Pregnant Life Model and blue cushion

Here is a nude I painted last year at the Bath Artists Studios. We were blessed with our usual model which this time was showing beautiful new curves due to her pregnancy.

Pregnant Life Model and blue cushion  12"x16"  oil on board

The painting after half an hour

Detail

 I really enjoyed this session and hoping to get the chance to paint more life models in 2013. Best wishes for the model which I understand is due to give birth very soon.

Nude 4

Here are my latest paintings from the Life model session at the Bath Artists Studio. We were blessed with the same model as last time (see my previous post here) so I was very glad I had the chance to paint her again:

Model 4    12"x16" oil on board

Detail

The artists at work...

A subject Rembrant would have been happy to paint

My set up

The whole session lasted around 4 hours. After the last break, we had about 40 minutes left to paint and since I had finished my painting, I decided to do a quick study of the room. I set up on the corner behind the model:

Below this is the little study I did. I really had fun doing this one as I had to rush which made it more exciting and meant I didn't have the time to think too much:

Life model class at the Bath Artists Studio  10"x12"  oil on board

What got my attention was the contrast between the focal point - the peaceful life model beautifully lightened - and all the activity around and creative buzz.

Detail

Life model: Nude2 & Nude3

Here are my two latest life models studies done at the Bath Artist Studio. I really enjoy those  Saturday sessions and we are always blessed with great models.

Nude3   12"x16"    oil on board

detail

Rob and I, lost in the middle of the action (thanks Kev for the picture) 

With beautiful curves, gracious hands and great skin tone, this model was such a treat to paint (nb: models gave their approval to be shown on the blog in a blurry way): 

Here are the four quick poses - 5 minutes sketches I did at the start of the session as a warm up:

Below is the painting I did during the previous session with a different model. A very interesting angle to paint, I found.

Nude2   10"x14"   oil on board

My set up on the day

 I loved the effect of the light on the legs of the model:

detail

Peppers study at the Bath Artists Studios

A few weeks ago I went painting with the Bath Painting Group at the Bath Artists Studio for a still life session. It was fun and relaxed and I did two small paintings on the day:

Red Pepper   10"x8"  oil on board

Here is the group, well focused:

I always choose an easel as close as possible to the set up to get most of the colours and values right, specially when it's a small still life like this.

My palette is always messier when I paint from life as there is that feeling to try to capture things quickly and spontaneously. It does look like the paints had a fight here and it all ended up in a blood bath - don't you think:

After an hour or so working on the first painting I moved on to the next pepper-model who was posing like a star to get some attention. I don't recall ever doing yellow still life before (for some reasons I tend to do mainly white, green and reds) so this was a good exercise and lot of fun too.

Yellow Pepper   7"x10"  oil on board

You can see my ridiculously minimal sketch above the painting - I just wanted to get started with the paint really: