"Oscar" Alla Prima Portrait Demo

"Oscar" alla prima portrait demo in oils

Today was the first day of my Fall portrait painting (and drawing) class, and we all had the pleasure of having Oscar Haynes sit for us. What a great session! He just has this beautiful, calming, happy presence we all got to enjoy. Plus, he was thrilled to sit -- a first-time experience for this gentleman in his ninth decade. It's not easy to hold a pose (try it yourself sometime), but Oscar managed to hold it well and get right back into it after each break.

Demos are different than painting from the model on your own. They are a great teaching exercise, but you miss just getting to really observe your subject. That's a quiet activity ... as the person is slowly revealed. My class gets to experience that more next week when Oscar visits us again. Lucky them.

See more of my portraiture in the portrait section/gallery pages on my web site: www.jillbanks.com

I'm going to spend tonight trying to unpack some, organize some ... see what I can get accomplished to still the jitters of so many art happenings fast approaching. I'm scheduled for a booth at the Great Falls Farmer's Market this Saturday September 25, 9am-1pm; the MPA McLean Artfest Sunday October 3, 10:30am-4:30pm in McLean Central Park (McLean, VA); and the Great Falls Studio Tour Saturday and Sunday, October 16&17, 10am-5pm (at the Artists' Atelier in Great Falls, VA). Read more about each event in my post about Events and Exhibits ... and I hope to see you at all or some! Bring the family and your art-loving friends. Yikes. Better get to work.

"Oscar" oil sketch, 16"h x 20"w, oil on Senso linen, copyright Jill Banks 2010.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435