Cynthia Grilli's Portrait Workshop Day 1, 2 and 3 20x16 oil

So here is Day #1, Day #2 and Day #3 of Cynthia Grilli's portrait workshop.  She has an amazing amount of knowledge to share.  She really takes the time to teach you the building blocks of value, color, temperature and the reflective properties of opacity and glazing.  It was a great experience.

She is offering it again February 17, 24 and March 3.  I can't wait.

At the end of day 3 I was not finished and just starting to lay some paint on the high points of the painting.  I was conservative in my approach and very much in the learning mode.  I know with lots of practice I will be more confident.  I look forward to more paint and expressive brush work.  There is so much to think about.

Annika 14x11 oil

Model Day with Annika.

Cynthia Grilli Workshop Day #1 20x16 oil

Last week I started a 3 day workshop with Cynthia Grilli.  It takes place over 3 Wednesdays.  This was the end of my first painting day.  Basically a value painting with the beginnings of warm and cool.  The palette on this day was titanium white, yellow ochre pale, burnt sienna and ultramarine.  I love working with a limited palette.  It is not so overwhelming when trying to learn new stuff.  I will post day 2 next week.  I forgot to take a photo and left the wet painting in the studio till next week.

Mixed Fruit 11x14 oil

Well here is another fruit painting using the left over fruit from breakfast and lunch while in Ojai. The set up on this is odd with four to one groupings, but oh well. I continued to work with the Cynthia Grilli palette. New for me is using mediums and glazes and letting things dry. I didn't let things dry all the way, but enough. The medium of dammar varnish, linseed oil and turpentine helped with the drying time. I go back to class tomorrow to learn more on this. It has been fun experimenting.

Bartlets and Tangello 6x8 oil

Here is one more quick still life I did while in Ojai. We went on a wonderful hike in the morning, had lunch in town and then some went shopping. I took the time to paint these wonderful pears and little tangerine.

The fruit was on a table by the door and the nature light lite the fruit. I did an under painting with burnt sienna, yellow ochre light, utramarine and titanium white. Using these basic colors I blocked in values. This made it so much easier to work with color and the underpainting created harmonywith the colors glazed on top.

Out on Loma Road 8x6 oil

This road was right around the corner from the Blue Iguana Hotel. Great place to stay. Ojai is a very pleasant place with lovely country charm and open spaces.

I like roads and trying to create distance and depth is a challenge.

Two of a Kind 6x6 oil

My husband and I took a little trip to Ojai this past weekend with friends. We had a day before everyone else arrived and so I painted while he finished up some office work. These two tangerines were sitting on a table under lamp light. I loved the glow of the deep warm shadow side of the fruit.

I have been once again trying a new palette of color. I am taking a portrait painting class with Cynthia Grilli and am using her recommended palette. I'm using a number of transparent colors. I always seem to enjoy the exploration process of mixing and finding out what works. I have been a alla prima painter for the most part and with Cynthia I will be glazing. I must be patient.

Felix's Continental Cuban Cuisine 4x6 oil

Cuban cuisine is just so tasty and we have one of the best in old town Orange. This little gem sits right in the plaza and has been a part of the downtown for over 27 years.

This was a busy little piece to get onto a small canvas. I did edited a lot, but did not want to lose the identifying details that says, Felix's.