'Portrait of Strength: Girl With Green Sweatshirt' (16" x 20" Oil Painting)

Even if this painting doesn't really look like the model, enjoyed doing it. Instructor Ismael Checo gave great feedback as always: Start faster, work looser, check values. 

I started from life, finished from a photo. 3 hours total.

Life Drawings: Raven at Chappaqua Performing Arts Center (CPAC)

The nude pose was 5 five minutes; the clothed poses were 10 and 20 minutes, respectively. 

Urban Landscape IV: 'Lunch Break" (12" x 12" Oil Painting)

Scenes of people just doing their thing is one of my favorite things to paint. The latest painting in my urban landscape series is a lady taking a lunch break outside the New York Public Library.

Figure Drawing Practice

Playing with some new materials - powdered charcoal, charcoal pencil. It didn't go well -- a struggle until I figure out how to use them.

I intended to create a dark background, and pull out the lights. Abandoned that idea halfway, and tried to salvage the drawing in sepia colored pencil. Will try again!

'Urban Landscape III': New York Public Library (20" x 20" Oil)

If you are from New York City, you will recognize this landmark.

Two lion statues -- 'Patience,' and 'Fortitude' -- grace the Fifth Avenue entrance of the New York Public Library. This one is Fortitude (I think)!

'Urban Landscape II': (20" x 20" Oil)

A recent Chinese fortune said, "Persistence and determination will be rewarded". I'll keep that one taped to my easel!

With that advice in mind, here's a crit of my 2nd urban landscape:

• The good: I'm finally working in a series. (It only took me 18 years!) And, I tried to be looser.
• The bad:  I really don't know how to harmonize colors! 

I'm really looking forward to an online class on color with Patti Mollica, which should help.

'Urban Landscape I': (20"x 20" Oil )

Here's my first painting of the New Year, for an urban landscape series I'm starting. My crit:

• Keep things looser. Too tight.
• Plan the composition -- a single focal point would make it much stronger. The images below show how that improves things.
  
  

This demonstrates the value of doing a thumbnail, trying out different compositions, before you begin.  Lesson learned!