Dick's Birthday on the Bay!

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Dick's (Big) Birthday was Friday. To celebrate, we took a great Catamaran out on the Bay with a great bunch of friends!

It was such a fun time. The weather was certainly chilly, but it was pretty clear. We even saw a rainbow up high in the sky! We also saw some dolphins (or "gay sharks" as Miguel called them!) swimming nearby! What a treat!

Thanks to everyone who were able to come and help us celebrate today. We really enjoyed spending the day with all of you.

I didn't think I took many photos, but apparently, I did! Here are some of the highlights:


Manly men, Blane, Dean and Jose helping to unfurl the sail


Blane, practicing yoga, while securing the sail


Dean, Jose, Blane and Dick, with Alcatraz in the background


Bro and David


pretty view of the SF skyline


group shot outside




Beautiful rainbow that magically appeared! thanks to Shoko for this photo!


The Golden Gate Bride, as it can only be seen from the Bay


Sailing underneath the Golden Gate Bridge


on the other side of the bridge


gorgeous shot by Blane!


Dick, steering the boat!


Thanks to Miguel, for this great close-up of Dick!


Aditya, Steve and Dick

update

Miguel took a whole bunch of fantastic photos today. Here are a couple of my favorites. Thanks, Miguel!!

Monday Night's Figure Drawing Session

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Last night was my first figure drawing session in four weeks. I was afraid that I might be a little rusty, given the amount of time I'd been away. Lucky for me, we had my favorite model, Emily, last night. I like her for so many reasons - first, she's very nice and funny. From artistic stance, she does great poses, and for some reason, of all of the models that we've had so far, she is the most natural for me to draw. I'm always happy to see her. I'm hoping that I may have learned a thing or two from all of the wonderful art that we saw and studies while on vacation. :)

We warmed up with a series of 2-minute poses, going into 7 minutes, 10 minutes and 20 minutes.

Here are some of the drawings that I think were the strongest from last night.


10 minute
I think this one is actually my favorite of the night. I was able to get in just a little bit of detail into the face without actually having to draw the face. Finally, I think my hands are getting better!


10 minute


20 minute
Usually, the poses where the model is laying down are usually harder for me. This is one of the better ones that I've done of a reclining model so far.


20 minute
The last drawing of the night. I'm not sure if I got the proportions between the upper torso and the length of the legs correct, but I like the look as a whole.


7 minute
I added this one at the last minute, so it's out of order. I like the simplicity of it. Seven minutes isn't very much time get in too much detail, and sometimes that works better for me.

Monday's drawing session

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Another week, another figure drawing session on Monday night! :)

Monday night's session was a challenge. As I've mentioned before, some models are just more difficult for me to draw, and this was one of them. It's no reflection on the model, of course, just me. Whether it's her body type, or the type of poses, sometimes it's just more hard to capture.

Miguel felt the same way. During our warm-ups, we kept looking at each other and whispering, "this is hard!".

My drawings seemed to improve a bit as the night went on. I think I'm starting to get a slightly better handle on faces, and the hands continue to come slightly easier.

Here are the better pieces from the evening. Not great, but certainly not the worst.


7-minutes
clearly, I got the proportion of the head wrong on this one. Ironically, that's where I start!


7-minutes


10-minutes
I kind of like this one. Was was also able to start drawing in her hair, which is shaved and spiked.


20 minutes
Happy with the detail in this one


15 minutes
Last one of the night. We had a long pose - maybe 35 minutes or so. I did a 20 minute drawing (not shown) from one angle, then swapped spots in the room for this one

Anniversary Dinner at Woodward's Garden

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Our 7th Wedding Anniversary is coming up on Tuesday. Tonight, we celebrated early by having dinner at the restaurant where we had our first date, nearly 14 years ago.

The first time we returned to this restaurant after our first date was during our Honeymoon. It's such a great place, and so special. I think we've celebrated out anniversary there for the last four or five years. :)

PS: am I really that dark, or is a trick of the light?

Starting a new painting

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After a 6-week hiatus (for vacation, work, and the walking event), I returned to painting today!

I know I say this every time I go, but I forgot how much I enjoy painting. It brings me so much joy.

This painting is entirely different from any I've done so far. It's based off a photograph of my friend Alisa's daughter. She posted this photo on Facebook months ago, and I just thought it was so beautiful, and that the composition was so good. I asked her if I could have her permission to paint it (or, attempt to paint it) and got her approval.

I've painting only a few times by photograph, and it's been something like 18 years. It's quite different from painting from a model, or a still life. The challenge is to make it look like it is *not* from a photograph. Paintings from photos can have the tendency to be flat and lifeless. Somehow, I've got to try to think of the photo as a model, and try to stay more "free" with it, and not get bogged down in the details that you might see in a photograph.

The canvas is 20" x 20", which I'm loving. I've always really enjoyed painting larger, so this just feels good. Dean pointed out to me that it's roughly the same size that I've been drawing figures in my figure-drawing sessions, so it feels very natural to me.

We started by staining the canvas with a neutral gray, just to warm it up, and make it less stark. This was especially helpful, since this painting would eventually have so much white in it.

We also drew a grid on it, so I could map out the figure easily. It's amazing how much this helps. I printing out to large photos of the photograph (at Costco!) - one with the grid, which I added in Photoshop, and one without. I mapped it out in pencil very quickly, and was able to start painting. I think my figure drawing sessions are paying off. :) You can see the two photographs in the photo below.

I think I painting for a couple of hours today, and I'm pleased with the direction it's going so far. I only used two colors so far - just to get the basics down. I used burnt umber and titanium white.

I'm very interested in seeing how this painting progresses over the next few weeks.

Stay tuned! :)

Dick's Birthday on the Bay!

To contact us Click HERE
Dick's (Big) Birthday was Friday. To celebrate, we took a great Catamaran out on the Bay with a great bunch of friends!

It was such a fun time. The weather was certainly chilly, but it was pretty clear. We even saw a rainbow up high in the sky! We also saw some dolphins (or "gay sharks" as Miguel called them!) swimming nearby! What a treat!

Thanks to everyone who were able to come and help us celebrate today. We really enjoyed spending the day with all of you.

I didn't think I took many photos, but apparently, I did! Here are some of the highlights:


Manly men, Blane, Dean and Jose helping to unfurl the sail


Blane, practicing yoga, while securing the sail


Dean, Jose, Blane and Dick, with Alcatraz in the background


Bro and David


pretty view of the SF skyline


group shot outside




Beautiful rainbow that magically appeared! thanks to Shoko for this photo!


The Golden Gate Bride, as it can only be seen from the Bay


Sailing underneath the Golden Gate Bridge


on the other side of the bridge


gorgeous shot by Blane!


Dick, steering the boat!


Thanks to Miguel, for this great close-up of Dick!


Aditya, Steve and Dick

update

Miguel took a whole bunch of fantastic photos today. Here are a couple of my favorites. Thanks, Miguel!!

Monday Night's Figure Drawing Session

To contact us Click HERE
Last night was my first figure drawing session in four weeks. I was afraid that I might be a little rusty, given the amount of time I'd been away. Lucky for me, we had my favorite model, Emily, last night. I like her for so many reasons - first, she's very nice and funny. From artistic stance, she does great poses, and for some reason, of all of the models that we've had so far, she is the most natural for me to draw. I'm always happy to see her. I'm hoping that I may have learned a thing or two from all of the wonderful art that we saw and studies while on vacation. :)

We warmed up with a series of 2-minute poses, going into 7 minutes, 10 minutes and 20 minutes.

Here are some of the drawings that I think were the strongest from last night.


10 minute
I think this one is actually my favorite of the night. I was able to get in just a little bit of detail into the face without actually having to draw the face. Finally, I think my hands are getting better!


10 minute


20 minute
Usually, the poses where the model is laying down are usually harder for me. This is one of the better ones that I've done of a reclining model so far.


20 minute
The last drawing of the night. I'm not sure if I got the proportions between the upper torso and the length of the legs correct, but I like the look as a whole.


7 minute
I added this one at the last minute, so it's out of order. I like the simplicity of it. Seven minutes isn't very much time get in too much detail, and sometimes that works better for me.