In a 3 hour open studio session, you get about 2 hours of actual work time. I am increasingly convinced that this period of time is mostly insufficient to produce anything but the crudest sketch - at least for me at this time in my development.
More time and work required!
However, I have to say that even as rough as these last few pieces seem, there is a freshness about them and a loose quality that I am really liking. And the time painting them is just beyond fun! 
A freshly gessoed board is a cruel mistress…I usually have time to prime my boards with a diluted mixture of oils to both tone the board and make it less absorbent so my paint does not become something I have to fight!
Last minute yesterday I realized I did not have anything to paint on…
In spite of it, I managed to turn out something that I am actually pleased with for two hours of work. 
Having exclusively drawn in charcoal and monochrome pastel for the past year and a half at open studio, I decided to switch to painting. I felt that I had developed enough skill to pretty much nail the features and placement in the first 20 minute session and for the first time, last night went that way. This is about 2.5 hours painting time and I am fairly pleased with it. 
Tarena was our model last night. I find her very hard to draw as her features are not regular - eyes are really big, nose prominent, face very narrow and heart shaped, lips almost puckered into a kiss in their natural state.
All these “irregular” features combine into a very beautiful and exotic looking woman - so nothing wrong with -her-…but it makes drawing her harder as all of my drawings end up looking like they are somehow “off” in feature and form.
I think this drawing is the closest I have come to capturing her.
This is Meera again. There is not a bad angle on this model. 
Makes the drawing easy and fun!
And here is Nathan, our model for the 1st of December.
Amanda was our model last night and it was a challenging pose from above. I struggled with the angle of the mouth and making the hair feel the roundness of the skull below, but overall I am happy with this drawing.
After a month break, I am at drawing weekly again. Felt very good to get back into things!
New location for our open studio and a model with unique features - Tarena in a Spanish dancer’s outfit. I am not entirely happy with this one, but hey they can’t all be winners…
We artists live such harsh lives…having to look at and draw this young lady for three hours…I tell ya…
Marlin - 07/28/09
Marlin is a great model, full of character and an interesting person to boot! Got a special treat with this one as the pose included his hand - challenging to do in just 3 hours, but I am pretty pleased with this one.
