Sam

[Debra Jones]

Thought I would stop in to say "hi" to Chris, as I ran into a student today... did not get her name, also, have been seeing your studio folks and decided to get in there and go for it.

For the non Scottsdale group this is irrelevant but this is one of our studio members, Sam. His wife Rosalie should be in here, but she is not very thrilled with the internet.

The model did not show up so he sat for us. I came in late and enjoyed a well lit profile.

It was a really good experience having Rosalie there to make the "corrections" she saw she needed. I don't think it is as good in the LIKENESS category as I usually do in studio, but it is much better in the "client satisfaction" style. Things were changed specifically to please her, not me. It was a great exercise!

Debra,
Nice work. Watercolor?
-Albert

[Debra Jones]

Thank you Albert,

Not watercolor, very scrubby oil. I forgot not only my palette, which I borrowed a spare, had the wrong brushes, and no burnt sienna and ultramarine blue. I used cobalt and a bit of old vandyke very sparingly and gingerly. Just a warm up.

It is scrubby and blended, very thin paint on a piece of canvas taped to a board. I like to bring unstretched sheets and if they fail, I can wipe off and re paint, if they are good lessons, I dry them enough to hang on pant hangers in the closet. They store better unstretched and by hanging them, I don't worry about the damage of rolling.... I have quite a few of these. And of course, if they are good, I stretch or glue them to a board.

Open studio can be habit forming. This is about 12x16 on a much larger piece of canvas.

Debra,
Interesting. Again, congratulations on a fine study. If one executes a painting on a sheet of linen, (or cotton) it can afterwards be stretched if one's so disposed, can it not?
Thanks,
a.

[Debra Jones]

This is off a big roll of Fredrix pre primed workhorse canvas. I buy an $80 roll (48 or 50 inches high... and I forget the length) usually from gift certificates at Christmas time, and cut off pieces as needed. If I see a real sale somewhere, I will grab a few prestretched canvases, but it is a matter of space.

I have not had problems stretching them using my canvas pliers and good bars. The gesso used is acrylic so it is a bit slippery for a good piece, but works MUCH better than canvas board or any other fast and easy cheap support.

It lets me be free to impulse paint in the middle of the night. I keep stretcher bars in small amounts but many lengths. IF I need a piece of a larger size, I can stretch it with a bit of overlap using staples. If it becomes a gallery or sale piece, it can be restretched with a braced frame or glued. I admit I began in pastels and like the idea of actually having space around a piece to add or remove information, and by stretching after, I have that luxury.

[Michele Rushworth]

Wow -- I think this is one of your best!

[Debra Jones]

Thank you Michelle!

It is funny. With a sit still, know-the-guy model, I think he looks very generic. I had a lot more character a bit more age, a little thinner hair and the transparency and veiny texture in his temple all ideas to work on... until I got input from his alter ego.

I have had a lot more criticism for being TOO close to the likeness, which is a real luxury in life class. I got a number of lessons from mentors on NOT making the model so lifelike, but more flattering. With the input, I still tend to visually widen, not narrow - a more flattering distortion - but I stuck with general massing and not the crinkles and quirks.

I like studio for the lack of INSTRUCTION, I have a head full of education and my need now, is to learn a more marketable observational skill. I may ask the models to come and actually critique if they have time, during my progress. It was an eye opening exercise, and my eye is where it all lies!

[Chris Saper]

Debra,

This is a very lovely portrait! Sam is a such a nice man, and I think you have captured his kind persona.