Category Archives: Telling a Story

Hot Days Are the Best!

Posted on September 7, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

What could be better than playing in a fountain surrounded by your parents on a hot day?

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Second Thoughts

Posted on August 31, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

Painting from models is great, except that you need to work really fast to complete a sketch in 20 minutes. Working quickly is fun, actually exhilarating, kind of like the feeling of running or skiing downhill a little too fast. … Continue reading →

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Not a Party Girl

Posted on August 25, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

This sketch is from a model with gorgeous hair and a quiet demeanor. With her chin down and her right shoulder raised, I thought she looked like a reluctant party attendee. I liked the way she tilted her head with … Continue reading →

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The Living Room

Posted on August 20, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

I live near a coffee house that is a haven for readers and has air conditioning and great coffee besides. This afternoon I tucked my small 8 X 8-inch sketchbook into my purse and set off for a few hours … Continue reading →

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Finishing Up on Backgrounds

Posted on August 19, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

Last week I took a workshop on integrating figures with backgrounds. We used our personal photos as the reference and with watercolor on white paper. I learned a bit about the emotion of color and brushstrokes, but had trouble recognizing … Continue reading →

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Backgrounds

Posted on August 15, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

This week I am taking a workshop to learn how to integrate figures with backgrounds. The idea is that the body language of the figure should be amplified by the rest of the painting. The background should be suggestive without … Continue reading →

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The Polite Listener

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

It was so nice to be at the gallery and paint a live model, even if the poses were only for twenty minutes. The model was awesome, on the older side, and had a way of looking at us while … Continue reading →

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