A couple of new paintings

[femmedem]

Last edited Sun Nov 29, 2020, 12:53 PM - Edit history (1)

I've been quiet here lately--work's been demanding--but I've been painting on the weekends and watching instructional videos in the weekday evenings. I think all the studying is paying off, although the self-portrait looked better before I put my glasses on. (I can't read without glasses.) These two are both from the last few weeks. I used a very limited palette for the self-portrait: just a mix of titanium and zinc whites, yellow ochre, cadmium red medium and ivory black. If you're a painter, look up the Zorn palette and see what Anders Zorn painted with it.

True story: when I was getting my final critique at art school more than thirty-five years ago, the department head/favorite teacher gently told me that not everyone is cut out to be an artist and maybe I should focus on my writing instead. I was crushed, and I didn't paint much at all for decades. But all these years later, when I don't care about painting anything impressive but just want to learn, painting is much more fulfilling for me, and that instructor would probably like the end results better, too.

These are both little paintings: the self-portrait is 10"x10" and the landscape is 6"x9".

Edited because I first accidentally posted a less-finished version of the self-portrait.

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Thanks for looking!

[niyad]

1. Thank you so much for sharing. They (you) are lovely.

[JudyM]

2. The landscape is immersive and familiar, and I like the sense of perspective ... it carries the eye.

The self-portrait isn’t showing up on my screen though.

[femmedem]

5. I was editing it because I posted the wrong version. I think you'll see it now.

At least I hope so!

[MaryMagdaline]

3. Beautiful!

Where is this?

[femmedem]

4. Harkness Park in Southeastern Connecticut.

It's my favorite spot to paint.

[MaryMagdaline]

7. Very nice - thank you

[bdtrppr6]

6. art school almost

ALMOST ruined my faith in my talent. I wasn't from the big city, just a hillbilly kid with a different view on "art" and really didn't mesh with all the pretension that ARTISTs must have. 30+ years later, I still paint at least a little bit every day but don't care about galleries and shows, just do it because I love it.

[femmedem]

8. Very close to my story! I'm glad you kept painting.

I also grew up in the country--I had no idea what a crosswalk was when I showed up at art school; I was just a kid who liked to sit in the woods and paint.

[MaryMagdaline]

9. The self-portrait just popped up - for some reason not at first

You are quite a good painter

My husband collected a lot of social realist painters - the Soyers and others

Your landscape reminded me of the Rockport sea scapes. Moses Soyer is one I kept. It has cracks but I love how it has aged.

I hope you get peace from your art!

[femmedem]

13. Thank you. I had to look up Moses Soyer: beautiful and intriguing work.

I do get peace from my art: it makes all my stress disappear, at least for a few hours.

It sounds as if you lost your husband. I'm so sorry.

[MaryMagdaline]

15. Thank you, femmedem - I lost him 6 years ago but it's still a joy to talk about him

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

11. Nice work - both of them.

It's too bad that your art teacher was so crushing. The arts (visual, musical, any of them) are such that very few people can make a career in them. I was a music major who couldn't cut it professionally, so I gave up music almost entirely until I retired - and I shouldn't have done, because it's so rewarding no matter whether you're "professional" or not. Same with painting; I've been taking art classes for awhile and although I'm told I'm improving I'm doing it only because I enjoy it. That should be the only reason. I agree that the results can actually be better when you no longer care and you're just doing it for yourself. And I think your work is very good.

[femmedem]

14. Thanks, Velveteen.

Your painting of your cat Jeoffry is stunning. I hope you are grieving less for him now. It's especially hard during the pandemic when most of us are so isolated.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

18. Thank you. I've done some more work on that painting

and I think improved it a bit, though at some point one just has to stop. My art instructor is a big fan of Zorn, whom I'd never heard of before. I tend to get carried away with color (I go to the art supply store and just gaze at the colors and buy paint just because I love colors) so maybe I'll try dialing it back a bit.

[MLAA]

12. Dear femmedem,

They are both exquisite. You have great range to masterfully create a landscape and a portrait.

Your skin tones are luminescent and with so few colors to work with. The landscape feels soft and strong at the same time to me.

You are motivating me to try a self portrait.

[femmedem]

16. Thank you, MLAA. I hope you do try a self-portrait.

The great thing about a self-portrait is that the model is always available and free.

[MLAA]

17. And interesting haha

[angstlessk]

19. I am so so so very jealous

I always, from childhood, wanted to be an artist, just make a living, being able to produce something worth anything....not famous, as I am a bit Asperger...and not very friendly.

I am very good at copying, but my brain cannot conjure a 3d picture.

Untill I was maybe 10, I thought I had a chancre till I was put up against an extremely angstful young man. Our challenge was to paint a rose on a scull, placed in front of us, which I did vigilantly, he, on the other hand created such a blackened version, I was shocked, but the art teacher chose him over me.

I let that determine my life, and became a bookkeeper, instead, which I said only because it's the only word with 3 consecutive double letters.

I know this is about me instead of your great talent, but it just brought my desire up.

[femmedem]

21. I understand. I was lucky: my grandfather was a dixieland musician who became an accountant.

He told me when I was in high school that he always hated accounting and that I should pursue art if that's what I wanted.

I bet your drawing of a rose was outstanding and that the teacher was trying to encourage someone he or she thought needed more encouragement than you. But why make it a contest? Art should never be a contest, especially with children.

But it isn't too late. I've only been drawing and painting again for about two years.

My late father--a crossword puzzle editor--would have loved your reason for becoming a bookkeeper.

[lunatica]

20. What I see is good art

The self portraits you show here are always excellent, sensitive and evocative. I’m so glad to see you’re posting again. I think of your paintings often. You pick good colors to work with and your brushwork make your painting rich in texture so they look 3 dimensional because of your generosity of paint.

Your lines and outlines, both in working your shadows and highlights are soft and painterly.

It’s because so many art teachers are assholes and soul destroying that I give the critiques I give. How can anyone imply that one person’s art isn’t good enough?! It infuriates me when I hear that. In my opinion what they’re really saying is that if you don’t paint like the masters then you shouldn’t waste everyone’s time. FUCK!! they’re the ones wasting everyone’s time!

[femmedem]

22. Thank you, Lunatica.

The encouragement you give our DU community of artists is invaluable. I'm sure more than one of us creates more art, with more confidence, because of you.

[littlemissmartypants]

23. I love them both. Thank you for sharing them. ❤ nt

[femmedem]

26. Thank you! Thanks for looking at them with kind eyes. n/t

[Star-Thrower]

24. Both paintings are lovely.

I really like the self-portrait. Very nice. Both are well done.

[femmedem]

27. Thanks, Star-Thrower.

That self-portrait was a big leap forward for me.

[bif]

25. Your teacher was way off base

Your paintings are both beautiful! What I wouldn't[t give to have your talent. Your self-portrait is fantastic. I wish I could paint landscapes like this. Just beautiful and inspiring!

[femmedem]

28. Thanks, bif. I love your work, too.

Last edited Tue Dec 1, 2020, 01:01 AM - Edit history (1)

I love the perspective on your cattail paintings, and your recent radicchio painting is fantastic, too.

You wouldn't be too impressed with my talent if you saw my work from a year and a half ago when I started painting again. I've learned a lot by watching online art videos. It's been like going to art school all over again, minus the critiques.

And I think you have tremendous talent.

[bif]

31. Thank you so much!

I'm just learning--actually we never stop, do we? Are there any videos you can recommend? I'm guessing they're on youtube.

[femmedem]

32. I signed up for a year's worth of videos at New Master's Academy.

It isn't cheap, although they were running a special at the beginning of the pandemic; I'm not sure what the price is now. It's an almost overwhelming amount of content, but I've especially enjoyed Joseph Todorovitch's Portrait Painting For Beginners. Just that one class is 43 hours worth of lessons, including a few hours of watching him paint his son using the same palette I used for my self-portrait.

There's a less expensive way to learn from him. You can rent ten hours of lessons from him at his website for 48 hours for $25. https://www.todorovitch.com/page/25167/instructional-videos I haven't seen these lessons, so I can't specifically vouch for him, but I've really enjoyed his New Masters Academy lessons.

New Masters Academy: www.nma.art

[bif]

36. Thanks. I may check them out

[leighbythesea2]

29. Ohhh

I love both of these. I'm into portraits myself. But this landscape is wonderful. The color usage especially.

[femmedem]

33. Thank you! n/t

[leighbythesea2]

30. And that professor

Said a beyond terrible thing to you. We all have abilities, it's just breaking through the system. The book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, was revolutionary to the way I thought about artistic "talent".

[femmedem]

34. Everything clicked for me when I read Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain!

Maybe that book didn't teach me how to draw, but it taught me how to learn to draw.

[leighbythesea2]

35. I taught a lot

Of students 25 years ago now, with those premises. The block, and the self labeling comes early with kids. I'm so glad you stuck with trying!