How to Paint a Gem of A Portrait

This is lovely Leah, my class demo at The California Art Institute...I don't always like my demos but I think this is a little gem.

YEARNING

Class Demo

Oil on Linen

$300, plus tax

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I am working hard on demos being not only good for the students' learning but GOOD for my painting satisfaction too.

I really caught her expression that day and I knew it. It is why I paint...just for that feeling.

How about you?

Catch my class Wednesday mornings or my First Friday Atelier Day at my studio.

Email me for details johanna@johannaspinks.com

Gratitude...

It is not every week you get to paint two marvelous world famous talents from life. This week I painted Kevin Costner who needs no introduction and soprano singer Nicole Cabell who The London Times described as having a voice like liquid gold.

Both stars graciously were sitting for my FACE of VENTURA project which will be at The Ventura County Museum August 26th.

Both were sittings completed in under two hours on location which is never without challenges away from the comfort of your own studio and props.. Both talents inspired me and make me appreciate so much what I do and the gifts my mentor Everett Raymond Kinstler has taught me. And yes, Kevin Costner really is as handsome in person - not to mention very pleasant along with his lovely family and wife Christine.

Thank you to all three. I am full of gratitude.

Look for Kevin Costner's new production:

http://www.history.com/shows/hatfields-and-mccoys

Look for Ms. Cabell's appearances around the world

http://nicole-cabell.com/

Look at Mr. Kinstler's site.

http://www.everettraymondkinstler.com/

How To Paint Gold?

How to paint gold?...well, I have seen students,  and myself, crumble at times...this was today's effort  and  a few golden oldies from a few weeks past. Yesterday this cast wasn't looking so golden.

So how to paint gold? Concentrate very hard around subtle shifts of value. Don't paint the mid-value, base too light on the light side of the form, or you will have no place to add the ZING later. Look for green and purples in the shadow sides. Anything other than yellow. Block-in the light side with a dullish yellow like raw sienna, then start building up the gold with, say,  a bright cad. lemon yellow and white mixed with a very light clean cool green. Think GOLD very last.

The most common problem I see watching students paint gold - and myself included - is we try to paint gold too fast, and too darn yellow.

We are all students of GOLD.

How to paint hands???

Not so easy to paint a Reverend, his holy hands and face in just two short hours from life.

This was my thought process. Squint. Just paint the shapes/structure. No sausages.  Forget you are painting hands, really fast. Pray for a miracle.

 I was pretty happy with what I got for my 'Face Of Ventura' series, appearing in each edition of The Ventura Breeze and on The Lyn Fairly and Friends Radio Show...meet Rev. Luther McCurtis, a wonderful guy with a soulful mission. And dare I say, great hands.  It was important to me I got his hands in. Glad I had a go. So give me a hand, why don't ya?

Painting from life...

This week's 'Face of Ventura' sitter is Mr. Doug Halter. He is the most marvelous landscape designer, very well known in the old mission town of Ventura where I am doing this crazy art project to paint 55 sitters from life to reflect its' modern day appearance, quite dashing,  and we talked about so much during this ever so short two hour sitting.

Thanks to The Ventura Breeze for featuring my project each edition and The Lyn Fairly and Friends Radio Show. And of course Mr. Halter.

Mark your calendar. 'The Face of Ventura By Johanna Spinks' at The Ventura County Museum Sunday August 26h.

Anatomy of a Portrait Demo

My demo this week at The California Art Institute...thanks to the lovely Oriana and the students that paid attention allowing me to help them on their art journey.

New You Tube Demo

New You Tube! This was a demo I did for an art group recently where the sitter won a raffle to be painted by me. Thanks to Russell Wolvek for the clever edit.