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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Gloria J Zucaro's "Lady Prizefighter "

Okay, you may laugh, now!  Or are you horrified?!  :)

The painting below was done in my last portrait class with Ann Feldman...and although I did it in fun, Ann was not pleased!  The story...Ann gave us three sheets of reference photos that had eyes, noses, and mouths, all done by Sargent, or Manet.  We were to practice one of each, then move on to trying a couple others in each category.  Well, I had done my eyes at the end of last weeks class.  So I tinted the bottom 2/3rds of the canvas sheet with a peachy color.  But then instead of painting a nose separately on the middle area under the eyes, I thought it would be fun to attach the other persons(male nose, facing a different way) to my beautiful eyes!  Ann was not amused(at first!).  She said "Gloria, what have you done!, I can't stand to look at it!"  Well, I continued on my merry way with the mouth, too.  But then even I couldn't  look at it.  The eyes previously painted were too small for the big nose and mouth, and too close together.  So I changed the eyes somewhat.  I added an outline of the face(which didn't help!)  At the right bottom is the beginning effort of a mouth by Manet.  I will show you my reference "parts" so you can see what they should have looked like individually.














Happy Halloween!












    


Monday, October 29, 2012

Gloria J Zucaro's "Making Croissants & Bunz"

This week I am doing Jenn's challenge of "Shadows" at The Artist Playroom first thing!  I started my drawing with the Diva's challenge of a tangle called "Bunzo" first.  It is the beginning shape of all the croissants.  Then it morphed into a whole scene with lots of shadows!  I did however, also do a traditional tangle, see below the text for Croissants.
5"H x 7"W greeting card, or it may be framed in a 5x7 frame.  It comes with an envelope.
$6.00  To Purchase.    Click on image to enlarge.
This is done with a Sakura Micron Pen # 01 and my Inktense Watercolor Pencils.  I put the colors on the paper dry, then sprayed the surface with water.  I then added more color where necessary, or smooth some areas out.              Next is my 3.5"Square with the "Bunzo" tangle used in a more traditional way.  I also used "Holibaugh"and "Fescue."
3.5" Square of watercolor paper.  $4.00 To purchase email me

Gloria J Zucaro's "Glub, Glub"

Last week on Jennifer Mclean's "The Artist Playroom" we were to paint something with pairs.  I started this greeting card on Thursday with a wet watercolor wash.  I let it dry completely for two days because I had thoroughly wet both sides of the card.  On Saturday morning I had planned on finishing my entry into the challenge which ends at noon.  But "life" intervened and I did not get back to the design until Sunday.  As you can see, my "pairs" are two nosey goldfish and a pair of goggles   I did the design in black ink with a Sakura Micron pen # 01.  Then added Silks Acrylic Glaze for the other colors.  The two fish are highlighted with gold.  I finally sprayed the face of the card with Radiant Rain Shimmering Mist by LuminArte 

5"H x 7"W   Comes with envelope as a greeting card or may be framed in a 5 x 7 frame.
$6.00  To purchase go to  Daily Paintworks and PayPal
You can see the "sparkle on the photo below.
Click on images to enlarge.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Gloria J Zucaro's "Fall Journal Page 2"

"Fall Fearless and Fly" Journal Page Two
5"H x 8"W
Click on image to enlarge
This week on the Fall Fearless and Fly site our Assignment was to use either of the three ideas suggested. They were... 
"Headline Prompt:  Taking a Chance:  When did you take a chance or a leap of faith?  How did it turn out?  What did you learn?
Color Prompt:  What color do you like least? Use it!
Quote Prompt:  "Don't refuse to go on an occasional wild goose chase -- that's what wild geese are for." Anonymous"

I decided that I would concentrate on color.  I really don't like using brown.  So that is my predominate color this week.  But I soon realized that I do love all the Fall colors of orange, yellow/gold and green and using them in combination with brown made it feel "alright" to me.  I learned a lot this week about product, too.  I had started out with a journal page that had slightly dimensional circles in green Silks stamped onto it.  I painted inside some of them with orange Silks.  I let that dry.  Then I combined gesso with a brown Silks acrylic glaze.  Well, first of all, the gesso totally diluted the brown glaze, so I spilled some brown Silks acrylic glaze right from the jar to make some darker brown areas, and pressed the inner seal that had the brown on it into the gesso layer. 
I had planned to scrape through the gesso revealing the orange and green layers below, sort of like the technique of layers with crayon, then scraping through the black to reveal the colors underneath.  Warning!  Gesso totally covers all previous layers!  I tried scraping  and wiping with a wet paintbrush and paper towels, but could not get back to the glossy Silks underneath!  I had a grocery bag netting, so pressed that in, then added dollops of orange Silks, and gold and green Silks.  Then I took one of those rubber scrapers that has four designs, one cut into each side.  I scraped through the layers of paint with that.  I decided I should commemorate the page with a "2" written on a plastic bread bag closure.  The last thing I did after drying most of the surface with a hair dryer was to write in gold pen "Gesso 1st." (I see it doesn't really show up in the photo!) Hopefully I will remember that if I am going to use gesso, it had better be in the bottom layer!  Be sure to visit the Fall Fearless site to see all the creative entries this week.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Gloria J Zucaro's "Taking the Steps"

Today I am going to show you the first three steps I have taken in making a painting that is larger than what I usually do.  It is also partly from life with a 3-D object(still life) and a fantasy background.  It all started when the president of the Hoffman Estates Art League, Sharron Boxenbaum, suggested to the members that we all try some kind of sculpture for the October meeting.  At first we were all "What"!  We are all painters.  But I had a month to think about it and knew I didn't want to do clay.  So I got out my trusty E-6000 glue that holds together all things of a non-porous nature.  I went into my junk drawer and took out some paper clips, some washer type pieces and a couple of other things, like old Christmas tree ornament hooks and a really heavy screw/nut thing that I thought would be good for a base.  In stages I laid the pieces on top of each other and dumped the glue on areas where the most metal touched.  I came up with a sculpture that is about 3 or 4 inches high.  See below.
At the meeting, everyone showed their sculptures.  Some out of nails, wood, clay, aluminum foil, tree limbs, origami, cardboard.  Someone, Sharron, I believe, suggested I make a painting of my sculpture on a larger canvas than I usually use.  So I took her up on it!  Below is the first drawing on a 24"H x 18"W stretched canvas.
In order to get the 3 inch object up where I could see it, I turned a waste basket upside down, but still needed something taller.  I put a planter on top of the waste basket, and put a cloth over the top.  But my sculpture was so far forward that I didn't get a nice shadow behind it, which was the original idea.  Also even though it really was on the front edge of the upside down pot, it looked peculiar, so I knew I would have to change that.  Then I decided that I would put in a "fantasy" background.  I would have my little junk drawer creation be like a satellite out in space.  But then I remembered another thing you are always supposed to do...ask yourself, "What do I want to say?"  As I thought about it I realised I wanted to point out the vastness of space and the smallness of we humans and my sculpture.  Well, OOPS!  My drawing had the sculpture too large to show the vastness of space and the small sculpture.  So in the end I will do two paintings of the galaxy  This one shows the planets small and the junk drawer satellite large, next it will be reversed. See below.
This is my block in and already I can see that I need to move Saturn, as it is in the "wrong" space as far as composition.  This is my entry for this weeks Paint Party Friday.  Happy PPF and have a great weekend!  Go see what all the PPF artist have done this past week.


Thursday, October 25, 2012

Gloria J Zucaro's "Getting My Stripes"

Original Ink Design on 7"H x 5"W Watercolor Paper Greeting Cardstock
Comes with Envelope.  May be framed in 7"H x 5"W frame.
$6.00 starting bid on Daily Paintworks Auction.
Click on image to enlarge.

This is my entry into this week's Diva challenge.  It is using stripes as your string.  This was really fun to create, decide on how to arrange the stripes, and how to use all the different patterns to fill the stripes.  This involved several hours on several days this week!  I really got into trying some new patterns. Now I am going over to the Diva site to see what all my tangling friends have been up to this week.  Won't you join me!?

Friday, October 19, 2012

Gloria J Zucaro's "After Harley Brown"

This is my painting done in portrait class with Ann Feldman.  This is oil on a canvas sheet that is 16" square.  It is painted from a photo of a painting done by renown artist Harley Brown.  The link is to a site that shows one of his recent publications of a painting done in pastel of another little Indian  girl.
I have not finished the background, and may also need to make some little value changes around her mouth, but I am pretty happy with this exercise.  I am posting this for Paint Party Friday.  Have a good week everyone, and take the time to visit other artists' sites.  For yourself, do more art!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Gloria J Zucaro's "Still Wet"

6"H x 6"W Original Oil on Canvas panel
$35.00 starting bid on Daily Paintworks Auction site.

This weeks Daily Paintworks Challenge is to paint your undies!  Well this is all I am willing to reveal! These are my favorite staying at home attire during cool/cold weather, and I wear the tops under many of my nicer sweaters and tops during the winter.  These are my North Face thermal underwear tops and bottoms.  So I thought I would put them up in the snowy mountains.  They are still wet after the strenuous climb!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Gloria J Zucaro's "Mardi Gras Frame-up"

 These are my entries for Jennifer Mclean's "Masquerade" prompt at The Artist's Playroom.
This is an ink drawing on a 5"H x 7"L watercolor greeting card that I did earlier this year for a Diva challenge.
I ran out of time to come up with something new, I'm sorry, Jenn!  But here is what I have done with it .
I have put it into a double mat, first black next to the white of the card, then a white mat, glass and plain black wooden frame.  Have a good week everyone, and I will come to visit your masquerade entries today and tomorrow!  The framed design is available on the Daily Paintworks Auction starting at $65.00

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Gloria J Zucaro's "Autumn" and "Manet"

Here is the final version of our third portrait class with Ann Feldman.  After last week's drawing and adding shadows with charcoal, we had sprayed our portraits with fixative.  This week we used burnt umber to cover the entire surface with a wash, then wiped out the lighter areas of the face and neck that were not in shadow with a paper towel or small brush around the nose and eyes.  We then put in all the darker areas with our burnt umber.  I think it is a really neat technique.  
I thought you might like to see the front courtyard of my townhouse.(Three pictures)  I love this time of year, Autumn, when the trees are falling asleep, leaves blowing in the wind, and all the beautiful grasses are turning golden, too. All photos may be enlarged for better detail by clicking on the image.  In case I don't finish another painting today, this post will be my entry to Paint Party Friday.  Be sure to visit!
My Front Entry Courtyard

 The Front Door Area
My Asian Fountain.  It is turned off now and will have the pump removed on Saturday.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Gloria J Zucaro's "Rainbow Pear"

7"H x 5"W Oil on Canvas Sheet
Click to enlarge for more detail

Enjoying learning about Contemporary as opposed to Traditional  Impressionism in Ann Feldman's  class.  This is really fun to do! 

Friday, October 5, 2012

Gloria J Zucaro's "River Birch & Roses"/Sankegg/Portrait

"River Birch & Roses"
This is my entry for Jenn's challenge at The Artist's Playroom of painting something "Botanical".  I am not sure it qualifies, but two weeks ago we were to do our view outside   This is from my deck which has Roses and River Birch.

"Birch" is also the prompt from the Daily Paintworks.
Below that is my second week of  portraits with Ann Feldman.  This is in it's first stage and is from a painting by Manet.  Next we will do a tonal painting on top of this in oil or pastel.
And not to forget Paint Party Friday!  Which I did yesterday morning as I ran for the train!  So here I am a day late.  I hope to get around to more artist's sites this weekend.

Second Class in portraits, mine from painting by Manet