Ann Feldman Portraits

Nichole on her Birthday 12x16"

2012-01-27T13:04:00.000-08:00

Amy, 8x10"

2012-01-12T07:30:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

I painted this very small portrait of Amy last night in Open Studio at Mainstreet. I've noticed that there has been some discussion on the web lately about the three color zones of the face, and it occurred to me that this painting might help to illustrate the concept. (Fine Arts Views)

The theory of the three zones is that the top third of the face will have a yellow orientation, the middle will be in the red zone, and the lowest third will be blue. If we think about the head as an egg shape in the light, then it stands to reason that the area closest to the light will be warmest, and therefore have a warm (perhaps yellowish) orientation. The middle of the face is fleshier and has more blood flowing under the surface, giving a reddish or pinkish color. Then, as the face turns away from the light in the lowest portion, the temperature often turns cooler, where you will find blue or greenish hues.

If you look at Amy above, you can see that her forehead and the top of her cheekbones have a warm yellowish hue, her cheeks are pinkish, and then her jaw area has cool blues and greens in the skin tone. This theory is very helpful when you are trying to vary the skin tones in a portrait, because it serves as a guide. Of course, rules are made to be broken, and only careful observation of the model will tell you what color to put where. But I hope this was a bit helpful!

"Timeless", 22x24"

2012-01-01T12:53:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

Happy New Year!

A few months ago, I read an article in "Art News" magazine on Beauty and the Brain. In this article, the author cited studies on what types of visual stimuli affect the brain's "beauty" receptors. The scientists found that art that is ambiguous will engage the viewer's brain longer, and the scene will then be considered more engaging, and therefore more beautiful than a piece of art where there is no mystery.

I'm encouraging my students to add a bit of mystery to their paintings, to see if they enjoy bringing the viewer in to solve some puzzles on their own. The portrait that I painted above has the model's head turned a bit away from the viewer, so it isn't obvious what her emotion is. Perhaps this is more intriguing than a full-on portrait with a big smile.

I would also like to introduce you to a blog that I've been enjoying very much lately, named COMPOSE by Dianne Mize. Dianne tackles difficult questions about the theory of art every week, and I look forward to receiving her insights very much. This week's posting is a question that I posed to her a few weeks ago about what makes a piece of art masterful. I think you'll really enjoy reading what she has to say on this, and many other subjects!

Mexican Woman, 9x12"

2011-12-02T10:33:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

This week I've been thinking a lot about the artists that I admire. Today, I decided to try to paint a woman in the style of Jeffrey Watts. Bold, simple strokes with loads of paint are what sets him apart from many portrait painters. I had to stop myself from going back in and putting in more detail many times-- it goes against my nature, but I'll put my brushes down now and let it be.

To bid on this painting, click on Ann Feldman Mexican Woman.

Portrait Sketch, 24x20"

2011-11-23T07:08:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:I am starting a new commission of three little girls, ages 20 months to 5 years old. As you can imagine, a painting of three children in one portrait will be the same amount of work for me as three individual portraits would be. In some ways, it's even tougher, because the relationships between them need to be kept in mind, along with the sizing of the heads, bodies, and hands, as well as the lighting.

A project of this magnitude needs to be well planned from the beginning. I like to paint a preliminary oil "sketch" of the portrait, in order to get agreement from my client regarding the final layout and size of the painting, the positioning of the children and the overall "feel" and colors to be used. In this case, the client was very happy with the positioning of the girls and the feel of the painting, but we were in agreement that the painting needed to be made a bit wider to give more space on the sides. After a bit of debate, it was agreed between us that the painting size will be 28x20".

I'll go back to the drawing board and start a brand new canvas. This sketch took two painting sessions of about 4 hours each, so I haven't spent too much time on it. I would much rather start again now and have a painting the client will be thrilled with than to produce one that's the wrong size and have a so-so reaction. And since I know that the colors and layout are correct, I'll use it as my guide in painting the final portrait.

And while I'm at it, I may change the position of the arm on the left side to bend toward her little sister. I don't like the way that it's pulling us out of the scene. I don't know that I would have seen that if I hadn't done my sketch!

Richard the Second

2011-11-13T15:43:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends: Well, I'm glad I spent the second sitting with Richard to really go in there and finish off some details in his face. When I look back on where I was with his portrait after the first sitting, it's nowhere near where it is now. I like the color saturation so much more now.

I've gotten into the habit of trying to finish a portrait completely in one sitting, and sometimes it's a really good idea to slow down and concentrate on the details. Thanks, Frankie, for pointing this out to me-- I owe you one!

Self Portrait

2011-11-09T07:01:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends: Yes, I know that this portrait doesn't look a whole lot like me-- I'm serious and I've got my mouth closed (!), but as you can see, it's what I would call "experimental". I can do this with a self portrait, because I know that the client won't mind. I used a loaded palette knife to apply the paint, so the likeness got away from me a bit. But I'm happy with the push that I gave myself in a new direction, so I won't sweat the details.

And Now For A Teachable Moment:Several of my portrait students have asked that I jot down some of my teachable thoughts on my blog, and I have a couple of them today. In class, I stress the importance of finding the light and shadowed areas on the head, face, and neck and sticking to those areas throughout the painting process. In this portrait, after I found the light and shadow areas, I was free to apply any color I wanted, as long as I stayed true to my original "map". Notice the huge green area on the shoulder. Since it's in the right value, it reads right. This allows me to push my colors into completely new and unexpected areas. Having a plan is actually very freeing!

And now a thought on using the palette knife. Applying paint with a palette knife is a lot like riding a wild horse with really loose reins-- you're not really in control and unexpected things happen at every turn! I maintain just a bit of control by having very large mixtures of paint on my palette in light, middle, and dark values, and I "average" the color in each puddle to what I see in the large areas of my portrait. As long as my values are kept separate, I can add colors and apply them liberally without as much fear as I normally would have. Let's look at that shoulder area again. I started with a very light mixture of paint for the skin in the light, then added light green and light blue to my mixture with the knife. These colors didn't blend entirely on the palette, so tiny streaks show up in the painting. I love this effect. Every time I reloaded my knife, I picked up a bit more color from somewhere on my palette and put it into my mix. This keeps the area alive and gives a feeling of movement.

So stick to your plan, and push your color! You might find new experimental horizons of your own!

Richard

2011-11-04T12:32:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends:

This is a portrait that I painted today of Richard, a model who came in to sit for us at Mainstreet. Even though he'll be back next week for another sitting, I'm tempted to leave well enough alone on this one and not overwork it.

Inna, 10x14

2011-10-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

I started this portrait of Inna at Mainstreet the other day and finished it up at home. The lighting was actually pretty complicated, coming straight down on her forehead and touching each of her cheekbones. I covered my first thin wash of paint with generous dollops of paint on my palette knife to force the darks even darker and to give the painting a more impressionistic look.

For the background, I laid down a wash of bright orange paint, then layered white, blue, and green on top with my palette knife. This technique of layering complementary colors over a bright wash allows the background to "sit behind" the sitter, which is always a good thing!

Sargent at the MFA

2011-10-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

This last weekend I had the great fortune to visit my daughter AND John Singer Sargent in Boston. To see so many of the paintings that I have admired and studied over the years in one place gave me the same physical reaction as seeing a celebrity in person-- weak knees, sweaty palms, general giddiness...

To experience and be moved by genius is a privilege. Do computer programmers get weak knees when they see code that is written eloquently? Do salespeople get misty eyed when they hear a pitch that is right on the money? I feel so lucky to be an artist, and to be moved when I recognize the real, true thing.

A Sunny Day, 6x6"

2011-10-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

This is a tiny portrait of a little girl in the sunlight. I entered it into this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge. I tried to keep my brush strokes very loose, and details to a minimum. I hope you like this impressionistic style.

To view the challenge, please click on DPW Challenge.

Julie

2011-10-10T08:21:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

This is a portrait of Julie. a student at Mainstreet who came in to sit for us last Friday. I got the "bones" of the portrait started in about 2 hours while she sat for us, then put in another hour or so this morning to put in the details. I challenged myself to get the wonderful twinkle in her eye that is just so "Julie"!

Charcoal Demo of Jenny

2011-10-05T07:06:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

It's portrait season again! I'm teaching a brand new class at Mainstreet entitled "The Nuts and Bolts of Portraiture", and we've had two sessions so far. We began our class with the basics of how to measure the proportions of the head and find the major shadow areas. When the correct measurements and light/shadow areas are in place, it's relatively easy to drop in the final details of the features (eyes, nose, mouth).

I was so happy with the progress of my class! I think people are surprised at how straightforward a portrait can be if they take the time in the beginning to map it out correctly.

Mary

2011-06-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:
A month ago, I was invited to give a portrait demonstration for Del Webb's art club in Huntley. I enjoyed myself thoroughly. So many talented artists with wonderful questions and insights made for a lively discussion. Since I was with them for only a couple of hours, I showed them how I would measure and draw the head and shoulders, and then we talked about color mixing. I took Mary's portrait home with me to put on the final touches. I'm looking forward to spending more time with them in November, when I'll be going back to put on a portrait workshop there.

If you've noticed that my portrait posts have been tapering off a bit, it's because I've started to paint more still lifes and landscapes, and I'm posting them on my other website. Please visit! And be sure to leave your email in the subscription box to receive my non-portrait work. Thank you! Click here to visit my Ann Feldman blog.

Marianna

2011-05-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Sadly, our last open studio of the year was last Wednesday. Happily, Marianna was our beautiful model. I won't have so many opportunities to paint from life over the summer, but will look forward to getting back to it in the fall. In the meantime, I have a few formal portraits that I'm working on, and will post them as I finish them!

Mari

2011-05-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Mari came to pose for us in portrait class a couple of weeks ago. She was the perfect model-- always right on her mark. I kept this one loose and impressionistic. I hope you like this effect!

Daniella, 9x12"

2011-05-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Daniella is a young student at Mainstreet Art Centre who posed for our Open Studio session last night. I tried to keep her face and features very soft, then punched things up a bit with the palette knife at the very end.

Please be sure to visit my new blog of daily paintings: click here

The Student, 8"x10"

2011-04-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Theodora is a student with Greek heritage, which made her a joy to paint. I used a loaded palette knife for this piece, only touching up the features with a brush when needed. I tried to show restraint on this painting, allowing it to have an impressionistic feel. Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go to the American Red Cross for earthquake relief.

Homegrown Beauty, 8" x 8" SOLD

2011-03-21T10:53:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends:

What does "Home" mean to you? With all the images and stories coming to us from Japan, we can't help but think about how shattering it would be to lose one's home and sense of well being. Japan seems so far away, and yet at times seems so much closer to us in this turbulent time.

I painted this small painting this morning, thinking about Japan and my Japanese friends. I have put it up for auction at the Daily Paint Works website, and all proceeds will go to the American Red Cross for Japan relief.

Theodora

2011-03-14T08:03:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends:

Theodora is a fourteen year old girl who came to model for us in open studio last week. I saved the palette knife for her scarf, using brushwork in the rest of the portrait. Sometimes a more delicate approach is desirable, especially with very young models.

DeLawn, Once Again

2011-03-03T11:56:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

This portrait of DeLawn is the final of three coats of oil paint. The original I covered with a palette knife and wet paint. I let that dry, then glazed on another thin coat of paint to soften it a bit. It looks like him now, and I'm happy with the bits of vivid color that still show through on this final version.

Maria

2011-02-24T09:51:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

Last night, I wasn't sure that I would make it to Open Studio to paint at all. Rain, sleet and snow conspired against me all evening, but I didn't let them beat me. I ran into the studio half an hour late, breathless and caked in icicles. All the troubles of the evening melted away with the ice in my hair when I was rewarded with the sight of one of the most lovely models I've ever had the pleasure of painting. In art, as in life, the most pleasant surprises happen when you just make the effort to show up.

Laura

2011-01-31T09:03:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

A portrait painted while the model is sitting in front of the artist gives an entirely different "feel" than one that is painted from a photograph, and that is why I'm continually returning to this setup. I don't think I'll ever be to a point where I say that I've painted enough paintings from life. Every single time I face a new model, I learn something new, and I never want to stop this learning process. In Laura's case, her face has the beautiful youthful quality that is so difficult to replicate. I struggled in the studio and finished the painting later at home after I had a chance to slow down and take my time with it.

You may notice that I've painted the portrait on top of a very textured background. My artist friends may be interested to know that this background was achieved by spreading gesso very thickly with a knife on top of a canvas panel. I let the ridges dry and proceeded with the painting as I normally do. It gives the painting an aged look that I find appealing.

Monochrome of DeLawn

2011-01-19T08:56:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

I realize that DeLawn keeps popping up in many of my paintings and studies. He is a fantastic model-- his bone structure, skin tone, and that waist-long hair make him a joy to paint, so why not?

This painting is a departure for me. I started by applying very thick gesso on top of a canvas with a palette knife. I let this dry completely so that all those ridges would give the painting a nice texture when the paint was applied on top of it. For the painting itself, I used only two colors, Burnt Sienna and Black. For the lighter areas I lifted the paint off with a rag or a brush, so white was never used. I'd be very interested to know how you like this technique. I'm very tempted to paint other paintings on top of this type of texture in the future.

Oil Sketch of Eli and Harper

2011-01-12T06:49:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

Before I launch into a complicated portrait, I like to have "buy in" from the clients to make sure that I'm on the right track. Are we on the same page as far as the composition and feeling of the portrait are concerned? When the portrait has two or more people in it, the painting becomes more about the relationship between the people in it than about the individuals. Positioning and expression become very important.

This is an oil sketch on a board that I did as a preliminary piece to show the clients before I start on the final portrait. I hope that they like it, but if they don't, I won't have wasted time developing a painting that won't be appreciated! With their input, I would develop a new sketch to work from. Portrait painters can't be inflexible in their thinking, I've come to learn.

Santa (sold)

2010-12-20T09:21:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

Believe it or not, Santa stopped by the studio and sat down for a breather. In this rare moment of repose, I decided to dash off a quick portrait. He seemed to be having a difficult time with his "naughty or nice" list, saying that the lines were pretty blurred this year. This may explain his thoughtful demeanor as I painted.

I do hope that you squeaked into the "nice" category again! I certainly believe that everyone that follows my blog gets a "nice pass" for the entire year. Happy Holidays!

Home for the Holidays

2010-12-12T18:13:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

This is a portrait of Steven, son of my friend and coworker Fontaine. He's wearing a Harvard sweatshirt to commemorate his Dad's earning his MBA there recently.

Even though Steven wasn't melancholy during the sitting, his portrait sort of turned out that way anyway. It made me start to think about all the kids coming home from school for the holidays, and how this can be a time of see-saw emotions. Happiness to be home/sadness to have to follow the rules at home. Happiness to see siblings/sadness to put up with siblings' idiocyncracies. I remember those times. And now that I'm the mom, there's no conflicting emotions at all-- just elation to have them home. 'Til I see the laundry, that is.

Bethany

2010-11-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

I loved painting Bethany in this deep purple hood. She has such a sparkly vivacious personality, but as soon as she donned the hood and cast her eyes down, the effect changed completely. I chose to paint in muted colors to convey her moments of serenity. As soon as break time arrived, off came the hood, and the sparkle reappeared. Someday perhaps I'll paint the other side of her personality!

DeLawn

2010-11-15T07:25:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

This portrait of DeLawn was painted in two sessions. I painted him on a very loose, colorful background and then tried to continue with that theme into his hair and shirt. The color on his face is extremely chromatic, which is also a departure for me. You would not have believed the blinding colors that were mixed on my palette-- they didn't appear to have anything at all to do with the model sitting in front of me! I resisted the urge to knock it all down into a duller scheme, and in the end, I liked the brightness and the energy it had. I wouldn't use this technique for a more formal portrait, but as a painting, I think it's pretty interesting. I'd like to know if you like it too!

Ethan With a Cap

2010-11-11T12:48:00.001-08:00

Hello Friends:

I painted Ethan, a young teenager, in open studio last night. I like painting with a time constraint because it forces me to use lots of paint in broad strokes from the beginning. I try to get the major shapes right in the beginning, and spend most of my time doing this. The details aren't addressed until maybe the last 15 minutes of the session. I never know until the very last few minutes if the portrait will be a success or not. But one thing is for sure: if I didn't spend the time to get the structure right, the details won't help a bit.

As John Singer Sargeant would say, "The features of the face are like the spots of an apple". In other words, the structure of the head is the most important part of the portrait.

The Olympian (sold)

2010-11-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

This beautiful horse belonged to Nancy, a dear friend and horsewoman who lives in California. The challenge in this painting is to put the focus of the viewer entirely on the horse, making the rider secondary. To do this, I darkened the background behind the rider and lightened it behind the horse, giving the horse the most contrast and interest. I also softened several edges to give the impression of movement and energy.

I do miss being part of the horse world, but for now, I'll be content to study and paint them whenever I can!

Jessica

2010-10-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

I painted Jessica in Open Studio the other night. For this portrait, I used illustration board coated two times with gesso. What I loved about this surface is that I was able to use a cloth to "sand away" hard edges and light areas on her face which gave the drawing a bit of a glow that would have been difficult to achieve on canvas. I'm also liking the mysterious quality that comes with monochromatic drawing and painting. I hope you enjoy it too!

Monochrome Study

2010-10-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

It's been awhile since I've made a posting. For the past few weeks, starting with Romel dela Torre's charcoal workshop, I've been concentrating on drawing and painting in just one color. This process has been frustrating for me at times, which tells me that perhaps I've gotten too comfortable in my usual way of painting, and that I may have been relying on color a little too heavily.

When we paint monochromatically, it forces us to examine edges. Since we no longer have different colors to describe where one thing ends and another begins, sometimes these edges will be quite fuzzy and at times will dissappear althogether, as they do in the study above. Observe how the edge of the model's face disappears into the background. The viewer's eye must fill in the missing information, which I believe makes for a more interesting portrait. I'll try to use this softness more often in all my portraits in the future.

Hopefully, this frustration will result in some growth!

Gallery Show

2010-10-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:
I have exciting news! Many of my paintings are hanging now in the Clair E. Smith Gallery in Barrington until October 22. I've created a virtual gallery tour so you can attend without leaving your comfy chair. Simply click on the link on the lefthand side, titled: Virtual Gallery.

I hope that you enjoy the tour!

Drawing of Nitzia

2010-10-01T06:32:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Unfinished drawings can be very intriguing. The viewer is left with a bit of mystery, and it's up to her to "fill in the blanks". This drawing was done from life with a brown-hued pastel pencil on Rives paper in portrait class. Today I'm off for a three day workshop with Rommel de la Torre to work on figure drawing in charcoal. We'll be working with charcoal powder, brushes, water, and gessoed boards. I can hardly wait to get started! I'll fill you in on any interesting techniques I'm able to pick up while I'm there.

Akhila

2010-09-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

"Were I called on to define, very briefly, the term art, I should call it "the reproduction of what the senses perceive in nature through the veil of the mist"" ~Edgar Allan Poe

When I saw Akhila in the studio a few nights ago, I couldn't wait to paint her. The shimmering costume and exotic dark features are what we artists recognize as the basis of an eye-catching portrait. This painting was completed while she sat for us, in a bit more than two hours. When I got the painting home, I decided to lighten the background to bring the focus completely on the model. I tried to do justice to Akhila's quiet smile-- it was as if she had very pleasant or humorous thoughts running through her mind the entire time she was sitting. It was such a pleasure to paint her.

The Visitor

2010-09-21T06:23:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

"To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying Amen to what the world tells you you ought to prefer, is to have kept your soul alive". ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Once again, I picked up my palette knife to lay on thick color from the beginning. Once I was happy with my colors and the basic shapes, I used a brush to soften certain edges and to lay in the model's features. This portrait started as a very large painting, encompassing the top half of her torso, but as it came closer to completion, I realized that a smaller painting focusing on her face would be more impactful.

I've been painting on large canvas sheets lately, so when I see how I want the painting to be "finished", I take an exacto knife and slice off the parts that I don't need anymore. I take the remaining canvas and adhere it to a hard board for framing. Such liberty! I'm not forced to comply with a pre-set size anymore! My composition changes as the painting develops.

Firelight

2010-09-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

This portrait is all about that ravishing hair. What fun it was to load a palette knife with all that fiery color and let it cascade down.

A Momentary Distraction

2010-08-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

"All the arts we practice are apprenticeship. The big art is our life" M. C. Richards

The big art that is MY life has certainly usurped a good deal of energy from my art practice these last few months. Family vacations, a daughter starting a new career, a son off to Colorado for college, and a son starting a challenging year in high school have taken my focus away from painting. But I needed to devote myself wholeheartedly into my life to be able to return with a fresh perspective to my painting.

I hope to include this piece in an upcoming gallery show. I'll give you more details as the date draws closer. My plan is to paint people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds surrounded by loose splashes of color. It's an exciting new phase for me, and I hope that you find it enjoyable!

The Bodysurfers, Costa Rica (sold)

2010-07-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

"Painting is the expression of ideas in their permanent form. It is the giving of evidence. It is the study of our lives, our environment. The American who is useful as an artist is one who studies his own life and records his experiences; in this way he gives evidence. If a man has something to say he will find a way of saying it." Robert Henri, The Art Spirit

Well, I'm not a man, but I do try to study and record the people and events in my life. This painting of my husband, sons, and nephew is a record of one of many long days of body surfing which came to an end with the setting of the sun. Even though they were painted in shadow, their forms make them instantly recognizable. Small areas of warmth from the sun are all that are needed to give them a bit of life. Exhaustion from the beating waves makes their forms relaxed and happy. I hope you can pick that up too.

As an aside to my artist friends, I'd like to tell you how much I've been enjoying reading and rereading The Art Spirit by Robert Henri. An American artist and teacher who lived until 1929, his gift for verbalizing his devotion to art and creative learning is endlessly inspiring to me. I find myself picking up this book and letting it fall open where it may. I'll start reading there and find something to inspire me anew. I highly recommend this book to any artist.

Emily and Angus (sold)

2010-07-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

This is a painting of my daughter Emily and her very good friend Angus. I decided to place her in a very formal setting to convey the more "civilized" part of her life, such as her classical music and education in economics, but I had her kick off her shoes and relax with her dog, because she's really a down-to-earth, homey kind of girl. This painting started out with very thick paint applied with a palette knife, then I went in with smaller and smaller brushes to put in the details on top of all that paint. Her eyelashes and the whites of her eyes were put in with a brush with about 5 hairs. And now I need to rest my eyes...

Candlelight

2010-06-23T14:21:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends:

I decided to keep this portrait rather loose and impressionistic. I have been trying to find a way to say as much as I can in as few brushstrokes as possible. This style may appeal to some people, while others may prefer a more detailed approach. I'd love to know what you think!

Demo of Michelle

2010-06-19T07:21:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends:

Many of you have told me that you enjoy hearing about my thoughts behind my paintings. Today, I thought that I would show you the evolution of a portrait, step by step. I painted this portrait of Michelle yesterday during an incredible thunderstorm which made the lights flicker and the windows rattle. Undeterred, I stuck to my normal process and came out with a very nice painting, I think.

First, I start out with a very watery mixture of paint and let the different colors mix on the canvas. While it is still very wet, I take a brush and map out the general dimensions of her head, face, and neck. It looks like a Picasso at this point, and I'm liking the composition already.

Second, I take out my palette knife and start to lay in thick paint where I see the darkest colors happening. I find it best to work from dark to light. I try to be very loose and free with the paint at this point, because I want the painterly feel to be there at the end.

Third, I use the palette knife to lay in my lighter colors, now covering the entire canvas. I use the knife to adjust the background color as well, now that I can visualize how the finished portrait may look.

The fourth stage is where I slow down to a crawl. I take out a regular paint brush and carefully put in her features and adjust the big blocks of color to be more realistic. At the very end, I pull out the palette knife once again and put some thick highlights on to add a bit of excitement.

The entire process took about 3-4 hours. I felt a bit like Dr. Frankenstein in his lab, with the flashing lightening and howling wind outside my studio window. But I like my creation better than his!

Flowers for Linda

2010-05-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

My friend and neighbor Linda is retiring from teaching this week, so to commemorate the occasion, I thought I'd paint her something. This painting started out as a landscape, but I grew unhappy with it and ended up scraping the wet paint off and starting again. My eye fell upon a bunch of flowers that my kids gave me for Mother's Day, and I loved the way the sunlight was catching just the side of some of the petals. I believe it was Matisse who said that a drop of red is more powerful than a bucketful. I had this in mind as I tried to make that small part of the painting the focal point. I think that just this small amount of red is more powerful than an entire bouquet of such an intense color.

Busse Woods Near Dusk

2010-05-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Once again, I packed up my paints and easel and headed out into the woods. This time, I was accompanied by many friends and teachers who specialize in plein air painting. Alas, when I returned home and took a look at my paintings, they were once again quite dark and muddy. Painting in bright sunlight is so deceiving! I pulled out my palette knife and went to work. On this one, I layered pink, yellow, and purple over the mud I had created. It gave the painting a rather pleasing twilight effect. I hope you like it too.

Dora

2010-05-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Dora modelled for us at Mainstreet a year or two ago. At that time, I painted a head and shoulders portrait of her, but kept my reference photos to develop into a larger painting. I'm so glad that I did so-- her striking features along with the intense reds in the background and the brightness of her top lend themselves to an intriguing composition.

I also wanted to let my artist friends know that I'll be conducting a portrait painting demonstration this Thursday, May 13th at the Hoffman Estates Art League at 7:30pm. If you'd like to attend, contact me and I'll let you know the details. Hope to see you there!

Crabtree Forest Preserve

2010-05-01T16:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Yesterday's plein aire outing resulted in a painting covered with nothing but dark green paint, since my canvas had bright sunlight beating down on it as I painted. At the time, I couldn't understand why my painting kept getting darker and darker and greener and greener! Now I realize that I was trying to fight with all that bright sunlight. When I got it home, I put away the green paint and added nothing but yellow, pink, and blue. I also tried to lighten it up a bit, and this is the result. I'm liking this painting a bit better now!

Anthony and Harold

2010-04-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter. ~Oscar Wilde.

These two portraits were painted in open studio at Mainstreet. In any given session, there will be a group of artists painting the same person, from a different vantage point. At the culmination of the evening, we will circulate and see how each of us interpreted the same individual. Some will have soft edges and muted skin tones. And then some (like me) will push the color and edges as far as they can go. Each painting is lovely, and indeed often says more about the artist than the sitter.

Molly

2010-04-23T06:27:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Molly's grandmother (and our cousin) sent me a photo of her that she thought would make a Renoir-esque portrait. I couldn't resist such an opportunity. I went to work, focusing on Molly's creamy skin and pink cheeks, while keeping her eyes and hair more intensely dark, with punches of vibrant color. I kept the background lively, in an impressionistic, loose style. I find this style very appealing, especially with young children because it captures their vibrancy and personality without getting lost in detail. I hope you like it too.

Early Spring, Fox River

2010-04-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

This morning, I set out to paint "en plein aire" with my artist friends Carol, Lynn, Bob, and Susan. We staked our claim on the side of the river in the morning and didn't stop painting until the sun was high. Early Spring on the river means lots of earthy colors, with punches of yellow-green just beginning to emerge.

Rod Blogojevich "Official" Portrait

2010-04-08T05:09:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Did you know that our great state is contemplating spending $25,000 for an official portrait of Blago? I decided to provide the state with an "official" portrait of my own for free-- half finished, just as he left his term! I've sent it to WGN radio, who is putting on a Blago free portrait contest. Perhaps I'll be able to save the taxpayers some money, and make a statement in the process.

Sandy

2010-04-06T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

Pablo Picasso said that painting is just another way of keeping a diary. I love that thought. I have mementos of my interactions with hundreds of people, and I've tried to capture something striking about their face or their personality in each one. With Sandy, it was her serenity and intensely dark eyes. Since I only had a couple of hours with her, I started with a wet wash and built up with thicker layers of paint as I went along. As I was working on her face, I was unaware that the background had started to run down as it did. But when I stepped back, I was happy with the moody effect that the drippiness gave the painting.

Playa Grande, Costa Rica

2010-03-25T08:02:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

I know this is quite a departure from portraits, but I couldn't resist painting this spectacular sunset that we saw on Christmas in Costa Rica. Lots of thin washes of paint gave what I hope is a luminous quality to the painting. It's alot larger than I usually paint, too-- 24"H x 30"W. It'll take up most of a wall! Once again, breaking away from routine is very refreshing.

Jenny

2010-03-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

This portrait was painted in two sittings with Jenny at Mainstreet Art Centre. I was sitting on a bench below the model, which gives an interesting perspective since I was looking up at her as I was painting. I really like the tilt of her head and the faraway look in her eyes. I began the painting with lots of paint and a palette knife and then refined her features with a brush in the final stages. Many artists would think that my process is a bit backward, preferring to begin a painting with thin paint and ending with thicker paint for the final flourishes. But I'm enjoying this technique for now and I'll stick with it while it's working!

As Yet Untitled

2010-03-15T07:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends:

I would like to enlist your help, if you'd like, to help me choose a title for this painting. I'm finding that different people have different reactions to the model's pose, expression, and setting. What do you see? I think it would be fun to find out what the viewer takes away from the painting, much like an ink-blot test. Your opinion may have more to do with YOU than the painting itself!

Study in Red and Copper Pot

2010-03-10T09:16:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

I thought you might enjoy seeing two of my paintings from my recent workshop with Qiang Huang. The red painting was a challenge because I needed to create so many different varieties of "red" to differentiate the cloth from the apple from the grapes. The challenge in the Copper Pot was to make the copper look realistic without being overly detailed. Taking time out from painting portraits is always worth my while, since I learn lessons which can be translated to whatever subject I'm working with.

Thank you for your interest in my art!

Barb

2010-03-01T10:35:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

It's been quite a while since I've made a posting! While I was away, I attended a workshop in Sacramento taught by Qiang Huang, a painter that I have admired for quite some time. I learned quite a bit from him about color and value relationships that I hope to incorporate into my paintings in the future.

This portrait was painted from a model sitting, and I approached it with lots of paint and a palette knife to start. Since the model was interested in purchasing the final product, I took it home and softened some edges with a brush, but tried to maintain a spontaneous, painterly quality.

Sky

2010-01-27T07:48:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

This is a palette knife portrait that I painted of Sky. His mother took the stunning photo of him, and I knew right away that I had to paint him. Sometimes paintings just seem to paint themselves, and this was one of them. I had a great time punching up the colors while trying to retain the likeness and personality of Sky. I also placed him a bit off center to paint the sky behind him.

Elyse, The Angel

2010-01-22T09:54:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

This is a portrait that I painted of my very good friend and neighbor, Elyse. She has a truly angelic face and, in my opinion, a personality to match. This portrait was painted from a beautiful photograph taken by April Graves of Light Drawn Studios. April raises funds for WINGS through the sale of her lovely calendars. She is in the process now of photographing children for next year's calendar. You can view her work on her website, http://www.lightdrawnstudios.com.

Thank you for your interest in my art!

President Barack Obama

2010-01-11T11:52:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

There's something I've admired about the president. He always projects an air of confidence and serenity when he's in front of a crowd of people. I tried to capture this aura in a portrait, and it wasn't easy. Painting such a recognizable figure leaves very little room for error. For the past few days, anyone passing through my kitchen had to tell me what could be fixed to make it "him". After many trips back to the drawing board, this is my final portrait. I hope you like it.

Max

2009-12-11T14:59:00.000-08:00

I painted this portrait of Max today from a photo I took the same day as I took his sister Becca's. I love the serene, pensive look on his face. He's got the face of an old soul dressed in small boy's clothing.

Becca

2009-12-09T18:08:00.000-08:00

I painted this portrait from a photo I took of Becca when she was about 8 years old. I was curious to see if palette knife painting lent itself well to childrens' portraits. It's so interesting to me that a looser format is actually more expressive. It's as if more of a story is told about the sitter than a completely realistic, detailed rendering.

Jess

2009-12-01T17:25:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

I stumbled upon a photo that I took of a model a year or so ago, and decided to paint his portrait with a palette knife. You may have noticed that I've changed my approach a bit-- I'm starting the painting with a very wet brush and letting the paint drip to the bottom of the canvas. Then, I apply very thick paint with a knife on top of the wet paint. I think this process gives the painting a nice moody quality. I hope you like it too.

Mike

2009-11-19T08:04:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

This painting was done in a two hour session with the model. I started the painting quite wet, with paint and turpentine flowing and dripping off the canvas. I then went in with a palette knife and dark paint to establish the placement of the dark values. From there, I applied the lights with a knife, then went in with a brush to give some definition and detail. I stepped back from the painting and decided to stop there.

Lisa

2009-11-13T12:07:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

Here is a portrait I painted this morning at Mainstreet. I had so much fun painting this one-- the lighting was a challenge, since she's lit from underneath, so everything that is normally in shadow was thrown into the light. I tried to keep it full of energy and light, in keeping with our model, Lisa, who kept smiling and animated the entire time she posed.

Palette Knife Portraits

2009-11-06T13:39:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends:

I've taken the plunge and started to paint portraits with a palette knife. The painting of the girl with the scarf is a reproduction of a painting by Jeffrey Watts. The second painting was done from life this morning. I'm going through tubes of paint at an incredible rate, but having a blast with it. I'd love to know what you think of this style...

And thank you!

Grace

2009-10-26T06:45:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends: I painted Grace in class in two separate sittings, a total of about six hours. The challenge for me was to emphasize her beautiful eyes and cheekbones while keeping the rest of her features soft. I really like the tilt of her head and the distant look in her eyes.

Olivia

2009-10-18T13:37:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends, This is a drawing in Conte pastels that I did last Wednesday at Open Studio at Mainstreet in Lake Zurich. Our lovely model, Olivia, is from South Africa, and she can't wait to get back home by Christmastime to celebrate the holiday with her family. In her country, Christmas merits a brand new outfit every year, and she was sorely disappointed to celebrate it last year next to a swimming pool with everyone wearing bathing suits. This year, she's determined to do it right!

Late Summer, Illinois

2009-10-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

This is a painting of a scene we've all stumbled upon here in the midwest when we drive just outside of suburbia and hit the open country. At this time of year, the leaves on the trees haven't changed yet, but the grass is high and we feel the change in the weather is just around the corner.

Rose and Sugarbowl

2009-10-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,

I thought I'd publish another photo of this painting, since the previous photo looked quite yellow to me. This one is a better representation!

A Wistful Experiment

2009-09-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends:

As many of you know, I've been painting with palette knives lately instead of brushes, and I've been enjoying myself immensely with this new process. I started this beach scene the other day, and was happily working along, when I was suddenly overcome with a wistful feeling. I stood back and looked at it and then it hit me-- the little girl running away from her mother hit a bit close to home, now that daughter Emily is away in Vancouver for a year! I know she's not exactly a toddler (she's in graduate school), but still...I think I'll stick to fruit and flowers until I can pull myself together!

Teapot with Orange

2009-09-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends:

I'm still having fun painting with a palette knife. This one was inspired by a photo I saw in an artists' magazine, and I thought I'd have a go at the reflections on the glass and metal. There is so little control with a knife-- I can't get bogged down by detail-- and there's no blending!

Veggie Still Life

2009-09-12T07:21:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends, Yes I know this is not my usual type of painting. This one was done using a palette knife instead of brushes, and I enjoyed doing it so much that I thought you might like seeing it too. Applying paint with a knife forces me to use lots of paint and not "overwork" it. I made a conscious effort not to blend anything at all-- quite a departure from my usual way of doing things!

The Sparks Family

2009-08-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,

Here is my latest completed portrait. As you can imagine, the setup was pretty complex so it took me quite awhile to complete this one. In fact, I had started this portrait initially with a completely different pose. It was much more formal, with everyone looking directly at the viewer. After I started painting it, I decided it just wasn't a good representation of the Sparks family, and asked them to pose for me a second time. The card game turned out to be a perfect activity for them, and everyone relaxed and became "themselves". In the end, it was alot easier and more fun to paint them like this than in the more formal, staged format.

Rebecca

2009-05-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

This painting of Rebecca was commissioned by her mother for her 16th birthday, next week. I have known Rebecca since she was in preschool and she used to visit my house on a regular basis to play with my son Jordan. What a joy it's been to watch her grow into a lovely thoughtful young lady, and then to have the opportunity to paint her. I had hoped to capture her quiet intellect in this painting and her connection with nature. I hope I came close...

Tara

2009-05-20T07:45:00.000-07:00

I haven't published much to my blog lately, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy! I have quite a few live model sittings to share with you, both in charcoal and paint. Here's one of Tara, a high school student that I drew in an open studio last week. I love taking my time with charcoal, focusing on getting the drawing right and paying close attention to the dark/light values. When you have a limited time situation as I had last week, adding color to the equation can muddle the process quite a bit. I'm glad that I could take my time, and I think that the quietness of this model shows in the drawing.

Gizelle Portrait

2009-03-30T06:39:00.000-07:00

The Gizelle portrait is finally complete! I didn't want to sign my name to the painting until I felt that her charm came across on the canvas. Unfortunately, sometimes perfectionism keeps me from moving forward-- there's always one more thing to add or to do to make it just so. But like all things in life, there comes a time to let go, so I'm packing Gizelle off for Tulsa today!

Jess

2009-01-27T06:55:00.000-08:00

This is a charcoal I drew last night of Jess, an art student in high school. Drawing from a live model is really important to me. My hope is that my paintings are more true to life, since I'm not relying strictly on photos for my references. And as any artist will tell you, photographs lie!

Corporate Portrait

2009-01-26T08:10:00.000-08:00

I've just completed this portrait of a CEO in St Louis. Although it is a formal portrait, I tried to keep my brushstrokes loose and painterly. He is holding a device that his company manufactures, which I think makes the painting more meaningful, although I was never quite sure what the device actually was!

Emily Playing the Viola

2008-12-17T08:35:00.000-08:00

This is a charcoal of Emily playing the viola in her college orchestra. I love the composition of this piece. Sometimes when the lights and darks are so pronounced, the picture just seems to draw itself. She'll be coming home for the holidays tomorrow, which we're looking forward to very much. I hope your holidays are wonderful-- thank you for your support and interest in my art this last year. Here's to a happy and healthy 2009!

Giselle Smiling

2008-12-09T18:11:00.000-08:00

I think I like this version of Giselle better than the more serious one. This one captures her spirit much better.

Giselle

2008-12-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

This is a charcoal of Giselle, a seven-year-old girl whose grandmother has comissioned me to paint her portrait. I'm trying to arrive at the perfect pose to use to paint her portrait. Although I like this pose quite alot, it seems a bit somber, and Giselle is far from somber. I think I'll develop another charcoal to use as a comparison.

2008-11-28T14:34:00.000-08:00

This is a 2 1/2 hour painting of Peter, a model originally from the Netherlands. I really enjoy painting these studies because I can get pretty bold with my brushwork and try new styles that I wouldn't use in my regular portrait work. For instance, the light area next to his nose was put in with one stroke of a heavily laden brush. I think it holds the whole painting together!

Lauren Reading

2008-11-18T06:42:00.000-08:00

I drew 12 year old Lauren as she read yesterday evening. Modeling is really hard work, especially when you're 12 and you have to stare at the same page for 25 minutes at a time! She was such a trooper.

Melissa

2008-11-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

This painting of Melissa was done in Door County, Wisconsin during an intensive 1 week workshop. I enjoyed painting the contrast of her very fair skin against the dark backdrop. Trying to capture the "essence" of a sitter is what I find so intriguing about portrait painting.

Jackie

2008-11-11T07:31:00.000-08:00

This is a charcoal study of Jackie that I drew last night. She had beautiful shiny hair that kept falling over one eye. It created a wonderful shadow on her face. I had to draw quickly before her eye was completely obscured!

Carol

2008-11-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

This oil study was done very quickly, using a limited palette of blue, yellow, red, black, white, and an earth color (burnt sienna). The red bow contrasted very nicely with her dark hair, and the color is picked up again in her cheek. When I'm working this fast, I can't overthink what I'm doing-- the study sometimes ends up with a lively quality that can capture the sitter's personality better than a formal portrait, or even a photograph!

Dora

2008-10-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

This is a monochrome oil study I painted of Dora a few weeks ago. I love her pose in this study, and since I only had a few hours to paint while she was with me, there is a spontaneous quality to the paint that seems to work well.

Suzanne and Jeffrey

2008-10-23T13:42:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, I attended the Bar and Bat Mizvah of Suzanne and Jeffrey, twins of my very dear friend Nancy. To be sure, there was quite a bit of merriment and festivity that weekend, but I was quite taken with the solemnity and tradition of the ceremony. When I got home, I couldn't wait to put down on canvas my impression of the moment when they made the passage to adulthood.

Red Scarf

2008-10-15T07:51:00.000-07:00

This is a model I painted at Main Street Art Center in Lake Zurich. It may seem strange to you that my favorite part of this painting is the black necktie. I like the way it appears sunlit in the front and in shadow in the back. It's kind of tough to get that to work when you're using black.

Marie

2008-10-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

This is an oil study that I completed in a workshop in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. I believe Marie sat for about 6 hours for this one.

Judy

2008-10-15T06:49:00.000-07:00

This is a charcoal I did of Judy, a model who sat for us at the Main Street Art Center the other night. Judy kept her pose really well, barely moving for two and a half hours. The evening was unseasonably warm for autumn in the midwest, and the room was filled with conviviality. My drawing of Judy doesn't quite capture her bubbly personality, which is unfortunate, but I was happy with the overall result.

Self Portrait, 2008

2008-10-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

Hello! I thought I'd start my blog with a self-portrait, since you may be curious to see who I am. I threw this one onto the canvas at great speed, trying to go for a spontaneous, fresh look to the paint. In fact, I think this one took a grand total of about 3 hours to complete. One reason that I was so speedy was that I had just completed (by my estimation) my 100th portrait, painted from life. After painting so many people in a row, the process becomes much like a golf swing-- it flows quickly, without much thought.

I like this painting because it looks pretty much like me and I think it conveys my personality while I'm painting-- interested, but introspective.