Between the continuing cold weather and the ongoing bad news issuing from DC, I'm spending large amounts of time working on watercolors and trying to move beyond my comfort zone (which is painting pictures of flowers--not from life but from...pictures of flowers.
While I draw or paint, I've found that listening to audio books really helps me loosen up and not worry about getting things just so. Currently listening to an excellent reading of Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay.
Here I'm working from pictures on my cell phone. The first is the early morning view from behind our house--taken when I was walking Jenny.
Otter in her tie-dye hoodie. She makes me think of a chubby little girl in a party frock. I was delighted to feel that I'd come close to an actual likeness.
Unlike this 'portrait' of a late neighbor (based on a fuzzy old photo grabbed from the internet.) I'm still futzing with it but don't have a lot of hope. I wonder if my inability to produce a recognizable person is linked to the fact that I often have trouble recognizing people if they are in an unexpected place or, heaven help us, have changed their hairstyle, shaved a beard, or added glasses.
I've attempted Josie with terrible results and have a half-completed sketch of her dolls Margo and Dolly in which there are traces of Margo, but Dolly seems to have been inhabited by a demon.
Ah, well, back to the drawing board.
4 comments:
I really like your morning view. Sue has done some watercolor and has told me that faces are difficult — for many artists.
Your branching out on different subjects is commendable. Yes portraits are difficult, even if from life! The one of Otter looks great. And I love the view of sunrise with a bit of your house in it which kind of anchors it. The many trees have been well documented with minimalizing.
These are wonderful, Vicki. Yes, Otter looks adorable.
From what I can see of the painting of the neighbor, it looks excellent.
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