Qiang Huang Workshop - Day One

Last August, when I saw that Patris, owner of Patris Studio and Gallery in Oak Park, Sacramento had managed to sign up Qaing Huang for a workshop in March of the next year, I signed up immediately.  I've followed Qiang's blog for several years and in that time I not only found a painter to admire and emulate, but a very extraordinary individual whose writings on his blog reveal a special soul...artistic and otherwise.  You can follow Qaing Huang (pronounced Chong Wong, by the way) here if you aren't doing so already.  You are in for a treat.
http://qiang-huang.blogspot.com/
And you can find more about Patris and her active and energetic studio and gallery here:
http://patrisstudiogallery.blogspot.com/

It was a wonderful three days full of art, laughter, learning and atching a fine artist at work.  Qiang demonstrated a complete still life painting everyday, and I never tired of watching and listening to him explain and teach.

Day One:
After introducing himself and his wife Song, Qiang spent the morning instructing us on his five step process for still life painting. With his engineering background (he is a doctor of optical physics!), he has naturally spent some time breaking down and studying the art process and he has developed an easy to remember and follow road map for still life, and I suspect, any other subject matter.  It's too involved to explain here....not to mention that it's HIS process....but during his demonstration on the first day, he literally showed us each and every step from accurate placement of objects to establishing values and final modeling and refinement.

I followed his demonstration in the afternoon with my own effort.  Patris had established enough 'stations' that we each could set up our own still life subject with only one other painting partner.  I found that the process Qiang taught and demonstrated was a very natural progression.   Some of it I had already been doing thanks to the outstanding online instruction I received from Dan Edmondson.  Taking that background from Dan and adding Qiang's own processes and insights felt comfortable.   I don't mean to say it was easy or that I had instant success....far from it!  But it all made sense and was easy to follow the concept.

This is my still life from day one....

Green Wine Bottle with Oranges  12" x 9" Oil on RayMar canvas panel 

At the end of the day, I felt tired and elated at the same time.   What a special day it was!  Thanks Qiang and Patris!

 More on the workshop will follow in the next day or so. 

(Painting is SOLD. )

My Art Site: Bruce Hancock Fine Art

A Long Road Traveled (The Preacher) - A Portrait

With almost 20 hours on this portrait, I think I've reached an end.   It's on canvas taped to a board, so in a few days...maybe this weekend, I'll decide on a final size and stretch it.  I wouldn't be surprised if I find a few more things to tweak, but for now, I'm done. Time to sign it. 

If you love to paint portraits, this is the kind of subject you wait and wait for. What a wonderful face.   In the high quality photo reference that I used, the colors in this gentleman's skin are amazing.  There are golds and reds and oranges and the highlights are amazing blues.  The biggest challenge is not to get too caught up in all that wonderful color and let the painting become a patchwork quilt- beautiful but not unified.  That wasn't easy.  The other issue for me was maintaining the overall darkness of the face, even though on close examination so much of it is beautiful bold color.  I used a lot of what I learned from Suchitra Boshle on the control of values and I think it helped.  (http://suchitrabhosle.com/)  Although I've only had a few sessions with Suchitra, I've become acutely aware of values in portrait painting, thanks to her instruction and example.  I've drawn on another teacher, Dan Edmondson, as well.  (http://www.danieledmondson.com/)  All through this painting, Dan's admonition to "Make beautiful brushstrokes" has been constantly in mind.  I've resisted smoothing and 'licking' - as much as I can! - and instead I've consciously struggled to maintain brush strokes by mixing a color, applying it and leaving it alone.   I'm trying Dan, I'm trying!

But above all I hope I have captured the warm and gentle spirit of this man that shines through in the photo reference...

Here's the final portrait....(The whites behind the head slightly to the left are not there....I continue tos stuggle to get faithful photographs. sigh) 

A Long Road Traveled   Oil on linen   20 x 16 approx. 

Below are some notes and a picture of The Preacher in progress.
At that point I've got about 12 - 15 hours in it:

I'm nearing the end, but I'd like to let it sit and set-up for awhile before I make the final finishing strokes.  I'll add highlights to the crown of the head and a few other spots like the bridge of the nose.  It's amazing how that can add dimension and life to a portrait.  It's also amazing how easy it is to overdo it and mess up the whole thing!  I can see that the tip of the nose needs more modeling so I'll spend some time there.  I may also continue to tweak the background a bit.  Generally I'll drag it into the head to lose edges here and there, but perhaps not in this painting. In fact, I may try to push the background away to make the head come forward, increasing the three dimensional effect. Finally, stepping away for a bit and looking at photographs of the painting is a great way to see drawing errors and areas that need more work.  But it's almost complete so I'd though I'd show a WIP (work in progress) photo.  (Not to mention that I need something to POST!) 

The Preacher WIP  oil on linen approx. 20 x 16

and here is my oil sketch 'block in'

The Preacher  WIP  Initial Block In  Oil on linen

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

Lilacs - Still Life

I continue to study still life painting through Dan Edmondson's online course.  I love the rich darks and beautiful colors in these paintings.  This one is on an 18" x 18" stretched canvas.  Medium is walnut oil.  Colors are predominately Rembrandt, with a Permanent Purple by Gamblin added to the regular palette that was a big help with the lilac color. 

Lilacs   18" x 18" oil on canvas

A Portrait Of Jeff

It's been awhile since I've done a portrait, even from a photo.  This is from the Dan Edmondson Art Masters Program and is a photo supplied by Dan.  The support is a commercial cotton canvas pre-stretched and prep'd.  I added one coat of Golden acrylic gesso to get the canvas a bit smoother and to reduce the absorbancy.  It worked fairly well, but in the future I'm going to begin to use oil based primer for the final coat.  I didn't have any already prepared and it takes about a week for the oil based primer coat to be ready for paint....which means planning ahead, not something I'm real good at.

The background was put in with a turpy wash of Raw Umber,  Rembrandt Olive Green and a little Transparent Oxide Red.  There's a little Ivory Black in there too.  After the portrait was blocked in I added another, more opaque layer to the background immediately around the head, losing a lot of edges in the process.  I'm not crazy about how the background came out, but I think I learned a few things that will help next time.

 The head was "massed in" with a shadow color rather than my more typical approach of drawing in the shape and features with a brush.  Lights were added and then it became a process of working back and forth between light and dark to find a balance and to get the features defined.  he flesh tones are Terra Rosa with white and, in most cases, some Olive Green in varying degrees.  Total time is about five hours.  After I took the photo, I saw several things that need attention, but for now, I'll consider this study lesson done.  It's time to move on to something else.   

Jeff    Oil on canvas  Approx.  18" x 12" 

Lesson Number 8, Edmondson Course (Updated)

Update 9/8/12):  As always I sent Dan the picture below for a critique.  That's a regular part of Dan's course offerings.  Dan replied with some nice words as well as the observation that my 'grapes' on the right side of the painting looked more like cherries, which they DO!  It's funny, but I knew that, intended to fix it, but just plain forgot.  Anyway, Dan then asked if he could use my painting in one of his "tips of the week" features, which he sends out to students and uses in marketing his course.  In this tip he discusses how the eye can be lead into a painting, using mine to demonstrate the two techniques that could have been used in this particular setup.  During his tip of the week video he made several nice comments again about my painting.  As I mentioned before, when I finally finish the Still Life Course, I plan to do an extensive review of the Dan Edmondson DVD course.  For now, I'll just say Thanks Dan!


As I near the end of the Daniel Edmondson Still Life painting course, I realize how much I've learned and how valuable the information Dan has shared has been.  I've already done the final lesson #10, but I'm holding it back until I complete Lesson #9.  At that point, I'll be done.  I'll be sorry to see it end.

I originally painted Lesson #8 in a smaller format (9 x 12) but I felt that it would be more effective if it was larger.  Dan also recommended a larger size when he ran into a bit of trouble in his 8 x 10.  There's a lot going on in this painting that is difficult to capture well in a smaller format...at least for me, and apparently for Dan as well.  This weekend I tackled a 12 x 16 version and this is the result.

Asian Vase with Oranges and Berries   12" x 16" Oil on canvas panel.

As I did this painting, I was using Dan's photo reference of course, and I had his DVD playing on my computer as I painted.  However, I found myself beginning to do things my own way.  I think that's a sign that the processes that Dan uses are becoming familiar to me, allowing me to interpret and modify them as it suits me.  I also used flat synthetic brushes for most of this painting except for the block in of the vase and the foreground cloth.  From that point, I remembered Fongwei's almost exclusive use of flats and I dug out some synthetics I had...and a couple that I had purchased at Utrecht following the Fongwei workshop.  I loved them and virtually everything in this painting was done entirely or completed with one of three flat brush sizes.  I can say for sure I'll be using them a LOT more.  Thanks to Dan and to Fongwei for this painting adventure.  

Back to the Still Life Lessons

Another of the still life lessons from Dan Edmundson.  This actually happens to be the 10th and final lesson, but I have not yet done number 9.  I'll get to that this weekend, perhaps.  Then it's on to the landscape lessons.  There's a lot of glare on this picture.  I need to get a better one, but for now this will suffice.  I like the chiaroscuro effect of the painting.  A difficult effect to paint.  A series of glazes would probably greatly improve this painting.  Another fun one, but challenging too.  

Flowers, Vase and Grapes  16" x 12" oil on canvas panel

Lesson 7 Blossoms and Apples *Updated"

As you know if you've been reading my recent posts, I've been taking a DVD still life painting course from Dan Edmondson.  I've really had a good time, and in the process I've learned a number of new techniques for handling paint, color and texture.

This is lesson 7.  I decided to go a bit bigger once again.  The first five lessons were all done on 9 x 12 canvas panel, but this lesson and the previous one (Daisys) are done on 16 x 20 canvas stretched.  I added two coats of gesso to the already gessoed canvas to get it smoother.  I've grown used to that now I find the very absorbent, rough surface of ready made canvas unsuitable, at least for studio work.

This picture has a bit more green tint to it than the original, where the main blossoms in the light are almost white.  I have a little more to to...particularly on the apple slices and on the shadows in the painting.  Perhaps the foreground needs some work too.  I'll give it a day or two before deciding.

Friday I head off to paint in the mountains with friends, Ruth Andre, Howard Rees, Vickie Chew, and Julie Trail....good artists all.  It should be fun!!

Blossoms and Apples  Oil on 16" x 20" canvas

Updated. July 7, 2012:  Today I worked on Blossoms and Apples for another hour or so.  My primary focus was to improve and finish the apples and to lighten the foreground.  I think both have been done successfully.  The green apples now seem to have form and the color is much better.  The table cloth was much too green.  I lightened it with yellow ochre and then added a suggestion of a pattern.  I like the result.  Finally, I worked on a few other details, including shadows.  Overall, I'm pleased with the painting now.  I'll call it done.

Yellow Daisys

Another still life today.  I love the colors in this one. Again it was done with no OMS at all.  The medium was a premixed combination of Damar varnish, turp and stand oil.  From W&N I think.  It works fine, but I think I like the walnut oil better.  The premixed medium is very thin and it seems like it encourages the painter to use a lot of it.  The Walnut Oil, being thicker and heavier, feels better when applied a little at a time.

The background was put on with an inexpensive 1 1/2" brush Using transparent red oxide with a little olive green and in the darker passages, a touch of black.  Very easy and fast.  The transparent colors let the white of the smooth canvas glow through.  I think it's pretty effective.

Daisys  Oil on 20" x 16" canvas

Lesson 5 - Pear in a Martini Glass

Lesson 5 from Dan Edmondson was a fun one.  Very straight forward and it went quickly.  About two hours to complete and fun to do.  This one followed the process of the earlier ones with a simpler subject matter.  First the background was laid it, then the area where the pear would go was rubbed out to remove the background paint.  After the pear was blocked in, the martini glass was suggested with a minimum number of strokes.  Finally the grapes were added and the painting was done.

Pear in Martini Glass.  Oil on 9" x 12" canvas panel

A Little Painting of Pansies

Well, lesson 4 is done....or at least done for today.  This simple little painting was surprisingly difficult.  First, I've never done flowers...at least in still life...so that was a challenge.  And then, I didn't really like the arrangement.  I didn't feel any excitement or energy and I think the finished painting reflects that: it's dull and flat.  Once again, there were many lessons learned here, some of them hard won.  In the end, I've glad it's over and I'm ready to move on.

Pansies   9" x 12" Oil on canvas panel

UPDATE:  I worked on this little painting again.  I'm still not satisfied, but I think it is somewhat improved.  Oh well, time to move on!

Lesson 3 Beautiful Watermelons!

I hope you'll bear with me as I post these lessons.  I'd love to get some original paintings posted soon, but I've been enjoying Dan Edmondson's painting course so much and my painting time is limited during the week.

For Lesson #3, Dan sent a gorgeous photo of delicious looking bright red watermelon against a black background.  Talk about a show stopper!  It was a relatively difficult assignment, although Dan's guidance helped a lot.  Once again, I tried for very pure, intense color.  I concentrated on using lots of paint with each brush stroke and painting with confidence.  I literally did not take the cover off of my OMS canister...and the only medium I used was walnut oil.  I'm beginning to get the knack of this approach.  It does seem to require more brushes, however, because it is easiest to try to use a single brush for light colors and another for dark...and in some cases, a single brush for certain colors.  Since the brushes are only wiped clean - not rinsed in OMS - this helps keep the colors clean.   For the most part, I feel like it worked.  There are some areas that I may come back to today...or perhaps when the paint has set a bit.

Lesson #3 Watermelon   9" x 12" oil on canvas panel (with 2 extra coats of acrylic gesso)

Another energizing lesson.  This is so much fun and so educational at the same time!

UPDATE:  I spent a little more time on the shadows under the plums, the cast shadows on the two sections of watermelon and on trying to get the grape colors more accurate.  I think it improved the result.  The picture above is with those changes made.  (6.4.12)

Online Painting Lessons?!

I've been disappointed with my paintings lately.  I feel like I am stuck repeating the same mistakes over and over....sometimes, I'm sure, not even realizing it.   As a 'self-taught" artist, I still struggle with basic technical issues.  It's a bit like trying to play a piano with missing keys.  I'm trying to commit to a more concentrated study effort using my own library and the internet where possible.   And I'd like to take more workshops from accomplished artists who are willing to share their own knowledge and personal artistic journeys.  And of course, there will always be a need for continuing "brush mileage" as my artist friend (and workshop teacher) Howard Rees says, but practice can either reinforce bad habits or build and strengthen new and correct ones.

Recently I found a website by Dan Edmondson featuring his online painting course.  I was actually looking for information about how to keep paintings from coming out 'dirty'.  Dan had a nice little video on youtube about that subject and that led to his website.  I have some doubts about online 'correspondence' course art lessons, but I liked Dan's very practical advice.  Although much if it is geared for beginners, I found a number of practical ideas for better painting habits and ... hopefully...results.

This isn't an endorsement of Dan's video course, but only a record of my artistic journey.  When I've gotten through all 10 lessons, I will give you my opinion, however.  Meanwhile, I did lesson #1 today.

Lesson #1  9 x 12 Oil on canvas panel

The setup and the step by step process is provided by Dan, so I claim no credit for the painting.  I felt I learned several things today, however.  The primary lesson is that this painting contains almost NO medium.  There is some walnut oil used in the background, and a bit here and there in specific parts, but for the most part, this is paint straight from the tube.  A giant change for me!  Doing the painting without medium meant a whole new technique with brushes.  It suddenly became about brush 'pressure' and brush stroke.  It took some concentration and experimentation, but I think I began to get it as the painting went along.  Dan provided the tips, but learning them was not particularly easy.  One other thing that I did differently...I never took the lid off my container of OMS!  Normally, I rinse my brush after every passage in OMS...and I use it as a medium as well, reducing everything to a soup..a muddy soup.  This was sure different.  Without OMS to clean my brushes (but not really cleaning them) I just wiped them between strokes and colors.  A new technique that will take some practice, but it seemed to work.

It was fun following Dan Edmondson's lesson #1...and a learning experience too.  I look forward to lesson #2.