The fourth day started the same, picking out a photo, this time of a market scene or a scene with one or multiple people in it. Efren also offered out sketches of market scenes so there was no colour reference. Again with the idea of building on the skills from the previous three days, I chose a sketch rather than a photo. After a coffee, toast and fruit, Efren again started with a demo with one of his sketches. He drew then blocked in the colour in a market scene. It is really fascinating to watch how quickly and with such ease that he can accomplish this. We then went to do the same thing from our chosen reference. I chose a market scene with people, buildings, awnings and plants so I could practice and learn from all of them. If you get a chance to take a class/course from Efren, I would highly recommend it. I am putting my name down for a watercolour class next year, that should be a another real challenge! https://www.artinmexico.com/artists/ https://sic.gob.mx/ficha.php?table=galeria&table_id=56 https://www.facebook.com/artefrengonzalez/?locale=es_LA Top left and middle: 2 of Efren's sketches. Top right: Efren's demo painting drawn and blocked in. Bottom left: Efren's demo Bottom right: My painting as Efren is critiquing it only making the crosses bigger this time and adding the light under the table. While the critique is going on, we are enjoying tequila or a glass of red wine. Lovely way to relax and end each day. I went home with 2 wet paintings, one in my front bike basket (resting on my arms) and the other in my left hand and biked home at lunch over cobblestones, paved and dirt roads. I did the same at the end of the day with day 3 and 4 paintings. Happily the paintings and I made it home safe and sound. "El Paseo Del Domingo"
20" x 16", Oil on canvas #20029224
0 Comments
Day 3's challenge was boats with photos of single boats and multiple boats. Again to challenge myself, three boats on the edge of a shoreline is the photo I chose (top left). Efren did a demo to begin the day and explained how to block in the boats. Each day of his class is building on the skills from the day before. It took me lines and lines in diluted paint to get the boat shapes correct. I had to take a break from the boats so worked on the background then came back to block in the darks and first colour layer on the boats. Top right: my painting in progress. Bottom left: further along, still working on the water shadows (very strange colouring). Bottom right: Efren critiquing my painting and adding stronger highlights to the top of the boat. What a difference his final touches make! https://www.artinmexico.com/artists/ https://sic.gob.mx/ficha.php?table=galeria&table_id=56 https://www.facebook.com/artefrengonzalez/?locale=es_LA "Tres Amigos"
18" x 23", Oil on canvas #20027234 Again, we came in to a table of photographs, still life of florals in vases, clay pots, green peppers or onions. I figured as this was a learning class, I should choose something that I had no idea how to paint, curvy peppers it was! What a challenge!!! Again Efren did a demo to get us started with the drawing in thinned oil paint, then blocked in the darks. Off we started. Another demo on blocking in the first layer, more painting time.... Working on a different photo each and not getting up for supplies really intensified our focus. When Efren came around, he pointed out that I had to darken the shadowed areas further and pay less attention to all the shapes in the shadows. In the critique he added a few brighter highlights on my highlights. Top left: Efren's demo, drawing done, now adding colour. Top middle: first round of colour in. Top right: Efren critiquing a floral still life. Bottom left: My painting in progress with the photo above. Bottom middle: Efren critiquing and adding stronger highlights (notice the orientation is different, probably how he took the photo). Bottom middle: the photo in the orientation that I painted it. I had taped it to cut off what I did not want. https://www.artinmexico.com/artists/ https://sic.gob.mx/ficha.php?table=galeria&table_id=56 https://www.facebook.com/artefrengonzalez/?locale=es_LA "Title"
20" x 16", Oil on canvas On this year's "To Do" list was to take a live art class. My Mom gave me some money for Christmas and Efren's class was listed at Galeria Amiga in CENAC. Quite a few of the Saturday en plein air artists were taking the class and highly recommended it. The timing was perfect! I wish I took a photo of the set up. Each artist had a chair, easel, palette on a low plastic table, 2 or 3 small brushes, Liquin, thinner and 4 colours of oil paint - cadmium yellow, red, Prussian blue, ultramarine blue plus white, everything was supplied. On a table were landscape photos of which we were to choose one, everyone was different. Efren did a demo of how to draw with paint on the canvas and block in the darks. We were handed terra cotta coloured canvases, 18" x 14"!!!! The largest brush given was a 1/2"! His family helped and walked around refilling anything we were getting low of, usually before we asked, leaving all the time to paint, paint, and paint. Next he showed how he covers the canvas with the first layer, again we are painting our own. Lunch and back to painting until around 3pm. He walked around, commented, explained or showed on the artist's canvas. At 3pm we all handed over our canvases and then he put them up, critiqued and added what was needed, certainly a huge learning tool. While he critiqued, we were offered a shot of tequila to sip on or a glass of wine. We went home exhilarated and exhausted. I had never attended a workshop where that level of work was produced! Top right: Efren with his painting set up. He sat on a very short chair and lifted his easel up and down. He painted it up so we could see, then lowered it to have a look himself. His palette was also up high so everyone could see his colour mixing. Top middle: blocked in and starting with colour. Top right: everything with colour. Middle left: Efren's finished demo painting. Middle: My painting before he shortened the fence post shadows and added tire marks in the road. Middle right and bottom: the class' work after Efren's critique. https://www.artinmexico.com/artists/ https://sic.gob.mx/ficha.php?table=galeria&table_id=56 https://www.facebook.com/artefrengonzalez/?locale=es_LA "The Scenic Route"
18" x 14" Oil on canvas, #20021204 Update: Thank you to Amy and Doreen for purchasing my two donated paintings. Amy bought the bottom street scene at the "Buy Now" price. Doreen purchased the top one through the bidding system. A huge thank you for supporting CENAC and artists!
Original Post: Each year in February, the Center for Arts and Culture in Melaque Mexico has The Tiny Canvas Auction so the children can have art time, supplies and instruction in the summer and to keep up with repairs on the building itself. The paintings are small and are bid on with a minimum bid price. It is up to the artist to paint in any subject using whatever medium they want, the canvas is supplied. Below is my fun little "A Taste Of Melaque" and "Dia de Mercado", both 5" x 5" acrylic paintings. All the paintings are all small so they can sit on a window sill, wall or tuck in a suitcase. Tiny Canvas show and bidding begin February 8 - 11, 15 - 18 (10am-2pm) with final bid ending at 1:30 on February 18. The Galeria Amigas has a wonderful array of art, jewelry, hand made clothing, aprons and bags, sculpture, cards and other treasures. I also have a small selection of my cards for sale there. Once again, I decided to join @OpusArtSupply February challenge #opusdailypractice to make art each day. As we are travelling, I used my small sketchbook (6"x4" each side) for this challenge. Opus put a suggested word for the day and you could use it or do something else. I set up each side of my book with the date and prompt and then chose which one I felt like doing each day. We were prompted to post on Instagram #Opusdailychallenge Most of the time, I found if I just drew something in this thin papered book that I was happy with that. Painting or adding colour was a bonus and could be played with later. Prompts: Top left: Day 1 "Experiment" (squished plants to see if I could get colour), Middle and Top Right: Day 2 "Layers" A layered page that opens up of found papers. Lower left: "Explore" Linda asking permission to paint this juice vendor's business on our plein air Saturdays. Middle: Day 3 "Monochrome" includes a found feather. Bottom right: Day 5 "Sparks" - my name for a little hummingbird that rests on the electrical wires outside our balcony Top left: Day 6 "Hand", Middle: Day 7 "Play" pickleball court, racquet and ball. Top right: Day 8 "Juxtapose" the white birds against the blue sky and water. Day 9 "Reflect" the beautiful colours of a sunrise. Day 10 "Dragon" summer dragon boat paddling in the Shuswap. Day 11 "Fluid" my sweating glass (drawn with a black Elegant Writer) Top left: Day 12 "Fusion" watercolour, Middle: Day 13 "Vessel" ink, scorpions in tequila Right: Day 14 "Bond", dancers from Oaxaca. Bottom left: Day 15 "Fabric" a fabric store's street table.
The Saturday morning plein air group were invited to Amy's. Her neighbours were very accommodating (thank you!) as we over took their grounds. Most of us found a spot in the shade and enjoyed a garden view. It was almost a still life as I decided to paint some of this beautiful and large plant. Right photo is the artists paintings in progress. "La Guarida de Abel Salgado"
10" x 8" plein air oil on canvas pad #20014224 Not For Sale Yet The group was invited onto the Quinta Julia's grounds for a morning of en plein air fun. We had many choices of the buildings, plants, gardens, upstairs deck of the view below, as well as the street outside the gates. Seven artists were sprinkled around enjoying themselves. Below left is the "works in progress", Right is the view I painted and my painting at the bottom. Had a wonderful time and enjoyed going out for coffee after with 3 other artists. "Quinta Julia"
8" x 10" plein air oil on canvas pad #20012224 Not For Sale Yet El Moyo restaurant set up beach umbrellas and tables for us to use at 8:30a.m.. It is right beside the malecon so the views were varied. I found it hard to settle down and focus on "something" as there was the malecon with a couple of vendors setting up, men fishing from shore and in boats, walkers and even a crocodillo in the canal....so many choices! The light was very overcast and grey to begin with but then the colours started showing themselves. I chose a straight on view with a lone fisherman on the rocks. I started on a bright red canvas I had painted on with left over paint from last year. It was a tough way to start as everything was dull and various shades of gray. I started trying to chase the light and the canvas was feeling slimy so time to quit. I took a photo and finished it at home. As soon as someone is ready to leave, we take a photo of the works in progress (not designed to be final paintings at this point). "Pescador Soltero"
10" x 8", Oil on canvas oil paper, #20004224 We had so much fun and were so inspired by our surroundings and possibilities as well as what the other artists painted the week before, we decided to paint at Las Palmas again (thank you owners of this complex)!! I found a shady spot with a view of the fountain. 13 of us put our unfinished paintings in for a "slap down" photo as one artist had to leave. "La Fuente De Villa Palmas"
8" x 10", en plein air (on location) oil on canvas pad #20002224 |
Karen Oliver's Art JourneyThanks for stopping by to see my art journey and what I am currently working on. Archives
August 2024
|