Suchitra's Model #2 Portrait

 I had the good fortune to spend another studio session with Suchitra Bhosle a week ago.  I've posted about painting with Suchitra before, so I won't go into it again, except to say that it is always a challenging and energizing experience.   Once again, I felt a bit like a child with his first finger paint set, except I wasn't nearly so free and unconstrained!  Values, values, values.  I learn a bit more each time about values. 

 My painting of the model was not especially good.  When I started, I felt that I was on the right track, but time was short.  For some reason, after about an hour, I felt completely lost.  The drawing felt completely out of control, and I realized my mind was a jumble of conflicting thoughts.  Once again I wiped my canvas down and determined to start again.  I'm not any more comfortable doing that than I have ever been - it always feels like defeat to me - but I've begun to realize that if I do not have a plan and if I am not careful and methodical in the beginning, there is very little likelihood of rescuing the painting no matter how long I dabble and poke at it.  Better to wipe it down and THINK.  Anyway, the remaining time wasn't enough to take the painting to any level of finish and I left with yet another panel to pile up in a stack somethere.

After letting it sit for a week, I decided to see if I could bring the painting to a higher degree of finish and at the same time, identify and work through some of the problems I had left unresolved.  Fortunately I'd taken some pictures at the very end of the session, so I had important reference material as a guide.

This is Suchitra's model #2 (of course, I've forgotten her name!).  I would guess that there is about five hours total in this small canvas, counting the 1 1/2 - 2 hours spent in the studio session.  I feel that I learned a lot by finishing up this portrait and I have a much nicer feeling of completion.

Suchitra's Model #2   Oil on 12" x 9" panel 

 


My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Adapting in Locke!!

 Any plein air painter will tell you that a part of the process is adapting.  Wind, rain, heat, cold, various critters large and small, all add an element of adventure to the process...as if getting a decent painting wasn't tough enough.

On Saturday I went to the small Delta town of Locke to paint.   I've mentioned Locke in many previous posts, so I'll just say that it's a favorite spot with endless subject matter.  It was a quiet morning, with beautiful weather.  I picked a building and started the block-in.

A tranquil morning in Locke...

As I sketched, someone mentioned that a Cinco de Mayo motorcycle ralley was on the way.  Motorcycles are nothing new in Locke....it's a favored stop on most motorcycle runs in the Sacramento Delta area, and, of course, it's also home to the famous bar "Al the Wop's" ...a classic biker watering hole.  

....interrupted!

And then...in a deafening roar, they showed up!  I'd guess about 100 bikes rolled into main street.  I was surrounded!  

Adapt!  Paint Motorcycles!!

 There was nothing to do but adapt.  In a near-brilliant flash of self preservation, I added the bikes to my painting!







 And I even won over a few admirers.  I painted on.    What a blast!  My painting didn't come out that well, but it was a great morning...and I have a lot of material for future paintings.

Adapt!  Pretend nothing unusual is happening!  Paint on!

Here's my 9 x 12 painting.  A fun sketch...and maybe inspiration for a larger studio painting?  

Adapt, adapt!  There's really nothing quite like plein air painting. 

My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Finally I set up an online Art Website!

Just finding time and energy to paint is struggle enough, it seems to me.  But art study and professional exposure are important as well, and I've finally begun to devote some much needed efforts on both. 

It's time to begin to establish a presence as an artist that will set the stage for the next phase of my artistic journey.  My friend Ruth Andre ( RuthAndre.com ) has long been sending me marketing (exposure) tips; she is quite accomplished at it.  And my online 'mentor' Dan Edmondson has included a huge amount of information about beginning to establish yourself as a engaged professional in his "Art Masters Program."   So armed with good advice I have finally taken a first,  small step and set up an online art website. 

I chose Fine Art Studio Online as my online service provider.  I'm sure there are other equally competent services out there...and I checked out a couple of them...but in the end I selected FASO because they seemed to provide all the necessary tools in a convenient and accessible way, and, maybe most importantly, nearly every current artist that I pay attention to and follow seems to have selected FASO as well.  That was important to me. 

I still have quite a few 'tweaks' to do to the website and many more paintings to upload, but it's in place and fairly presentable so check it out and follow along as I update and polish it.  You can find it at brucehancockfineart.com 

My next effort will be to set up an inventory tracking process.  I'm currently reviewing several programs set up do keep track of paintings, gallery submissions, sales, etc.  I'll keep you posted on that. 

Thanks! 


My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

Meeting Kathleen Dunphy

There are special moments along the way that I know will continue to bring a smile years from now.  Yesterday my FatBoy friend Steve Kobely (aka Sterling Saguarro) and I journeyed to Douglas Flat near Murphy's California to experience one.

In an earlier post I expressed my excitement over receiving a merit award at the Ironstone Winery "Spring Obsession" art show.  Of course it was a pleasure to have my painting, "Miner's Cabin" selected, but the special part of that was that the judge who selected it was Kathleen Dunphy, nationally known plein air artist. ( http://kathleendunphy.com/ )  Now THAT was exciting.

Although I got to thank Kathleen and shake her hand during the flurry of activity at the show reception, I didn't get a picture.   My FatBoy buddies, Steve and Mike Tompkins (aka Tall Fescue), badgered me into writing Kathleen to ask for a photo op, something I'd never do on my own.  Amazingly, Kathleen gratiously agreed and yesterday I met her in Douglas Flat near Murphys for the big event.  Kathleen was holding a workshop for 15 painters (all her workshops are sold out well in advance!) and at lunch break we took the photos.

She could not have been more gracious.  And as for myself...well, it was a special moment in my artist's journey.  Thanks Kathleen...once again.

Kathleen Dunphy

My Art Site

Sutter-Jensen Park Fund Raiser

Today I joined David Peterson's Third Saturday Paint Out.  We ventured to the Sutter-Jensen Park to support the local community that is trying to save the open space for a park.  It's a beautiful untouched 18 acres in the middle of the Carmichael suburbs.  The artists gathered to paint and offer 50% of the proceeds of the sale to the preservation committee.  It was a warm but blustery day.  I felt my painting was a success and I was pleased to donate it to the cause.

Sutter-Jensen Park   Plein Air Oil  on 12 x 9 canvas panel.

Renewal: a landscape

I tend to separate landscape subject matter into two categories, "pure" landscapes and "architectural" landscapes.  Neither is a particularly accurate description, but that's how it seems to break down to me.  I much prefer landscapes with 'architecture' in them.  The architecture can be anything from the tried and true barn to a tractor or old truck.  Whatever the case, the architecture provides a focus point with edges and shapes that are recognizable (hopefully) and provide interest.  Pure landscapes on the other hand are a real challenge for me.  Subtle colors and shadows can be difficult to capture accurately, while an overwhelming amount of detail can make it difficult to find and define a center of interest.  I think one key is to not be a slave to what's in front of you, whether it is a photograph or a plein air scene. 

In this painting, from a photograph, I tried hard to not get caught up in detail.  I also consciously tried to define the center of interest (focal point) with definition, brush strokes and light.  Conversely, I tried to keep detail to a minimum in other parts of the painting while also avoiding strong brushwork and highlights. 

My materials were my usual assortment of primarily Rembrandt oils, including Transparent Oxide Red, Olive Green, Ultramarine Deep with a little Titanium White and Yellow Ochre.  The canvas was acrylic gesso preprimed cotton canvas roll.  I added another coat of oil based primer before starting.  The canvas was taped to a board.  When it dries I will have the choice of stretching it or gluing it down on masonite or something similar. 

I call it "Renewal" 8" x 16"  oil on canvas.

Renewal   Oil on Canvas  8" x 16"

Just For Fun...!

Well, really, ALL my paintings are 'just for fun' in the sense that they are never done for any other reason than the personal satisfaction and the learning experience.  A couple of weeks ago I was going through old digital photos (wow, do those things mount up in numbers after awhile!  Time for some spring cleaning of the hard drive.) and I came across a group of pictures I'd taken at a car show in Carmichael Park last summer.   One in particular struck me because of the aggressive in-your-face stance that the photo captured.  Some of it was probably the result of camera distortion, but that was OK with me.  I loved it.

And there was one other aspect I liked...the gray haired owner in the background.  My FatBoy friends and I often remark that all of the cool hot rods and customs are owned and driven by ol' 'gray beards' like us.  We all grew up in the 50's and 60's when cars were king and we never got over it.  My own adventures began in a metal flake blue '52 Chevvy, raked, scavenger pipes (If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand), dual strombergs, Dodge flipper hub caps and a white naugahyde interior.   Later craziness included a '66 GTO tripower and my first ever new car, a 70 1/2 Camaro Z28. (yes there was such a thing.  Not the classic '69 which has become legendary, but in my opinion, the best looking Camaro ever made.)

But I digress.  Those days are long gone, but the feeling that the cars of that era invoke certainly aren't.  I had an unusually large canvas panel sitting around in the studio, so I started in.  I had in mind that I wanted to paint a 'portrait' of the car, rather than a highly detailed rendering of every chrome reflection.  I also wanted that aggressive stance to come through.  I think it did...and with an almost 3-D effect.  The results are fun and a little different for me.  I call it, "The Price of Their Toys".   I'll bet that ol' graybeard loved driving that car home that beautiful, hot summer day. 

The Price of Their Toys    16" x 20" Oil on canvas panel

 

The block in stage...first session