Painting from life...

This week's 'Face of Ventura' sitter is Mr. Doug Halter. He is the most marvelous landscape designer, very well known in the old mission town of Ventura where I am doing this crazy art project to paint 55 sitters from life to reflect its' modern day appearance, quite dashing,  and we talked about so much during this ever so short two hour sitting.

Thanks to The Ventura Breeze for featuring my project each edition and The Lyn Fairly and Friends Radio Show. And of course Mr. Halter.

Mark your calendar. 'The Face of Ventura By Johanna Spinks' at The Ventura County Museum Sunday August 26h.

Anatomy of a Portrait Demo

My demo this week at The California Art Institute...thanks to the lovely Oriana and the students that paid attention allowing me to help them on their art journey.

New You Tube Demo

New You Tube! This was a demo I did for an art group recently where the sitter won a raffle to be painted by me. Thanks to Russell Wolvek for the clever edit.

L'Art De Corset...

A busy week in the studio with a new commission underway, one to ship out to the U.K., and two sittings from life for my Face of Ventura project. I am also moving studio!

So I thought I had better have some fun along the way. Here is a sitting from a model I did this week of one of my favorite things, corsets.

Come back next week to see it finished!

How To Paint A Busy Painting

"Girl With A Kindle"

16x20

Oil on linen panel

It's been non-stop with a trip to New York to attend a swish gala at The Metropolitan Club showing a slide show of my portrait work. Thanks to The National Trust for Scotland for supporting my portrait work once again. http://www.ntsusa.org/events/

Raced back into the studio today. Finished up the hands on one portrait. Took forever. And then finished up the background on this. Specifically the map in the background, getting in and out fast as I could. I always liked how Vermeer handled his maps. Check them out. I also wanted to do lots of props in this painting inspired by my recent visit to The Norman Rockwell Museum including a private tour of his studio. WOW!!!  http://www.nrm.org/

Double WOW,,,I was there in the first place for the opening of  my mentor's incredible show"Pulps to Portraits" By Everett Raymond Kinstler, N.A. This show will blow your socks of like nothing  else ever will.  So go! http://www.everettraymondkinstler.com/

I allowed myself today to  do a rushed map as my sitter in the painting leaves on a world trip Friday so she will need that map and the kindle she is holding.  I am sure Rockwell had the same issues.

How To Paint Roses...

How to paint roses. Well, don't ask me. It is  all about learning the structure of a rose forever in your mind and keeping a light side and shadow side of the rose going at all costs. Don't start out too light in the block in. But things can go south fast.

These were roses I finished up today, started as a demo in my First Friday Atelier Day last week. I am not quite finished with that saucer. I have a plane to catch for portrait business early a.m. so the saucer is on hold for a bit.

But you get the picture?

Easter Roses
8 x 10
Oil on linen
$500 plus tax
Free shipping

SOLD

Ooo-la-la!

"Oooo-la-la!"

8"x10"

oil on linen

$300

Plus tax and shipping

I am not going lie, I loved painting this sketch. My class demo at The California Art Institute this week. the model arrived in the most fantastic belly dancing costume. She collects 'em! I want one don't you?

How to paint fur

Coming to the end of rather a large portrait of a British mayor. The left hand still needs some work and the gold medal of office. Fun to paint those ceremonial robes, fur and lace. It is so often the edge of things, like fluffly fur or sharp lace folds, that describes the fabric best.

What say you?