Technique – Art Monk

Alla Prima Portrait Workshop with Irvin Rodriguez

By: Melissa April 8, 2017January 6, 2018

Color, Technique, Year ThreeLeave a Comment

Last week I took a super fun and extremely challenging alla prima portrait workshop instructed by a great young painter named Irvin Rodriguez. Irvin and I met almost a year ago at the Frye Museum while I was copying a painting in the gallery. He introduced himself and asked if I was training in an atelier, because…

Lemons

By: Melissa October 15, 2016January 6, 2018

Color, featured, Grisaille, Painting, Technique, Year Three3 Comments

Last week, the day before my 32nd birthday, I finished a 6×8″ still life study of three lemons. One lemon sits in a silver parfait dish, which I bought at a collectibles shop that was painful to leave with only this cup.

The Warm and Cool Palette and Then Some

By: Melissa January 31, 2016October 15, 2016

Color, Life Room, Painting, Technique, Year Two4 Comments

Is this thing on? Testing. Testing. One, two. I can’t believe it’s been two months.

Master Copy after Jacob Collins

By: Melissa November 29, 2015October 15, 2016

Grisaille, Inspiration, Painting, Technique, Year Two2 Comments

Post before last, I linked an article about Jacob Collins who runs an atelier in New York. At the time I was working on a master copy of one of his portraits: Carolina, oil on canvas, 22 x 20 inches, 2006.

Figure Sculpture

By: Melissa November 19, 2015October 15, 2016

Sculpture, Technique, Year TwoLeave a Comment

Tuesday night figure sculpting class is at an end!

Form Painting in the Life Room

By: Melissa November 1, 2015October 15, 2016

Grisaille, Life Hack, Routine, Technique, Year Two1 Comment

As promised, I present for your reading pleasure a post on taking what I learned from the sphere project and applying it to figure painting in the life room.

The Sphere Project, Year Two

By: Melissa October 26, 2015October 15, 2016

Grisaille, Painting, Psychology, sphere, Technique, Year Two2 Comments

Here we are, another year older another year wiser and off we go again to slay the dragon.

Experiencing Color with Pastel Pencils

By: Melissa June 19, 2015October 15, 2016

Art History, Motivation, Technique, Workshop, Year One2 Comments

Since most of year two at the atelier is grisaille painting (in black and white), I wont paint in color until about this time next year.

The Three Week Pose

By: Melissa March 7, 2015October 15, 2016

Routine, Technique1 Comment

For the past three weeks my days have been indistinguishable.

Top Secret

By: Melissa February 28, 2015July 19, 2017

Drawing, Technique, Year One2 Comments

(Featured image: “Bacchanal” by contemporary Swedish painter Nicholas Alm. I saw paintings from this series at Arcadia Gallery in NYC during my trip.) For many emotions, what I’m about to show you must stay between us.