drawing + painting

Krapp's Last Tape

2011-12-16T18:02:00.000-08:00

John Hurt performing Beckett at BAM painted from memory.

Heraclitus, Isaiah, Sneakers

2011-12-12T07:10:00.000-08:00

Heraclitus (after Raphael), watercolor.Isaiah (after Raphael), ink.Sneakers, watercolor.

A French en plein air painter

2011-11-08T06:35:00.000-08:00

This is a sepia tone photo of Leon painting in the open air in France.
Above is a sketch painted in shades of gray called grisaille which is a method of underpainting used long before the advent of sepia tone photography, but similar in effect.
This Schminke watercolor tin was given to me in 1981 by Leon''s nephew, Francis.

Central Park, Bow Bridge, Cancelled (cold weather).

2011-10-25T10:14:00.000-07:00

Students, Artists and Friends,

I am running a Fall Foliage Drawing and Watercolor painting workshop
this Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm. We will meet at Bow Bridge in
Central Park. You will see trees in their Fall Foliage colors, water, row boaters
and the famous Bow Bridge.

You can get to Bow Bridge by entering the Park on East or West 72nd Street.
If approaching from the Westside, the path to Bow Bridge is on the left side about
100 yards before Bethesda Fountain. From the Eastside, about 100 yards past Bethesda
Fountain on the right side. Here it is on Google Maps.

We will be sitting on the benches that are to the Southwest of the bridge, so we can take in the entire lake, foliage, boats, bridge, etc.

This workshop, with instruction if requested, is $15. This is the best time of year to catch the Fall Foliage season in Central Park.

You can reach me at 917-617-9039 on the day of the workshop. You can also e-mail me with questions at jcooper@studiocooper.com

I look forward to seeing all of you this Sunday.

Jim

Central Park, Bethesda Fountain Sunday, October 23

2011-10-21T19:26:00.000-07:00

Angel of the Waters fountain sculpture designed by Emma Stebbins in 1868 and unveiled in 1873. Stebbins was the first woman to receive a public commission for a major work of art in New York city.

Testing colors and mixtures before painting.

The Boathouse Cafe.

Rock at Sneden's Landing

2011-09-02T05:33:00.000-07:00

Martha's Vineyard

2011-08-30T19:51:00.001-07:00

Painted day before hurricane Irene.

Painted day after Irene near Gay Head on the Vineyard.Snail shells.
Reminded me of a watercolor I did in 2005 in Jamaica.

Various Blues

2011-08-23T19:24:00.001-07:00

Intuitive doodling in a sketchbook.

Santa Fe

2011-08-22T18:54:00.000-07:00

Preliminary design for a portale.

High Line

2011-08-20T14:40:00.001-07:00

We discussed how a limited palette of two complimentary colors, a blue-ish (ultramarine or cobalt) and an orange-ish (burnt sienna or raw umber) could be used to make gray which could then be driven towards warm or cool and the orange and blue could be used to enhance each other through juxtaposition. Here is a photo beneath the Standard Hotel on the High Line.

Class began by painting a color wheel and discussing the effect of choosing various pigments.

Drawings by Nina Karacosta

2011-08-18T22:14:00.001-07:00

These wonderful drawings were sent to me recently by Nina, who is a poet. We met at the Educational Alliance in 2008 and she moved to Greece and France and continued to draw.

9th Ave. and 14 St., Meatpacking

2011-08-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

We started out experimenting with color wheels, complimentary washes, various pigments and brushes.

\=Developed a picture by looking, seeing, drawing, painting.The more we looked, the more we saw and let artistic license structure the composition - the church.
The sign.

Above painting completed after class.

Next Class: August 20, High Line

2011-07-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

Bryant Park

2011-06-17T10:39:00.001-07:00

We started off talking about birds, looked at pigeons and segued into complimentary colors.
From 2007.

The free yoga class in Bryant Park began.

Time well spent.

High Line

2011-06-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

Exploring a limited palette.
Using the view finder.

High Line

2011-06-05T18:19:00.001-07:00

Memorial Day Drawing Session

2011-05-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

We held an impromptu drawing session in the storefront in Soho.
We did a 2-minute contour draw during which time the model slowly moved as if she were underwater.

High Line

2011-05-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

This week's painting.Last week's drawing.This week's painting.Last week's painting.

Our location was beneath the Standard Hotel.
Watercolor pencil.What are these plants?

High Line

2011-05-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

Preliminary pencil drawing of the Standard Hotel.

Wash drawing with mixed grays.Photo of the Standard Hotel over the High Line.

Life Thyme Market, Class 8

2011-04-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

The plan was to paint in Washington Square Park, but it was too cold. So we tried Pain Quotidien on 8th Street and settled upstairs out the window of the coffee shop at Life Thyme Market on 6th Ave. at 8th.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

2011-04-13T09:42:00.001-07:00

Design drawings for a residence in Santa Fe.

Bill, Sam, Jim and Bill.Mary and Bill.

Storefront Figure Drawing

2011-04-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon, April 3, 2011, from 3:30 - 6:30 pm we drew in the storefront at 6o Grand Street in Soho. In the morning Charles helped hang the curtains, arrange the lighting and music and generally prepare the space.
Ellen read the paper till the model arrived.We warmed up with (2) 5 minute poses and a ten minute pose.
The rest of the drawings were of 20 minute poses.
Time well spent drawing.

Soho storefront, Class 7

2011-04-02T10:57:00.000-07:00

Montreal, Canada

2011-03-28T07:43:00.001-07:00

Film director Ellen Weissbrod preparing to show her film, A Woman Like That at the Renaissance Society of America's Annual Convention in Montreal.
Drawings of scholars browsing books.
A scholar reading a paper.

Drawing of a slide being projected.

Drawing from memory of a man I saw on the street.

One of the most interesting talks was about the birth of the modern art gallery.

A canopied display bed in a palazzo.
Scholars, scholars......and more scholars reading papers.

60 Grand Street, Class 6

2011-03-19T17:02:00.001-07:00

An interesting book, especially on drawing and painting hands, is An Atlas of Anatomy for Artists by Fritz Schrider.

American Indian Museum, Class 5

2011-03-13T13:58:00.001-07:00

We painted at the American Indian Museum.

Above very direct painting approach, no preliminary drawing.Preliminary thumbnail sketch locating horizon line, vanishing point, general composition.

Color testing swatch.
Enlarged and developed painting.
Thumbnail sketch.
Enlarged and developed painting.Group show.
Below are photos of the painters painting.

Sofia, Shan, Serena, Greta and Jacqueline.

Chelsea Markets, Class 4

2011-03-05T14:59:00.001-08:00

We held our fourth class at Chelsea Market, Spring 2011.Preliminary sketch.The view.

The painting.
The view.

This is a picture of the previous class at Chelsea Market.

Winter Garden, Class 3 student work

2011-03-03T06:47:00.000-08:00

I like the way this picture echoes the picture of Corot painting above.
The painting.The view.
Testing colors.
Insturctor's sketchbooks.

The painting location at the Winter Garden was very good.Bad photo of a good study in mixing subtle gray washes.
The view.

Beginner Watercolor Class Student Work

2011-02-19T15:51:00.000-08:00

We did a beginners class today starting with an introduction to watercolor paper, brushes, paint, laying washes and controlling the bead, working at an angle, mixing color, painting color wheels, juxtaposing and mixing compliments, using the viewfinder to see patterns of light and dark and establishing relative values.
We then experimented with various brushes, mark making, layering transparent watercolor washes and painting wet-into-wet.

This class was very enjoyable and a lot of fun.

Perspective drawing, Flat Iron Building

2011-02-18T17:03:00.000-08:00

The Flat Iron Building.The Flat Iron District provides table and chairs where 5th and Broadway cross at 23rd St. great place to draw and paint.
The urban space at 5th and Broadway, Madison Square Park seems mysterious. It really feels the way one might imagine New York to be from Ohio.We did a class on drawing the Flat Iron Building in perspective. Measuring by sight.Observing.Drawing.Work table provided by the Flat Iron District.Graphite pencils.Caran d"Ache watercolor pencils.In the second phase of this project we developed the perspective drawing in the studio and worked out which pigments to use and how to mix them as a color strategy for painting.Established horizon line, vanishing points and started to layout the drawing on trace paper.
Trace paper was laid onto a light table and the drawing was traced onto 140 lb. Arches watercolor paper.

John is taking a class with Frederick Brosen and he showed me these images from Mr. Brosen's book, Still New York which he inspired him. Still New York by Frederick Brosen.Then I walked down Broadway to Union Square and watched some chess players.
And meandered through Washington Square Park and listened to some really good musicians.

Barnes and Noble, Class 2

2011-02-13T20:34:00.000-08:00

Class 2 was held at Barnes and Noble, Union Square, looking out over the Farmers Market.

Whole Foods, Class 1

2011-02-13T19:33:00.000-08:00

Our first class met at Whole Foods at Houston and Bowery.

Many people came up to us and wondered what we were doing. This guy was especially interested and enthusiastic about the benefits of eating watercress.Finally, just as class was coming to an end, security guards approached us and asked us to leave. Its difficult to find places to paint in New York City in the cold weather. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Winter Break Jeddo Mill Antiques

2011-02-11T08:00:00.001-08:00

Eldridge Street, Class 10,

2010-12-07T08:11:00.000-08:00

Example of strectched watercolor paper on 1/2" foamcore.

Barnes and Noble, Union Square

2010-12-05T12:12:00.000-08:00

We painted from the bay window, third floor cafe, Barnes and Noble, overlooking the Union Square farmers Market
The bay window painting studio.

The view.
The painters.

The cafe.

Cooper Union Foundation Lobby

2010-11-20T12:38:00.000-08:00

Bus stop.Cooper Square Park.
7th and 3rd.7th and 3rd.
The Ukrainian Church on 7th St.This is a more developed picture from last week at Bryant Park.

Bryant Park, Class 7

2010-11-13T15:16:00.001-08:00

Very workmanlike well stretched paper on 1/2" foamcore:

Skaters at Bryant Park. New York Public Library in background.

An excellent set-up, working method, good tools:

Winter Garden, Class 6

2010-11-07T16:22:00.000-08:00

This week we painted really far South in Manhattan, you know, where the palm trees grow.

The Winter Garden. People figured in many of the pictures.Preliminary study.
A strategy for the painting below:The spatial relationship between the washed-in, diminutive figures and the enormous scale of the Winter Garden space is revealed poetically.Dizzying.Three hours of portrait studies, drawn in watercolor with a paintbrush, from a comfortable table in a Winter Garden courtyard. In a similar vein I drew Olivia and Richard two weeks ago in Hoboken, at a coffee shop:
And a pizza place:

John was interested in painting palm tree fronds. John Singer Sargent:

Winslow Homer:

Group photo at end of class.
More photos of the Winter Garden:
Construction site:

Outside of class watercolor studies from a photo taken at Chelsea Market:
One.
Two.
Three.
Watercolor with four studies:

Finished picture from Whole Foods.
Finished painting of a horse at the American Indian Museum.Next class, we'll meet at Grand Central Station, 1 East 42nd, (Park and 42nd) 10:00 am.

Whole Foods, Class 5

2010-11-03T17:02:00.000-07:00

This week we painted on the second floor of Whole Foods located at Bowery and Houston.

Its a good idea to test colors on the same kind of paper your painting on.

Nice set-up, palette, paint, divided water bucket, taped down paper.

This student had never painted before and took to it like a fish to water (color).

These paintings were started last week at chelsea Market and further developed out of class.

Chelsea Market, Class 4

2010-10-23T19:50:00.001-07:00

We painted Chelsea Market, some chose outdoors, others indoors.Painting at end of class.Painting further developed at home.

Exploring greens, pre-testing color mixes on the side of the paper.

Group photo at end of class with everyone displaying their work. We looked at some watercolors painted outside of class below:

I think doodling with paint is a good thing to do in the spirit of play.A color wheel.
Testing color mixes on scrap watercolor paper.Did someone lose a palette?One of Winslow Homer's watercolor tins.

American Indian Museum Class 3

2010-10-18T08:22:00.003-07:00

We met at Bowling Green Park, the oldest park in New York City, with an alternative plan to paint in the American Indian Museum in case it was too cold or rainy. A couple of people painted in Fort Clinton.

Looking towards Staten Island.
Fort Clinton.
Painting at end of class.Further developed at home.

Washington Square Park Class 2

2010-10-18T08:22:00.001-07:00

High Line Class 1

2010-10-18T08:21:00.001-07:00