The collection

Well this is the final, I wanted to include all and as the sizes and shapes were diverse this is the composite. It was a great challenge and I am already thinking about how to incorporate this practice into my working process.
Congratulations to all who participated and thank you to Leslie for hosting the project. I just might be back in the fall.

Day 30: final

20" x 16"
oil on archival paper

In my weekly figure painting group I had two weeks to work on this set up. I did two grey scale studies of this image as part of the 30 paintings series. I can definitely see how this helps me think my way through a painting with more clarity. I feel like the painting can still use some adjustments but overall I am happy with it. I also am also working outside my comfort level in terms of my color palette. I am experimenting with much higher chroma colors, like thalo blue, thalo green and quinacridone red. 

Overall it has been a tremendously rewarding experience and I am very glad I jumped on board. Thanks to Leslie for challenging me to start this year off focused and productive.

Day 29: friday

9" x 12"
oil on archival paper

This is a study from the model that we will be working from for the next 2 weeks. I decided to take this idea and use it from the beginning. This will be my plan for the painting. I have really enjoyed and have a real appreciation for how these studys can inform the paintings.

Day 28: Changes

12" x 9"
oil on archival paper

This is a set up from my evening paint group. I decided to look at it again as I am actually trying to make a painting out of this. I lightened the background as all of it was dark. I added the suggestion of the tattoo as it does add some patterning and texture to the image. Well I will see if this actually helps the overall painting.

Day 27: another value painting

9" x 12"
oil on archival paper

I am experimenting with different mediums. This is a slow dry medium which let the paint move around easier. I am going to see how open it stays in 24 hours.

Day 26: Sam

19.5" x 24.5"
Carbon pencil on paper

This was from the figure drawing group I draw/paint with. I did not finish it but I was happy with the bits I did finish. Unfortunately, Sam was only a one time sitting.

Day 25: Thursday evening

12" x 9"
Arches oil paper


This is the new set up for the Thursday figure painting group. It is actually very colorful and it is good to see the grey values as I might want to make some value changes to separate some of the shapes. Her slip and the background are very similar in value but the change in color might be enough. The background is gold/brown and the slip is a bright green, think thalo green.

Day 24: commuter

9" x 12"
oil on archival paper

I am still working in a grey scale and using more medium. I took this photo years ago because I liked the way the light played on the man's head and ears.

Day 23: another black and white

9" x 12"
oil on archival paper

I have used this month to try out various approaches to painting. One of the things that I have wanted is a more fluid look to my painting. Today I really loaded the medium to create a soupy sticky paint. It allowed me to get a more simple lay in that I like. Anyway this is the last week and I have learned a lot, I am ready to let it go. I do think this month has been a great experience and the day to day lets me build or change incrementally which is useful.

Day 22: Color study

Oil on archival paper
11" x 14"

I changed it up a little today as I wanted to do a color study of a model. I blocked this in in an flat method using a new color palette. I am trying a palette with much higher saturation to see if I like working in this color space. I had to wipe this one down once and this is better but not great. I will experiment with this again to see if I can get comfortable using the thalos and quinacradone.

Day 21: side angle

oil on archival paper
11" x 14"

This is another view of the model from yesterdays sitting. This time I set the timer for 30 minutes to block in the values.  I like this one better than yesterdays as it feels less rigid and more painterly.

Day 20: Bree

Oil on Archival paper
11" X 14"

Well this was suppose to be a quick sketch but it gave me fits. Eventually I was able to rescue something out of this attempt. It was a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be. I am finding that working from photos is a bigger challenge than working from the model in many ways.

January 19: Steve

Carbon pencil on paper
19.5" x 19.5"

Todays model is Steve. He has always been a good model.
I am still finding my way with carbon pencils. This is a different brand and I think I like it better.

Day 18: quick sketch continued

oil on archival paper
9" x 12"

Again I am working on gray tones and the values are mainly created from the local values. I find this a lot more challenging than working with a direct light source to create volume. This is flat and I was not as happy with the flatness. I need to look at artist who work this way...

Day 17: 30 minute paintings

oil on archival paper
9" x 12"

So I am continuing on my quick 30 minute sketch. This one went fairly well after, I got the drawing laid down. I am working on images that do not have much contrast in the lighting. The values come mainly from the changes in the local color.
I am sorry for the glare in the lower corner. I really had difficulty getting a good picture at my home. I wanted to do a 3/4 view rather than a straight on today, more interesting shapes.

Day 16: A painting

Oil on linen
16" x 20"

I am posting a painting that I have been working on the past couple weeks. I meet with a few artist on Thursday evenings and we paint from a model. I did a grey oil study on day 9 of the 30 day challenge in order to figure out what I wanted to do with the window and this is the painting, still wet off the easel. The study is from a slightly different angle as I was using a photo for that one.

I am pleased with this one.

Day 15: Naomi

11" x 14"
oil on archival paper

I again limited myself to 30 minutes and I would have liked more time, but I did not continue on this one. I think the value range was more successful in this one and I definitely feel like I am putting more paint down. I really like this as a warm up  for my other painting as it gets me started with bigger brushes and pushing to get it down with out 'noodling' as I have a tendency to do.

Day 14: quick sketch

11" x 14"
oil on canvas

I have decided to pick up the pace on these studies, so for this one I only allowed myself 30 minutes after sketching in the face. I drew the overall face first than timed myself to get the values down in only thirty minutes. It is not great, to dark,  but I actually got more done than I thought I would. I am going to try a few more of these as I can see how this helps when I work with a model instead of a photo.

Day 13: drawing of Samantha

graphite and white chalk on paper
25.5" x 19.5"

Another drawing from life. At first I wasn't sure this would work but in the end I liked the strangeness of the pose.

Day 12: life drawing

20" x 26"
carbon pencil on paper

Life drawing was a little shorter than usual today, we only had about 2 hours so it feels unfinished. I have been working with a new drawing pencil made out of carbon. It makes a very dark mark and I am still finding my way trying to get more subtle marks.

Day 11: Father and Son

This image had a few extra challenges but overall it is ok. I might try another and make some adjustments, such as moving the two figures further apart. But it is a photo I took, and liked, a few yeas ago. For me they show a contrast between two personalities, evident in both dress and body language. Perhaps it is even more a contrast in generations.

Day 10: Sunday

7" x 6.5"
oil on archival board

This seemed to be a perfect pose for a relaxing Sunday.  It is a busy scene but I think by consolidating the dark on the front of the robe it has a less chaotic feel. I might do a color study before I try this in a larger format.

Day 9: Bored

5" x 7"
oil on archival board

This is a sitting that I am working from the model. I am happy with the over all look.
This is a small study for the larger work. I was less restrictive in my value range in order to solve some issues I am having with the larger painting.

Day 8: landscape

6" X 8"
oil on archival board

Yesterday I only had time to do a small landscape study. I spent a lot of time working on a large painting of a figure but it is not nearly finished. This daily painting of values has been useful and I think that the paintings I worked on yesterday and today are stronger.
Who knew? ;)

Day 7: Diner 2

9" x 12"
oil on board
Well this is the the second diner. Also done in three values of grey.

Day 6: Diner view

9" x 12"
oil on archival board

 Today I found a more complicated image. I am happier with this sketch and I can see this as a painting. I am still limiting myself to only three values but I am working a little larger.

Day 5: Model break

Oil on archival board
8.5" x 8"

I wanted to do a study of this image as the arms created an interesting pattern. I am not sure if it will work as a larger painting but maybe. I definitely need to work on creating some interest in the background.

Day 4 Brooke

carbon pencil on paper
18" x 24"

Today I had an opportunity to draw from a model. I am not thrilled with my results but I was experimenting with a new material...Carbon pencils. I usually use regular charcoal and while the two materials have many common aspects they do make a different mark.  I need to work with this a bit.

Anyway this fits into my greyscale theme so I am adding it.

Day 3 Samantha

8" x 8.5"
oil on paper

I am still working with a three value grey scale but this face needed more modeling so that probably makes more values than three. I didn't like the blocky look of flat patches of value.

Day two

Claire2
6" x 8"
oil on paper.

Day two of the 30 day challenge I am continuing my grey scale study. I again tried to stay with 3 values. I think this is going to be a good exercise.

30 Paintings in 30 Days

I have decided to take on a 30 day challenge of painting 30 paintings over the next month. I am going to use it to do studies for larger paintings.
Day one is a grey tone study of a figure in an interior. This one I tried to use only 3 values to simplify the image.