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$1,000
I haven't had a watercolor brush in my hand for the last several months--this is the second of two paintings completed in the last week. It is always good for me to take a break because it recharges my batteries. This painting came together better than most of my nudes.
Private Collection
You will see some different handling of the human figure on this page--and I have no idea why--some things just happen when I get to painting. Sometimes I have this need to paint very realistic--other times I want to let caution fly to the wind and just do something off the beaten path. This is one of those off the beaten path--more impressionistic than anything else. On these compositions, I just wing it--sometimes I have an idea where I want to go, other times not. In this particular composition, I drew from a life drawing. I quickly sketched in the overall outline of the figure and then started painting. I use the term painting loosely--as I use a spray bottle of clear water to move the pigment here and there. I use my brush to get the pigment on the paper and between spray bottle doses, use the brush to move the pigment in places. The overall compositions are a bit erratic, but they seem to satisfy me.
"The Cool Air That Night"
$1,000
I don't know what to say about these paintings. This particular painting has been through several revisions--and not different paintings--the same painting revised over several times. The first rendition was not working, the second rendition was not working, the third rendition was not working, so I just figured I would make a complete mess of the whole thing. When I quit worrying about the whole deal, better things seemed to happen.
$1,000
It has been a long time since I've used the human body as a subject--the painting above was the summer of 2000 and it is now the summer of 2002. Where does the time go? Although I haven't used the human body as a subject in a painting, I have continued to do some life drawing during the winter. Sometimes we do over 20 sessions during a fall, winter, and spring--unfortunately this year things didn't work out and we had 8 sessions during the winter quarter. It was barely enough to keep my drawing skills coherent.
"One Knows Their Own Self"
Private Collection
I've spent the summer of 2000 off camping, fly fishing, and hiking. I like the down time because it seems to build creative energy for when I get back in the studio. It doesn't matter whether the painting is a nude, landscape, still life, or whatever, I just feel reenergized.
$300
This is the latest in my artistic journey as it relates to painting the human figure. I usually paint on 140 lb. paper, but used 300 lb. on this one because I was interested in developing softer edges--I also downsized to have a bit more control. The heavier paper stays wetter longer--which is a plus when you are looking for soft edges. I was a bit timid here--and could have pushed the lights and darks on the body a bit more--but when I'm in a learning stage, I paint a bit on the conservative side. As I learn with these compositions, I will push a bit harder.
Private Collection
The artistic journey continues with my nudes. I'm slowly finding my way, very slowly. These are real "seat-of-your-pants" paintings. Nothing is a given. I use a lot of water and a spray bottle, and there is only so much control available. This composition came together better than most--maybe I'm learning--or maybe I was just lucky. I love to do these paintings--they are such a free expression that they are almost irresistable. I think there will be many more to come.
$1,000
This painting was completed as part of my online project "Abstract Texture." I started this painting out by stretching a full sheet of Arches CP, 22" x 30" and then wetting it all over. After I had the paper completely saturated with water, I dripped and poured gesso randomly around the paper. Since my paper was quite wet when I poured the gesso, I got a light gesso film over most of the surface and good streaks where I was intent on pouring continuous lines. Because of the gesso overlay, the way the pigment reacted on the surface was a whole new experience. I just try to go with what happened as the pigment went down, trying to build form as best as I could. For sure a different effect..
"Lonely In A World Of Mist"
Private Collection
Sometimes it is good to get away from color and just do the essentials of form, shape, texture, and value.
"Instincts Are To Multiply"
Private Collection
At my life drawing sessions, there are a number of artists that do fantastic things with the human body--their medium is oil, and their rich, colorful compositions always amaze me. I take my drawing paper and pencil and spend my time learning shapes and proportions. That is my Dr. Jeckyll--my Mr. Hyde comes home, pulls out the watercolors and lets caution fly to the wind.
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$1,000
The journey continues with the "Nude in Blue." A different technique with this painting--I did more wet on dry. I'm still seaching, but I have the feeling that I'm gaining ground. This watercolor journey is not an easy thing, and progress isn't consistent. Ideas are forming, and I'm looking forward to more paintings.
$1,000
When I get a bit burnt out from painting regular things--really representational things, I grap a piece of paper and staple it to my plywood board. I have a journey in mind, to the wild side--something a bit less representational. My nudes have become my escape--a way of getting crazy with watercolor. I usually have a study from one of my life drawing classes, but the final edition seldom looks much like that orginal sketch--maybe in general form. I get that form on paper and let the watercolor Gods guide me through the whole process. It is a "seat of your pants" type of painting.
"An Unconscious Shape in Every Act"
$1,000
This is my latest effort with the human figure. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do here--especially since the figure had clothing--although it was coming off. I spent a lot of time with washes to build form on the body. Once I had that settled to my desire, I worked on the slip coming over the shoulders.
$1,000
Sometimes I get in a bit of a philosophical mood when I paint. When I did this painting, I was wondering whether "Eve" was really responsible for the degradation of women in about every society in the world. I could go on here, but will let it rest--you can think on it.
$1,000
This is about my third or fourth watercolor nude and was painted around 1996. It is now 1999 and I don't have much more clue about these things than I had back in 1996--that can be translated into: "still searching for the right technique." I'm surely better at drawing the human form, but that seems to be the extent of my progress. Good thing I'm pretty stubborn, or I would have given up long ago.
"Love Is Such An Empty Word"
$1,000
I never really know what to think about these right brain creations. I put some pigment on the surface, look at it, pull out a spray bottle of clear water, spray here and there-- and then let the paper start drying. As the paper dries, shapes start to emerge and clarify. I keep looking, trying to decide what areas need more emphasis. When I see something, I go through the pigment--spray bottle routine once more. I just keep pushing the painting until it feels right. When I do old cars or buildings, it is a pretty rigorous process--and requires a lot of attention to detail. The abstracts are my fun time, where I get to go where my whim tells me.
$1,000
I started taking a life drawing class a couple of years ago and have tried a number of figure paintings. I don't know what it is about painting the female figure that gets me into my deep thinking mode. In this painting, I'm thinking about the enigmatic nature of peolpe in general, but females in particular.
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