Thursday, February 14, 2008

Daily Painting Practice- Pay It Forward - Painting from life

On Wednesday evenings I join a few friends and we paint and draw from a live model for 2 hours. We start out with several 1 minute warm up sketches. Then jump to 5, 10 15 and maybe a 20 minute sketch.
I reuse my canvas about a hundred times. Week after week. No need to save these they just get replaced by next week's studies.
You can't beat the practice of having a time limit to capture an image. Strange that I find this type of painting relaxing, but plein air painting makes me so nervous. Another art psychosis that I need treatment for.
This was a three minute quick sketch. Things happen so fast! If I am lucky, I am left with a good impression. Hopefully it has expression too. Sometimes it works... sometimes I paint over it and start on the next one.
Having a model that can pose with emotion is rare. This model was very expressive which makes it easier to enjoy the process.
click on the image to enlarge the painting

Life Study
8"x10"
oil on canvas board

One of the best things about attending the life class is enjoying interaction with the other artists. The music was great too. (Diana Krall) playing in the background... You can't beat that!
Getting out of the studio and surrounding yourself with people who love to draw or paint is the best medicine for DAS (Depressed Artist Syndrome) ... It should be up there with a good diet and exercise.

Here's the Pay -It Forward piece:
Back December, an artist friend, Stacey Peterson, posted a Pay it Forward contest on her blog and I was one of the first three commentors to win a piece of art from Stacey. Here's how it works.

The rules are:
I will send one of these Life Study paintings to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.
When you leave your comment, please also do one of two things: leave your post address or e-mail it to me.

I will choose which painting to send but if you give me your top 3 choices that could help.

So, I promise to send a small painting to the first three who comment here wanting to join in on the fun. In return, you just have to pay it forward!

6 comments:

Sarah Trefny said...

Hi Peter,
I'd like to play!
I particularly like the last one with the dark background and the girl turned away.

Thanks,
Sarah

constance said...

Hi, Peter, big fan of yours and would like to play too! I so look forward to your morning missives - a bit of sweetness with my coffee.
Constance

Peter Yesis said...

We have two winners so far One more to go.

Constance I need a way to contact you to get your address so send me an email or I can't send you a painting.

Sarah- congrats you are the first. I'll get your address vis email.

Kathy Jurek said...

Hey Peter, this sounds like fun! I'll play. :)

Peter Yesis said...

And so we have three!

Constance- please contact me or I may have to award the next person to comment

constance said...

peter - please check your ebay message site - you caught up with me there!
constance