"Sketch for a Tango Painting" - figurative sketch in ink and charcoal

I was copying a step that I saw a couple practicing.  They were really concentrating to get it all just right, and were working on foot placement.  Not as simple as it appears.  But of course when they actually did their show I'm sure they made it seem so easy.  Wish I could have been there to see it!  The charcoal pencil I was using and the oil pastel paper it's drawn on were supplies that I picked up while I was visiting Hungary a couple of weeks ago.  More on that great trip and all the wonderful beautiful art I was so lucky to see there!  
 

"First Weekly Mostly Watercolor Wednesdays" - Figurative watercolors

Here are two fun things I did while trying to learn to do watercolor.  Since it's such a challenge for me, I've decided to dedicate each Wednesday to watercolor - or mostly watercolor, because there's ink and even a bit of colored pencil in a couple of places.  Gotta remember just to let watercolor sit there and dry - don't fiddle with it - maybe requiring a bit of a personality change?  I do like the dance couple, especially her "pose" as if thinking 'how did I get into this'.  Will try to replicate these figures in oil - always tough because it's easy to lose the original feel of the pose, but I like this little piece so much that I'll keep working on it. 

Have been looking at watercolor how-tos on Craftsy and info on watercolor - transparency, lightfastness, granulation, etc.  really an interesting

medium, but I doubt I'll ever master it - just improvement is all I'm really seeking and the pleasure of learning something new.  And thanks so much for stopping by!

 

More Jivers - Original Figurative Drawing

 This 11 x 14" charcoal and ink drawing on Bristol board was a challenge because of the woman's turn of her leg - always kind of tough to depict, but I'm happy with how it turned out.  Just put on the music and drew these two jivers - much fun! I teetered on overworking this piece but held off - thanks for stopping by!

More Valentines - original oil pastel portrait

Another oil pastel done from one of my charcoal drawings.  I do love the beauty and emotion of dance - whether waltz, two-step or tango (or actually any other kind).  It was so apparent to me that these two were really happy to be together.  This one is on 8 x 10" Judson's Guerilla carton board - two of my favorite artists from the past, Vuillard and Toulouse-Lautrec used cardstock, but I could never find any that was archival, but now - thank you Judson's - comes this great surface which is so wonderful for oil pastel!  If you want to use oil paint and want a little extra protection for the surface from the damage that can be caused by oil (not the same as the oil in oil pastel, which is not a problem) clear gesso is a great option.  After it gets a little more dry, I will bond it to museum board.  Thanks for stopping by!

 

Valentines - original charcoal and pastel drawing of tango dancers

I know it's kind of an odd name for such an intense drawing, but I actually meant to post this on Valentine's Day and got sidetracked.  I drew this one with charcoal, graphite and soft pastel. It's been awhile since I posted at all - have been busy with a landscape painting course as well as getting my garden going.  Am soaking Hyacinth Bean seeds for my new arbor, planting another couple of tomatoes today, as well as some squash, corn and beans.  Roses are looking wonderful - but it's spring.  We'll have temps in the 90's and above 100 one day this week so my lovelies will be suffering soon.  Thanks for stopping by!

            
 

How I capture movement in figures - original oil pastel figurative drawing

One of my very favorite artistic endeavors is capturing the energy of dancers.  For jitterbug dancers I just turn on some rock 'n' roll music, then start making gestural figurative marks with my black oil pastel; I rely mainly on my memory of jive dance performances to flesh out the figures, adding very little detail. 
And yeah, I do dance a little - such great music, who could resist!  The lines are mostly in segments with a little smearing to indicate movement and energy.  Even when a bit of line ends up in a place I might not have intended,  I often just leave it - a surprise here and there.  Music is really inspirational when drawing dancers so I have lots of rock, tango, flamenco (gypsy) and some salsa music to get me going.  I used to attend a life drawing class where the monitor had mambo music playing as we drew from the model.  We all agreed we had never done our gestures so fast and with such emotion!   Of course, there are many different things that encourage artists to make art - what inspires you to draw or paint?  

This drawing - "More Jivin' #5" is on 5 x 7" Pastelbord.  Thanks for stopping by!

Scribbled Dancers - original ink figurative drawing

I was watching a movie and this couple was dancing and I just had to draw them.  This was one of those times when drawing from memory came in handy since I had to draw really quickly before the vision left me!  Drawing the action on the TV is one of my favorite practice devices.  Anyway, much fun doing this one, using unforgiving ink and giving my memory a workout.  The ink was a Sharpie ultra fine and a Prismacolor marker on Strathmore Mixed Media matted to about 12 x 8".  Thanks for stopping by!

Sweet Jive - original oil pastel figurative

I love the looseness I can get with oil pastel and fairly gritty surfaces (in this case Ampersand Pastelbord).  Lines, scribbles and emotion always make me feel like I've done something with my day!  I used Holbein oil pastel on this 7 x 5" piece.  Thanks for looking!

Another Country Evening - original charcoal figurative drawing

Here's another drawing of my country dancers that I did on Strathmore's Toned Tan paper - 12 x 9".  I think this darker color gives more of an "evening" impression.  They were into sort of a country/two-step/swing dance and were really good - watched them last summer at the rodeo dance.  I used vine charcoal, as well as charcoal pencil, plus white pencil for his shirt and hat.  Thanks for stopping by!

Purple Dress - original oil figurative painting of dancers

I have been away soooo long - actually working on landscape classes that seem to take much of my time, but am learning, for sure!
This 7 x 5" painting on panel is a bit more abstract and it's one that I sort of let 'it be it' to paraphrase the saying 'let _____ be _____' - just so much fun for me! I did it on a Richeson panel, which has a pale umberish, greyish tone and really liked working on it.  Thanks for stopping by!

A Touch of Tangerine - original oil figurative painting

This piece is done on 10 x 10" stretched canvas - actually, it's been around awhile, but somehow I just never got around to posting it.  I painted these dancers using a sketch I did a few years ago - it was a challenge to get her arms right.  I could have changed it, I guess, but just really wanted to do it like the sketch, because I really love the position.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tango Flourish - figurative painting of tango dancers

I was watching from a chair and got lots of good views, looking a little bit up at the dancers on that evening.  Such a beautiful dance - tango - and I never tire of watching (and painting).  This is on 12 x 9" panel.  Delighted you stopped by!

Country Evening Two-Steppers - oil pastel figurative painting

This is from a scene at the dance after the rodeo here last summer - I drew and photographed many rodeo action and western dance scenes during those two days, which means lots of oil and oil pastel bull riders, bronc riders, barrel racers and two-steppers coming up.   I did this one on 8 x 8" Multimedia Artboard pastel panel, which holds many layers of oil pastel - click here to visit their website.  Thanks for stopping by!
PS.  to see how this one began, click here to see my January 18th post of the drawing on my oil pastel blog. C

Jivin Once Again - oil pastel figurative

I never tire of my jivers.  These happy dancers are painted in oil pastel on 6 x 12" Pastelbord.  Thanks for looking!

Tango Drama #5 - original figurative oil painting

How they do this and then keep on dancing is beyond me!  I would be finished if I attempted this sort of thing, but the dancers are in such fabulous shape that it doesn't seem to bother them a bit!  This piece is 12 x 12" - thanks for stopping by!

Warm-Up - original oil pastel figurative drawing

These young girls - the three at the barre anyway - are warming up for their lesson.  I think the older girl was rehearsing in the adjacent studio.  This oil pastel is on Colourfix paper, 12 x 9".  Thanks for stopping by!

More Two Steppin' - original acrylic figurative painting

My two-steppers are back.  I suspect they never really go away, but just wait their turn to show up again at Hackberry Street Studio.  This painting, like most I've done lately, is acrylic.  Great stuff!  This one is on 8 x 8" cradled panel.  Thanks for looking!

Scenes from a Tango - original charcoal figurative

Just a little fun with my tango dancers.  This charcoal drawing is 10 1/2 x 14" on drawing paper.  Thanks for looking!

Jumpin' Jivers - original acrylic figurative painting

Yes, I really saw it - I think youth is the first prerequisite for a jump like this one! And tons of practice, because he didn't seem to give it a second thought - all in a day's work!  He probably didn't think of it as work, though, just lots of fun.  I used Golden Open acrylic paint on an 8 x 8" panel.  Thanks for looking!

On My Easel - Warming Up - original oil pastel figurative work in progress

Maybe I will do something with this sketch - or maybe not, but it was fun to draw.  I do love ballet dancers, just like I love all dancers!  I drew this on Art Spectrum Colourfix - the grittier kind.  Thanks for looking!