Thumbnail Drawings

Where Has the Time Gone????

2011-10-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

As I write this I see it has been MONTHS since I've posted anything. Well, far from nothing has been going on. It has been a busy Summer.

After my trip to Columbus GA to study with Bo Bartlett I was off to "Paint NC". This is an invitational plein-aire painting event hosted by Germanton Gallery in Germanton, NC

I turned around and bumped into myself while painting!

6x8 study to begin the day.

This event was followed by a trip to Clayton GA to speak with the N. Georgia Arts Guild. They were kind enough to invited me to speak about my artwork and painting process.

Once back home in Spartanburg I worked with the SC School for the Deaf & the Blind as an Artist in Residence to help the art classes prepare a piece of are for their "Very Special Arts" program. The kids at the school were really great to work with. They even taught me a little sign language.

Me & some of the students with their completed project.

May came and with it always comes the Spoleto Festival USA! This is an incredible performing arts festival in Charleston, SC. Several of the galleries hosted a Spoleto Sole and scheduled their artists to paint on Broad St so visitors walking from one performance to another could see some art being created. Edward dare Gallery represents my work in Charleston so I painted near the gallery the first weekend of the festival.

June was a adventurous month with a trip to Jamaica to celebrate the wedding of Kent Cecil and Marisa Axelrod. This had to be THE most beautiful wedding I've ever been to. While in Jamaica I had wonderful opportunity to spend a day & a half with my former room mate from Ringling College of Art & Design, Janis Rankin. Janis is a wonderful watercolor artist and also manages a magnificent villa in the mountains of Montego Bay, Jamaica called The Anchorage Villa. This place has breathtaking views of Montego Bay and also once the home and studio of the late Michael Lister who painted the people and places of Jamaica.

June also brought a great opportunity to work with a Wofford College art major. I was asked to work with a student who won an art Fellowship. Once a week we meet to discuss the paintings she is creating for a show in November. Teaching is a wonderful give and take experience, I'm getting alot out of this too. Several times we've done some plein aire paintings, even in this blistering Summer heat!

July was the beginning of helping my Mom move in to a new phase of her life.... moving from a 3000sq foot home she's been in for over 38 years to a 1000 sq foot retirement apartment at White Oak Estates. The move is a big one for her but she has many friends already living there just waiting for her to move in!

In between all of this I have been painting so blog and website updating have taken a back seat. Life just keeps happening so just keep on painting.

Happy drawing & painting!

Bo Bartlett - Day 4

2011-03-29T17:31:00.000-07:00

I'm back home after the workshop in Columbus, GA. I had so much swirling around in my head so I look the day off to think about my experience.

The last day we applied color over our grisaille. Here is the head shot of the figure painting I was working on. I didn't complete it so I can see the entire process from the uncolored areas. A really great exercise for me.

Here is Bo's painting-

Here is Bo's palette-

Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Cad Red Med, Cad orange, Cad Yellow Med, Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna, Cad Green, Raw Umber, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue and Cobalt Violet

In addition to working on our paintings we went for a walk to see the third venue of work that downtown Columbus was exhibiting their native son's work. This venue had paintings, journals and sketches along with other pieces of memorabilia. The three places exhibiting Bo's work will be up for a few weeks so if you are anywhere near Columbus, GA I suggest you visit!

In addition to great technical painting and drawing direction Bo offered amy inspiring life lessons to apply to both our art and our lives.

The Group

Happy Drawing & Painting!

Bo Bartlett - Day 3

2011-03-26T15:54:00.000-07:00

Today we started the day with a small talk about Ken Wilber's Spiral Dynamics. The big idea from the discussion was "be mindful of what is good for the whole system". In addition to applying to life, Bo also asked us to consider using it in our art.

Next we were off to Yoga- My friend Laura has a class in Greenville, SC at an indoor rowing facility, Greenville Indoor Rowing (her husband Lowell teaches rowing) where she incorporates rowing and yoga. She calls it RowGa. So in honor of Laura I'll call what we are doing in the morning, artga! Here's a picture of Bo beginning our practice...

Now that our mind and bodies were stretched we returned to the studio and completed our grisaille paintings.

Below you can see the open drawing and closed drawing exercise we I did yesterday and mentioned in yesterday's blog post.

Open drawing

Closed drawing.

This is a detail of the head portion of my "in process" grisaille painting.

Here is a picture of Bo working on his grisaille painting.

I'm looking forward to our final day tomorrow where the paintings will come to life with color glazes. Stay tuned!

Happy drawing & painting!

Bo Bartlett - Day 2

2011-03-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

Today we began the workshop with Bo Bartlett. Artists from as far away as California and New York have come to learn from Bo. The title of his workshop is- Holistic Painting: Finding Tour Voice As A Painter.

We began the morning with introductions then all participated in a yoga stretching session before we even lifted a pencil or brush... Namaste!

Each of us was given a 148 page booklet compiled from his senior painting seminar given at the Fall of 2000 and the Spring of 2001 at the Pennsylvania Academy.

"Ground rules" were discussed-

On we went to draw- First open line drawings (no tone/values) then closed line drawings (tone/value only). Lunch break, then we walked with Bo to the CSU's Corn Art Center to see one of his 3 exhibits in downtown Columbus. Bo spoke with us about his process and thoughts behind several of his paintings.

After the Corn Art Center visit we walked back to the Carpenter Center to begin our paintings. Bo discussed the grisaille method which he uses. Grisaille is an under painting of values. Once dry color glazes are painted on top to create a realistic look. I am more of a direct painter, where I go for a completed realistic look immediately so I am looking forward to getting out of my box.

Tomorrow I'll post some of the drawings and the beginning of my grisaille.

Happy drawing & painting!

Bo Bartlett - Columbus, GA

2011-03-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

I'm writing from Columbus, GA where I've traveled to participate in a 3 day workshop with Bo Bartlett. Bo is an internationally known artist whose home town is Columbus, GA.

Tonight downtown Columbus hosted a 3 venue Artwalk of Bo's paintings, drawings, studies, sketchbooks and journals. Facinating!

I first "discovered" Bo's painting at the Greenville, SC Museum of Art. They have a large painting titled "Lamb" which was an inspiration for a painting I created for a Piccolo Spoleto event in 2000.

Tommorrow is the first full day of the 3 day workshop. Figurative work is my first love and it has been sometime since I spend 3 entire days devoted to it. At the end of each day I'll post what my day was about.

Here are pics from the Artwalk tonight.

Happy drawing & painting!

Art Exhibit, Providence Gallery - Charlotte, NC

2011-03-06T07:41:00.000-08:00

The Everyday Extraordinary: New Landscape Paintings by Ann Watcher, Lita Gatlin & Isabel Forbes
Opening Reception with the Artists: Friday, March 11 - 6pm-9pm
On Display Thru March 31, 2011
Providence Gallery's newest artist, Ann Watcher, presents a series of paintings depicting rural Carolina landscapes harkening back to our agricultural roots, bringing attention to the fact that our past is rapidly being encroached upon by urban development. The artist' attraction to "age of place" makes Tuscany, with its ancient history and culture, a natural destination for exploration on canvas. Lita Gatlin expresses her love of nature by using her canvas to convey the splendor of nature’s colors and how they are ever changing in response to the atmosphere. Her paintings depict areas in the southeastern U.S. and Europe. Isabel Forbes’ paintings focus on the beauty that is often overlooked in urban landscapes. Her compositions include things we use and see every day, seeking to convey a new appreciation for the ordinary to her viewer.

"Does this make my *&@## Look Fatz?" 24" x 36" oil on Canvas©Isabel Forbes 2011

Providence Gallery is located in

in beautiful Myers Park, behind the Manor Theater601-A Providence RoadCharlotte, NC 28207

Marsh Madness

2011-03-02T17:01:00.000-08:00

Edward Dare Gallery
Friday March 4
FIRST FRIDAY ON BROAD, Charleston, SC
5 - 8 pm French Quarter Gallery Association Artwalk

I will be one of several artists represented by Edward Dare Gallery in Charleston, SC that will be a part of this exhibit. My painting Lowcountry Marsh, 24"x24" oil on canvas, is one of the pieces in the show.

Multi-Cultural Exhibition

2011-02-11T18:19:00.000-08:00

Artist Guild of Spartanburg, SC Gallery: Multi-Cultural Exhibition

at the Chapman Cultural Center

Multi-Cultural Exhibition: Feb. 7 – Feb. 19, 2011. The reception is on Thursday Feb. 17, 6 - 8:00 pm during Artwalk.

Celebrating Multi-Culturalism within the Guild’s membership! Many Guild members from a variety of cultures here and around the world will exhibit their artwork in the Guild Gallery during this month. Visitors may be surprised at the different countries represented within the Guild's membership.

Sweet Grass Rose, 16"x12", oil on canvas

This is my submission in to the Multi-Cultural Exhibition. I entered the exhibit because I am half Dutch. Here is the artist statement for the exhibition

My father, Jacques Forbes, was born in Curacao, a Dutch island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. As the kid of a Dutch man I always had a real interest in the Dutch artists, Rembrant, Frans Hals and Johannes Vermeer. My mother would check out framed prints of some of these Dutch Masters from the Spartanburg County Library and hang them over the fireplace of our home. I can remember being fascinated with the way they recreated light in their paintings. Today, the play of light and dark is an important part of the paintings I create.

The Sketchbook Project 2011

2011-02-04T07:24:00.000-08:00

Here is a slideshow of my sketchbook:

The Sketchbook Project

Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the country.

After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view.

This is how it works:

Each artist is sent the same blank Moleskine sketchbook. We've only got two rules: first, the book must be used in some way - no sending us back an empty book or a completely different book! Second, the sketchbook must stay within its original dimensions (because we don't want to have to provide an extra suitcase just for your book while we're touring the country).

Each book will be given a barcode so we can easily catalog it into The Brooklyn Art Library system. Once we catalog it, artists will be able to track where on the tour their book is viewed and how many times someone pulled it from the shelf!

28838 artists from 94 countries around the world are participating. The tour starts March, 2011.

Lowcountry Fishing

2011-01-25T09:49:00.000-08:00

While I painted this in my studio I was dreaming of warmer days down in the SC Lowcountry. We have had record snow here in the Upstate of Spartanburg, SC and, although I've seen some beautiful snowscapes... future paintings (maybe in the Summer!), I must admit I love warm weather.

This painting (oil on canvas, 10"x20") can be found at The Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan's Island, SC

Highway 11, another roadside attraction

2010-12-15T08:53:00.001-08:00

The painting on my easel is currently a local landmark located just beyond Lake Bowen Spartanburg, SC I painted a small "thumbnail" version of this a few yars ago and now I'm tackling this 24" x 36".

My overhead bank of natural lights create a faux skylight so I wear the visor to block out the glare. A painting this size so of "takes me in" and I feel like I'm right on the side of the road on Highway 11. This is beautiful country! In high school we'd cruise out 11 and feel like we were in another world.

When I moved back to Spartanburg after being away for 30 years I was shocked to discover the Boiling Springs area (just down the street from this gas station) had turned into a megatropolis! Gone are the farms and acres and acres of peach fields. I was completely disoriented.

Part of my goal for 2011 is to get out and create plein air paintings to bring back to my studio to paint larger paintings of the many "roadside attractions" that are in danger of disappearing.

Happy drawing & painting!

Isabel

Postcards from Charleston

2010-12-09T06:35:00.000-08:00

My last post was about my "Postcards" project. I've decided to expand on this idea and I have created some "Postcards from Charleston". Both of these series are available at the galleries that represent me in Charleston & Sullivan's Island. In fact both Edward Dare Gallery at Charleston, SC and and Sandpiper Gallery at Sullivan's Island, SC are currently hosting a show for the holidays called "Postcards from Charleston" and "Postcards from Sullivan's Island" through January.

I really am enjoying creating these small works (all of these paintings are 6"x8") in between the larger studio paintings I create. The process of being able to create something in one studio setting and the challenge of keeping things simple keep me on my toes.

6"x8" oil on canvas, Window Box

http://isabelforbes.com/

8"x6" oil on canvas, Basket Weaver

http://isabelforbes.com/

6"x8" oil on canvas, Market

http://isabelforbes.com/

8"x6" oil on canvas, Charleston Porch

http://isabelforbes.com/

8"x6" oil on canvas, Carriage Ride

http://isabelforbes.com/

8"x6" oil on canvas, St Philips Steeple

http://isabelforbes.com/

8"x6" oil on canvas, Sweetgrass Rose

http://isabelforbes.com/

8"x6" oil on canvas, Rx King Street

http://isabelforbes.com/

8"x6" oil on canvas, Sweetgrass Artist

http://isabelforbes.com/

6"x8" oil on canvas, Artist's Hands

http://isabelforbes.com/

Several of these paintings have already sold, but if you are interested in any of them contact the galleries listed.

Happy drawing & painting!

Postcards from Sullivan's Island

2010-10-08T12:33:00.000-07:00

I recently decided to create a series of small, 6"x8" oil painting and call them "Postcards from Sullivan's Island". When I paint these small paintings they act like my thumbnail sketches only done in oil paint. While painting these paintings I can decide which paintings I would like to create a larger version of. It is always a challenge to paint small. I use bruches that are about 1/2 inch in width so I won't get too picky.

Hope you enjoy the journey to Sullivan's Island, SC.

These paintings are now at Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan's Island, SC

Happy drawing & painting!

Berlin's, Downtown Charleston, SC

2010-09-10T06:16:00.001-07:00

This is an abbreviated step by step of a recent oil painting. The easel shots were taken with my iphone so the color cast is a tad bluer than in reality but this gives an overall idea of how a painting is developed.

Block in: I paint over the entire canvas to get a feel for where my colors and values are.

Big to small shapes: Once I'm comfortable with the overall composition I begin to develop areas of the painting. I usually start with the focal area and work out from there.

I continue to bring areas in to focus...

This is the finished painting. Berlin's, 18"x24" oil on canvas.

Charleston County Public Library Features the Artwork of Isabel Forbes

2010-07-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

The Charleston County Public Library in Charleston, SC, will present the exhibit, Make Your Life a Work of Art: Paintings by Isabel Forbes, on view in the Saul Alexander Foundation Gallery at its main branch, on view from July 1 - 31, 2010.

Forbes, an artist from the Upstate, will offer oil paintings in this one-person exhibition. The title of Forbes’ exhibit, Make Your Life a Work of Art, is a reference to the artist's use of scenes from her life as she travels between the SC Upstate and the Lowcountry.

An award winning artist, Forbes is a graduate of Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL. She worked as a graphic designer and illustrator for over 27 years before making the transition into fine art full time. Inspired by her surroundings, she paints the everyday scenes of her life. "After moving back home to Spartanburg, SC, having been away for over 30 years, I saw things with a new eye. Now when I travel back to the Lowcountry, I'm able to rediscover things I previously took for granted."

Forbes' is a founding member of the Charleston Outdoor Painters Association (COPA), an exhibiting member of the Charleston Artist’s Guild, a board member of the Artists Guild of Spartanburg and is represented by Sandpiper Gallery in Sullivan’s Island, SC and Edward Dare Gallery in Charleston, SC.

The Saul Alexander Foundation Gallery is located in the Charleston County Public Library’s main branch, 68 Calhoun Street. For further information about the exhibit call 843-805-6930. Further information about Isabel Forbes is available on her website at www.isabelforbes.com

Painting NC - Plein Air Invitational Event

2010-04-15T08:30:00.001-07:00

Flower Girl - Plein-Air Painting 10"x8"

I participated again in the "Painting NC Plein -Air Invitational" hosted by Germanton Gallery in Germanton NC. The way this event works is artists from around the country come to NC and begin painting from April 3 - 8th. We deliver up to 4 of the paintings we painted that week, framed and ready to hang, to Germanton Gallery for a show and reception Friday, April 9th. The show hangs through the month of April.

This year I made day trips to Tryon, NC then traveled to Germanton, NC (near Winston Salem, NC) to paint until Sunday. This year I stayed with a wonderful art patron in Midway, NC with two other artists, Doug Martin from Colorada and Bernard Martin (no relation to Doug) from Florida. I really enjoyed getting to know them and talk art shop.

I was a tad rusty with my plein-air skills because I'm not much of a winter plein-air painter. The wonderful Spring weather was an inspiration and it felt great to get out and paint again. There is no substitute for painting from life. The "Flower Girl" painting was the last painting of the week for me. The model, Maya, is a pro at 14 years old!

Happy Spring and happy painting!

Corner- The Skillet

2010-02-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

Here is another oil painting from my favorite diner here in Spartanburg, SC. Best grits in the world.

The inspiration for this painting came while I was waiting on someone to meet me for breakfast. The morning sun was coming through the window and I was struck by the sight. This is something I've probably seen many times but because I wasn't in a rush I noticed the simple beauty of light and venetian blinds!

I'm finally able to veralize what I'm after when I choose subjects to paint. My goal as a painter is to help people see the beauty of the mediocre and hopefully evoke a sense of wonder at something they have seen a million times - me included.

Happy drawing and painting!

Poe's Summer Night by Isabel Forbes

2010-01-22T07:09:00.000-08:00

Hope you enjoy my first attempt at creating a video with a little narrative. Poe's is one of my favorite restaurants so I enjoy the process of painting it - I can almost taste their delicious hamburgers and blue cheese cole slaw as I paint this.

As I state in the video, I start out with a value block in then continue to define my shapes until the painting feels complete.

Happy drawing & painting!

Sullivan's Island Cottage - Ion Street

2010-01-08T09:46:00.000-08:00

Thumbnail drawing

Block in

Refining the block in...

more refining...

The finished painting.

I love visiting Sullivan's Island, SC. The town has done a great job of keeping big development under control. If you walk or ride a bicycle around the neighborhoods you can see lots of quaint cottages/bungalows. I'm looking forward to the Spring so I can actually be there to paint some of the great scenes on the spot (en plain air).

Above you can see the process of this new painting, "Sullivan's Island Cottage. I start out with my "Thumbnail Drawing". This small sketch works like a road map. I've hear many an artist say, getting value right is more important that getting colors right. Colors are more of a personal decision - values are needed in order for a painting to "read".

This painting can be seen at the Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan's Island.

Happy drawing & painting!

Shem Creek Shrimpboat

2009-12-18T12:04:00.000-08:00

"Days End on Shem Creek", 9x12, oil on canvas panel

Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant, SC is a wealth of great painting subjects. Sort of feels like stepping back in time. More and more technology is taking over alot of handwork so it is really fascinating to see fishermen mend shrimp nets, separate the days catch, clean fish and weight out fresh catch to sell. I always like to stop by Wando Shrimp Co. to buy some shrimp and fish to bring back to Spartanburg.

This painting is currently available at Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan's Island, SC.

This is a place I will return to paint over and over!

Happy drawing & painting.... & Happy Holidays.

Inside the Skillet Restaurant

2009-12-11T10:59:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite subjects... the skillet!

This image shows my studio setup. You can see the monitor to the right of me and I use that as my reference for the painting. I've come to prefer painting from the monitor as opposed to using a photograph or print out because the light is better in the photo on the monitor. I can also use Photoshop to "look" into shadows that would normally just go black in a photograph.

Should have the painting complete by next week to post. Check back to see it!

Happy drawing & painting!

Beyond the Line - Drawing for Painters Workshop

2009-12-01T14:08:00.000-08:00

March 18, 2010 I'll be teaching a one day class about called "Beyond the Line - Drawing for Painters". The idea behind this class is to show painters why I think it is important to draw a "thumbnail" drawing before I begin a painting.

The drawing in picture #1 really is more about determining my values. This will help me to push back areas I think aren't important and make sure I'm clear about my center of attention. A lot of time is spent with the painting so why not take 30 minutes and to get my head wrapped around what I'm about to tackle. I don't always draw a value sketch and when I don't I seem to fight with my painting more.

The picture #2 is my finished 11x14 oil painting on my easel. I really had some fun with this because many issues were thought out first. Give it a try and see how a value drawing can support your painting.

My one day workshop is March 18, 2010 at Burton Gallery & Emporium in Clarkesville, GA 706-947-1351.

The building in my painting is the Sea Biscuit on the Isle of Palms, SC. The food is wonderful, but it is a small place and if you don't get there early plan on waiting.

You can see this finished painting at the Sandpiper Gallery on Sullivan's Island, SC.

Happy drawing & painting!

My New Drawing Tool - the Iphone

2009-11-05T09:11:00.001-08:00

Digital drawing 2"x3.5"

The ultimate thumbnail drawing.... these two drawings were done on my Iphone's 2"x3.5" screen using the application "Brushes". I attended a local life drawing group at the Hub-Bub showroom and decided to experiment with my Iphone.

I read about the Iphone application "Brushes" this summer in the New Yorker. Read the article here. This article spurred me on to get it a try. With no "How to" manual in hand it did require a lot of trial and error. The undo option does help tremendously with the experimentation. I did find a User's guide while write this blog entry so stay tuned for some more experiments.

The screen on the Iphone is 2"x3.5" (the size of a business card) so I use a stylus instead of my finger because it is so hard to see what I'm doing with my finger in the way.

Check this cool video of the process of drawing the first figure.

Practice seeing

2009-10-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

6"x8" oil on linen panel

Thought I'd have the "Late Sunday Morning" done by this week but remembered I have a "miniatures" show at a gallery in NC I need to create work for. I also decided I want to get out of the studio and paint those buildings on site for a day. Finishing that painting will have to wait until mid November.

So this week I worked on enlarging miniature things and in the process practiced really seeing....

When I draw or paint I discover things I've never seen before... I noticed alot of things in my travels during the day, but seeing, that's another matter. For the minitures show I thought is would be fun to find everyday items that I use and take for granted. A clothespin for example. Have you really seen a clothespin?

Alot of my work is painted from photographic reference. I certainly would never knock using photography as a tool. Thomas Eakins used photographs as a tool as did many other Masters. The problem happens when the artist hasn't had enough experience drawing or painting from life. You see things while drawing/painting from life you just don't see when working from a photograph.

If you use photographs as a tool try to find some things around the house to paint from life and really see what you might be missing.

Happy drawing & painting!

Edward Hopper

2009-10-23T08:36:00.000-07:00

Self-Portrait, 1925-30 Oil on canvas 25 1/16 x 20 3/8 in. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

A couple of years ago I painted a fellow at a local "landmark" restaurant here in Spartanburg, SC called the Skillet. I called it Morning News. When I paint or draw something there is always a combination of emotional interest and design interest that captures my eye and inspires me. In this case there was this wonderful landmark of a restaurant (I read in a newspaper when I first moved back home that the building/shopping strip the Skillet was located in would eventually be torn down and redesigned and rebuilt.) and the great design of the figure against the background and counter.

To make a long story longer.... when a friend saw the painting in my studio she remarked that it reminded her of Edward Hopper. That comment piqued my interest so I (alway the student!) did some research on Hopper.

In 2005 I had the opportunity to visit Hopper's childhood home in Nyack, NY when I was attending at week workshop with Burt Silverman in Upstate, NY, so I of course knew of Hopper. As I researched him more I did feel a connection with some of his subject matter - the world that he lived in - the hotels, motels, trains, highways, restaurants, theaters, cinemas and offices around him.

Early Sunday Morning, 1930 Oil on canvas 35 x 60 in. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

I decided to paint a group of building in Spartanburg's downtown area (one of which was my Step-father's Drug Store which was the first painting I painted upon returning home, Heinitsh Walker.) which are inspired from Hopper's "Early Sunday Morning" I've created sketch in my Moleskin Sketchbook with waterproof uniball, then I colored it with watercolor. On the easel is a 15"h x 30" painting which I'm trying to photograph the process.

Hope to complete the oil painting by next week and post the process. So on the the easel.... happy drawing, and painting. Be inspired and learn from the Masters

Village Tower

2009-09-02T05:10:00.001-07:00

OK, finally here is the finished oil painting. The size is 30"h x 15"w and is oil on canvas.

I had a studio near the Old Village in Mt. Pleasant for a couple of years and I saw this great old water tower everyday. I've been wanting to paint it for awhile. One day as I was walking in the Old Village back toward my studio I looked up and saw this perfect composition. Boom! Like a hit on the head.

This painting isn't the typical "pretty" painting. What is attractive to me is the design. Underneath my paintings my goal is to have a good design, if it happens to be a beautiful thing, like a tree in bloom with a lovely bird feeder, that's icing on the cake.

Those types of paintings might not be the most "salable", but I have to paint something I believe in.

I entered this painting into the Oil Painters of America 2009 Eastern Regional Juried Exhibition Of Traditional Oils. I'll keep my finders crossed as this is a highly competitive exhibition.

Happy drawing & painting!

Mt. Pleasant Waterworks

2009-07-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

I've started a new oil painting. This is the thumbnail drawing I worked out before I started the painting. On Simmons St. in Mt. Pleasant, SC you'll see this old watertower watching over the old village. I had an art studio just across the street from this tower and got to see the sky do some wonderful things to this tower. Finally, now that I've moved up to Spartanburg, I've decided to paint it.

The day I made some sketch notes for this painting a thunderhead was moving in. Past plane trails were also etched across the blue sky. A Redtail Hawk lives up there so I felt the plane trails could symbolize that for me. What interests me about this is not only the very cool old watertower, but also the fun design possibilities. Stay tuned for the up load of the finished painting... should be next week. Happy drawing & painting!

A New Commitment

2009-06-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

Today I'm beginning my second blog. 2007 I started my first blog, Drawn to Draw. This was my first adventure into the blogghisphere. I learned alot and still have a world to learn about blogging.

My main objective was and is to share my love of drawing. Thumbnail Drawings is my new attempt to "share the love". The definition of a Thumbnail Drawings (or sketches) are, "Drawing quick, abbreviated drawings. Usually, they are done very rapidly and with no corrections - you can use any medium, though pen or pencil is the most common. Thumbnails sketches are usually very small, often only an inch or two high." The thumbnail drawings I will share with you will run the gamut. I'll post small sketches, full page drawings from my sketch book and watercolor with drawing also from my sketchbook. These drawings are my inspiration for studio paintings which I will also post.

Ideally, as with the title of the blog, my vision for this blog is to write small posts about small drawings. I also hope to post on a much more regular basis.

I hope you will following me on this new commitment and journey

Happy drawing!

Town & Country

2009-04-15T06:07:00.000-07:00

Working feverishly on the last few paintings for the show with Garry Turpin, Town & Country: Urban Scenes by Isabel Forbes and Beyond City Limits by Garry Turpin.

I've enjoyed getting to know Garry. He is originally from Spartanburg, then moved to Greenville. After I finish the paintings, frame them and tie up loose ends I'll post some more about the show.

This is a Press Release about the show, written by Beverly Knight.

“Town & Country: Urban Scenes by Isabel Forbes & Beyond City Limits by Garry Turpin,” opens May 1 at the Artists’ Guild Gallery in Spartanburg’s Chapman Cultural Center.
Both artists work in oil and focus on subjects that they find to be compelling, attempting to capture a visual moment that the viewer can experience vicariously.

Forbes’ “Smith’s Drugs #1” pictures a nondescript storefront that people drive by every day as they hurry from one end of Spartanburg to another. The painting transforms it into a colorful scene, a red bicycle leaning casually against the front wall contrasting with the blue striped awning of the small building on Main Street.

Turpin’s “Mountain Folk” recreates a relaxed scene as well, but one filled with people—and in the forefront a young woman, red hair flowing and bare feet dangling from the edge of a front porch, smiling directly at the viewer.

“Goldenwater,” a painting of a mountain stream, white water rushing around boulders and toward the viewer, showcases one of the recurring images in Turpin’s work. The artist says his work captures water’s variable nature, “its beauty and power, its color and lack of color and its varying degrees of transparency, always providing an interesting ‘painter’s journey’.”

Forbes, since her recent return to Spartanburg, her hometown, after three decades away, has focused her art on urban scenes that “had a visual spark or surprise and revealed something new about the familiar.” For several of the paintings in the exhibit, she explored Spartanburg with a bicycle rented for three months for $15 from the Hub Cycle Spartanburg Community Bicycles program run by Partners for Active Living. With her sketchbook and watercolor pad, she rode around, drinking in the sights until an image attracted her attention.

“Typically I work quickly and directly from life for two to three hours on a painting or drawing until I get the feeling, light, and space of a location,” Forbes says of her oil paintings, referring to herself as an observational painter who works from subjects that are part of her everyday life.
“I will then work on the painting back in the studio, developing the forms and trying to resolve the design. I look for the extraordinary in the ordinary. Painting, for me, is a way of connecting and discovering.”

She chose paintings for the current exhibit from subjects that she had a personal response to, focusing on subjects with a “sense of familiarity not just because I recognize a particular place but because I also recognized a feeling or remembered an experience.”

Turpin, who received a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Mars Hill College in 1971, has lived in the Spartanburg area, with his wife Bonnie for the past 38 years. After twenty-five years in the graphic design, illustration and photography business, a career that led to numerous awards and opportunities, he decided in 2000 to return to fine arts, more specifically oil painting. For the past nine years he has made painting his primary work.

“I invite the viewer to join in my interpretation of our world.” Turpin says of his paintings, many of which are portraiture or landscape. “I use the rich variable colors of oil paint to capture my feelings and the presence of my subject and hopefully pass it forward to trigger a memory or connection in viewers to what they see.”

Turpin describes his art as “my memory, the many paths I take, the people I encounter and the balance and rhythm that are created by man and nature,” those things that not only express the artist’s experiences but also revive memories in the viewer’s mind of things he too has experienced. Turpin loves the challenges that are presented in portraiture. “Rendering a physical likeness and projecting that person’s personality make portrait painting a unique offering to both the person being painted and to the artist,” Turpin says.

An artists’ reception for the exhibit is scheduled for May 2, 6 - 8:00 p.m., and is free and open to the public. The exhibit continues through May 28.
Gallery hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Admission to the Guild Gallery is free of charge.
For information, contact Laura Pinkley, 864-764-9568.

Happy drawing & painting!

Paint NC Plein-Air Invitational

2009-04-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

Startown, NC

This painting was done in the back seat of my car. On the way to Germanton, NC I stopped at a little town just below Hickory, NC named Startown. This sweet little church was on Startown road. As I painted this I thought this would be a perfect place for an American Idol contestant to be from.

Germanton, NC

Once I arrived in Germanton, NC I found this great farm just accross the street from the home I stayed at for 3 nights. (More on my gracious hosts in another post.) The farm, Buffalo Creek Farm, was a fun place to paint and one of the owners, Robin, shared alot of interesting farm stuff I didn't know. I painted this on a foggy/rainy day. Luckily, I found a great shelter and painted the back of the barn/house. This farm had llamas, guinea fowl, goats, rabbits, turkeys, Great Pyrenees dogs. Some animals had special duties on th farm. The guinea fowl are said to be good for controlling the Lyme Disease-bearing deer tick. The Great Pyrenees dogs protect the livestock and are rarely out of sight or hearing of his flock. It is a calm animal that moves slowly to avoid disturbing the livestock and possesses a better than average sense of hearing, sight and smell. Llamas bonds with its herd of livestock, it takes over as a protector. Friday, I "forged" their Buffalo Creek to paint their restored log cabin and one of their llamas kept his eye on me as I crossed the pasture.

I used the second shed pictured here as shelter to paint the barn/house - see my easel next to the ladder.

Friday I forged this stream to paint in Buffalo Creeks back pasture.

This llama was keeping his eye on me.

This is were I painted on Friday. If you look closely you can see my easel setup to the right. They had two outhouses which I did use. Hint: overalls are not the attire to wear when using outhouses...

The Reception

Friday night Germanton Gallery held a reception for 30+ artist they invited to be a part of this paint-out. It was a fun evening and I meet some really nice artists from all over the country. One artist, whose work I admired, was Robert Brown from Charlotte, NC.

Next post I'll put up some of what I painted while in Germanton and tell you more about my adventures.

Happy drawing & painting!

Day 3 Painting NC Plein-Air Event

2009-04-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

Painting NC Plein-Air Show

2009-03-31T13:58:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to be apart of this event. If you love to see artists in action, this event should be a great opportunity to see some great plein air paintings. The Germanton Art Gallery represents some of my favorite artists and it is my understanding some of them will be present. After the recption on Friday, April 3rd, many of us, including one of my favorite artist, Scott Burdick, will be painting in the downtown area of Germantown Saturday and Sunday. Hope you can venture up to see us. After the show I will post the plein air paintings I make during this event. Happy painting!

I am painting "day trips" into NC Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday I travel to Germanton, NC to paint through Sunday. Rain or shine this should be a good time! Monday's painting - March 30, 2009. This sign is on Hwy 176 on the way to Saluda, NC. The painting, 12" x 9" oil on panel, "Valley Courts Sign", was painted on a cool and breezy day. I needed a bungee cord to keep the panel from blowing into my pile of paints.

Today's painting (March 31, 2009), 8" x 6" oil on linen panel, "That's a Dandy" was painted at FENCE. It was a very overcast day so I chose something simple. They have wonderful nature trails, which I also explored. This is a must come back to plein-air location!

Sketchbook "Thumbnails"

2009-03-26T05:42:00.000-07:00

I am painting for a May show at the Chapman Cultural Center in the Spartanburg Artist Guild gallery with Garry Turpin. The theme is 'Town & Country". I am painting urban scenes and Garry is painting "beyond the city limits scenes". This sketch was used to get my creative juices going for the 18"x24" oil on canvas painting.

The top sketch was painted on location (plein-air painting) downtown Spartanburg using a portable watercolor palette and a Moleskine sketchbook. I love this sketchbook. The paper is made for watercolor and the whole feel of the book inspires me. There are many kinds of Moleskine notebooks but for watercolor sketching I use the Moleskine Large Watercolor Notebook: Size: 5.25 x 8.25",Pages: 72 pages of acid-free paper.

If you love sketching try of one the Moleskines out. You'll love it! Happy drawing!

Nu-Way Thumbnail

2009-03-23T06:57:00.000-07:00

This example of a thumbnail sketch before I painted sort of shows my thought pattern. I was much more interested in the abstract shapes of the buildings with the vertical intersecting lines of the sign and electrical pole. I was looking at the shapes the values made. I was also awestruck by the red door shape. I'm always on the lookout for discovering the extraordinary in the ordinary.

As I painted this I kept those thoughts and feelings in the front of my mind. These feelings are what kept me excited about painting this. The Nu-Way does also happen to be a Spartanburg, SC landmark were many a drink was poured and story shared. Not the most beautiful of places to paint, but then again beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

The Nu-Way, oil on panel, 16' x 20" painted 2007 "adopted" by Nan Coghill

Thumbnails

2009-03-17T10:25:00.000-07:00

Recently, while looking at old sketchbooks, I noticed how important drawing thumbnails before I tackle a painting is to my creative process.

The thumbnail drawing allows me to look at shapes and values so I can (hopefully!) create a strong composition. I play around with several thumbnail design possibilities and once I hit on a thumbnail that seems to work I feel excited about starting the painting.

The thumbnail drawings above is about 5"h x 4"w. The oil painting is 16"h x 11"w.

I thought over the next few posts I'd share some of my thumbnails.

A great Evening

2009-01-16T15:07:00.000-08:00

Dispite frigid tempatures people came out for the Spartanburg ArtWalk! My "Homecoming" reception had a steady crowd. Carolina Gallery always does a great reception. Delicious catering and the nice background music of classical guitar.

I saw alot of friends I hadn't seen in 30+ years and met some new friends. One person shared a favorite saying with me that seemed to fit.... "you can't go forward until you go back". That summed up what this show was all about.

If you couldn't make the opening reception the show will be up until mid February. They also have 2 more floors of wonderful art.

This photo shows one corner of th gallery. That's me in the salmon colored jacket.

An Invitation

2009-01-13T10:29:00.000-08:00

I just received my invitation to my art show! After a year and a half of painting the day is almost here to share what I have created. I have heard other artists say every painting an artist creates is really a self portrait and I am really feeling that thought this week.

If you are in the area, please come to the reception. The show will be up for a month at Carolina Gallery.

January 4th my local paper ran an article about this upcoming show.

The Skillet Restaurant

2008-12-26T07:01:00.000-08:00

Number 1 - Over Easy, Grits, Crispy Bacon, Dry Rye & Black Coffee

This new painting of , The Skillet, is the second painting I've created using this restaurant as my inspiration. The Skillet is a Spartanburg landmark where you can order an incredible breakfast. My favorite is the #1 Special. The restaurant is small so if you can't be seated at a table you might have to sit at the counter. Dining at the counter is always fun because you could be sitting next to a CEO or a student. It is a great melting pot. Someday soon they will be demolishing the shopping center where the Skillet is located and build a new shiny shopping center. I'm trying to record some memories with my paintings of the town I love.

I'll take you along my painting process, starting with my studio set-up. When I'm not painting on location I use my digital photos displayed on my computer monitor as a reference.

I keep little notes to remind me to have fun, squint and to visualize my goal.

Looking down on me is an old photograph I found at an estate sale. George Bellows, the American painter, is pictured at his Woodstock Studio.

Step One
When I have a figure in a painting I'll usually draw out the basic composition. I'm using vine charcoal on a stretched white canvas. I'll fix the charcoal after I finish drawing so I don't make a big smear mess.

I love drawing. Lately I'm painting more than I draw, but actually I feel like I am drawing when I paint because I am looking at the shapes and trying to recreate what I see.

Step 2
In this shot you can see my "block in". My goal is to cover the canvas with the average value of the colors I see in my subject and to establish the shapes. This step really helps me to evaluate my composition.
Step 3
Now I start to define my focal point, "the star of the show". I don't know who this fellow is, but I liked the way he was day dreaming as he waited for his breakfast to be cooked.

I love a finished/unfinished look to my completed paintings, so my painting process gets slower and slower in hopes that I don't finish the painting too much. I always want "the hand of the painter" to be seen - to be able to see the paint, the brush strokes.

Step 4
Working some more of the focal point. The paint starts off thin and gets thicker as I near completing an area.

As with the finished/unfinished look to the painting I also like a balance of thick and thin paint buildup. As in life, it is all about balance.
Step 5
As I work on this painting I want to make sure I keep the cook in a "supporting role" to my star. The cook is in the background and shouldn't be as defined and should be less in focus.

At this stage I like the red/green color pallette, but feel that I need to pop out my focal point more. Perhaps a change in the color of his jacket?
Step 6
I decided to change the jacket color to a red/brown. This decision does add emphasis to the main subject. I've slowed way down now. All the details in the background don't need to be detailed too much. I'm aiming for just a suggestion.

Hope you've enjoyed this painting journey. Creating this blog entry has helped me to really see and "hear" my painting process.

Scroll up to see the finished painting.

Finished Waiting on Moma

2008-11-26T12:10:00.000-08:00

Step #4 Finishing

As the painting gets closer to completion I my painting speed slows down. Since my last post I've worked on three different painting in my studio and several plein-air paintings. My finished painting should have some areas on them that aren't completely defined. "The star of the show" or my focal point (the woman reading) is completed more than the background or her surroundings. My Mom's heart cath was a good one, I hope her Mom's was too. I have alot to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving!

The Block In(s)

2008-09-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

Step #3 Local Color Block In

Today, I blocked in the halftones of the shapes and attacked my center of interest. I try my best to see this as a collection of shapes and not people in a waiting room. If I get all my shapes drawn correctly the painting will have a better chance of working. As I draw my shapes with paint, I am also working on color, value and edges.

Set #2 Tonal Block In

Monday I decided to block in all my dark and light shapes using terra rosa. Sometimes I'll skip this step and go straight to the block in with the halftone colors (the major color of the shape). Using a single color helps me see the overall design of the shapes.

Here is a detail of the main character in this "play". All of this is a work in progress.

Waiting on Mom

2008-09-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

Step #1 charcoal drawing on a grey toned canvas panel

Thought I'd make a better effort at recording the process of a painting. I'll have to take it off the easel and bring it outside to photograph each stage. This process of stopping to photograph will also give me a chance to view the painting in a different way.

I love the saying "Make your life a work of art". I believe that can be done by anyone in any walk of life. What this means to me is; in anything you do be there 100% and make it as beautiful as you can. From the meal you prepare, to the bed you make - I believe a person can be creative in any act.

My current work takes that saying literally. The paintings I create are from my life - where I travel, what I see and who I meet.

This painting is called "Waiting on Mom". I was at the Spartanburg Regional Hospital's Heart Center in their waiting room waiting on my Mom. She was having a heart catheterization to investigate some problems she had been experiencing. There were alot of people in the waiting room waiting on their loved ones too.

I don't always make a charcoal drawing first, but because the composition was alittle complicated I thought I'd map it out.

Cecilia Beaux -"Man with a Cat"

2008-09-01T15:18:00.000-07:00

Just returned from visiting Washington, DC. Two of the highlights of a very eventful trip were #1 I was able to see and spend time with a cousin I hadn't seen in over 40 years and #2 I stood right in front of my all time favorite painting by Cecilia Beaux at the Portrait Gallery.

Life is good!

Aqua Nest

2008-07-25T13:48:00.000-07:00

Aqua Nest

This watercolor was painted for an exhibit I was juried into called Flights of Fantasy: The Artistic Bird, at Brookgreen Gardens located in Pawleys Island. The watercolor paintings, chosen from the South Carolina Watermedia Association members, will hang in conjunction with a sculpture exhibit. The show is September 6 - November 2, 2008

“Aqua Nest” is a painting that was inspired by the Southern hairdos I witnessed growing up in Spartanburg, SC.

My Dad was an avid photographer so my Mother’s hairstyle is well documented --- from cute pixies to bountiful bouffants. These images are part of the inspiration in the creation of this painting.

I also remember well my first grade teacher, Miss Johnson. She had beautiful white hair piled high in a bun. To our surprise and delight, she would randomly decorate her bun with fruit, flowers or even a bird’s nest on occasion. Whether this was for educational purposes or not, it certainly sparked my imagination.
Some Southern bouffants were so elaborate, with curls and waves; it was easy for me to imagine birds flying in and out to make nests in them! If this was more than just a childhood fantasy, I wonder if the women with the big hair would notice something had taken up residence on top of their heads!

The Beacon Drive In

2008-05-21T06:58:00.000-07:00

The Beacon
Drive In

John White opened the Beacon Drive-In sixty years ago. He retired in 1998 after being a hands-on owner. It is a "Slice-A-Plenty" of Spartanburg, SC.

This place is a must visit if you are anywhere near Spartanburg. JC greets you when you enter and asks you to "call it out" He shouts your order to the kitchen and asks you to "Move down the line". During lunch time this place is PACKED! Somehow your order does appear as shouted...

My painting is of a fellow stirring the chili for their famous Chili Cheese Burger. If you call out a "Chili-Cheese-A- Plenty you get a chili cheeseburger on a bun on a plate buried underneath piles of sweet onion rings and French fried potatoes. Make sure you order their Iced Tea. It is served over shaved ice and is the best tea around! The Beacon sells more tea than any other single restaurant in the U.S.A

The Beacon has been a must stop for any politician running for office! Come and visit, but don't come on Sunday... they are closed.

Catching A Buzz

2008-04-25T06:05:00.000-07:00

The top image is of the beginning of the painting.

Thought I'd give a try at show the progression of a recent painting. I've been enjoying the challenge of designing within a long canvas. This one is 15"h x 30"w. For some reason I bought several of this canvas size a few years ago and am just now painting on my last one.

This image is from Litchfield Beach. I was taking a walk towards Huntington Beach State Park and I spotted these fellows having a good time. They were hanging close together talking, laughing and drinking beer. Their fishing pole were cast and sort of forgotten. When I walked back they all seemed to be in the same stance, just laughing more. I asked one of the guys, "what are ya'll catching? A buzz?" They laughed and agreed with me.

Happy Drawing... Painting!

2008-03-20T05:26:00.000-07:00

Spend more time drawing!

I love to paint. After drawing alot, coming back to an oil painting is like getting dessert! Drawing skills are the foundation upon which a successful painting is built. I draw alot so that when I'm ready to paint I can lay down what my mind sees without hesitation. Deliberate strokes. Pastel "painting" has been a great teacher to bridge my drawing passion with my love for paint.

The detail of this oil painting shows how drawing shapes creates what I see.

Happy drawing (painting!)

Arts with Heart

2008-02-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

This Friday I was honored to be part of the Art with Hearts hosted by Bub-Bub.com. This event featured 11 artists. Each artist chose a local charity. Half of our sales went to support our chosen charity. I chose the Spartanburg Alzheimer's Association. Last year we thought my stepfather might have early stage Alzheimer's and that is why they were my charity. Alzheimer's is a disease that attacks the brain. Every 72 seconds someone is diagnosed. We'll never know if infact he had Alzheimer's because December 15 he had a massive brain hemorrhage and passed away 7 days later. My stepfather was a wonderful gentleman who owned and ran a drug store in downtown Spartanburg from 1948 until 1985. He loved Spartanburg and he loved people. I'll miss his sweet smile.

The Red Horse Inn

2007-11-30T11:22:00.000-08:00

I'm eeking in one post for November!

One of the things I did this month was to visit the Red Horse Inn in Landrum, SC to paint. This is just a small study for a larger painting.

If you are looking for a beautiful place to get away you have to check this place out. The owners, Roger and Mary were kind enough to let me set up my easel. The colors were peaking. Roger and Mary run a first class property here.

We Live Here Now

2007-10-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

The Hub-Bub artists, Arielle and Rachel are living downtown for 5 days in a store front on 100 E. Main Street. Their goal is to promote downtown and its small but growing art scene, and to highlight in a unique way what it would be like to live downtown. They are calling the project "We Live Here Now."

I dropped by today to sketch art in the making! Arielle and Rachel are two of four artist participating in the Artists-in-Residence program run by Hub-Bub. Hub-Bub has some great things happening.

Now that "I live here now" it is things like this that has me encourgaged that great things are happening in my old town.

2007-10-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

Many Balls to Juggle!

2007-10-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

No that isn't a paint brush in my hand.....

Been a while since I've posted a new entry. Still getting use to the additional balls to juggle (website redesign, and blogs) in the arena of promoting my artwork.

Alot has been going on since my last post. The Chapman Cultural Center has officially opened! The City is blessed to has such a wonderful new venue. Check it out! (See my links.)

My watercolor (see the post below) was juried into the SC Watermedia Society Show which is the first show to be in the new Art Museum at the The Chapman Cultural Center. I was honored to get in. My painting is really a humble sketch.

Just getting back from a trip to Boston. What a great City! I was totally inspired and am back home ready to paint some of the sights and people I saw.

Away from Home

2007-07-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

This Christmas I had the wonderful opportunity to visit St. John US Virgin Islands. This watercolor sketch is at the Ferry landing where you have to catch a Ferry to St. Thomas where the airport is. I took alot of really colorful pictures. The terrain there is super mountainous - homes are built on the edges and side of the mountains. Most of the Island is a National Park. Paradise......

Walking Downtown

2007-07-18T06:38:00.000-07:00

When I left Spartanburg 30 years ago I was ready to get out of town to see what was out there. Never thought I'd be back here again. As I visit my old haunts my heart feels full. This was a great place to grow up and I have many great memories living here.

This drawing is on the corner of Liberty Street and Broad. On the opposite side of this wall/building is Main Street. The downtown area is undergoing a wonderful metamorphosis. Old closed shops are becoming retail and residential spaces. A new multi-million dollar Chapman Cultural Arts Center is scheduled to open this Fall, WOW. Feels good to be home.

Settling In... Homecoming

2007-07-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

Well... after many life changes I'm beginning to settle in.

Been awhile since I've posted anything because of all the changes, but I'm creating new work and will be posting it on a more frequent basis.

This fellow was at a park down the street where I grew up. I've called it "3 Amigos". My dog was one of my best friends growing up! I created it with soft pastels. I draw with pastels, but I guess generally it is called pastel painting.