Head Painting: Week 8

Last week we started some paintings with colored light and multiple light sources.  It got complicated really quickly.  Our model was lit from one side with soft, cool, natural light, and then lit from the other side with a hot, yellow-colored bulb.  Even though it was a bit mind-boggling I feel like I was able to figure it out pretty well and was happy with how it turned out! :)

Head Painting: Week 7 (aka Out-of-class Assignments)

Two weeks ago we had some guest artists come and lecture or do demos during class, so we didn't get any painting done ourselves.  But the artists were great!

Instead, I worked on the the three out-of-class paintings we had to do for our midterm.  We were supposed to use three specific palettes/techniques with each one.

The first one was done with only white, burnt sienna, and ultramarine blue.  I had a tricky time re-figuring out how to make this limited palette work.

The second painting was done with the "Zorn" palette (white, black, cad red, and yellow ochre).  After using this palette several times in class I feel like I was a little more comfortable with it.

The requirement for the third one was that we were supposed to paint it in black and white first, and then glaze the color over the top of it.  I've never attempted glazing before and had to youtube some demos to see what the heck I was supposed to do!  It was rough, but now I have a little experience so my next attempt should be better!

Figure Drawing!

I mentioned in the last post that I had a piece accepted to the annual BYU Figure Drawing show.  Here is the drawing that was in the show (the buff guy) as well as a gesture and a nude drawing that I've done recently.

This drawing was done when I went to an open figure drawing session in Springville

Head Painting: Week 6

This week we started branching out to a fuller pallete.  The first painting was with black, white, cad red, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, and cad yellow.  The second painting was with those same colors but also with some phthalo green and ultramarine blue.

We also finally did some paintings with COOL LIGHT!  I mean, I like warm light as much as the next guy, but for some reason cool light makes more instinctive sense to me-- it's easier.  And, consequently, these two paintings turned out be be my favorites!

Head Painting: Week 5

Recent news:  I had a piece accepted to BYU's Annual Figure Drawing Show! :)  I'm super excited about it because it's my last one before I graduate, and this makes three years in a row.  There are a TON of awesome pieces in the show so I highly recommend that you check it out.  It will be on the 4th floor of the HFAC from now through February 27 (I think).

Anyway, here is another painting!  I need to start getting to class earlier before the room fills up so I don't get stuck doing profiles every week.  But I'm pretty happy with how this one turned out.  Once again we were using the Zorn palette (black, white, cad red, and yellow ochre).  Also this model had some fun hair. :)

Head Painting: Week 4

This week we started using the "Zorn" palette which is: white, black, a warm red, and yellow ochre.  Thankfully it wasn't as tricky as I thought it would be to get the shadows to look cool with such a warm palette.

The first painting I did this week did NOT turn out.  As Brother Barrett said-- all the problems originated from not getting my drawing (the proportions and features of the face) right before I kept going.  Oh well! That's called learning I guess.  And thankfully the next painting (the one below) was much better in my opinion.

Pretty cool to think that his "blue" shirt is actually just black and white mixed together!  Good ol' relativity. :)

Head Painting: Week 3

This week in painting we actually had some male models! That's always a fun change of pace.  I did them in pretty different styles-- I'm still trying to figure out what I like and what works best for me.

For this one I tried to keep the shadow side really simple and do all the modeling in the light.  Basically I was trying to turn my painting into a figure drawing as much as possible. :)