Intense training

[William Whitaker]

I only teach basics and all the artists move along at their own speed. I have no slackers. They all work harder than I do!

I find too that everyone makes the most rapid progress if I break the training down into basic components.

Here is Emily at the easel, painting a dinner roll. After months of intense copy drawing, there is nothing to drawing a dinner roll! Therefore she can concentrate on brush technique, edge quality, color and value.

She is working in the same natural light conditions perfected over 350 years ago by our heroes. Nothing is better.

I stress good habits. She is working on her feet, using a light touch, and doing the painter's dance - even when her sitter is a dinner roll!

[William Whitaker]

On the right is Hala. Hala has been a professional illustrator for ten years. (See her website - http://www.artbyhala.com/) She is getting a master's degree now and I'm serving as her adviser. She is very talented and it is a joy watching her swallow new ideas and new techniques whole.

They are painting quick. Each one paints several oil sketches each session, working on tracing paper to warm up. I hope to post some of their work soon.

The goal is to bring their subjects to life, whether they be bread, fruit, cloth, metal, leather or flowers. Once they can do this, they can paint figures that will be full of life.

[William Whitaker]

I don't always have the same group on board. Some of these folks are full time university students getting release time to work with me.

Brittany and Stacy are doing copy drawing in my cast drawing room. They both have rigged very good studios in their own homes and will be painting in their own painting rooms tomorrow. Brittany will be drafting her husband to sit for her.

Brittany has even painted her own studio the same color as mine - Mohegan Sage by Benjamin Moore. She has a great little working space there - as effective as mine.

[William Whitaker]

They are both lefties so they have the north windows to their right. Brittany's drawings are very accurate, but her technique is bad. She is concentrating on technique by working rapidly on sheets of tracing paper which of course feels great under the pencil.

Stacy is working on a Bargue copy and is to the stage where she is concentrating on value (shading). She has taped a piece of paper towel over her drawing so she doesn't smudge her work with the heel of her hand. She is working at her own speed, perfection being her goal. I expect she will work on this drawing for a few more weeks before she is satisfied.

Notice the terrifically clean windows! My people keep the my studio immaculate.

I'll post more stuff soon.

[Linda Brandon]

This is a wonderful series of posts, Bill. How lucky these artists are to be up there working with you, getting impeccable realist training!

[Chris Saper]

Dear Bill,

They are all so happy, and they should be. Their granchildren will be able to say the aristic equivalent of " My grandmother sudied with Beethoven!"

PS Do you also make them dust the loft?

[Mari DeRuntz]

Very grateful for these glimpses into your studio, and at the real training as it unfolds....

I look forward to returning for updates.