Gwen

Gwen, I
mixed media on Rives BFK, 22" x 30"

Gwen, II

mixed media on Rives BFK, 22" x 30"
Gwen, Imixed media on Rives BFK, 22" x 30"

Two one hour studies of the model who posed for my Mixed Media Portraiture Class yesterday afternoon.

Renee with Turban

Renee with Turban, 2011
mixed media on paper, 22" x 30"

The stunning Renee Johnson modeling for my Mixed Media Portraiture class.

Amazing Muse

Scenes from my summer Mixed Media Portraiture class yesterday morning at MECA, starring Robert SanGiovanni; imaginative, spontaneous model extraordinaire! We're off to a fun start...

Thursday Night

Michael Welch Self Portrait with Super Moon, pastel on paper (homework assignment) Robert SanGiovanni

For four color exercises, I had the students first do a warm study,

and a cool,

then a dark,

and a bright. (figure studies by Michael Welch)

Pics from last week's Thursday night Life Drawing class at MECA, featuring the drawings of one of my students, Michael Welch. That's his self-portrait in the top pic - fabulous, eh?

Night Windows

Night window reflections while teaching Life Drawing at Maine College of Art.

Nevermore...

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December...Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven

This flaxen haired model and her gilted painting provided the grist for the portrait making mill in my most recent Mixed Media Portraiture class at MECA.

(...and after today, this November will be nevermore...can you believe it??)

Raw Sunday

In my figure study group yesterday afternoon I worked on a piece of raw canvas tacked to the wall and drew with my usual mad mix of media: in this case, charcoal, charcoal powder, turp and oil, tempera, acylics, ink, and pastels. I had to fight to get some of the wet stuff onto/into the canvas, scrubbing with rags, using my hands (not with the oil!) and generally using firm pressure to make the marks. The ink, charcoal, and pastels breezed on, so it wasn't all rigorous activity. I love being physically involved with my drawings, so this did not feel like a frustrating struggle, but more like a satisfying wrestling match! I suppose the canvas will rot away eventually, not being primed, but I like the idea of seeing the open weave of the fabric...

Halloween Self

Halloween Self, 2010
graphite, tempera, charcoal, and ink, on Rives BFK, 22" x 30."

A drawing from my Friday Mixed Media Portraiture class. We all wore costumes and did self-portraits. Great fun!

Don't forget to VOTE!

Off the Wall

Jo, Considering... (work in progress)
50" x 48" ink, charcoal, tempra, and pastel on Stonehenge.

A multifigure drawing started in my Life Drawing session last Sunday. This piece measures 50" x 48." I tacked the paper to the wall and drew from the model and some photocopied male figure studies by other artists. The model's poses ranged from 1 - 20 minutes, and I used portions of these poses to piece together this narrative/figure puzzle. Like last week, I used a brush taped to the end of a long stick to paint the figures, then moved in with charcoal and pastel applied directly. I am relishing the freedom and wildness that this size paper and manner of drawing allows...