February 1, 2015

Life does not sit still

This Drawing 1 course, I taught the students about observation and proportion. We first used our eyes then skewers for measuring the still lives we set up. I  demonstrated finding relationships, using an imaginary horizontal and vertical axis to begin the composition.
I st up my hat and orange and showed the sight size method, and also how to use it to double the size of measurements to enlarge the picture. These were done very quickly to give the students an idea of the objective and lots of time to tackle their assignment.
Here is Daisy's initial set up before corrections and further development. This is a very rational and exacting method to develop a realistic representational still life drawing.
 The students made me very proud as they all did very well finding and observing those things in the drawings that help them to become more skilled at the craft. I am certain the majority have never worked in this way before and that this new knowledge will be extremely valuable in their artistic practice.
Once the proportions are set and the objects drawn in, they can begin working with their value and shading which wee will go into more depth with during next weeks class. After class i rushed over to the Forest Lawn Library where I taught a 2 hr. flip book making workshop to kids.
The day after a late night of hockey and fun with the boys, I taught an oil painting sampler at Swinton's. We did a colour wheel and I did a quick demo on this piece of palette paper, how to do a variety of things with the tools and materials.
I then quickly blocked in this painting to demonstrate the laying down of oil colour.  The paint that represents the trunk was put on thickly, all with the same large brushes. I moved around the classroom as they began their first paintings.
I revisited it with a smaller round 0 brush, wet in wet to add some more detailed branches and leaves.  Every time I paint I am reminded about the incredible happiness the challenge of applying sticky goop with a stick that has hairs on the end of it to a piece of primed canvas, brings me. That my friends is in essence what I love most about painting, its simplicity brings infinite challenges and possibilities. 


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