The week before Christmas is always a celebration at The Mainstreet Art Center where I go to paint twice a week. I am one of those artists that does enjoy being in the company of other artists when I paint. It doesn't distract me at all, and my main circle of friends is with other artists I've met since I started painting at Mainstreet in 2004. Every year before Christmas break we do a special project and then we all eat lunch together with the morning classes staying late, and the afternoon classes coming early. We each bring a dish to pass. There are about 30 painters all together. The goal of our project this year was to add interesting backgrounds with different values to figures facing away from the camera. We picked a specific color palette. We were to bring references of figures seen from the back or side, one figure preferred, as we were to complete the painting in about 2 hours.
I got my references from Paint My Photo. They are copyright free and all you need to do after you use a reference is let the photographer know, and link to your painting so they can see it. If you have a page on their site you can show your painting there also. Below is the reference called "Dancing Down The Road."
Below is my painting from Dancing Down The Road.
10" x 8" Oil on gessoed panel, unframed
My other reference from Paint My Photo was called "Cuban Dancers", see below.
Since we were only to paint one figure, I had to change the arms and balance of the figure. This is not finished. I need to put something in her hands. I am thinking a jump rope(?). and I need to shape her face better and put a hint of her features but not enough to distract from the overall figure.
See my WIP painting below.
7" x 5" oil on gessoed panel, unframed
I wish you all a Happy and Healthy 2015!
Gloria
