Unsung Hero Portrait Series

Honored to have been commissioned to paint a series of "Unsung Heroes" for The Ventura Breeze Newspaper  by gracious Jordan and  Sandra Laby. Here is our fourth recipient Elizabeth Cornejo at her presentation lunch with the Labys. Single life sitting. Thanks also to ace publisher Sheldon Brown

Read Elizabeth's courageous life story:
here

Elizabeth Cornejo
24x18"
By Johanna Spinks
Single life sitting
www.johannaspinks.com

Presentation lunch with Elizabeth and series' gracious sponsors Sandra and Jordan Laby. Kindly appearing in The Ventura Breeze. 

Silent Hero Award Presentation

Meet Michael Chapman. He is top of my list of people I want to be just like.

He is also the recipient of the new Face of Ventura Award, a new 'unsung hero' series running in The Ventura Breeze and graciously sponsored by the ever so lovely Sandra and Jordan Laby. Thank you to both of them for making this happen along with Breeze publisher Sheldon Brown.

Michael is the second citizen to be painted in the series after saving the lives of two people in a blazing car wreck. Please nominate to The Breeze if you know of an unsung hero.

Read Michael's brave story here: http://www.venturabreeze.com/12.24.14.pdf

Discovery Ventura also hosted a great presentation lunch for all of us, attended by the two people Michael rescued from the car crash. Thanks!

It was a wonderful warm moment and a pleasure and honor to be part of this new series.

L to R, Jordan Laby, Michael Chapman, Sandra Laby and Johanna Spinks

The portrait of Michael that he was presented with. Single sitting from life.

The Ventura Breeze. Nominate!

Thanks to Discovery Ventura for the lunch.

How to paint from life fast.

Another busy week in the studio with little time to post. This is Ms. Sandra Laby a recent sitter from my Face of Ventura Project I was looking forward to paint.

So how does one do a quick head sketch of a sitter in around two hours you don't know and talk clever repartee at the same time?  I don't know. But one is on the spot regardless.

What I do know is the same dialog runs through my head each time I paint a sitter like this in a short time wanting to get something half decent and a likeness.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

SQUINT

GO FOR THE BIG SHAPES OF STRUCTURE, THE LIKENESS WILL FOLLOW.

LIGHT, SHADOW, HALFTONES. NAIL 'EM.

KEEP THE FLESH TONES MUTED SO YOU CAN ADD POP TOWARD THE END.

THANKS especially to Ms. Laby. She is a tremendous supporter of The Arts in Ventura, a dancer, and full of fun sassy energy to boot.

KEEP THE FLESH TONES MUTED SO YOU CAN ADD POP TOWARD THE END.