Monday 7 February 2011




Course work: Work continues on the second apple for Stage Two of Project Two: Solidity, with most of today’s effort on the background.



Reading and theoretical studies:



Phil Metzger The Art of Perspective

North Light Books, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 2007

Pp. 117-145



Sketchbook work: A carbon-pencil sketch of a reproduction statuette of an Egyptian cat goddess, fairly strongly backlit.

Time today: 2 hours 16 minutes

Sunday 6 February 2011




Weekly reflections on learning experience: This week’s effort was significantly better than most recent weeks. I feel that I am beginning to grasp just an inkling of how to make acrylics function. My studies of artiest recommended by my tutor progress, along with additional course-recommended and self-guided study. Sketchbook work has been somewhat better.

Saturday 5 February 2011






Course work: Work on the second apple for Stage Two of Project Two: Solidity. I am beginning to like it, an indication that I should use caution as I progress further.



Reading and theoretical studies:



Antoine Terrasse Bonnard: The Colour of Daily Life


Thames & Hudson, London, 2000

Pp. 92-111

(A small, but useful introduction to Bonnard’s work. Numerous reproductions of paintings are included, and all are printed in color, essential to the appreciation of Bonnard. The writing is sometimes a bit florid, but this can be overlooked.)





Sketchbook work: A second attempt at an acrylic sketch of trees reflected in a frozen pond, which comes somewhat closer to my objective, and gives me a point of departure should I decide to pursue this subject further.

Time today: 1 hour 5 minutes

Friday 4 February 2011




Course work: Some additional work on the second apple for Stage Two of Project Two: Solidity.



Reading and theoretical studies:



Antoine Terrasse Bonnard: The Colour of Daily Life

Thames & Hudson, London, 2000

Pp. 60-91





Sketchbook work: A quick charcoal sketch of the trees reflecting in a frozen pond. I am better satisfied with this than with yesterday’s effort, probably because I find charcoal easier to manipulate than acrylics.

Time today: 1 hour 8 minutes

Thursday 3 February 2011





Course work: Continuing work on the second apple for Stage Two of Project Two: Solidity. An interim step:

Reading and theoretical studies:



Antoine Terrasse Bonnard: The Colour of Daily Life

Thames & Hudson, London, 2000

Pp. 27-59



Sketchbook work: An unsuccessful attempt at capturing the reflections of tree trunks on ice, using two acrylic colors. I think that I would have done better to apply the base coat, let it dry, and then apply a thinner layer for the trees. I’ll try this soon.

Time today: 1hour 18 minutes

Wednesday 2 February 2011




Course work: Further work on the second apple for Stage Two of Project Two: Solidity.



Reading and theoretical studies:



Cynthia Freeland Art Theory

Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001

Pp. 107-121



Sketchbook work: In my pocket sketchbook, a hawk’s feather.

Time today: 1 hour 3 minutes

Tuesday 1 February 2011





Course work: Started painting the second apple for Stage Two of Project Two: Solidity.



Reading and theoretical studies:



Antoine Terrasse Bonnard: The Colour of Daily Life

Thames & Hudson, London, 2000

Pp. 13-26



Sketchbook work: A colored pencil sketch based on a portion of a Matisse painting (Laurette in a Green Dress), a pose roughly comparable to the sketch after Bonnard that I did recently. Both artists used a highly simplified method of facial construction, but that of Matisse was almost comparable to an African mask (perhaps unsurprising, as such masks were exciting a good deal of interest among artists of the era).

Time today: 2 hours 36 minutes