Reclining Nude

Reclining Nude, 12 x 16. Painted last night at Zoll Studio.

I have realized that when it comes to a good painting, composition is probably the single most important thing. Because in the end, all the great drawing, value plans and pretty colors won't save a bad composition -- if things are in the wrong place.

Also it really helps to look at great artists' works, if just to train your eyes to get used to a higher level of drawing, color harmony, and edge handling. And to calibrate your brainwaves to vibrate on a higher frequency, so to speak. 

Sunflowers

 

Sunflowers, 11 x 14

Two Studies

Tuesday was a painting day.

 

Gisele, 14 x 11

 

Figure Study, 20 x 16

When I paint figures, I tend to elongate the form and the figures end up looking like super tall models in fashion illustrations (blame it on years of doodling fashion models on the margins of my notebooks in school). So this time I tried to correct that and went a bit too far in the other direction. The model looks short and stumpy. Oh well. Maybe next time I'll get the proportions right. 

Kuniko

 

Kuniko, 16 x 12

The model is a kimono consultant. She makes kimonos and teaches people how to wear them. She is also a Shinto priestess. I watched a video of her doing a beautiful Japanese dance with a fan. She has a powerful presence and carries herself with quiet dignity.

The Painting That Went Nowhere

The new year brings new hopes and resolutions. I remembered I have this blog and start to contemplate how this blog can sustain itself with my snail-like speed of posting three or four times a year.

I mean, do people still read blogs? It seems like everybody is on Facebook or Instagram now. But Facebook is not conducive to longer posts. So here's a long post about a painting of mine.

 

The title for the painting is "She Will Rule," 24 x 16 inches. Yes, you guessed it. I did it last year to support Hillary Clinton. Why can't we have a female president?

The idea came to me when I was taking a nap. I wasn't really asleep, just lying there. I saw a vision of the painting rose in my mind's eye and I had to bring it to life. 

Then I was like a possessed woman. I had to have everything ready. I searched for all the props. Found the crown and the scepter on eBay, and they came from China. I ordered two scepters, one silver, one gold. I liked the gold one better. Plus, I stepped on the silver one when it was on the floor in my messy studio and broke it. 

 

I found the chair (the "throne") in a second hand furniture store. It took me a long while to search for the throne but I finally saw this one. It was expensive, but when I'm possessed I don't care how much I spend.

I designed and made the costume myself. It's really all pinned together and tied by ribbons, although I did sew the skirt by hand.

 

I had to buy the fabric twice because I miscalculated the first time and the dress turned out to be too short.

I asked my friend Joanne to model for me. She is such a sweet girl and wouldn't let me pay her. I treated her to some Chinese food. She worked and studied in China for three or four years. 

But she didn't want to be a queen. I wanted her to give me a regal and authoritative look. She just giggled. But she did a good job in the end and I got some nice photos. 

I did two quick sketches from life and then started on the big painting with photo references. I was still trying to get back into figure painting at the time and I can't say I'm very satisfied with the result. 

In the end, I can only say this painting did not turn out the way I wanted it to, just like this election. 

Now my paintings like this one seem to require much longer time to finish, from the idea to completion. But if it has to be this way, then so be it. Also a figure painting is a collaboration between the artist and the model.