More Jewelry and Hands by Sargent

From the same painting as the previous post - here are some lovely hands and rings for your perusal!

How To Paint Jewelery by Sargent

What we can learn from Sargent's treatment of jewelery is: don't spell everything out! Suggest things.

This is a close view of his painting of Elizabeth Winthrop Chanler. I am actually quite surprised this photograph turned out, as I took it with the camera propped on my forehead to avoid distortion. Aren't digital cameras the best?

The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

There is some amazing art here! First, a couple of close up images of Rose Frantzen's work. I thought her older people were done with particular sensitivity.

Portrait Society of America - More From The Art of the Portrait

It is so great to get together with a bunch of other artists who are obsessed with the same issues and talk shop. There are demos by many of the top portrait painters in America, portfolio critiques, art materials, books and DVD's for sale. It is fun to network and see old friends.

Here are some images of Michael Shane Neal painting Dot Svendson.

Two Alla Prima Paintings by Rose Frantzen

Alexey Steele, painted by Rose Frantzen























Tony Pro, painted by Rose Frantzen

Portrait Society of America, Art of The Portrait Conference - April 22-25, 2010

I recently returned from a few days in beautiful Reston, Virginia, where I attended The Art of The Portrait, the annual convention organized by The Portrait Society of America. I was planning to post a bunch of photographs I took of the opening night "Face-Off", where a number of artists paint a model from life, but I discovered that someone else (Matthew Innis) beat me to the punch and did a fabulous job of photographing and posting the work, so just click here to see all 15 paintings of 5 different models:

http://underpaintings.blogspot.com/2010/04/2010-portrait-society-face-off.html

It was intriguing to see how each artist saw things differently.

Rose Frantzen, a master of alla prima portraiture, ended up being chosen by those in attendance to give a demo on Saturday morning. During her opening night demo, she quickly whacked in her dark background and proceeded with a very vigorous technique involving an oil stick crayon. She speedily captured the likeness, light effect, and character of her model. I would have to say that she was the star of the show and was a little bit mobbed by her compatriots. She ended up painting 2 more portraits during the weekend, of artists Tony Pro and Alexey Steele (shown in the photograph), and she was entertaining throughout the process, which is not an easy task to accomplish!

Rose Frantzen also has a very prestigious show in progress at The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and many of those in attendance at the conference traveled by bus to see her 12x12 plywood panels, unframed with edges painted black, of the 180 heads of people from her hometown of Maquoketa, Iowa. Rose Frantzen opened up a storefront in her hometown and anyone willing to pose was painted from life in 4-5 hours.

It was quite an emotional experience to see all the portraits grouped together and the impact of the show imparted the eerie feeling of being acquainted with the town and the people who reside there. The exhibit runs until July 5, 2010 so if you are anywhere near Washington, D.C. don't miss it!

Must Have Book: How Successful Artists Study (Effective Learning Ideas and Knowledge for Artists)

When I first flipped through this fascinating and unique new book, by Samuel Adoquei, I was so excited to see how much valuable information was packed into it. The book contains essential advice from someone who knows how to achieve the goal of having a successful career in fine art. It is a fantastic resource for any artist, with Mr. Adoquei serving as mentor, and is destined to become a classic.

Not only is the volume chock full of relevant information, the chosen paintings that illustrate the book are absolutely wonderful and include colorful samples of the work of past masters (including Sargent and Sorolla, two of my favorites) and contemporary artists.

This is not a book to be read and then put back on a shelf, never to be seen again. I plan to keep it on my nightstand and I believe it will become a treasured source of guidance, inspiration, advice and encouragement.

Some of the many topics covered in the book include: getting the right education, artistic growth and the pursuit of excellence, the practical aspects of drawing, different painting methods, color and paint handling, issues around photography and technology, dealing with art competitions, the value of still life as a learning tool, finding your own style, developing good taste and what to have in mind when preparing your portfolio and approaching galleries. Mr. Adoquei writes in a friendly and accessible style, with many anecdotes and personal stories to enliven his teachings.

The book is available online here:

http://www.amazon.com/Successful-Artists-Effective-Learning-Knowledge/dp/0578043580/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271752486&sr=8-1

You can also contact the author directly to order the book:

http://www.howsuccessfulartistsstudy.com

Whether you are already a working artist or dream of earning your living this way, this book is a must have resource.