The above were from Friday’s figure drawing with my friend K at the Spring Street Studio in Soho, NYC. Rachael was our model. K and I always have a great time when we draw together. K’s drawings look like Leonardo’s or Rembrandt’s. Except he often gives the models feet that are too big. This makes me feel slightly better about my drawings. LOL!
Above are a couple of watercolors which are almost done. I was looking at an old Watercolor Magazine from 2009 with an article by Janet Walsh. I took some of her studies from the article, changed them up a bit and this is how far I’ve gotten. I like both so far. I remember when I was taking figure drawing at the Art Student’s league and the teacher passed around a Charles Reid book of watercolor figures. She scrunched up her nose like she was smelling gas and said “He was really good until he started doing FLOWERS.” The word “flowers” should be pronounced in your head while you are reading this dripping with contempt.
Christie’s auction house just sold Warhol’s “Triple Elvis” and “Four Marlons” for a combined sale of $151.5 million!!!!! Talk about figures!!! I want to say “don’t get me started” but it’s too late. I got started. Who has that kind of money????? And if one does have that kind of money, why can’t one use it to help others? Give to a charity to help sick people. I’m convinced the TV show “Breaking Bad” was really about the bad choices one has to make without decent health care. Walt couldn’t afford his cancer treatments so he started cooking meth. His brother-in-law couldn’t afford high-level physical therapy and you know what happened to him.
And then there’s this: http://www.npr.org/2014/11/12/363313707/famous-paintings-sell-for-millions-at-auction-but-the-artist-gets-zero.
Musicians and writers can get royalties on future sales. Not so with visual artists. Bummer. Only the collectors make money with visual artists. Which is why right now I’m pretty much the collector of my art. I wonder if I’ll get rich that way? I’m gonna go with no.
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November 17, 2014 at 11:25 am
kk2n777
I love how you have given me an air of mystery, like M and Q from the 007 films but in truth I am more like Austin Powers….
Drawing with you at Spring Studio have been lots of fun for me too. You are getting more and more comfortable with the subject matter and proportions. I would love to see you do these figure studies with watercolor because you have such mastery with that medium.
Will text you about when I am free to go again.
November 17, 2014 at 11:54 am
dani8080
GUH! Your paintings are so fantastic woman! I have to start sitting next to you in class… ❤
November 17, 2014 at 12:22 pm
Kathryn
Nice work, Carol!! Your drawings are strong 🙂 (Picassoesque?). Love the colors you’ve used on the flowers, esp first one, beautiful. I’ve heard some painters do keep some of their own work for $ reasons you mentioned…I’m still working on getting mine out into the world. Thanks for sharing:)
November 17, 2014 at 1:12 pm
tomsimard
Beautiful watercolors. Absolutely love flowers.
I can just imagine what that teacher would have said about
Pierre-Joseph Redouté. Some people miss out on the best.
I think you’re right about Breaking Bad. Healthcare should be a right instead of a privilege. I think Canada does it right.
November 17, 2014 at 1:49 pm
lesliepaints
You are really getting it with the figures. Oh….I think I still always make heads too big.I really like your foreshortening piece. The start on the flowers are so nice and loose. Charles Reid? He has a style that really can’t be matched. I like viewing anything he does. People, flowers, interiors, landscapes. I agree. We are not going to get rich selling art. 🙂 I like your art.
November 17, 2014 at 4:03 pm
Carol King
Hi Leslie, thanks so much. I focus on making the heads smaller than I think they should be! LOL. The flowers are from Janet Walsh http://www.amazon.com/Watercolor-Made-Easy-Techniques-Simplifying/dp/0823056570
November 17, 2014 at 4:02 pm
Carol King
K, I’ll bring my watercolors to figure drawing, I promise!
Dani, you’re welcome to sit next to me any time.
Kathryn, your work needs to be out in the world!
Tom, thanks. I like Redouté very much. Really, who doesn’t like flowers?
November 17, 2014 at 5:20 pm
jotsfromasmallapt
I’ll not be sitting next to you in class because you already gave that seat away, and most likely for free. I would have paid. Do you have an extra [empty] [semi-empty] bedroom in your house? Just asking….
November 18, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Carol King
LOL! You’re more than welcome to sit on the other side of me! 🙂
As far as an extra bedroom, I live in a city apt. with no extra space. However I do own a recliner.
November 19, 2014 at 3:09 pm
jotsfromasmallapt
I can do recliner. Do you charge by the day or week?
November 17, 2014 at 8:40 pm
Joan T
Your figures are lookin’ good! Janet Walsh is a great person to learn about painting flowers from. Your first one looks wet and washy….perfect for flowers. Keep going with them!
I missed this Sunday’s foray to the Fire Dept Museum because I had to drop off paintings for a show and then I have two upcoming weekends before Christmas that I have art shows/sales on Saturdays, so I’ll miss those. I hope the location this week is a good one and worth going into the city!
November 19, 2014 at 8:00 am
Carol King
Hi Joan, thanks for your comment. I doubt I’ll be getting to any urban sketchers meet ups this weekend or next. Maybe after Thanksgiving and before Christmas.
November 18, 2014 at 7:28 am
Sadami
Hi, Carol, Drawings are lovely. I love your humour, too! It’s shining!! Me, too, did life drawing this Monday and now prepare to post my drawings, too. Drawing together is fun. Keep up wonderful work.
Best wishes, Sadami
November 19, 2014 at 8:01 am
Carol King
Thank you so much Sadami! Drawing together IS fun. I love going with my friends. Allows me to draw better. 🙂
November 18, 2014 at 9:32 am
RHCarpenter
Thanks for sharing the drawings and paintings! Ah, yes, the disdain for flowers amazes me – wonder if they told Georgia O’Keeffe the same thing, “You can Paint, Georgia, why do you insist on painting Flowers??”
November 19, 2014 at 7:59 am
Carol King
LOL! Exactly (re: O’Keefe). What would have happened if they told Van Gogh don’t paint flowers!
November 18, 2014 at 10:17 am
Mary
I really enjoy your art – the life drawings are beautiful and natural. The watercolor floral is really lovely!
November 19, 2014 at 10:48 am
Carol King
Thank you so much Mary. I enjoy your art as well. I’m glad you visited and commented.
November 18, 2014 at 3:14 pm
Irina
I am glad you go to live drawing, very disciplining activity..
Just in case, always put signature on your paintings and the descendants will be very thankful to you I am sure.
Art market is real fun, I agree.
November 19, 2014 at 10:49 am
Carol King
Good Idea Irina. I will sign and date everything. The life drawing class is hard work, but fun and good practice.
November 21, 2014 at 5:46 am
lindahalcombfineart
Carol, as usual your humor makes an important statement! I really like the spontaneity of your flowers. It works well and you and your friend are brave hearts. It takes courage to sketch the human figure…but WOW do we learn a lot. Great post.
November 22, 2014 at 5:01 pm
Carol King
Thanks Linda! the more often I go to figure drawing the better (I think) I get. And of course there are still good days and bad days with the figures but it’s good for me to keep going.
I love the collages you’re working on right now.
November 21, 2014 at 4:17 pm
segmation
Beautiful and colorful. What is your favorite type of art? Is it watercolors?
November 22, 2014 at 6:54 pm
Carol King
I like all sorts of art. I enjoy painting in watercolor because it is so challenging. Thanks for the visit.
November 22, 2014 at 11:53 pm
Inese Poga Art Gallery
I love your flowers. I used to do lots of portraits and figures when I was young, but for some reason, I love nature and still life more at this moment. So, I really enjoy your watercolors!
November 23, 2014 at 5:35 am
designsweet
The foreshortened figure is great! And the flowers too, I find flowers so difficult to do… I find everything apart from fruit so difficult! I must get out more.
December 10, 2014 at 9:30 am
doronart
Carol you are ‘RICH’ able to paint, and you got us around you that is added bonus x