the photos posted in an album on the web.  You can click on the title of this post to see the entire album.  Here is a sequence of one of my demos.  I started on a gessoed surface.  After the painting was part way completed, I let it dry, then applied white tissue collaged over it.  When that was dry, I completed the painting.

DEMOS FROM ISRAELI WORKSHOP

I held a Beginning Watercolor Portrait Workshop in The Artists' House in Tel Aviv.  It is a most unusual building by American standards with exhibition spaces and work spaces tucked in and around in an irregular manner.  It was a bee hive of activity.  There was preparation for over 5 new exhibits this past week with an opening reception on Thursday night.  Over a thousand people came for the reception.  The space I taught in was very crowded but all 15 of the participants eagerly went to work and produced quite a bit of work.  I will be sharing more in the coming days but here are two of the demos I did for the class.  Because of space limitations, I worked on quarter sheets of watercolor paper.  The first painting was created by covering an unpainted sheet of watercolor paper with white tissue paper, glued down with diluted matt medium.  When it was dry, I drew the image with a brush and painted it.  The second image started out as a painting on gesso covered watercolor paper.  I wasn't too happy with the painting, so I added a layer of white tissue with the same glue mixture as above, and let it dry.  I then added paint on top.  

GUALALA WORKSHOP FINAL DAY "HEAD & HANDS" DEMO AND SLIDE SHOW

Knowing how to draw and paint hands is critical when painting portraits.  Otherwise you are severely limited in your options.  The last day of the workshop we focus on ways to approach drawing hands and incorporating them into a painting.  This was my demo.  I decided to collage over tyvek since I had never done that before and wanted to see how it would behave.  This was the result.  The slide show is the student work for the day.  Great job!!

We had a wonderful week here in Gualala.  I hope I have the opportunity to come back again to teach.  This is a fabulous community and a charming place to spend some time.  Just south of Point Arena on the Pacific Coast amongst the Redwoods with the Pacific Ocean lapping at the shore.  Ah Paradise!

SELF PORTRAITS STUDENT SLIDE SHOW!

Today we worked on creating self portraits by looking in the mirror as opposed to working from a photograph.  I was impressed with the quality and output today.  This is a fun group of people to work with.  Tonight most of us went out for dinner and great conversation.  Tomorrow is the last day.  I will be sad to say goodbye to everyone.  Hopefully I will be back for another workshop.

DAY 2 ADVANCED WATERCOLOR PORTRAIT WORKSHOP GUALALA

This is the demo I did for today's demo.  The idea is to change the lighting on the face you are painting.  It takes quite a bit of concentration to translate the light pattern you see on another image and transfer it to the one you have.  The following slide show is the result of lots of great work today.  Everyone grasped the concept and ran with it!

GUALALA WORKSHOP DAY 1 DEMO & SLIDE SHOW

I have a small but enthusiastic group here in beautiful Gualala, California.  The Advanced Watercolor Portrait workshop is at the Gualala Art Center.  I will take some photos of the grounds and building and post later in the week.  It is a stunning venue.  Day one deals with the opportunity to explore various color ideas.  I have everyone work on a half sheet divided into 5 x 7 segments.  As you can see by the slide show, everyone really had fun with this concept.  I wish my photography was as good as their efforts!  I must do a better job of photographing tomorrow.

At the end of the day, my husband and I sipped wine, sitting in comfy chairs outside watching the sun setting into the Pacific Ocean.  A perfect ending to a wonderful day.

LA CROSSE DAY 3 DEMO: LINE

I have been admiring Norman Laliberte's work lately.  This is my tribute to him.  Torn black paper silhouette and white and black ink with some matalic paper collage.  Everyone is really in the spirit of the workshop and all are having fun.