Goofing Off!

Our Monkey's piano teacher is a very talented young high school student and wants to increase her artist portfolio so she can get into BYU. I think BYU is the best university art program in the country. Aside from going to an atelier for a REAL art education, I think BYU is a fine institution. They don't have nude life drawing for one. I mean, that is completely unnecessary, and gross. I can't even look at myself naked much less a complete stranger. I think that would scar me for life. Anyway, Our piano teacher needs to add some oil paintings to her collection of colored pencils and acrylics and baby stuff. Oil painting is the big time, the real deal, the "I'm a real artist- am too, am too" art. So Saturday she came over and we painted together. She painted an alla prima painting of Mini Me and I painted Art Girl. Mini Me held real still for her. Art Girl moved A LOT! I wasn't going to paint her for that reason but she wanted to model so bad that she got real upset when I wasn't going to paint her. I'm talking weeping, wailing and knashing of teeth. Knashing? No one ever says that any more. This painting is keeping me from doing my real project affectionately called "Church art competition painting". When I think of my deadline on October 10th I want to say "AAAACCCCKKKKKK!" I'm not done. Or close to done. I am just starting my "depths of despair" phase of the painting process. I still have "light at the end of the tunnel" phase, then "joy of finishing" and then "I screwed up on that part and I have to redo that" phase, sometimes known as "What was I thinking? I need to throw this in the dumpster!" phase.

Anyway, I think I got a pretty good likeness for just goofing off and Art Girl has a new painting. Oh, by the way, that blue background is straight Paynes grey and white. Her skin is venetian red and white or raw sienna and white. Seriously. This whole thing is mostly tube colors and white. For you painters out there- put down the cadmiums and pick up the earth colors. Thank you.