Kim Blair Artist

Paper Sun, Collage, by Kim Blair

Paper Sun

6x9 collage on acid free paper

Paper Sun is part of my ongoing collage/mixed media series. I added a bit more definition with some black ink using a nib pen. My shoe box of paper choices is starting to get a bit limited and I may have to incorporate other source materials for future collage pieces.

The brown seed centers of these sunflowers have multiple layers of paper creating a bit more texture and depth.

* (click on the image to see the texture of the paper)

Carolyn and Darrel, Semi-Blind Contour Drawing, by Kim Blair

Semi-Blind Contour Drawing

Pen & Ink on paper, 12x9

Carolyn & Darrel posing/sitting

Carolyn & Darrel

Scribble Gesture

Scribble Gesture of Carolyn

Last night was my night for figure drawing, and you can see from this posting that we had a male and a female model. Carolyn and Darrel are very experienced life drawing models and I throughly enjoyed all of their poses.

As you can see from the first photo I chose to do a Semi-Blind Contour drawing of them during their final pose of the evening. This final pose was only 20 minutes in length... (usually the last pose is 30 minutes) but I still enjoyed trying my hand at this drawing technique.

When you do a Semi-Blind Contour drawing you get to look at your paper once in a while to reposition your pen to start in a new area, but as with Blind-Contour the expectation is that you will try to coordinate your eye and hand movements by slowly tracing the edges of the subject with your eyes while at the same time moving your drawing instrument at the same speed that your eyes are moving along the edge subject.

Like magic a whimsical image begins to appear on the paper as your pen slowly twists and turns while you try to fuse a connection between your eye and hand movements.

The end result looks like a quirky fusion of a cartoon and a character drawing.

Self Portrait

18x6 graphite on paper

A Self Portrait is something most artists tackle. As the model we are always available and don't squirm (much) during the session, although a few deep exasperated sighs can be heard now and then.

So I decided it was about time I delved into an ongoing self portrait project. It is fascinating what you discover as you look intensely in the mirror... studying the subtle nuances of light and shadow along with the 'character lines' that make up our appearance. The project has its sobering moments when you come face to face with the person staring back at you in the mirror and realize that you have no choice but to acknowledge what you see.

As the session(s) progressed I started to enjoy the process of looking... appreciating the time for a closer examination of the person in the mirror and reflect on what I was seeing.

Perhaps one of the interesting things about doing self portraits (or anyone's portrait for that matter) is knowing that the artist has the opportunity to discover and portray the multifaceted personality of the sitter.

We really are more complex than at first glance...

Oil Portrait, Copy of Siri, by Kim Blair

(attempted) Copy of the Study/Siri

9x12 oil on canvas

(attempted) Copy of the Study/Siri

9x12 colored pencil

A few of years ago I purchased a number of older issues of some art magazines and was instantly captivated by a portrait I saw in the August 2000 issue of 'The Artist's Magazine'. The american artist Jerry Rudquist ( 1934-2001) painted a colorful 'alla prima' portrait of a young woman... I immediately tore the page out of the magazine and kept it in a folder for a few years before I attempted to copy it for learning purposes.

I was very sad to discover that this talented artist passed away at the age of 67, just a year after the article was published. It would have been an honor to have taken a workshop with him. His expressive brush work and unique color choices inspired me to study his style by attempting to copy his 8x6 oil study of Siri. The colored pencil sketch (see above) I created this past September is a better attempt at copying the likeness of his original, but I had the most fun creating the 9x12 oil color study last week.

The excitement of exploring color choices took over my brain and I missed the mark on making a better likeness, but I will attempt another copy. My color choices are not the same as in the original by Mr. Rudquist's, but by observing his study I was inspired to experiment.

Here is an interesting youtube video of Jerry Rudquist painting his own eye...

Female Figure Drawing Study, by Kim Blair

Female Figure Study I

12x9 ink with ink wash on acid free paper

Female Figure Study II

9x12 graphite with ink on acid free paper

Female, Scribble Study

9x4 ink on acid free paper

The female form offers smooth flowing curves which gives me more opportunity to utilize fluid line work and tonal washes in ink.

It's not an easy job being a figure drawing model... you need strength and stamina to hold your pose for 30 seconds... to 30 minutes. The shorter 'warm up' poses are usually more dynamic and spontaneous which offers the artist a very short period of time to capture the energy of the model's stance.

Obviously the model chooses to pose in a comfortable position for the longer poses which makes complete sense. But even these more comfortable longer poses can take quite a bit of energy and focus, as the model needs to stay as still as possible, yet not fall asleep... on the job.

Figure Drawing Studies of Shelby, by Kim Blair

Shelby

12x9, graphite, pen & ink study

Shelby

4x3, close-up of scribble study

Shelby Lying On Her Side

4x8, ink study

Shelby in OM Pose

9x6, felt marker study

The time slips by at the figure drawing sessions... from the first few 30 second poses to the final 30 minute pose... the time seems to condense, creating a feeling that the evening was only an hour long rather than 3 hours.

Being completely engaged in the creative process seems to be the key to activating this 'time warp'. Focusing my attention on drawing the model shifts my brain into auto-pilot, which seems to remove most of my awareness from the conscious level that deals with the relativity of time.

Or at least that's what I think may be happening?

Red Diner I and Red Diner II, Abstract Collage, Mixed Media Painting, by Kim Blair

Red Diner I

6x6 collage, mixed media

on acid free paper

Red Diner II

6x6 collage, mixed media

on acid free paper

Whether you enjoyed your hamburger, fries and milkshake perched at the counter on a red vinyl covered stool or were lucky enough to procure bench seating in a booth you experienced a piece of American history that began around 1872. A horse drawn lunch wagon selling sandwiches and coffee to late night newspaper workers morphed into a fixed establishment through the repurposing of railroad dining cars, and acquired the name 'diner'.

What most of us remember and still get to experience is the classic version that first appeared after WWII... a stream-lined chrome beauty styled to express speed and mobility... a futuristic design updating the original box car.

Diner cuisine seems to be going a bit upscale these days thanks to all the cooking shows on The Food Network, but I bet most of us still think of diner cuisine as 'comfort food.'

Enjoy your carbs... and then head to the gym!

NFS

Rococo Pink, Poppy Painting oil on canvas, by Kim Blair

Rococo Pink

9x12 oil on canvas

Spring is only 2 months away... and my thoughts drifted to flowers... frothy pastel poppy blossoms to be exact... and viola, I had a reference photo of some spectacular pink toned specimens from last summer... how could a girl resist?

I named this painting after the Rococo period which developed in the early 18th century in Paris, France. It was a more playful time for art and architecture and began in response to the heavier masculine Baroque style that was made popular by the Catholic Church.

A more curvaceous, asymmetrical design style Rococo was known for it's elaborate ornamentation combined with pastel-like colours creating a graceful whimsical approach to design whether it be fashion, art, gardens or architecture.

Marie Antoinette enjoyed Rococo, for a while...

Too much of a good thing is definitely not good for your health!

SOLD

9x12 (needs some drying time)

Aneta on Stool, pen and ink with graphite, by Kim Blair

Aneta on Stool with Teal Scarf

12x9 Ink, graphite and colored pencil study

on acid free paper

Scribble Gesture Drawing/Study

I think I freaked out the young man sitting next to me at the Figure Drawing Session... he kept glancing over at my sketch book as I let my hand fly all over the page with my scribble gesture mark making during the quick poses. He left at the break... I hope I did not scare him away thinking he was sitting next to a crazy woman.

Oh, well... I had fun letting my inner child out to play again!

This time I added some 4B graphite to the longer pose for the shadow areas along with some teal blue colored pencil for her scarf. The softer graphite sticks work better for me than conte or charcoal because the graphite does not produce dust, but I still have to add a sheet of waxed paper over the drawing so that the graphite does not smudge onto the next page.

*Click on the images for a closer look.

Life Drawing Studies, Pen and Ink, by Kim Blair

Figure Drawing Study

Aneta in Chair

12x9 on acid free paper

Pen and Ink with Ink Wash

Scribble Gesture

Pen and Ink

Scribble Gesture

Pen and Ink

Life drawing is one of the best ways for an artist to hone their drawing skills. Pen and ink 'scribble' gesture drawing is so much fun to do for the 'quick poses' at the beginning of the evening, and this is the perfect time to experiment with various drawing implements/mediums while your drawing hand is limbering up for the longer poses.

The playfulness of the line created with the 'scribble' gesture technique really speaks to me... must be tapping into my inner child. As you can see in the longer study 'Aneta in Chair' I incorporated a less frenetic, but still playful line quality with the pen and ink tonal wash.

Collage, Paper Poppy, by Kim Blair

Paper Poppy

8x8

collage on acid free paper

The name of this collage, 'Paper Poppy' (shown here in a close-up photo along with another shot showing how the collage sits on the page) seems fitting since poppy petals often resemble crinkled crepe paper. This piece was created from a photo I snapped a few summers ago of a gorgeous peachy pink toned bloom with royal blue pollen hugging an olive green center. Nestled beside fuzzy green foliage this poppy plant needed to be staked in a wire garden hoop in order to support the profusion of blooms swaying in a gentle summer breeze.

I like the soft, feminine feel of this collage.

(If you click on the image you can see the bits of rice paper adding even more texture to the pastel petals.)

Yes, all this came from my magic shoe box...

Avocado Ripple, Collage Painting, by Kim Blair

Avocado Ripple

8.25x9.5 collage

on acid free paper

I looked in my magic shoe box of collage papers last night... and look what appeared... an Avocado!

After perusing the various colors and textures amongst my treasure trove of papers I was inspired to create Avocado Ripple... but I must confess that it was inspired by Avocado Gold, a previous avocado painting I did a couple of years ago. The ripped green paper utilized for the avocado flesh gives it a similar 3D appearance that I enjoy creating with oil paint and a palette knife.

If you click on the image for a close-up look you will see that I used some graphite for the shadow edge of the striped fabric where it drapes over the edge of the table.

Who knows what else is hiding in that shoe box?