Sofonisba Anguissola.

I love learning new stuff. Like who the first successful woman artist of the Renaissance is. She is like..my new hero. She studied painting, created her own unique style, was freaking friends with Michelangelo(!!!!), went to Spain and became a court painter to the king (and gave the queen painting lessons!), and was internationaly known...and well, awesome.

here's her self portrait. (and another...and one more) She was restricted to doing portraits mainly, since women were barred from studying anatomy and the nude figure. But she did several self portraits, and I'm totally digging this quote about her I found in my art history book, "there is nothing I desire more than an image of the artist herself, so that in a single work I can exhibit two marvels, one the work, the other the artist" --Annibale Carro.

So yes, I'm hoping that procrastination in the form of being an art history nerd is acceptable when I'm really supposed to be writing my mega art history paper of doom!! (actually, it's not that bad, I have 2 pages written...I'm just unhappy with the timing of this week) But yes! Maybe I'll post some art tomorrow after I re-work my second conte portrait. Until then..ciao.

yet another homework portrait..it's all I do these days!
Ballpoint pen! I never thought I would be using that in an art class, but here I am! Something is definately wrong with my head...I'll try to fix it tomorrow. But yes, patience is good..or so I hear :)

Sunday Model Session
I spent a lot of time working on the drawing, and then kind of rushed the shading (and my pencil was dying) I must be more patient!

painting homework (don't I look thrilled?)
Whew, that was a challenge! I worked on it for hours yesterday, and pretty much had nothing but a muddle of colors and an odd melty face to show for it (I was quite discouraged). But I attacked it with new resolve this morning, and it's no where near perfect..but I am very pleased none the less! :)

more conte.
Yay, we finished our almost 4 week pose today! I am pretty proud of myself, and the model really liked it too. He took a picture to put on his website!

I like trees!
I think this is our last landscape for the semester. Drawing/underpainting done on Moday, and I painted it yesterday in windy and slightly miserable conditions. I may spend a bit more time on it..if I have any. busy weekend ahead :)

Homework portrait.

Done with conte crayon on gray paper. Still getting the hang of the new medium..

(now that I look at it, it really doesn't look that much like me....I think I was channeling someone else :P)

More clouds.

sky.


Ok, so I am slightly obessed with clouds. Don't try this at home kids, but I was taking pictures while driving on the freeway :) These are from the first part of my journey...the rather moody, semi-rainy clouds in the Valley. I thought they were gorgeous and made the sky look oh so endless.

Getty

Sketches from the garden, a sculpture, and a painting! (I did more, of course...but I'm not going to post allll of them ;)

landscape!
From Monday. unfinished, but I like it that way :) I had a super fun time doing this...I definitely think I will continue painting this summer...