Thursday, May 17, 2012

Another movie spread and a couple of experiments



 My family loved the movie 'Foul Play' when I was young.  In fact, it was a favorite 'go-to' every time we had a nasty thunderstorm.  In this part of Texas that was frequent.  Not so much these days with the drought though.

I'm not sure why, but showing my experiments always makes me feel more vulnerable.  But here goes anyway!  This is drawn from a photo of my cousin's grandmother.  It was a black and white photo and she had her daughters standing behind her.  I exaggerated some proportions and the color of the dress is completely 'artistic license'.  It is done in charcoal with watercolor and white gouache on a toned background.  I need to add some highlights to her face since forgot to save them when I added the watercolor.   I do like this piece, with the exception of that light blob at the top right that wouldn't take any more color.  I probably was holding it down with an oily thumb or something.  It was done in my 9x12 aquabee sketchbook. 



This was completely unplanned.  I had my desktop easel out and a page I had torn out of my aquabee sketchbook to do some gouache testing on.  I turned it over and had been doodling different things in pencil.  As I shut down my computer for the night, I felt unsatisfied because I hadn't done enough 'real' sketching.  I picked up my pencil, held it at the back end, extended my arm out and drew this imaginary guy right on top of all that doodling, most of which isn't even noticeable here.  You can see that same quote running vertically through the guy on the right side...just barely.  The vertical lines through his cheek were part of one of the doodles.    Then I started adding watercolor as sloppily as I could manage.  On purpose...sloppy.  And I liked it.  His face may seem a little out of perspective, but I can live with that given the technique used.  He does actually have color on his forehead which my scanner didn't pick up...or maybe my computer screen doesn't?

I seem to be at a crossroad, not sure where to go next.  In a way I really crave to be working with oils.  But at the moment it doesn't seem like a good idea to spend a bunch of money on new supplies, especially since I'm currently limited on space.  I liked using the charcoal and gouache with the watercolor and maybe I'll try more of that.  I think what I need is a good exciting subject.  Or maybe an art buddy.  My sister will be staying with us for a while when she returns to the US.  She'd make a perfect model.   I wonder how willing she would be to sit still for me.  Can't wait for her to get here!

Hope you're all doing well and staying creative! 

UPDATE: I haven't been liking my scans lately so I'm trying something different.  The pictures on this post have been replaced with scans that I believe look a little better.

19 comments:

  1. This is a very, very fun sketch. I love your use of color!

    Kristi
    http://artspace-created4kristi.blogspot.com/

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  2. Raena!!! How awesome to see you up and around in the blogosphere again!! And may I say, these dradwings are fabulous! But that last one hits it out of the park!
    and from your head? WOW!

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  3. I LOVE both of the portraits - the lady in orange (great life to this) and your imaginary guy - you are wonderfully talented, Raena, and I always enjoy anything you post. Hope that your feelings of vulnerability are compensated for by the happiness you create in others. Jane

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  4. They are all great, but by far the old woman is my favourite, really well done and I like the mixture of media you have used to paint it. Im glad you posted them all, its so good to see what you can do and you my dear friend have talent!!!! Cant wait o see what you will post next.

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  5. Your cousins grandmother would have been so perfect for Lydia as you captured an aged pearls wearing graceful lady and that's what I imagined for her. I've never seen Foul Play but it looks like it would be good. I completely recognize Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase great drawing.

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  6. These are all just terrific! My favorite is the man you drew from your imagination, but the grandmother is wonderful, too! It really is nice to see your work again. nancy

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  7. Wow - I love how you are thinking! You have an art buddy here. We have been so uptight with our pages. The next page needs to be freewheeling - anything goes - not necessarily ink and watercolors, eh? Anyway, I love your experiments. The old woman is excellent - even with the blotch. I like the blotch. Reminds me of Alice Neel. And the man is excellent!! A success of an experiment - this reminds me of Wendy Macnaughton. Crossroads are good.

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  8. Your man looks terrific. It's so hard to just be sloppy and this sure doesn't look it but instead looks casual. Very nice. Your lady came out super; I like the depth you've captured and how you simplified the pic from the original photo description you gave. What if you used a bit of colored pencil on the whole background to cover the spot you don't like? They might not dislike that oily spot like the watercolor.

    I hope you have a great time with your sister. I haven't seen mine in months and I miss them. It would be fun to be able to paint them so I hope you can talk your sister into sitting for you.

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  9. I love everything you did with the painting of the grandmother, it came out great!

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  10. These are all terrific - lovely Grandmother, and you captured a good likeness of the cast of Foul Play. Glad you are back again!

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  11. there was once when I was stuck and couldn't draw anything, and you told me to just draw what I see on TV or movies, which I did. That's the kind of kick start I needed, but of course I didn't tell people that I was unsure about my own work back then, which is why I couldn't draw. But you reminded me that we do art because we love doing art, not because we do it to please others. Sometimes when you are lucky, people will appreciate what we do =)
    This is an awesome experiment

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  12. Love the sketch of the elderly woman - the perspective and foreshortening is wonderful!

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  13. Your movie spreads are always great to see, fun and inspirational!
    Love the grandmother painting. The colors and proportions you gave it add a great sense of perspective and tridimensionality, it's maybe less accurate but a lot more lively and "real".

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  14. I love them all, Raena! Especially Gramma...she makes me smile! And i love the poetic feel of the sketchy dude :)

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  15. Always afraid to draw people for some reason... Granny the best! She is si sunny :) love her and others!

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  16. ever tried waterbased oils? i bought them recently and have finished a couple works with them. they are nice i must say, not exactly like the real oils but still gives you the same kind of flexibility and less stinky :) thanks for sharing these vivid lively images, it was like i was there :)

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  17. Really nice drawing of the woman in her chair. Love the color. Nothing wrong at all with "sloppy" gouache and watercolor application. It's just colored water afte rall - how much control do we expect to have?

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  18. Great to see your more recent work here!

    I recently got some of these new water-soluble oils and I love them! Easy cleanup, no turp smell, but the fluidity of oils and the ability to work over several days. Anyway, I think you could use them more easily in limited space than traditional oils.

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