Long time no see...

So two years ago after I finished my stethoscope painting, I began nursing school.  This explains the extreme absence in paintings over the last couple years.  I do not have any that I am working on but over the summer of 2013 I did complete the one that I posted an underpainting for and I did two others.  It isn't enough, I have countless pictures that I cannot wait to turn into paintings but I need to finish school and get a job before I really dive into it again.  So as an explanation and brief update I'm putting this post up...
Thanks for your patience and understanding!

Step by Step Pastel Painting

Here is the step by step painting of a stethoscope I have worked on between work and school :)  Enjoy and as always, let me know what you think!

First I added all of the colors I saw in the photo in an underpainting.  I love beginning bright and vibrantly, and I think that when the painting is finished, those colors really help the painting pop!

Then I began adding some lighter colors that reflect closer to the colors of the skin and shirt in the reference photo I was using.

 Then I began blending and working on the shadows in the skin cast by the shirt and by the anatomy.  I also was trying to set the stage for the stethoscope to be added by putting in the shadow of it before I added it.

I was also working on the colors in the shirt and trying to get the light to cast correctly while keeping some of the vibrant colors.

 Now the moment of truth! Adding in the stethoscope.  I was nervous about this part because if I didn't do it right, correcting the underpating would be hard and it would lose the fluidity.

 I decided the stethoscope needed to be bigger that I had made it base on the rest of the scale.  But I was able to do it without muddying up the background.  I enjoyed adding lots of color to the head of the stethoscope to reflect its shape.

 Finally I added shading on the shirt and in the stethoscope to make it more rounded. And it is done :) I thoroughly enjoyed completing it!  Also below is my new piece that I have just started on!! The underpainting is in progress!

Featured in an Art Blog!

An exciting new adventure for me has recently occurred and I am so pleased to let everyone know that I was featured in an art blog today! A young woman who features new artists every Monday has interviewed me and posted that as well as pictures of my art, and links to my shop and blog.  You never know who you're going to meet or how networking will turn out in the end.  It didn't cross my mind that I would meet someone who would feature me as an artist on her blog on Etsy!  Please check out her blog and check back for new artist interviews! Just click here!

I am also happy that I got more prints of my art and posted some new pictures of them on my Etsy Shop.  The pictures aren't as zoomed in as the others so that you can get a better idea of what the prints look like.  I am working on getting  an 8.5x11 frame to post a picture of them framed as well. :)

Yoga Series #2 Done!!

Finished my second painting in my Yoga series.  This one is called "Strength" and the pose is the Reverse Warrior.  I didn't mention in my post that my previous Yoga painting, with the orange, yellow, and purple has been named "Tranquility" and a print is now available in my Etsy Shop.

My "Strength" Yoga Painting is a compilation of blues, yellows, and greens in many shades and tones.  I worked on the background first with energy and a combination of strokes.  Then I sketched out a rough drawing of the figure in light blue and added lights and darks in blue and green until the shape took a little more form.  I really like the combination of thin and thick lines helping the figure to take up space in the painting.  I'm posting three pictures in this pose, two are of "Strength" one a progress picture after I first started it (it is a little saturated because it's from my cell phone camera), and the other (top) the finished product.  Last, I'm also listing a picture of "Tranquility" taken in indirect sunlight which shows the vibrancy of color in it.  Enjoy!!!

Yoga Abstract Figure WIP

Working on a series of abstract figures in various yoga poses.  This is the first of about 8 and I definitely like where it's going.  I'm thinking about adding some lights and darks into the background but not sure if I should change anything about the figure.  Comments and suggestions would be much appreciated!  I will post more as I work on it!  The first picture is how it looked originally and the second is after adding some lilac purple into the background.  I love the oranges, reds, and yellows in the picture and have added the lilac, a dark purple, and dark burgundy to try and balance all of the hot colors.
Of course this is on a 9x12 piece of Colourfix paper and is made with NuPastels.

Current Work in Progress

Started working on another picture in my motion series.  Its another bubble picture and I like where it's going.  This was done in a couple hours, working on and off.  Total work time was probably about an hour.  It is Nupastel on Colourfix paper.  Hopefully I'll finish it soon. :)

Posing and experimenting with watercolor

So what's new?  On Saturday I posed for the Art League of New Britain's Saturday open figure drawing (clothed).  It was very interesting to see the different interpretations of me.  One of the gentleman did a fantastic charcoal drawing and let me take a picture for myself.  Check it out...

On another note.  I've decided to start experimenting with watercolor so that I can combine it with my pastel. I bought a cheap starter watercolor set, meant to get anyone started into it.  Well there isn't much instruction in the book on techniques or anything other that color wheels, mixing colors and stretching canvas.  Also, the brushes are rather cheap but if I can just get into it a little and figure things out.  Then I'll know if I'd like to spend extra money on better quality watercolor supplies.  I'll let you know what happens. :)

Finished Paintings!!

Okay... so its been a little while.  I've been battling with my beach portrait photo.  I've been looking at it (my easel is in my dining/living room) everyday and thinking about what I want to do with it so that I don't over work it.  I'm happy with how it came out and don't think there is anything else I can do without throwing of the balance and spirit that is there.  Here it is! NuPastel and Pastel Pencil on 11x14 Pastel Paper.

The picture is not as clear as I'd like it to be but you get the drift. :)
Another photo I'm posting is a quite 20 minute 6x8 of a challenge on dailypaintworks.com.  The challenge was to do a piece based on balance.  And I figure, what's a better representation of balance than a pair of 5 inch heels?  Hope you like it.

On another note... I'm starting my first Pastel class tomorrow!!!  Actually, its my first art class since freshman year of high school.  I'm super excited about learning actual techniques and getting feedback.  Not all that excited about the teacher telling us to go get more supplies after the first class but such is life!  So I plan to bring my camera and take photos of my work as it progresses.  That way I can post what I work on and show the stages of it as I go.  Wish me luck!

Live portrait drawing #4

This is my fourth live figure drawing.  I'm pretty pleased.  The gentleman was from Trinidad and had a wonderful accent.  He was also a great model and held very still (and it was his first time!).  I spoke to the woman monitoring because I overheard her conversation about trying to get other monitors.  Originally, the Sat clothed figure drawing for July and August were canceled because she's been monitoring for 5 years and didn't want the obligation every Saturday for the summer.  Several members are trying to relieve her and rotate so that the sessions can continue.  Well I also heard her talking about needing models so I told her if she needed models, I wouldn't mind doing it but I don't want to do the nude modeling.  So I don't know if I'll do it once and they'll never want me to come back or if I can be someone's muse.  Anyway, back to today's session, the model was fantastic and I'm really happy with my work, especially considering this is my fourth live model. :)  Even the model liked it and took a picture on his phone for himself!

I took a reference photo and my work on it some more.  I would like to put more into the background and some detain in the small amount of shirt that is visible.  I would love to hear any comments!

I'm practicing.

Its been a while but I have been busy... trying to practice sketching but in pen (first time).  I haven't completed any pastel paintings but I have been trying to practice getting gestures or just plain old drawing.  I've been working in pen, forced to face unforgiving lines.  I am happy with how everything has been coming out for the most part, and decided to share some... enjoy!

Marathon Figure Drawing

Today was the Marathon Figure Drawing session.  I didn't stay the whole day, I got there at 10:30 and stayed until about 5:30.  There was a long poses and short poses room, and I chose the long poses because I wasn't sure about what to expect and I'm still getting used to the whole drawing naked people thing.  I was thinking the long poses would be about an hour, and they would do a few of them.  Nope, just one looong pose that lasted about 3 hours.  I've never spent that much time on a drawing, but for whatever reason, didn't stop and do multiple drawings.  I just kept working and working. The first model I drew enjoyed walking around and seeing what the artists were working on and at one point, later in the session she came around and said "Every time I see it, I think you're done, but then it gets better!"  By far the best compliment I've ever had about my art work.  I even had another artist that stood behind me for a few minutes and just watched me work.  I felt very flattered!  I am extremely happy with what I did.  Next I'd like to work on doing short colorful figures that are abstract in color but not shape.  Anyway, I wanted to post what I completed!

Between the two, this is my favorite.  I started with a layer of pinks and purples and slowly added oranges, blues, and lights.  I really did spend the whole three hours on it.  Great model, very elegant, with a beautiful neck.  I had a lot of fun doing this.  It is Nupastel on Pastel Paper with Pastel Pencil details.

Number two.  Again, happy with it.  This pose was harder.  While the monitor had taped markings so that the model could take up the same pose after breaks, her torso and face were slightly different after each break.  Her lips were very tight which made that particular detail hard to draw.  There was a black cloth draped over the bench she was sitting on, but I preferred to add more color into it.  For this one, I started in oranges, reds, and browns, and then built up by adding pinks, purples, greens and blues.  Same as the first, Nupastel on Pastel Paper with details in Pastel Pencil.  Let me know what you think!!

Open Figure Drawing

So the update from my open figure drawing session is interesting.  It was last Thursday (sorry for the delay) and I stayed in my car in the parking lot for a while just to check out the scene.  But the only people showing up were guys in their 40s and 50s.  So here I am thinking that its could be a bunch of perverts masking as artists to see a peep show.  And then my fears came true, my first time ever drawing a nude live model was a guy.  A guy in his 60s no less, but it was a learning experience and good practice.  Unfortunately out of the 20 people who showed up for it, only 1 person spoke to me other than the monitor.  And the monitor preceded to compare my drawing with the guy next to me... so much for constructive criticism.  Nonetheless, I'm happy with what came out of it, and pleased with my sketches.  The 2 minute gesture poses are awful so I won't show them, it was obvious that it was my first time, but I will post the two 5 minute poses, the 10 minute pose and the long pose which I think was an hour and fifteen minutes (with breaks).  Enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Adventuring more into figures

Most of the figure drawings I've done have been either in charcoal or so abstract in color that I didn't need to worry about getting flesh tone colors right.  So last night I tried doing flesh tones and they came out pretty well!!  Sorry about the poor quality, its a picture off of my phone.

I put some blue in the shadow and pink over some of the jaundice looking areas with my pastel pencils after this was taken.  I also changing the teal blanket and added more color and shading to it.

I'll be practicing some quick drawings of figures tonight because I'm going into my first ever open figure session tomorrow night at the Art League of New Britain and I'm nervous!!!  I've never done it before and I really don't want to fail in front of a bunch of people!! Okay, less talking and back to practicing! Wish me luck!

Blue Nude

New drawing... a female figure in blues with yellow/orange background.  Just experimenting.  I like it.  Never drawn a nude before so.... it is a learning experience.

Nupastels on Strathmore pastel paper.