Newest work

Hey there again. Here are some pics of my new work. I started by drawing the model, you can see the drawing on the top. Then I drew, with a drawn white grid, the landscape. I traced my drawing with some tracing paper and transfered it to the mat board. Then I filled in some color. This was a little intimidating for me because of the perspective of the hill in the background. In the actual photo, you can barely make it out through all the leaves, but you still can. I wasn't sure how to explain that in the drawing. I think I figured it out, but I still have to think how many leaves if any I will put in. It may seem that I always do similar paintings, but I do try to do something new or challenging with every one. Helps make one better. Hope everyone is well, I hope to update this very soon. Take care and have fun!

Show annoucnment

I forgot to say, I will have a show at the Good Foods Market and Cafe(http://www.goodfoods.coop/) on Southland drive in Lexington in March, so I will have some more about it when it happens. Take care and have fun.

Opps

I got to explaining the title of the finished piece but forgot to say what it was. It's Hamadryad of Anglin. Of course Anglin Falls is where most of the photos used for my recent paintings were shot. It's a great place of haunting beauty. Yes haunting. I found 2 places about it on the web if you are interested
http://ginpetty.com/archives/2006/o_e/05_anglin.htm and
http://www.gowaterfalling.com/waterfalls/anglin.shtml
The falls is cool, but the surrounding area is awesome. My favorite place in fact.
I've added 3 of my own photos of the place too. If you ever get a chance, check it out. It just shows how the wild places need to be protected. Take care and have fun.

Finished art work

Wow, it's been a while. I've had this finished for a while, but I had to wait for good conditions before photographing it. I take photos outside, and it's been too cloudy about every day. Actually, I need light from the setting sun, usually in the shadow of my house. No direct light, but bright light from the sky, and not too bright. That's the best light for me.
Anyway, this is the finished product. You can see I left in that rock to her left, and darkened areas. If I darken areas, I usually add more color too. I also tried to maintain or strengthen the light behind her and on the tree. Now for the title.
I am inspired by John Waterhouse and I love his painting Hamadryad (which you will see above my painting). The Hamadryad is a spirit that lives among the trees, and talks to Pan as you can see. He drew upon mythology and I draw upon painters like him for ideas.
Well, painters like him and Nature, music and other influences. There are too many influences to count, sometime just a mood, or something or someone I see while eating lunch or driving. It just makes me think of all the joy in the world from which we can draw inspiration. A pretty song, a pretty woman, incredible landscape, a friend or what's in your own imagination. Next time you're down remember these things. It's been a joy. Take care! Cliff

They like me! They really really like me!

"Dear Artist/Photographer,

Congratulations! The following entry(s) were accepted for the Glories of the Garden Art Exhibit:

Moon Above Anglin Falls(above) and Song of Spring(below)."

That's the word I got the other day, so I'm pretty happy. It's always nice to know your work is good enough to be accepted into a show, but I'm very happy that two are being allowed in. Moon Above Anglin Falls will be at the UK Arboretum Visitor Center and Song of Spring will be at the UK Singletary Center. Here is the other news they gave me, "

February 22- March 21 Glories of the Garden Art Exhibit

Please note that The Arboretum is open M-F, 8:30-4:00 & the Singletary Center is open from M-F 12:00-5:00 for viewing of the exhibit.

March 9 Artists Reception, 2:00-4:00 p.m. at The Arboretum and the Singletary Center for the Arts. Please R.S.V.P. to dmbast0@uky.edu or 257.6955

Everyone Take care and have fun!

Newest Artwork Update

Well, here is the update on this work. I was going to post this last night, but we had a tornado problem here in Kentucky. Thankfully we are fine, but if you have watched the news today you know the story. Anyway, I have the color blocked in, now I just have to brighten some parts and darken others. Maybe blend some color to make it look smoother. I have debated removing the large rock in the middle. If I remove it, I could make more leaves and it won't be so rock heavy. I could also make some cool rhythmical patterns with the leaves. On the other hand, it does exist in the photo and maybe I should live up to the challenge of making it interesting. I think it might look better if I darken the green on the rock. The green now may be too bright. I'll also have to make the rocks in the background more contrasted, it all looks like one big rock. Oddly, this is the most nerve racking part for me. I like what I got, I don't want to mess it up. Wish me luck and take care!

Newest Art work

Hi again. I thought it might be interesting to show an unfinished piece. You can see the chalk drawing I'm working on top of( I start with a white chalk pencil). I do work from photographs, and if you look real hard, you can see that I grid my landscapes. I like to free hand draw the model, but with landscape the grid method is just easier. I feel a magic when I can capture the likeness of the model.
Before 1999 I was never able to draw a person and get it to look like them, it just looked like a good person drawing. Actually, Claudia Schiffer from a Glamor Magazine was the first person I ever drew and captured a likeness. Thank you Claudia!
With the landscape I'm happy to grid, and show my person touch with the use of color and light. It's not always like the photograph, I might add shadows and highlights depending on what I think works better as an Artwork. Sometimes a great photo does not translate to a great painting, but can be a good recourse for one.
As for the grid, I draw a 1 inch by 1 inch grid on the photo. Then I draw a 3 inch by 3 inch grid on the drawing surface, and use that as a guide to make an accurate drawing that is 3 times as big.
As for the model, I just try to draw a picture three times as big, I really don't worry if it's not that accurate in size as long as I capture her likeness. I feel I have wiggle room with the model-landscape proportion.
Hopefully I will have more done on this piece soon and you can see the progress. Everyone take care. Cliff