Friday, October 23, 2009

WORKSHOP PAINTING

"LYNN--NOT LEAH" (c) C. Gregory Price 2009

As many of you know from my previous posts, Leah Hopkins Henry a very well known and well respected Portrait Artist from Atlanta did a workshop for the Rome Art Coterie Members here in Rome, GA. I attended the first session on still life and looked forward to the second session in October of portrait work. We had a great crowd with many in attendance. Leah brought her TWIN sister Lynn to model for us. She did a quick sketch of Lynn in oil for about an hour and one half and lectured and answered our questions. Afterward for the last hour she let us either paint from a picture we brought or to paint from life using Lynn as the model. I chose to try from life. This is the cell phone picture I took of Lynn from my station.



Honestly, my first color sketch was a little off on proportion, specifically in the forehead and jaw line,... plus I was not very pleased with the choices of skin tones I made using my pastels. So, I took my pastel quick sketch home and set out to redo the portrait. I also decided to change over and try an oil painting of this attractive lady, probably because I had become totally fascinated with Ms. Henry's method of oil work and enjoyed her methodology of paint application. I generally don't do oils, but I wanted to try and apply some of the lessons that Leah had given us. Anyway,....this is the result.

The portrait above of LYNN is just to a point where I may or may not be finished. It is certainly not as good as Ms. Henry's portrait of her sister. Leah's awesome finished work of her sister Lynn can be see at her informative blog ...here: (leahhopkinshenry.blogspot.com).

My attempt at LYNN's portrait is still wet and I am very, very interested in getting critiques and honest criticism/suggestions. Please post or email me at gregpriceart@yahoo.com

Friday, October 9, 2009

The Japanese Bridge

When my wife and I went on an Anniversary trip to San Francisco many years ago, we became enchanted by the Oriental Garden there. This is an acrylic piece I did from a photo. I really enjoyed how the light dappled the bridge and the walkway. I really like the half-moon design of this oriental fixture!!

RETURN TO STILL LIFE


After Leah Hopkins Henry's still life class, I remembered that I had in fact tried some still life's earlier. Above is one of the bay window in my kitchen at my former house with several of my orchid plants. This is acrylic. I still have issues with tonal transitions and modeling form in acrylic. I just don't like the mess and clean up of oils. Maybe I'll try some water soluble oils. Anyone have any experience or suggestions as to water soluble oils?(copyright C. Gregory Price)

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

LEAH HOPKINS HENRY SEMINAR




I just attended an evening seminar with Leah Hopkins Henry a noted Atlanta and Southeastern portraitist/painter. It was a brief seminar on staging, blocking in and formating still life's. She is a very skillful and interesting artist, originally from Rome, GA who gave very specific but usable tutelage. The pastel here is my first ever attempt at a quick sketch-in still life in pastels. For a one hour effort, it is interesting for several reasons, if not for the most important one, i.e. it has shown me that there is fun to be had in setting up and sketching a still life! Not marketable, but a good way to train the eye. (image copyright 2009 C. Gregory Price)

Monday, August 31, 2009

Hand Study


I needed to have something to show for the upcoming Rome Art Coterie Art Exhibit at the RACA Gallery in Rome, GA, so this weekend I finished a hand study in pastel. Didn't realize how hard it was to draw a hand, since I had been focusing recently on mug shots. Anyway, what do you think? Note: Copyright 2009 C. Gregory Price --all images this blog copyright C. Gregory Price

Friday, August 7, 2009

RECENT WORK



A friend of mine, Ann has these two adorable grandkids. Here is my effort to do graphite portrait sketches of them. I did these on gessoed canvas panels. When I finish they are somewhat light in contrast, stark in sharpness and fragile, i.e. graphite smears. However, when sprayed with Prismacolor Final Fixative the sharpness develops a softer and darker more pleasing tone and the work is thus also somewhat protected from the elements.