It Has Been a Long Time

It has been too long since I posted anything for the blog. Here are a few quick paintings that I have been working on over my winter break. The two paintings of oranges are both one session paintings. (approx 3 hours) The kitchen painting was done in approx. 9 hours and is a lot larger than the other two.

I was trying something a little different with these paintings. I used a limited palette composed mainly of earth pigments and one or two prismatic pigments. Unfortunately, the picture quality is really poor.

Sculpture Session II

Here is a four foot sculpture that I am working on in one of my classes. This is my progress after two sessions with the model.

Four Foot Sculpture II

I decided to take the Large Scale Figurative Sculpture class again.

Last year, I regarded my sculpture simply as a study. I tended to put more emphasis on the anatomical issues, rather than the life and movement of the piece. Although I learned a great deal, the sculpture turned out rather stiff.

Last Year's Sculpture

This year I plan to concentrate on movement and aesthetic appeal of my sculpture. If I see my work as more than just a study, hopefully it will look and feel more like a solid sculpture.

Step one (after finishing the armature) is the bulk up stage. This is my progress after one session.


For obvious reasons, the model cannot hold this pose, so I greatly exaggerated the twists and turns of the model's body. It will be interesting to see how well I can turn a simple pose into a more energetic and graceful image.

Charcoal Still Life

Here is a charcoal still life that I am working on for one of my classes. I just happened upon this scene and hardly altered a thing. I started this drawing using a wipe out technique. I covered the entire canvas using vine charcoal to create one gray tone. I pulled out the light areas with a chamois and added the dark areas with compressed charcoal.

I find this technique very useful. It helps me to stay loose and to section my drawing into large masses of light and dark. I intend to keep working this image by varying my marks and refining some of the detail.

Back to PAFA

I will be heading back to PAFA next week and it is time to start posting again. This summer was extremely busy. I worked, taught art to kids, and occasionally got the chance to create art.

Stained glass is a medium that I do not work in very often, but that I really enjoy. One of my favorite stained glass windows is a piece by John La Farge called "Spring" (1902). This piece is at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the American section. I always go to see it when I am there.

John La Farge "Spring"

During the last half of the summer, I took a little break from painting and spent a considerable amount of time working on a new stained glass panel. This panel is the second stained glass design that I have made. It is about 36”X 24” and of a simple landscape. I will turn my new panel into a light box and place it in my private studio this fall. Since most private studios at PAFA do not have windows, I though it would help to brighten up the room.

My first stained glass panel was created for the dinning room of my house. It was a simple design with an emphasis on organic shapes. I found it a unique challenge designing for a specific place in my house and was happy with the end result.

Charcoal Study

I made another charcoal study. This is the same pose that I drew last week, only this time I cropped the figure.

18X24

More Studies

I started a new charcoal drawing this week. It took me a long time to nail down the pose and I had just started shading when the session ended. However, I will get a chance to work on the drawing next week. I will probably add some background elements to give the drawing more depth.


I got outside to paint when the weather got nice and made a few tonal studies of trees. I did eventually add color, but those attempts are not worth posting.

Four Foot Sculpture

In my Large Scale Figurative Sculpture Class, what started out as a large lump of clay became a four foot male figure by the end.

I quickly learned how important a thorough understanding of anatomy is to a figurative sculptor. I just as quickly learned how little I really knew about anatomy, despite having taken two classes of it. It is one thing to draw muscles, but it is something entirely different to recreate them in 3D.

This class was great because I learned a lot about how muscle groups overlap and entwine. As usual I had some trouble capturing an interesting gesture, which left my sculpture stiff and rigid.

My main goal for next year, when I take this class again, will be to focus on the movement and gesture of the human figure.

Bulk Up Stage

Landscapes And Figures

The wet Spring weather finally gave way to a sunny day this week. I gladly took the opportunity to paint outside. When I paint outside I prefer to use Water Soluble Oil Paints. As opposed to traditional oil paints, Water Soluble Oil Paints allow you to clean your brushes and palette with water. This makes clean up easy and less toxic than using OMS (Odorless Mineral Spirits).

I avoid/limit my use of Mineral Spirits (even OMS) and other harsh chemicals whenever I can. When I am painting in school or in my studio at home, I always clean my brushes with Vegetable Oil plus soap and water. I guess I am one of those paranoid artists, but I feel that it is important to know your materials and to avoid/limit ones exposure to harmful chemicals.


Tree study in H2O Soluble Oil Paints

I am still getting down to the city once a week to draw at the Philadelphia Sketch Club. For students, the price is unbeatable (six dollars per session).

Here is a drawing that I did in one session. I am trying to work quickly and not fuss too much. Unfortunately, I made a poor cropping decision and chopped off part of her head. However, I am beginning to really enjoy charcoal. With charcoal you can fill up a page quickly and it allows the artist to make interesting marks.

Next week will be a continuation of this pose. I plan to stick with Charcoal, but I would like to try a different technique.

Charcoal Study 18X24

Summer Break

So far, my main focus over break has been drawing. I am still working on my pastel and oil studies. When the weather gets nice I plan to spend my time outside painting.

During the school year, I depended mainly on the pencil. Graphite is a medium that I am very comfortable with. I love the control and the subtle value shifts that can be achieved. However, I have ignored the wonderful expressive world of charcoal. Over the break I am determined to draw in charcoal as much as possible.

I am taking a life model session down in the city. This is a great opportunity for me to experiment with charcoal.

24X18 Charcoal


Charcoal Study of Wooden Horse


Pastel Study on Canvas Board (red acrylic ground)

Another Semester Ends

Another semester has ended, which means I am getting closer and closer to a private studio next fall. I can hardly contain my excitement! With fewer classes I will have more time to focus on my own interests and artistic direction (which I feel has gotten clouded and lost along the way).

The past semesters have flown by. There were some tears, periods of frustration, and a lot of failed paintings, but in the end the lessons that I have learned are invaluable.

I only have a few simple studies that I am willing to show for this weeks post.


Soft Pastel on Canvas Board (Burnt Sienna Acrylic Toned Ground)


Soft Pastel on Canvas Board (Acrylic under painting: Red under painting for peppers, Green under painting for cloth, Blue tone for background)


Graphite 18X24


Oil on Canvas Board

Burnt Umber Portrait

I do not have much to show this week except for the beginning of a burnt umber portrait. The image started as an under painting however, I liked where it was headed and decided not to add color.

Using a wipe out technique for this exercise, first I thinned my paint with odorless mineral spirits and toned the entire canvas with a wash of thin pigment. Next, I drew the basic shape of the figure with a thin brush and burnt umber. With a rag I began to expose the white of the canvas to create the light areas of his skin. I went back and reinforced the dark areas with more pigment.

Portrait Studies

The human face is an amazingly powerful window of expression however, it is an area that I always seem to neglect. Thankfully, in my Anatomy Class we have been focusing on the head and face.

Here are some portrait studies that I made during class. All of these studies were done lightly in pencil, so unfortunately they did not photograph well.