Alla Prima Portrait of "Miriam in Her Gray Beret"

"Miriam in Her Gray Beret," oil on Senso linen, 20"h x 16"w, ©Jill Banks 2012

For the first day of my portrait class -- demo day -- I had the great opportunity to paint almost-nine-year-old Miriam. Miriam was excited to get her first real job, but I think I was even more excited to get the chance to have her sit for me. Or maybe it was a toss up.

This is an alla prima, painted all in one sitting, portrait -- worked wet into wet. Painting in this method offers spontaneity, or freshness to the work. Perfect for capturing an almost nine-year-old.

Miriam sat super still and I imagine that there were some awfully long stretches between breaks ... because it was too much fun painting her to also keep track of the time. Her snacks came in a cute pink lunch bag. One snack was a waffle -- and her mom remarked  ...  "Well, she was born in Belgium."

There are always a lot of funny comments, good stories and laughter in the class ... it's just a great group. I imagine that Miriam had some tales to tell tonight at the dinner table. One of the extra treats for being our model.

Thanks, Miriam, for making our day!

And, as always after the first day of class, I'm a little beat. Time to take it easy. The first day of still life class is tomorrow. 

Close-Up of "Miriam in Her Gray Beret"

On Exhibit:

"Dining Alfresco" Juried into the Art League January Show

On view at the Art League Gallery in the Torpedo Factory, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria, VA for the month of January. Take a look!

"Ostrich and Polka Dots," "Ramsey" and "Half Dozen Donuts" are on view in Great Falls Studios' January Virtual (online) Gallery Exhibit "Patterns"

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project Page 1 (faces 1-54): www.jillbanks.com/jillbanks/100_Faces_in_100_Days_Project.html
100 Faces in 100 Days Project Page 2 (faces 55-100): www.jillbanks.com/jillbanks/100_Faces_in_100_Days_Project_2.html
Email

"The Audition" Painting Demo for Portrait Class

"The Audition," oil, 20"h x 16"w, ©Jill Banks 2011

Today was the first day of my Portrait Painting and Drawing class for the Fall Term. I regularly do a demo for the day one of class, as this is the best way I know to show how to develop a painting throughout the session. Zeki was our model. One of the hardest thing to do as a model is to hold a natural, consistent expression. It's easy as time goes on "to sink." Zeki didn't and looked just as alive for the first half hour to the last.

I've got a great group in the class and while many have been students of mine for awhile, they haven't all been in class with each other before. So they had the treat of meeting one another.

I'd taken the Summer off this year from teaching classes ... so today definitely felt like Back to School time. Tomorrow's my first day of Still Life class. Time to get ready.

Events
August 1 - September 21: "100 Faces in 100 Days" on exhibit at the Artists' Atelier, 1144 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA. Open hours: Fridays and Saturdays, Noon-4pm.

My Still Life and Portrait Painting & Drawing One spot left in my Still Life class. See the Classes page on my web site for more information on those classes. Send me an email if you would like to receive notification of other class/workshop offerings -- what kind of courses you would be interested in, days of the week and times.

Sunday, October 2, 10am-5pm: MPA McLean Artfest, juried outdoor arts festival, McLean Community Park, McLean, VA

Saturday and Sunday, October 15&16, 10am-5pm: Great Falls Annual Studio Tour. Major weekend long event with 47 artists from Great Falls Studios participating in a self-guided tour. I'll be in the Artists' Atelier, the studio I share with 14 other artists at 1144 Walker Road, Suite G, Great Falls. Last year, the tour drew 7200+ visitors from throughout the DC area. Don't miss it!

October 20-22, Out & About Norfolk 2011: Juried Plein Air Event and Wet Paint Sale. I'll be spending three days in Norfolk for this 5th Annual Plein Air Competition ... painting away. I'm excited!

To read more about the 100 Faces in 100 Days project on my web site (www.jillbanks.com), go to the 100 Faces Project Pages 1 and 2 where you can see all 100 of my volunteers. Click on the paintings, and go to my blog post for that person's sitting.

Web: www.jillbanks.com
Blog: jillbanks.blogspot.com
100 Faces in 100 Days Project Page 1 (faces 1-54): www.jillbanks.com/jillbanks/100_Faces_in_100_Days_Project.html
100 Faces in 100 Days Project Page 2 (faces 55-100): www.jillbanks.com/jillbanks/100_Faces_in_100_Days_Project_2.html
Email: jillbanks1@aol.com
Phone: 703.403.7435

Back to School ... and Back to Painting Today

"Shalonda," oil on Senso linen canvas, 24"h x 18"w, copyright Jill Banks 2011

Yea! Today was the first day of my Spring Portrait Painting and Drawing class ... so it was demo day. That means I was painting after a reprieve due to the London trip, planning and giving a speech to the McLean Arts Society, and getting ready to hang my 100 Faces in 100 Days show tomorrow afternoon.

A treat!

Plus, it was great to see my class back in session. Tomorrow's the first day of Still Life class ... with many returning and some new students to meet. The expanded classroom space is WONDERFUL. Another treat. The light is super and there's just this nice feeling of space. Air. Room to move and paint.

Shalonda was the model today. I loved her expression. This was a pretty large canvas (24"h x 18"w) to work on for one three-hour session. I think I was just excited to be doing something other than 12"h x 12"w -- the size of all my 100 Faces. Still, it might have been better to use a 20"h x 16"w canvas ...

Now I've got to return to details/work for hanging my show. And, figuring out still life arrangements to use. Busy times.

Check my web site for show receptions coming up on Friday night (Manassas -- the Artists' Atelier show) and Saturday afternoon (May 7, 2:30-5:30pm, my 100 Faces in 100 Days Exhibit) at the Great Falls Library.

"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