Cows are a lovely addition to my collection of bookmarks.

Academy of Realist Art

After having the flu for 2 or 3 weeks I lost the will, confidence and gumption to do anything. This 3 day workshop in Alla Prima Portrait painting was booked and I had paid the deposit and so was committed. Before in a different workshop at ARA we practiced measuring and observation for the face and it was very intense. This time we really worked on colour and value, palette organization and efficiency, blending, brushes and strokes. Alla Prima being wet paint into wet, you have to be direct and economical. No sketch. No underpainting. Like modelling clay! The third day Estoban demonstrated removing the light where before we learned to mass in dark, then mid then high tones. WOW! I struggled pushing and pulling to get the forms right but it was so satisfying and fun!

  Next day, I used Procreate, and a similar approach to produce a  digital self-portrait.   Interestingly, the techniques learned still apply and translate, which surprised me. Somehow, it worked much better than all my previous efforts.

OK, I need a lot of practice to get thing right, but there is progress showing. Eureka!