Sunday, October 19, 2014

Van Gogh Sketches-Practice



The altered book journal made from an old book that I made in Jeanne Oliver's class "Journey of Letting Go." The front cover is still a work in progress, but I gessoed several pages and am using it to do black and white sketches in for classes. So far, there's only one Sanguine color sketch involved.

I call it my Feather Journal, and the following sketches are in it, except for the last one. It's a watercolor study and is included in the sketchbook of notes for the "Studying With the Masters Portraits" class that I'm also taking with Jeanne. (same link as above) The other sketches are also for this class (not the same ones the teacher used).


Sien With Umbrella and Prayer Book-My version of Van Gogh's sketch in black gel pen and charcoal on white gessoed page...


Cypresses-My version of Van Gogh's sketch in Sanguine Pitt pen on white gessoed page...


Woman Lifting up Potatoes-My version of Van Gogh's sketch in black Pitt brush pen...


Woman Knitting-My version of Van Gogh's watercolor painting, using my new set of Chinese watercolor tube paints, which didn't include black and burnt umber, the colors in the sketch I studied.

These were such fun to study and do, and I'm sooo glad the course is up for two years, because life happens, and I can't always keep up with the rest of the class. For instance, the 4th master that we are studying starts tomorrow (Monday), and I haven't watched all the videos from week one yet. Thankful that we are encouraged to go at our own pace!

Among the many, many, things I've learned from these classes is how to look at the work of MY favorite artists and dissect them for study and practice, such as Renoir and Toulouse, who haven't been included in a course...yet.

Through these "Studying With the Masters" courses I have learned a whole new respect and like for some of the masters that I never really cared for before, such as Picasso, I've gotten acquainted with some masters and their work that I'd never heard of before and I really like, and I've met current artists/teachers that I didn't know before.

Can you tell that I like these classes? :)

1 comment:

Janet Ghio said...

Your sketches are wonderful. I just finished Van Gogh. There is no way I could do a different artist every week! I like to take my time with each artist. Did you take the first class? It was also great!