It figures, more from Dawn Emerson

Instructions:  break up the composition space first with a grid of not necessarily straight, not necessarily equivalent lines. At least five of them. Then, draw your figure. How is your drawing influenced by the grid? What happens when you add color?

Instructions: with as few marks as possible, indicate the figure. What did you include? What did you leave out? 

I love the uninhibited, almost primitive look of these drawings. It's all too easy to take a workshop, get excited while I am there, and then leave with a case of instant amnesia. I lose the breakthroughs I began. But I am retracing some of my steps, to find the hints and clues to another way.

Do you know Beth Hart? Her music and this song get at this turmoil.

She's worth knowing, especially if you can relate to this: I don't want to survive, I want to live!

Tool -- new and cool

I'm pretty sure that I've seen it before, but at Dawn Emerson's workshop earlier this month, I saw this tool again. Not only saw it, but saw it being used. 

If you are working on tuning up your color harmonies in your paintings, like I am, allow me to recommend this tool to you. The "Analogous Color Wheel" lets you dial up the main colors in your painting, and shows you which colors complement and are discords. Is you painting mostly blue (as I have dialed in above)? Then orange is the complement and yellow green and red violet can offer some discord pops. Where to get this nifty tool? I bought mine through Dakota Art Pastels here.

And that brings me to a question Casey Klahn threw at me during his recent workshop in town: what would happen if you just turned the color wheel and painted this piece again, but one click to the right or left? I am working on that one.

Do you have a new favorite art tool? Do tell!

Start

11 x 17

BFK Rives, charcoal

acrylic pastel ground

Workshop thoughts -- Emerson Idea Book

I only saw it for a few minutes, but it made a big impression on me. Dawn Emerson's large format (16 x 12) sketchbook was filled with value studies, line drawings, photographs from magazines, and postcards that inspire her, and many notes about what meanings and applications she had about what she included. 

What a great idea!

Even when I don't feel much like making art, or when I don't have a lot of time to commit to painting, I can work on the idea book, or just spend time looking at it and dreaming of what I might create. In the photo above you see the first page of my new big idea book. I think it might just prove to be a slump-elixir, too.

Dawn Emerson Workshop -- Day Three

We started today with several drawing exercises with figures. My final painting today was this development of the sailboat idea. I have several sketches that I want to play with, and that will come soon.

Have you taken a workshop with Dawn Emerson? I have really enjoyed my days with this wonderful pastel artist. Hers has been a workshop that leaves me filled with ideas of new things to try. I know that my drawing will never be the same and I plan to carry this sense of play and exploration with me into the days ahead.

Dawn Emerson Workshop -- Day Two

My last painting today and my attempt to synthesize all that I learned. This is BFK paper with gesso on it for a support, then Sumi ink and gouache under painting, with pastel on top. Layers of putting on and taking away, of discovering a shape and then losing it. Push, pull, add, subtract. Tomorrow morning we will start the day with a critique of our final paintings. On of my fellow students has suggested the title "Bloody Race" for this piece.

Playing with the materials with this #1: gesso on BFK with pastel and charcoal

More play with this #2 plus a real response to the didgeridoo music: 

acrylic pastel ground on BFK with charcoal and pastel and chalk

Dawn Emerson Workshop -- Day One

 blocking in the major shapes using charcoal and pastel

Dawn Emerson

First day of a three day workshop in Springfield, OR with Dawn Emerson. Wow! Dawn is a dynamo and she moves and teaches with grace and energy. I feel stuffed with ideas and new challenges to think more, try more, play more.

We did a series of drawing exercises, designed to loosen up, look better, vary the line, mass the value shapes, and all the while maintain a playful attitude. I loved every minute of it! Many times, we walked around the room to look at all of the drawings. I learned a lot by seeing how others handled the same exercise.  What a great group of participants!

Today my contentment can be measured by the charcoal in the cracks of my fingers. Lots and lots!

The top photo shows my final drawing, a synthesis of everything from the day. More to come tomorrow! But, first, to sleep!