Still Painting . . . Mostly People

Here it is — well into 2018 and I haven't posted since last November. Between then and now, I re-designed my website www.lundinart.com and have posted many art images on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lundinart/. I'm still drawing and painting, learning, teaching. Here's a digital drawing/painting I did this morning.

Red-Haired Girl #27

When drawing and painting for practice, I refer to photos from magazines. I select certain images because of head shape, attitude, hair color, expression . . . It's all about working with line and shape and color.

I hope you artists out there are drawing and painting!

Jimmy (Finnish Boy in Overalls) • Work in Progress

Jimmy (Finnish Boy in Overalls) • Work in Progress

Drawing and painting people is irresistible to me. All the faces I see tell a story. This painting (in progress) was inspired by an old black and white photograph of a young boy named Jimmy sitting on the tailgate of his grandfather's car. His dog parked in front of him, ready for whatever might happen next.

I was drawn to this photo.

My first drawings were modified blind sketches in ink (one shown). I made adjustments of shape, size, direction, and detail along the way by re-drawing rather than erasing. I added color with Berol Prismacolor pencils. 

I pulled out an eighth sheet of 140 lb. cold press paper, soaked it, towel-rolled it, and drew shapes of this boy with a #8 round brush using Stephen Quiller's watercolor in Cobalt Blue. Then I proceeded to paint with SQ's paint, mixing skin tone along the way. I will paint this young boy again by re-drawing with the brush on paper. 

We artists have been told by other artists before us ("those with finer minds," as Ed Whitney would often say) to "paint what you feel; paint with love; and to paint the apple you must be the apple." For me, it is truly wonderful to draw and paint a subject I love — people. 

As many of your know, I relish painting birch trees too — because they are like figures and family; also apple, basswood, and other blossoms because their petals remind me of a baby's cheek.

Upcoming Watercolor Class • "Fall Color" at the Borealis Art Guild in Hibbing, MN

Here's an ad for my upcoming 4-session class.

DESCRIPTION: Four sessions of watercolor filled with the rich (sometimes neutral and subtle) color of Northern Minnesota's fall season. Class starts Monday, September 18 and continues October 2, 9, and 16 from 1—3:30 pm at the Borealis Art Guild in Hibbing, MN. Painters of all levels are welcome.

Students will explore how to translate nature into shapes — how to view, draw, compose, and paint shapes inspired by Northern Minnesota's fall season — and mix colors that sing (and avoid making mud).

Louise will start each session with a demonstration painting as she explains the "what, how, and why" of watercolor, and work with painters along the way. At the end of each class, students will share thoughts and ideas during a short, gentle, and helpful critique. This class is designed for painters (of all levels) who want to re-charge (and/or keep the charge in) their creative batteries.

To register, please call the Borealis Art Guild at 218-263-8482.

Iris Garden • Watercolor | Mixed Media

I've taken many photos of my irises and my iris garden while the flowers were in full bloom. Now when painting, I try to not copy the photograph but try to interpret / translate and capture the essence of what I see. It's an ongoing challenge and I like it.

During the process, one of my aims was to work in purples and pinks with a counterpoint of light yellow-green; another was to paint iris en masse rather than individually; to use "not good" watercolor paper; and to not worry about the outcome.

I first drew iris of different sizes—as Edgar Whitney described them: Papa, Baby, and Momma-sized shapes. I used a No. 10 round brush, adding color to the three main irises—using various purples, blue-purples, and rose. I added stems in yellow-green. I dried paint using a hair dryer. I wet the background of my "not good," very hard-surfaced paper and went over everything with a transparent Quinacridone Rose. While the painting was wet, I went back in and drew the iris (modified blind contour) with a dark pencil, then added more of the same colors. I brought the photographed image into Photoshop and played with filters.

Since this episode of "playing with paint in mixed media," I've painted other additions to the Iris Garden on 140 lb. Arches Cold Press. I will post new images.

Pink and Purple Iris in Watercolor

Hello, everyone! I've been painting a lot since I did the Seven Paintings in Seven Days but (you know this) I haven't posted since then. Currently, I've been drawing and painting IRIS in my flower garden. Here is one I painted this morning.

Pink-Purple Iris • Watercolor on Arches 140 lb. Cold Press

METHOD: I began by doing a value sketch—2 x 3 inches in size—to establish placement of subject and values. I drew light lines of my subject on the dry paper, I soaked the paper, placed it on the board, sponged excess water out, then painted an abstract underpainting. When some of the water evaporated, I started adding color—positive and negative shapes. I can't wait to start on the next painting . . . then the next . . . Happy painting, my fellow artists and art lovers.

Baby's Hat (Detail of painting) • Seventh Painting in the Seven-Day Challenge

Today's painting is titled "Baby's Hat." The image below shows detail of the full painting. Yesterday, while sifting through my Children's Portrait Reference folder, I came upon a photo of this baby girl. She stole my heart. I took out my sketch book and began drawing my impression of her.

Baby's Hat • Watercolor  •  © Louise Laakso Lundin 2017

The Process: Referring to the photo, I used a 6B pencil and my recycled paper sketchbook to draw her head, hair, face, features, hands, hat. I placed features carefully, aiming to keep her face a "baby face," her cheeks soft, and shadow shapes very light. I followed that up with a color sketch in my multi-media sketchbook, heavier paper.

I drew her onto a piece of Arches 140 lb. cold press watercolor paper, soaked the paper, removed some of the water and began painting wet-in-wet. The color seemed too intense (for a baby) so I scrubbed it out and set the paper to dry (to re-use down the road). I took out a second sheet, re-drew her and began painting "wet-on-dry" (wet washy paint on dry paper). Using a soft No. 10 round brush, I continued working with color and shape, trying to keep in mind the sense of sweetness of this baby.

Before and during this project, I read and re-read notes I'd written down—words by Robert Henri:
"Drawing is not following a line on the model, it is drawing your sense of the thing. Get the sense of a thing by feeling it at the time you work..." aiming to get beauty in color notes as in music.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Wearing Beads II • Sixth Watercolor Portrait in the Series: Seven Paintings in Seven (or more) Days

There's something kind of wonderful about drawing and painting babies and children. Maybe it's their sweet lips, kissable cheeks, huge eyes, wispy hair, innocent expressions... I can't get past painting little people. Not yet.

Wearing Beads II • Watercolor on Arches

This little girl with beads has been on my mind. It's my sixth painting in the painting-a-day challenge.

The Process: I propped up several photos for reference and drew a pencil sketch—lines and soft shadows. The drawing looked good until I viewed it in reverse in the mirror above my painting table. After making corrections and checking it several times, I drew the subject (using pencil) on watercolor paper (Arches 140 lb. Cold Press, 1/8 sheet). Line only. No shadows.

I wet the paper by dipping it in cool water and letting it rest on my board until some of the water evaporated. I mixed very lightly a pale skin tone wash of red-orange-yellow-green (the colors although combined on my palette were still identifiable) and placed a gradated wash over her face and much of her hair. I added more warm color to the cheeks, then let the painting dry (I helped it along with my hair dryer). After re-wetting the painting and letting water evaporate, I began working on hair, shadow shapes, eye sockets. As the paper dried, I added more detail: irises and pupils, brows, nose, lips, beads. I loved watching her emerge. I'm rarely sure when a painting is done.

I often step away from the work, return later to look at it, fix something (of course), leave the painting, return again, repeat the steps. I like this little girl wearing beads. I like her well enough to put the painting in a frame and up on my wall. That's a good sign. It's how I evaluate my work. If I like a painting and want to keep it, I know it's good enough to sell. We each have to be the judge of our own work.

Thank you, friends, art lovers, and fellow painters, for reading my blog.