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 we worked that suggested she was keeping her opinion of our efforts to herself.

For the last pose of the morning I wanted to distort the model’s features and then paint them in flatly, using just three colors, a soft yellow, turquoise, and violet. However, as I worked my way up her body I forgot and her face ended up with fairly regular features. I still like this sketch and think I caught something of the model’s air of reticence.

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Mesa’s Edge

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

One of the San Diego views that I particularly like is the view of the mesa beyond the cactus garden at Balboa Park in San Diego. We are in the middle of our dry season here in San Diego so the non-irrigated vegetation is predominantly rich tans and browns.

I painted this mid- morning before the fog has fully lifted.

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Next Steps

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

I liked the way she was standing, looking down and holding one of her arms with the other. It made her look like she was thinking something over and planning some kind of action.

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An Expression of Concern

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

An Expression of Concern

I was able to join back with my figure drawing group today and it felt great to work for three hours with such an amazing group of artists.

It may only have been that the strong light flooding the model’s face caused her to squint, but during this pose in particular she seemed worried about something. Her head was down just a bit, her brows were drawn together, and her shoulders hung down. Whatever the cause, the pose was an interesting one to paint.

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Horseshoes at Sunset

Posted on July 23, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

I have been finishing up some sketches I did on our recent trip to Colorado. I liked the light that came across the forest floor during our horseshoe game.

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Goodnight Forest

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

Goodnight Forest

When I was camping on my brother’s land earlier this month, I came across a weathered piece of wood that had a large knot. I thought right away how the grain of the wood and the knot looked like the kind of sunset my brother gets to see most nights.

The piece of wood is on the large side for a woodcut, 22 x 9 inches, (56 x 23 centimeters). I carved it while I was in Colorado but had to wait to print it until I got home and could buy large paper. I spent the day today printing different versions of this woodcut. This one is printed on black Bristol paper painted with gouache which I let dry before printing.

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The Sneffels Range in the Morning

Posted on July 14, 2019 by Sarah Sullivan

Sneffels Mountains in the Morning

I got up very early to paint one last Colorado scene from a favorite viewpoint that includes the meadow, pond, and Sneffels Range. The lighting at dawn changes rapidly, and this sketch shows the sun as it lit up bits of the clouds, snow, and vegetation.

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