Sketchbook Doodles

Hey Guys,

    Here are some sketches I did while watching the film, The Passion of the Christ.  I liked the grouping of the figures, the strong compositional lines, the costumes, and the color scheme. I took notes on the colors in each scene. Most of the backgrounds where low chroma blue grey. The grass was also low chroma blue green. The foreground colors were mostly neutral grey, with some warm browns at the edge of the shadows.

If your an artist, and you see something that's interesting to you, just do a quick sketch, and take color notes. Your sketches and color notes will help you to solve problems in your paintings.

Mary Mother of Jesus

Hey Guys,

       Here is my portrait of Mary finished and framed. The background is completely uniform in color, it just needs to be gone over with Retouch Varnish. The retouch varnish will revitalize those areas have sunken in and dried dull. The paint needs to be completely dry before attempting to use retouch varnish. I use Winsor & Newtons retouch varnish, and its very strong. If you try to use it to soon, it will lift the paint right off. I normally wait a whole month and a half before using retouch varnish.

Mary Bust
8X10, Oil on Linen
by Jason Peck

Mary Bust Continued

Here is the first opaque passage of paint. For this layer, Im using a medium that consist of 1 part Stand Oil, 1 part Dammar Varnish, and 5 parts Turpentine. I'm going to let this dry for a full day, before I attempt to paint the last layer. Stay tuned.

Mary Bust

Here is the start of my next painting. My still life is normally to the right of my easel. On some occasions Ill move it to the left side.

 I started my drawing directly on the canvas with a piece of charcoal. Here is a picture of my charcoal tool. 

To make a charcoal holder, just save your fast food drink straws. I like Sonic's straws the best. The charcoal is held in the straw by friction. If your charcoal is loose, just wrap some blue painters tape around it until you get a good tight fit. I slide a Robert Simmons Signet size 0 round in the other end. You'll need to wrap some blue tape around the tail of the brush first so that it wont wobble around inside the straw. This serves two purposes; First, it gives you a very rigid tool, and second its your eraser. I also recommend a kneaded eraser. The length of the tool and its straight edge, give you a perfect sight size drawing tool.

My blockin is very loose, but I am still careful with my drawing. So far I'm only using Gamsol to thin the paint. 

 A close up shows how thin the paint is, at this stage. 

 

 More to come soon.

Watercolor Sketches

My favorite artist tools have always been, and always will be, Pencil, Pens, and Watercolors, What more does an artist really need?

A Bird Bath

Pencil, & Watercolor

 A Villa

Pencil, & Watercolor

Pencil, Pen, & Watercolor

Study of Bouguereau's Young Gypsies

Queen Nefertiti

Nefertiti Bust
8X10, Oil on Linen

Beautiful are the Beauties of Aten, the Beautiful one has come.

New Camera Fun

I got a new camera, and Im still learning to use it. I took this photo, and was surprised at how accurate the color is to the actual painting.

Day Three Progress

Hey Guys,

       Well, Ive completed the entire block in stage. Im going to let this sit, and dry for about a day, then Ill make one final pass over the whole thing, to finish it. Ive still got allot of details to add, so stay tuned!

 A Better Photo. This photo was taken under daylight. It shows the paintings true color. All of the previous pics where taken under lamp light, so they appear yellow.

This is still the rough block in, I just wanted to show the difference in the color. 

Day Three

Hey Guys,

    Today, I removed some paint from the edges of my painting. Since Im using a slow drying medium I was able to scrub the paint off easily. Ive now added a border, that will be Egyptian inspired. More to come.

Day Two

Hey Guys,

   I got a little more done today.

Sorry these aren't the best pictures.

This will take about a week or so to finish. Lots more detail and rendering to go. Stay tuned!