More artwork...from my classes!

Here are 2 finished pieces. The drawing has had another 3-5 hours on it. Still have lots to work on especially the body and some more values on the fur around the face of the dog.

The "Dove" called "Keeping Warm" is a 11x14 acrylic I finished in my acrylic class last night. I think I would still prefer oils as they take longer time to dry and feel like "butter" when mixing.

The strawberries called "Berry-Berry" is also an acrylic I started this past winter. (finally finished it) They both need varnishing and then wire for hanging.

A couple of pencil drawings!

These are a couple of pencil drawings I have been working on for my "Drawing Class" showing the students how I start out and bring the drawing to completion by using values and shading.
The drawing of the dog is a photo I took from a friend's FB page. I liked the position of the dog to create an interesting composition. You can see the "body" is sketched in which is how I start all of the drawings to get the form and proportions correct. When I feel they are right I start to layer in shading leaving the real darks until later. I like to build up to the real darks. The dog drawing isn't finished so I could show how I begin the work.

The horse is finished (I think!) The tail could use a bit more detailing but I like to study the drawing for awhile before I add anymore. You can see how dark you can be in a pencil drawing. I use various leads starting with HB up to 8HB. I also use a 2H for real small details. This really "pushes" the lead into the grain of the paper to create the heavy darks...ie. the tail.

So, I will be posting some more water colours soon and a few oils! I will keep you more up to date than I did in the past year.

It has been a long while!

Well! Where do I begin!!!
It has been almost a year since I have wrote in the Blog...last year was an eventful one for me. The biggest thing and most disturbing emotionally was the loss of my dog Dan, he had spleen cancer and had just turned 14. My best friend and follower. Then I had a double knee replacement which has taken a few months out of my life for recovery I am fine now and am back at painting full time. I have several pieces here to show you some are finished some still need some "tweaking"I will provide a bit of information on each post.
Comments both critical and complimentary are much appreciated feel free!

 "Lookout" 24"x24" Acrylic

 "Winter Shadows" Oil 24"x24"

 "Sunny" Acrylic 24"x24"

 "Happy B'Day" Oil 24"x24"(Unfinished)

 "Afternoon" Oil (Unfinished)

  "Trinity"(Unfinished) Pen & Ink 9"x7"

                                         Newmarket's Southlake Hospital
                                         original wc.  24"x14.5"

This is the latest commission piece I just finished for the town of Newmarket, Ontario. It is a sample of my commercial Architectural rendering. I have completed 4 renderings of various locations in Newmarket and there is one more pending on approval. In the meantime I have been busy with teaching my art classes & trying to complete some large oils for the up coming spring opening of Gallery on The Lake in Buckhorn. (they close for the winter season) I will be posting these paintings as I complete them.

Portrait Drawing

We (my drawing class) have been working on individual portraits from a photograph preferably taken by us (the artist). This is mine of my Niece Amanda when she was about 3 or 4. I am also posting the reference photo I used.

 Reference photo

 "Amanda" Graphite on paper  13"x15"

The purpose of these drawings are to help the Artist to "see" proportions of the face to observe how light hits the face to create a 3-dimentional work. Photography tends to "flatten" objects so as we draw the face, we have to pay close attention to the light. I exaggerated the value of the skin to compensate for the flash of the camera. A better photo would have used natural light. (Back then I wasn't aware of how to take better photographs). A superb drawing would have been from a live model where lighting would have played a key role and an extreme challenge of observation. Most of my students are drawing to help in other areas of their art work and are painting for a hobby, so using photograph reference is what they generally will be using.

Anyone interested in questions & answers from Artists?

If anyone is interested in how "we" artists think... how our daily thought process works or if you just want to get answers to some pertinent questions? I would like to recommend you subscribe to "The Painters Keys" a twice weekly letter written by Robert Genn. His clever quotes & wit make enjoyable reading and give the reader a thought provoking journey.  

Here are a couple of pen & ink drawings we are working on  in class. The Daisies are finished.

Click the link below to check out "The Painters Keys". Subscribe, it is good reading if you are an artist or just want to be!

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                     "Mourning Dove" Original WC.  7.5"x10" Framed
                                       (also available in Giclee' Prints)

Hello Everyone: I am pleased to announce that I will be participating in the 2012 Newmarket Studio Tour  as guest artist in the home of my artist friends; Don Chretien & Julie Cochrane this Saturday Oct. 20th., 10:00am.-5:00pm. & Sunday Oct. 21st. 11:00am.-5:00pm. I will have several new water colours & oil paintings and giclee' prints available.
For more information & a detailed map of the various studios on the tour please click the link below:

www.newmarketgroupofartists.org
Follow us on Twitter:
Here is the link for the Newmarket Studio Tour's Facebook Fan Page:
www.facebook.com/NewmarketStudioTour

Hope to see you there!