Still connecting the dots

I am still trying to get the hang of this method.  She makes little dots at the top, bottom and and either sides of each object.  The problem I am having is remembering what each dot stands for.  I get lost - the same way when I paint material and get lost in the folds - I hope you get better the more you practice.
Here is one I did just by filling in the masses.

This is trying to do the dots but really doing lines. (ignore the colour in the background I gessoed over an old one.  

And the result is

Another attempt and this time I am really going to stick to dots or rather dashes.

I think that is better.

Can't get a handle on it

So I was drinking my morning coffee and doodling on my morning newspaper.  My husband just loves when I do that.  There was my mug a simple thing but I couldn't get the curve on the handle.  I realized that is no different then the curve on the lip or nose - it is really subtle.

I tried Carol Marine's method with little dots at special points and I must admit I was having a little trouble.  It makes sense but it is not natural for me. I kept forgetting which dot meant what. I will try it again and take pictures next time.  Here is my little cup.  I know it looks simple but the shadow on the handle itself was hard.

I am enjoying going through her book, unfortunately I won't be able to use my studio for 2 weeks.  Ater that I will be zipping through it. 

Connecting the dots

Today's lesson is setting out your composition on the canvas.  First mark dots on the midpoints on the canvas.  Second put dots or little lines on the edges of each object. Third start rounding.  Here is my setup

 Then I added mid dots (I confess I drew a line to make it easier for me)

 I then connected the dots.

My first pass

 2nd pass

 And my painting.  I could have gone on for ever but this is just an exercise.  It was fun painting the teapot because at first glance it is black, but as you stare at it the colours come out.
Besides which I would really like my pot back as it is now time for tea.  - Lady Grey tea hot.

Here is Monday's weekly hint - yes I know it is Tuesday but consistency is not part of my vocabulary - don't even know the meaning of the word.

David Kassan is an amazing artist who is now having a Kickstarter fundraiser for a palette

palette kickstarter

If I were an oil painter I think I would get it because I love new things for my art.  His palette is unusual in that it is vertical.  His point is, a vertical palette means the light falls in the same manner on the palette as on the painting.  I am not comparing myself to him and I really don't think that having vertical is going to instantly make me as good as him but then you never know.  I have a little palette which I now keep vertically and it is easier physically so you don't twist to get at your paint.  I am now very aware of how repetitive motions come back to bite you.  

Watch the video - I think the palette is a  brilliant design. And before you ask - no the paint does not drip down but the glaze does so I just put that on the bottom.  

View Finder continued

Here is another one I made with a view finder,  She uses the viewfinder throughout the painting but I made a sketch to use instead.

and then painted this work. If nothing else I am working from life

Use your viewfinder

She uses a viewfinder and then draws in the big shapes.  I did this but it didn't look as great as her paintings.  I think I will try a simpler cup.  I did notice that I worked on the composition more because I could see it didn't look good through the viewfinder and I rearranged it quite a bit.

It's a draw

Carol Marine must have talked with Bert Dodson because they both want you to sketch a lot and both of them start with drawing your hand. She suggested drawing your hand holding something.

She also recommended carrying around a sketch book to draw while waiting for things like oil changes.  Funny I just had to have my oil changed.  This wasn't the first time that I sketched in public but it was really creepy.  Every time I looked up this guy was staring at me and I wasn't even drawing him.  Usually when two strangers glance at each, they take a quick look and turn their heads, but this guy was just staring at me.  Unfortunately our cars were ready at the same time, but I waited to get mine - I was really creeped out.  The sketch below is from the library - a great place to sketch because people tend to return to the same position or they sleep.  Either way it is a good thing. 

Lean to the left, lean to the .....

I love this book.  The more I read it, the more I want to.  After saturation, came the fact that colours have a lean.  For instance Cadmium yellow leans blue while  Cadmium yellow light goes red and so on. I love this hint she gave  - put the colours you use on a piece of paper and which way they lean.  This is so important and just this hint is almost worth the price of the book.
You should know which way your colours go because if you mix them you could get grey unexpectedly.  If this doesn't make sense buy the book.

Paint what you see.  She had a problem with egg yolks because everyone knows they are yellow, but really they are not the  bright yellow out of the tube..  I had a similar problem with candles (cheesy plug for my other blog   5minutesfromcool.blogspot.ca ) and the colours of flames.

She warned about using white because it makes things chalky - that is what my evil teacher Suzy always says- maybe I should listen to her more. She talked about burnt umber - it sounded so good I may go buy a tube.

The next exercise was to do colour charts and maybe one day I will do them but not today.  My inner child is having a tantrum and my outer child says she can`t make me.

She did suggest using paint chips.  The exercise is to mix a colour to match the paint chip.  This isn't the first time I have done this but a good exercise is always worth repeating.

I think I am pretty good at this and if the painting career doesn't work out I can always get a job putting drops of paint on a paint chip. You can`t even tell the beige ones I did - I am that good.

The orange one does show but if you squint it goes away.  Squint really hard.

The colour card is from Farrow & Ball.  I keep their card because the names of the colours amuse me.  I would love to paint a room Wimborne white or cat`s paw but the winner is elephant`s breath. Say no more, say no more.  (from monty python it seemed appropriate).