Thursday, December 27, 2012

End of 2012 gouache drawings!

"Line Dance"
Gouache
9" x 6"
$20
SOLD


These may be the last drawings of 2012.  I'm not sure.  I've been super busy over the holidays but still getting some creative time in here and there.  Am working on a book also.  Girls were home so I was able to create a whole new album of wonderful movement photos with them wearing different outfits. 
Looking forward to sitting down with my gouache again.  A very Happy New Year to all!


"Peace, Baby"
Gouache
9" x 6"
$20
SOLD

"Fabulous Pants"
Gouache
9" x 6"
$20
SOLD

"Whatever"
Gouache
9" x 6"
$20
SOLD

"Groovin Down"
Gouache
9" x 6"
$20
SOLD

Friday, December 21, 2012

Equipment for right outside our studio.

I get asked a lot about my equipment and my favorite set ups.  This is just one.  I love my Julian Half Box Easel.  I leave it set up all the time.  This is a newer one but I've had one for over 30 years and honestly I wouldn't be able to fold it up because one leg is taped.   I can carry this easily all over the yard to spots I like.  I stack and tape the paper palettes to the drawer and store extra paint, panels and turp in the back.  I don't have to run back and forth to the studio if I run out of white!  It's  a classic.  

It's easy to lift and walk around with.  I do have to watch the legs not to get hung up on a bush or some corner of the house or studio.  Not really a problem.

Taping the paper palettes to the drawer keeps the palette from falling off!  

I just carry extra everything in the back part of the easel.  So convenient!

Thursday, December 6, 2012

I can always find time to draw.

"Young Dance"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$20
SOLD

I had time to draw again today.  A passion.  Please excuse the photography!  The paper these are painted on is actually a light white!  Colors are a bit more saturated.  Maybe I'll repost and shoot them in outside daylight.  You can get a better idea from the other drawings posted.  After must insistence from my husband I raised the price $5.  It really is a steal.  A steal for me!  I love what I do.  I love to experiment.  We all need to reach our full potential.


"Blue Angel"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$20
SOLD


"Dancing Dolls"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$20
SOLD

"Bringing down the House"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$20
SOLD

"Dance Pants"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$20
SOLD


"Dancing Spirits"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$20
SOLD

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Got some more laundry done!

"Dancing in Purple and Green"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$20
SOLD


"Dancing in Orange and Blue"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$20
SOLD


"Dancing Dots"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$20
SOLD


"Go Go Boots"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$20
SOLD


"Pink Angel"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$20
SOLD

Original drawings in gouache on acid free paper.   OK, I raised the price a bit to cover shipping and shipping supplies.  My husband insisted!  I said I want everyone to be able to afford an original work.  Really, the frame will cost more than the art!  I suggest a pale colored or neutral mat with a simple thin frame of about the same value as the mat.  Looks striking and leaves the contrast for the figure.  Try not to have too much value contrast between the mat and frame.    











"Teaching Tools"

The following are a few examples I bring with me to workshops I teach.  One thing I try to express is how powerful manipulating the fundamentals can be.  It's why I believe there is room for everybody to have their "own voice".     


With this demo I painted from a photograph.  I did four different interpretations of the same photo.  Top left is a "high value key".  Bottom left a "darker value key".  Bottom center is most representational of actual setting.  Top right I pushed up the chroma on all the colors. 


The demo on the left was another example of a "high value key" exercise.  I had the model in really dark value clothing so the students would have to get past painting the values they actually saw.  The demonstrations on the right show how you can use different value arrangements for the same subject. 


This is an exercise we always start with.  Finding a simple value plan of our subject and then interpreting it in color staying as true as possible to our value sketch.   This is  really an  important part of planning a painting.


This board shows three quick demos.  Left,  a demonstration of a backlit figure using a few values.  Center, a quick light and shadow demo of the model in a studio setting.  Right, a quick demo of a backlit figure in color.  These were really to show how I get started.


I take a lot of what I call "teaching tools" with me to workshops I teach.  It gives students a good idea of what to expect over the course of the class.  It helps me explain the exercises I plan.  I have collected stacks of these and always refer to them as well as demo new ones.  This one shows the simplified planes for an adult head I use and the lower right corner shows a demo of shifting the value range up to the lighter tones.  

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Busy in the Kitchen!


Yes!  I've been busy in the kitchen! sitting at the kitchen table creating more gouache drawings.  In between I've gotten a ton of laundry done, a little cooking, cleaning and addressed many other obligations.  It's so possible to continue exercising the skills in many different ways. 

"Demure Damsels"
5"x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD


"Swinging Ponytails"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD


"Dance Trance"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD



"Pink in Stride"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD


"Viva la Bell Bottoms"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD



"Joy Dance"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD

Monday, November 26, 2012

New drawings. A passion for when you have a little time here and there.

"Swing"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD



"Prom Night"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD




"In Line"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD



"Cha Cha"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD


"Pump"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD



"Sashay"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD




I am still occupied with a lot of interruptions and I am all set up at our kitchen table.  I stress this in my workshops.  You don't need big chunks of time to be creative and at least exercise your skills.  Heck, just making color charts is beneficial!  So draw!

"Shake n' Bake"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD





Sunday, November 25, 2012

New drawings.

"Swinging Hips"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD



"In the Dream"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD

"Pink Swing"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD



"Purple and Orange Flying"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD


"Turquoise and Purple"
5" x 8"
Gouache
$15
SOLD

I had some time again to sit down and work on my drawings.  I needed to stay inside the house and juggle a lot of things and I can sit at our kitchen table and still nurture my creative spirit.  Drawing really is a favorite pastime.  It's also one of the most important fundamentals.  Again, these drawings are available only through me.  The price of $15 includes shipping! And that's a steal!  Can't beat that with a stick.  Better than a poke in the eye!  They look great with a nice mat and a thin frame.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Aquarium Brush Holder.


"One fish, two fish, orange fish, blue fish."
I've added to my supply of glazes.  Tried some on my "Aquarium Brush Holder".  It's always a surprise to see it after the piece has been fired.  Sometimes I get something totally different than what I was expecting and other times I get what I imagined. 


Mr. Purple Octopus!


Sea Horses are amazing creatures!  We went to the Academy of Science in San Francisco recently.  They have a wonderful aquarium. 


Yes!  There are mermaids.  They are magical creatures!


Sunday, October 28, 2012

Something for myself.

"Double trouble"
5" x 8"
$15
SOLD
I sat down at our kitchen table with my gouache and a 5" x 8" Fabriano Sketch book, acid free paper and it's a very pale warm white. Not blue or gray! Forgive me for my poor photographic lighting skills.  The color of the paint is very close though.  I have taken hundreds of photos of our daughters and their friends dancing.  I will sit and draw from these and really have a lot of fun and it's so much for myself.  I hope to offer the collector an inexpensive way of acquiring original art.  These drawings are not in any galleries and there is no auction record like I have for my oils.  I would always rather have an original work.  I'll buy a poster from a museum for $25 and not a giclee for $500!  These are all $15 which includes Shipping and Handling!  I have framed a few with a simple white mat (at least 3") and a thin gold, black or plain wood frame.  I think they look clean and elegant.  
Thanks for looking!


"Groove"
5" x 8"
$15
SOLD

"Purple and Green"
5" x 8" 
$15
SOLD


"Orange and Purple"
5" x 8"
$15
SOLD


"Arms raised"
5" x 8"
$15
SOLD


"The Swim"
5" x 8"
$15
SOLD



"Turn Around"
5" x 8"
$15
SOLD



"Ali Twice"
5"x 8"
$15
SOLD


"Shimmy"
5" x 8"
$15
SOLD



"Double Take"
5" x 8"
$15
SOLD