Sketching Ideas and a Blob Painting

It's been snowing nearly every day here in Colorado. Some days don't feel like dealing with traffic to the studio, so I've been sketching a lot. The collage above shows some sketches and a few details of a finished painting (seen at the end of this post).

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This fellow was a quick one--sort of an unconscious bit of drawing. Since all my gouache is at the studio, I used a Pentel Brushpen for the outline, a pilot Hi-Tec-C pen for the crosshatching, and a few Prismacolor pencils for the color.

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Same with this fellow. The visible red lines are my initial drawing; I use a red Verithin pencil for that, on either Kona brand paper, a brown paper bag, or wrapping paper.

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Then I finally plowed through the snow to the studio and painted this Squashed Pea Fellow with Acryla Gouache. 

Yeah he's weird--I make no excuses--I draw and paint what comes to me, not what I think will please others. To me, that's the philosophy that has added richness and progress to all the arts.

If you share that ideal (and like eclectic art-weirdness) follow me on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/tomsarmo_art/

Owls in Acryla Gouache: A New Workshop!

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I'm excited to be teaching a new workshop at Foothills Art Center in Golden, Colorado!

Been working with Acryla Gouache lately on the recommendation of my studio-mate. (For years I used a quality sign-painters paint--until the quality went downhill.) But Holbein's Acryla Gouache is giving me the perfect matte look, opacity, and smooth application I want. It really is a blast, so sharing some techniques at a workshop was a logical next-step.

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Applying the paint to primed wood panels is my method of choice. I use a terra cotta gesso primer most often, which is peeking through the paint layers in the photo detail above. Sometimes rough wood is my choice...

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...and sometimes smoother. This fellow with the necktie is painted on a thick, pinewood disk.

There are numbers of different ways to paint with Acryla Gouache. Join me for the workshop--you'll take home your own finished owl... 

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...or your subject of choice, by the end of the day! 

Here's the link:

Tom Sarmo's Workshop

Thanks for the visit :)

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Starting to Paint like Myself

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Here I am, looking cranky, working on a plein air painting last Sunday. I'm not irritated at all--just concentrating. The morning was perfect for watermedia, being cool and cloudy with high humidity. And it was a gorgeous setting. The photos and painting above are by Mike Kloepfer, who joined me for an early excursion.

Since doing more plein air work (with the DIS Plein Air Club) my skill--and confidence--has grown. Both are huge, as both were needed.

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 The thing that excites me the most? I'm beginning to paint, finally, like me. Prior to hitting the plein air thing seriously, my style (kind of hate that term) was not visible in the studies. I'd get out there and work like a dog at painting what I saw, and the works were all over the board. This new emergence feels much better. This is the second time I've used gouache.

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 Here is the first--that paint is magical and a blast to use!

On Sunday, we chose to paint the same bridge, and Mike's piece was definitely more accurate. The atmosphere that morning was all misty and cool greys. I'd pre-grounded my watercolor paper with a warm golden brown, so my study looks like a sunny day. A mistake, but I still like the piece.

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Here's Mike's--he nailed it!

See more of Mike's amazing work here: Mike Kloepfer's Art 

and thanks for checking in!