Cheryl
Last night for my Thursday demo at Michael’s Arts & Crafts Store I decided to experiment with another Over the Under-Schmeerings (OTUS) painting. The last time I did an OTUS for a demo the reception was less than enthusiastic which made me a little apprehensive about trying again. Interestingly enough, Â the reception this time was completely different. I don’t know if it had to do with the subject matter, the ‘schmeerings’ or different customers, but I had several people come by and hang out in wonder as I painted. This usually leads to some great conversations and I ended up having some great ones last night.
Cheryl – 10″x8″ – Acrylic on canvas – Completed 2/23/12
©2012, Don Michael, Jr.
The subject of this painting is the wonderful lady who runs the Blue Sky Yoga Studio & Gallery inside of the Arts Factory here in Las Vegas. She is a former dancer whose career took her all over the world with gigs in Greece, Aruba, Puerto Rico and Las Vegas. Her dancing career culminated with a long-running stint as one of the dancers in the Stratosphere’s “Viva Las Vegas”. Cheryl now focusses her energies on Yoga instruction and raising her family. You will never meet a kinder, more generous person. I have never seen her greet anyone without a big smile and a kind word.
Well, I got several irons in the fire and nothing seems to want to do itself. I’d better head back to the studio…
Happy Creating!
GREAT JOB AS USUAL–
This is fantastic! And she looks like a former dancer…such life and energy in her eyes. What a fun portrait!
This is a beauty and I think this subject matter amazes most people who don’t paint.
I wonder if the previous customers were under-enthused because they don’t have under-schmeered canvases lying around. (I’ve tried your under-schmeering and am lousy at it–I always see a shape and make it into something that’s not very good. Last time I tried it, I ended up with a curvy chaise lounge with curvy skinny legs, and it was too close to the top of the canvas to add a figure–a floating curvy chaise.)
Don- You are truly a master at portraits. Your OTUS paintings always amaze me! I would love to see a demonstration. Once again- you can paint anything.
Kathy… Thank you.
Lisa… Thanks! It was a fun portrait to create.
Hallie… Thank you. I’m not sure what the difference was between the two public OTUS paintings except the subject matter. Maybe they could see where I was going with this one sooner because I started with her eyes and teeth. As for your approach to schmeerings, instead of reacting to the shapes that are already there, maybe try projecting your own ideas onto the schmeerings. I found out early on that I have to ‘take charge’ and tell the painting what it’s going to be instead of letting its schmeerings tell me what it wants. Does that make sense?
Pamo… Thank you! I don’t necessarily know that I can paint anything, but I will admit to not being afraid to try. A major part of the fun is in the challenge.
-Don
You really are great at portraits… she sounds like a lovely person and I bet she is thrilled that she is the subject of one of your OTUS pieces.
Thank you, Nicki! Cheryl IS a lovely person. I don’t know if she knows I did this painting yet. She will for sure know next friday when I have it hanging on her wall for First Friday.
-Don
Your schmearings amaze me – and the face is so natural and friendly (looks like my son’s girlfriend, actually! lol)
I like this Don. The random under painting using your technique adds a level of excitement to the piece. I also like the thought of your works being connected even if the viewer doesn’t know that. I’m attracted to different ways to link work.
Dan… Thank you. I think your description of my painting is exactly how its subject is, “natural and friendly”. Your son is a lucky man.
Margaret… Thank you. I love the energy that is created by the ‘schmeerings’ and am proud to hear your description of it adding a “level of excitement to the piece”. You know, you bring up a good point about works being connected. In the case of my ‘schmeerings’ its a direct link, but if you think about it, every work we do is somehow connected to other works we have created. I feel that every work I’ve ever done has in some way been informed by earlier works.
-Don