painting 20

I made an attempt touse my brush a different way- the right way. I felt I have been painting by pushing the paint into places and overworking areas. In this painting I tried to lay the paint on top of the paint underneath. I want to have bolder brushwork and use the benefits of oil paint to enhance the aesthetic qualities in the painting and not recreate a photo image of the scape. I was not successful in this piece but these things come in time with much practice. Thus far, I do feel I have progressed and I cant wait to see what the second half will yield.

Painting 19

This was in MultoPuciano. So many tourists walking around. I realize I have been losing my color through my use of white; I am anxious to try to crrect this problem.

Painting 18

A quick study that same day- i feel if I lighten the value of the top of the mountains and fix some temperatures this can be much better.

Painting 17

Sunflowers! It reeked of horse apples and it was horrific in the heat.

Painting 16

Midterms! A view of Corciano from the Monastery.

Painting 15

I felt very good about this painting although I do feel the values of the mountains can go lighter in the background. This classes session was on trees.

Painting 14

This was a quick studyof a rock on the lake-

Painting 13

After my last couple crashes I took the advice of my professor and toned my canvas a dark grey before this painting and I feel the results were positive. i work on toned canvas from now on. This was painted at the lake and it is an interesting feeling when so many people stop and watch you paint.

Painting 12

I tried to do an abstract quick study (the same day as the funeral) and although favor this one as well; it too has many flaws that hinder it unsuccessful. I still like it though.

Painting 11

There was a funeral going on around me while I painted this one. People watched me and the bells kept ringing. I was pleased with this one, I felt good about it only to find out during critique that it is a very unsuccessful painting. After contemplating this I can now see why and how it is unsuccessful in many ways- but I still like it.

Painting 10

This was a study I did outside of class from the monastery I live in. I feel I lost the mountains in my attempt at atmospherice perspective.

painting 9

This was a forty five minute quick study of a door. I still felt bored with my style by the end of this one.

Painting 8

This assignment we were to come to class with an underpainting prepared. I remember feeling bored with my paintings at this point. One struggle I had was that I became too attached to my drawing and in fear of loosing it in the painting process; I ended up hesitating.

Painting 7

I never finished this one- I painted it moments after Painting 6 and I felt like things were beginning to click a little better. However, I can see now that I was painting a section at a time rather than working up all of the painting at once; this can hinder the continuity of the painting.

Painting 6

After feeling good about my last painting I soon found myself in a slump...this was the beginning. My struggles were primarily in paint application, value and temperature...which is pretty much everything ( aside from composition). However, it has some merits.

Painting 5

I felt this was my first sign of progression. We painted in a little town and a sweet woman brought me cafe.

Painting 4

This was painted in Todi.

Painting 3

Painting 2

This one overlooks Italian countryside from a viewpoint in Corciano.

Painting 1

These are my plein air paintings of Italy in chronological order. I hope to see the progress develop over the duration of the course. This was my first painting; the pictures are mediocre and I hope to reshoot them and post better images after I return home. Italy is beautiful!

Oil painting- 11 x 14

Nelson Mandela 18 x 24- charcoal

Charcoal drawing of Adrian Brodi 18 x 24

Sunday Streets of Saragossa

This is my most recent painting titled "Sunday Streets of Saragossa". It was based off of a picture I took in Saragossa, Spain on a Sunday- well I guess that was really necessary for me to elaborate on. LOL! Anyway, I am pretty happy with the way it turned out; I feel it has a surreal quality to it. If you know me, then you know that is what I prefer:) Actually, I am not entirely sure if the streets of Saragossa look like this every Sunday or just on the particular one when I was ther; either way I enjoy the alliteration of the title. Hope you like!

Another figure study in clay- one class session. Sculpted from a model as a direct reference.

A sculpture done in school using a model as reference- two class sessions.

This is a painting in oil of a view on the High Point, NJ scenic overlook. 9 x 12

18 x 24 charcoal portrait of Nelson Mandela. This was an assignment for one of my foundation classes and my reference was from the stock reference catolog at my school.

This is a landscape of a road in Byram, Nj. Oil paint.

18 x 24 charcoal study of anatomy.

This is going to be the cover of a brilliant rap artists upcoming debut album. His name is John Blake and it is called "One Shot". It is done in charcoal pencil and is 18 x 24. I edit the photo when a better picture arrives.

The Peanut Pistol Package

This is assignment was about painting a cityscape with expression. Ofcourse, it was rushed and the bulk of it was finished in about 3 hours- I was more concerned about the color and placement and not so much about how neat the paint was applied. It is 30 x 40 inches.

Humble Abode

I decided to post a painting of my humble abode as my introductory piece. It is done in oil and is 9" x 12". It was, as most of my posted work will be, an assignment for school; I am a student of the Academy of Art University of San Francisco. I will try to post my art as frequently as possible so feel liberated to share your thoughts. Thanks.

Shawn