Saturday 9 April 2011

Course work: Some additional work on the Project Two painting, in addition to some “sitting and staring” time spent in considering just how to finish it up.

Reading and theoretical studies:

Matthew Collings This is Modern Art

Weidenfeld and Nicholson, London, 1999

Pp. 157-182

Sketchbook work: A hasty and not particularly successful pen sketch of a spray of orchids.

Friday 8 April 2011

Course work: Further work on the Project Two painting, which is beginning to come together.

Reading and theoretical studies:

Matthew Collings This is Modern Art

Weidenfeld and Nicholson, London, 1999

Pp. 127-156

Sarah Simblett The Drawing Book

Dorling Kindersley, London, 2004

Pp. 218-237

Sketchbook work: A simplified acrylic sketch after Goya’s Prison, Interior, that seems to show as well as anything I’ve seen the effect of looking from a darkened room into a lighted one.

Thursday 7 April 2011

Course work: Work continues on the Project Two painting.  My primary effort remains getting adequate coverage and approximate tone and color.

Reading and theoretical studies:

Sarah Simblett The Drawing Book

Dorling Kindersley, London, 2004

Pp. 196-217

Sketchbook work: A fourth sketch of the cedar tree, in acrylics.  Three of these were done by afternoon light, and the fourth by morning light.  Colors used were ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, cadmium yellow light, and burnt siena. This series of sketches will prove useful, as the cedar tree will figure in the next painting project.

Wednesday 6 April 2011

Course work: Ongoing work on Project Two.

Reading and theoretical studies:

Leonhard Emmerling Pollock

Taschen, Köln, 2006

Pp. 52-96

(I still don’t know quite what to think about Pollock’s work.  I like some of the “drip paintings,” and find a few of his other works somewhat interesting, but on the whole…I remain unsure.)

Sketchbook work: The third sketch in the cedar series, in pen.

Sunday 3 April 2011

Course work: Continued work on Project Two; this is going rather slowly as several coats of paint are needed for adequate coverage and reasonable uniformity of color.

Reading and theoretical studies:

Matthew Collings This is Modern Art

Weidenfeld and Nicholson, London, 1999

Pp. 101-126

Sketchbook work: The second of my cedar tree studies, in charcoal.

Weekly reflections on learning experience:  A pretty satisfactory week’s effort.  I would like to spend more time on the course, but there’s lots of springtime work to do now.

Saturday 2 April 2011

Course work: Further work on Project Two.

Reading and theoretical studies:

Leonhard Emmerling Pollock

Taschen, Köln, 2006

Pp. 35-51

Sketchbook work: The first of a planned short series of an American red cedar tree, in pencil.

Friday 1 April 2011

Course work: Continued work on the Project Two painting.

Reading and theoretical studies:

Matthew Collings This is Modern Art

Weidenfeld and Nicholson, London, 1999

Pp. 73-100

Sketchbook work: A second sketch of an unmade bed.  An acrylic sketch of the new foliage in the oak grove, contrasted against the surrounding blue-green evergreens.