Laughlin Mill

I was going to paint this location last Friday but the weather didn’t allow too much painting.  Yesterday wasn’t much better, overcast and cloudy with storms coming around noon, but I figured I had nothing to lose.

Laughlin Mill is a historic mill located in Newville Pa, right outside of Carlisle.  I initially found this gem online on www.ohiobarns.com  while looking for local water mills and I’ll probably go back to this site for years to come just to see what amazing locations there are left to explore.  

I am always drawn to water and, although I don’t fully understand why, it seems to have a very relaxing and familiar quality to me.  There are a few more mills and a lot of reference photos to draw and paint. 

 


Watercolor on Arches cold press 12" x 16"

Wetcanvas Portrait Challenge

Sorry, I haven’t posted in a long time.  I don’t know whether it is the summer, my belief a week-long vacation was enough time off, or possibly just laziness.  The summer is normally a little slower for me, filled with distractions but I need to get out of this rut and get back to business.

I don’t remember the last time I tried a master copy, but Wetcanvas June portrait challenge was a perfect opportunity to get back on track while taking on a fairly difficult task.  John Singer Sargent’s work is amazing although I’m not too familiar with a lot of his work.  The quality and emotion in his drawings and paintings are amazing. 

Emily Sargent is John Singer Sargent daughter and such a beautiful lady which led to an amazing painting.  I know there was no way I could do any justice trying to paint this in watercolor or oil so colored pencil and graphite was the best approach for me, using a simple two color interpretation.  I forgot how hard it was to copy a master until I started.  Outside of the painting looking amazing from so many levels, I am happy with the results as a sketch.  I know it would take me well over 100 hours to do any justice to this masterpiece. 

Emily Sargent

Crescenzo Fusciardi drawing was very tricky and complex.  The lines and transparent quality of charcoal was what drew me in.  For a line drawing there is so much subtle information.   At the very end of the sketch I was happy until I looked at my drawing beside the original.  There was no comparison to the original by a long shot.  I believe the collar bone and shoulder are fairly close to the original and that is itJ…

CrescenzoFusciardi

Head of a Capri girl was the most frustrating drawing out of the three.  I like a good challenge but this was rather tedious because there are so many subtle changes.  I quickly took the drawing for granted and assumed I was going in the right direction and before I knew it was time to yell, scream and start over. 

Whenever I have a very difficult time with proportions I have a tendency to sketch muscular features, tones and contours that are easily visible to work through.  I like the line drawing the most but lost so much when I started adding tone and value.  I am very happy I took the time to sketch these master drawings and learned so much.  The most valuable lesson learned was being humbled and having a greater appreciation of the Masters of the past.



Head of a Capri Girl

Daily Painters of Pennsylvania Challenge

First I would like to thank DPP artists and especially Mary Beth Brath for allowing me to participate in March DPP challenge. 

I was initially drawn to DPP challenge because of the light and my assumption of wow this would be fun to draw, little did I know my interpretation of a bird’s nest was going to be a painful one which involved some research, patience and a technique I might have used once or twice in the past.  The light hit the eggs just right, not to dark and not to light with a little bit of reflected light and shadow.   Things got a little problematic or stressful when it was time to address the nest ( I should of did a close up).  I figured a negative drawing of the nest was the best approach, although it was rather difficult to see a pattern to the nest other than overlapping sticks and twigs.  Twenty plus hours later, I’m fairly happy with result although it’s not complete, close up looks so good right now J.  Hopefully I will have time to go back and complete the drawing and post the entire nest as opposed to the close up.

Bird’s nest 5" x 7"

Colored pencil, white chalk & graphite on toned paper

Bird’s nest WIP

King Street Church Beauty in Diversity Art exhibit

I currently have ‘Ronald’ and ‘Rose’ in the Beauty in Diversity show from March 10^th to March 25^th. 

The theme for Beauty in Diversity is the interpretation of Genesis 1:3-5. Diversity and contrast was the central theme whether it is taken literally or an interpretation of light and dark, space and mass, or male and female.  It is a pleasure and quite amazing to see the amount of artists that are a part of the exhibit.  There are over 50 local artists in six different categories from Arts & Crafts, Young Artists, Sculptures, Paintings, Drawings and Photography.

Ronald received a certificate of recognition in the drawing category.  If you are in the Chambersburg, Pa area, stop by and enjoy the exhibit until March 25^th.

Clio, the Muse of History WIP

I’m moving in a new direction with this drawing, and not focus so much detail or the photo-realistic approach used for Ronald.  I’m not giving up on my detailed approach but trying to see what else can be accomplished by focusing on form and composition.  I hope this drawing is successful in conveying more emotion or interest.

Clio, the Muse of History WIP

I took this photo in Gettysburg last month for the upcoming Gettysburg Festival plein air event.  There are a few areas I normally go to in Gettysburg to draw and paint but I have a tendency to always stay close to my comfort zone or the familiar places.  This particular morning I came out with the intentions of taking photos, no sketch pad, no paint, just my camera on a beautiful day. 

Initially some of my photographs were okay but I wasn’t getting the perfect picture or the “that’s it moment” until the end of the morning. 

I thought I should take a few photos of the monuments that mean so much to us.  I am glad I took the time to really get out of my normal mind set and enjoy the landscape.  Clio sits fairly high on Slocum Ave in Gettysburg.  A frontal picture wasn’t too appealing since it didn’t show exactly what she was doing, but from her right side were very interesting angles.  It was amazing especially not knowing at the time the angles were going to work so well together. 

Below is a link to the monument.

123^rd New York Infantry Regiment.  

Rookie painter

Here is my contribution for Rookie Painter challenge 34.

I had a lot of fun with this one, my sketch seemed to come together easier than the final piece. I have a few value changes left but for now it's complete.

‘Kettle and Apple’

12”x 16”. Graphite on Bristol board.

8.5” x 11” Graphite sketch