July 2013 - Portrait of a Boy

In July I finished a portrait of a beautiful little toddler, grandson of Sebastian River Art Club colleague Joan Piazza.  It was a small one, 9"x12" I think (it's gone now), but fun to do.  I got jump-started by using it as a demo so I could at least get the brush to canvas.  A few more sessions and it was finished.

 Nothing sitting on my easel at the present time, but I have some terrific ideas on portraits coming up.  Check back when you can.

Judy Burgarella

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More recent portraits

Been neglecting this blog for some time now, as portraits are done in drips and drabs.  The below portrait on the easel was done earlier in the year, and I was retty happy with the way it turned out.

"Rembrandt" was a happy experiment in oils.  Just for fun and as a Sebastian River Art Club demo, I slathered on a mixture of sap green and alizarin crimson with a big brush, actually squeezing the color in blobs out of the tube, and smeared it all on really thick.  Then with a rag I wiped out the highlightd parts of the face, and in the end working on details with a Q-tip.  Later at home I added scant whites and blues to the eye, and cad red to the lips.  The rest of the color was there, embedded into the canvas from squeezing raw color out of the tube.  This one is sold, but now I wish I had kept it.

Rembrandt "Rag Reduction" oil by Judy Burgarella

More to come soon ... I'm overdue to paint a "Self-Portrait" which is due June 1st at the Artists Guild Gallery, and it is now May 28th.  Guess I'll have to do it in acrylic or watercolor, and paint really fast.

Judy Burgarella

Blogger

PORTRAIT DEMONSTRATION VIDEOS JUST IN!

After popular request, my portrait demonstration videos are finally in.  Each one is about an hour long, raw and uncut of the six demonstrations, and covers mapping of the face, how to paint a realistic eye, and the fundamentals of painting or drawing a portrait.  The portraits were done at the Sebastian River Art Club in Sebastian, Florida.  It was a weekly one-hour event, with live models and live audience. 

The six mediums are:

Pencil - "Guido"
Charcoal - "Norwood"
Pastel - "Noah"
Watercolor - "Kathy" (not yet available)
Acrylic - "Patti"
Oil - "Tanya"

Price for each video is $10.  When the watercolor video becomes available, all six can be purchased for $50.

Contact me in Sebastian, Florida at 772-581-8281, or my cell lat 772-584-9169, or email at bjburgarella@bellsouth.net

More of my work can be found at www.burgarellaart.com.

It was a wonderful experience demonstrating portraits in a varety of mediums, and very rewarding to know that all this information had been recorded and can now be shared with others who want to learn from my experience.  A big "Thank You" goes out to Bob Barbour, videographer (eyesforlight@gmail.com), who recorded it all, and very well I might add in spite of his limitations with equipment and crowds.  I hope you enjoy all the tips and techniques I offer, and that you are able to improve your skills as a portrait artist if that is your goal.

Happy Portrait Painting!

Judy Burgarella

Off the Easel

My latest, subject to tweaking as customer sees it.  A beautiful woman in a pretty dress, such a pleasure to paint, especially once you get the eyes finished and looking at you.  Just love doing portraits, and this one went quickly, although it had a rough start.  I began this one as a demo in an art class at the Artists Guild Gallery.  It's always a little embarassing for students to see a "works-in-process" painting as they always look so awful, especially portraits.  It's the last half-hour where most of the excitement happens ... and it does happen.  But I always love to see it framed, and so here it is, still wet, but with a nice frame.  This painting was done with water-soluble oil paints, a new medium for me and one which I will use again.  Not quite as good as traditional oils, but no smell and cleans up with water--so much nicer!

If you would like to see more work like this, come to the Sebastian Art Studio Tour and visit my studio - click on www.SebastianArtStudioTour.com for more information.

Judy Burgarella