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Waiting for the model to return from break.            Beginning part of one of my still life paintings.

 

  "Talent is long patience" By Gustave Flaubert

 

I just finished taking my second,  four day still life and figure oil painting workshop, from the artist Robert Johnson in Fredericksburg Texas.

 

Met a lot of wonderful people, learned a lot, and had a wonderful time. It's about a ten hour drive for me in each direction (that part is not so good).

 

I also learned a lot about myself in the artistic sense.

 

-Which direction I want to go in my paintings.

- What I have to do to get better.

- Understood more about my oil painting art supplies.

- Getting out of my comfort zone is good.

 

I take notes when I go to art workshops. When I get home, I retype them and keep them in a folder with the workshop artist’s name. Having notes organized in folders helps me to find information fast later when I am painting.

 

I’m ready to get back to painting in my studio!

 

Thank you for reading my blog,

Debra Snyder Heard

 

 

“The Perfect Model” by Debra Snyder Heard

Pencil on Gray Paper, 10 ½ x 13 inches

 

"Talent takes long patience." by Gustive Flaubert

 

Several months ago I attend an art workshop in Frederiksberg Texas. On the third day a model was due that morning to pose for us to paint. She walked into the door all flustered because her water pipe was being repaired, and she had no water in her home that morning to wash her hair, and to clean up, so she came as she was. No makeup and wild hair. I liked the honest real look!

 

What made her such a good model was that she could get into the exact same position/pose after rest breaks. Few people can do this. She used her eyes looking at all angles to measure where she was before moving. She had a positive and charming personality too.

 

It is very frustrating as an artist painting or drawing, and the model never gets into the exact pose after breaks. It means EVERYTHING changes! A fraction off and the perspective is in another angle. Lots of times I just start over, for the practice, and never have a finished product.

 

Thank you for reading my blog!

 

Debra Snyder Heard

 

 

 

"Resting in the Park" by Debra Snyder Heard

 

 

Taking ART229: FIGURE DRAWING class at Tech. University

 

“I think it’s the most important study there is and the most challenging and the most difficult.” By Wayne Thiebaud on drawing the nude.

 

 

I signed up for this class for several reasons:

-         Keep up my drawing skills. Since I started back to oil painting I miss the drawing.

-         Most mistakes made in painting are because the painter has not developed good drawing skills. One mistake in a painting ruins the whole painting.

-         Be around other artists.

-         Getting out of my comfort zone.

 

Drawing is not like riding a bike. You lose it if you don’t keep it up.

 

Bad things to look forward to:

-         Being around students that still say the work “Like” five times in each sentence they use, and they usually never stop talking (I have already experience this while standing in a long line to buy a car parking tag).

-         Homework and deadlines.

 

Good things to look forward to:

-         Develop better drawing skills.

-         Meeting new people and being around other artists.

-         Getting out of cooking supper two nights a week.

 

Being over 55 has its advantages. Most universities have a 55+ programs, where there is a huge tuition waver fee .

 

Thank you for reading my blog.

 

Debra Snyder Heard

 

 

 

I just finished a 4 day Still Life/Figure Oil Painting Workshop from the artist Robert Johnson, in Fredericksburg Texas.

I feel like I learned a lot, and also learned I have a lot of work to do.

Even though I just started back into painting, my drawing skills really helped me tremendously. 

  Meeting other artists that have a lot of the same goals is a wonderful way to keep motivated. Learning from a more experienced artist is even better!

 

 The timing was perfect because Friday night was the monthly art crawl to visit the open art galleries.

 

It was a long drive to and back, about 12 hours each way. Driving in heavy rains, having a flat tire, being strung out on coffee, was part of my travel experience.

My husband asked me if I would do it again and did I think it was worth it?

I told him yes, because it takes a lot to be committed to improve. Other people in the workshop drove for 2 days to get there, and lived farther than I did.

 

Thank you for reading my blog,

Debra Snyder Heard

 

What I Look For When I Pick A Art Workshop To Attend

 

Learning new skills and getting out of my comfort zone is one way to grow.

I enjoy being around other artists and meeting new people. I love being a student learning again.

 

What I Look For:

 

1. Very detailed list of supplies, brands, and sizes of materials needed for class (shows me the instructor may be very organized).

2. Explanation of what to expect each day in class.

3. I look at the art teacher’s website, especially the drawing section.

-The drawing tells a lot about that person’s artistic skills. If the person teaching the workshop’s drawing skills are not great, I will not sign on, even if it’s just a painting class.

-If I like the teachers style of painting and it is what I would like to achieve.

-Sometimes age has to do with picking between several teachers, and which one has the most experience.

4. If I think the price is reasonable.

 

What Is Better:

 

5. If there a photos posted from past workshops.

6. Map directions to click on. Suggestions of hotels to stay in that are nearby.

7. The artist has a Facebook page I can look at, and get a feel of that artist’s personality and artistic skills.

 

 

      Working in my studio                                               " Sugar " By Debra Snyder Heard

 

 

Thank you for reading my blog!

 

Debra Snyder Heard

          I am practicing oil painting , a small scale study, in this picture.

 

I attended a 3 day oil painting workshop of the artist Bruce Peil this past week. It was a 3 day Plein Air Oil Workshop, but what I learned can be applied to still life, figurative and, other painting subjects.

I am very excited to get back into oil painting, to put a lot of miles on my brush, and to see how my art work improves!

The class was a small group, and we covered a lot of material.

Being around other artists , having feedback, critics, and learning new methods was wonderful!

Evenings were filled with art friends, wine, cheese, bread, crackers , and good conversations.

Life is sweet and good! 

Thank you for reading my blog!

Debra Snyder Heard