From Abstract Collage to Charcoal

In this week's abstract composition class with Julie Ricketts, we drew upon our earlier collages to create charcoal drawings. I continued with my abstract dragon shapes and created the following four drawings in wonderfully messy soft vine charcoal.

Julie Devine, Abstract Dragon I, 2011

Julie Devine, Abstract Dragon II, 2011

Julie Devine, Abstract Dragon III, 2011

Julie Devine, Abstract Dragon IV, 2011

Dragon-Inspired Abstract Collage

Summer seems like a good time for learning something completely different. I decided to take a couple of short abstract classes with Julia Ricketts to learn a bit more about non-representational art, and take time to think about composition and mark-making.

This week we did an interesting collage exercise. We chose an object to mine for shapes ideas. I chose this fellow from a pile of action figures at home.

This dragon has some nice shapes. I picked out a few, transfered them to black paper, cut them out, and then arranged them (or pieces of the remaining negative shapes of black paper) on a white square. We had the option to place the cut out pieces over the edges of the square and crop them to create more compelling compositions. Here are a few I came up with.





Julie Devine, Dragon Collage 1, 2011





Julie Devine, Dragon Collage 2, 2011



Julie Devine, Dragon Collage 3, 2011



July Plein Air

I've been trying out some plein air painting this week, and have noticed a couple of things. My glass palette is very large and heavy, but having the room for mixing and keeping piles of colors separated is still worth the inconvenience of lugging it around. Also, I'll be using significantly more cad yellow and lemon yellow when painting outside in the summer. This should be obvious of course, but was still a suprise to me.  Here are are the two from this week.



Julie Devine, July at the Atomic Ranch, 2011
22" x 18"




 


Julie Devine, North Walkway in July, 2011
16" x  20"



Painting Interiors Workshop

Julie Devine, Gage Interior With Rhinos, 2011

Last week I participated in a painting workshop with Susan Bennerstrom at Gage Academy of Art. 

For five days we painted interior spaces on the third floor of the school, paying close attention to subtle shifts in the value and color of light on architectural forms. I spent most of my time on this view of the hallway, with my back touching the wall next to the door to the classical atelier studio. The Best of Gage exhibit was up, so a couple of student rhino scultptures made their way into the painting.
We also did several oil sketches during the week.

Julie Devine, Gage Interior Oil Sketch 1, 2011

Julie Devine, Gage Interior Oil Sketch 2, 2011

Wrapping Up Spring Quarter

Here are two more paintings from my spring quarter classes with Anne Petty.

Julie Devine, Nude, 2011





Julie Devine, Still Life with Cone, 2011



A Figure and a Still Life

I'm greatly enjoying my time off of work, and am thankful for the extra time I have to pursue art training. This spring I'm taking two painting classes with figurative painter Anne Petty.  We're about two-thirds the way through the quarter. Here are a couple of paintings from class that I'm happy with...



Julie Devine, Vertical Nude, 2011




Julie Devine, Still Life with Yellow Glass, 2011

 

Morning



Julie Devine, Morning, 2011