Marshall Jones Class #1

I’m taking a class this month over the next three weeks, every Tuesday.

It’s an alla prima portrait class with Marshall Jones (@sweetmarshalljones on Instagram)

Last night was the first session and it was great!

My painting definitely was not great but that’s ok, I almost never do good work during class.

Also, my physical space setup was so uncomfortable so next week i’m bringing my plein air gear.

Marshall is a great teacher and one of the reasons I like to take classes is to see how other people work, I always get good insights.

Sometimes they don’t even have anything to do with paint application.

*On painting from photos…. I get really weird about this because 1) i’m a snob and 2) I don’t like using other peoples’ reference unless for a commission and 3) those free photo sites are usually terrible.  It’s true that using photos can introduce a whole lot of problems because of distortion. You have to be selective about the reference.  I also have weird mental hang-ups and self-imposed walls that I havent fully defined to myself, I feel them but don’t know what they are or why there are there.

But the video demo Marshall showed of his painting was from a photo… it was a movie character, I forgot who. And it got me thinking that sometimes I’m too uptight.  I have actually been wanting to do practice portraits from Netflix screenshots, because the lighting is so good and there is no distortion.  Sometimes I getin my own way and it’s a weird mental thing.

*Sometime (often) I need to re-hear things. Things I know but they get other things stacked on top and end up at the bottom of my brain pile.  I got some good reminders.

*Marshall spent most of the time going around to everyone individually.  There was a wide experience range in the class from someone who did their first painting yesterday to experienced people. I really liked this because I have experienced being ignored in classes before because i’m “advanced” and the teacher focuses on beginners.  I do need help and critique.  That’s why I am there.  I don’t go to classes to already be good- I’m there to screw up and be out of my comfort zone and try new things. I liked that Marshall gave me the same attention as everyone else.

Because I am a geek I took some notes, this is here for my reference:

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Marshall started with Loomis

Tear duct half way

1/3 hairline/nose/chin

Alizarin
Ultramarine
Sap green
Makes awesome chromatic transparent black

Measure how wide vs how tall

Michael harding emerald green- Marshall’s tube is pretty and i want one

Rembrandt- transparent vs opaque
Undeveloped painting-  let the white of the eye be the cheek color instead of grey

Here is my painting- i really lost focus at the end because there were only 20 minutes left, I was physically very uncomfortable, my palette was different than I am used to and also unorganized, (I cannot work with a disorganized palette!!!) and I knew I was going to wipe the canvas- which at the writing of this post has already happened, thankfully.

I liked it more before I started adding color.  I need so much practice!!!!