Chicken Pate'

Chicken Pate'__a sketch at the cooking school___with extra detail sketches

This chef made chicken pate' which we sampled afterwards...I liked drawing his hands :)

Wednesday, Sept 12 is the second meeting of my September drawing class. Last week we went in depth on PERSPECTIVE problems. As a high school art teacher for over 20 years, (I teach at Hyde Park High School, now...just a couple morning classes), I have  a BUNCH of drawing lessons that are easy to understand and take the mystery out of that scary blank page or canvas. My FAVORITE thing is when an artist "gets it" with an "ah ha"!!! Let me know if you want to join us for Chiaroscuro and Chocolate in September at Joel's Coffee Shop in Austin's Lakeline Mall area. You can just show up, but drop me an email! One of these sessions, Brad will actually work in his kitchen and we can sketch while he works.

ALSO, there is a FULL DAY workshop, in Salado, TX on Sat., Sept 15 Contact BelindaAND a THREE DAY detailed workshop, Oct. 28-30 at Fredericksburg Artist's School

 

Chocolatier 3

Chocolatier 3___A sketch of Brad at Joel's__our workshop location

I am calling it "Chiaroscuro and Chocolate"! It is a sketch workshop series to be held at

 Joel's Coffee Shop, in Austin, Texas, weekly in September. These will be evening sessions on Thursdays mostly, starting at 6:30 pm...we will sketch on paper or canvas, bring in a model or two, have deep discussions on art and eat or drink chocolate!!! Click the link for directions. Below are the dates and you can click for more info....

__________________________________________ 

Here are some locations for a few of my workshops. email me if you want more info on any of these...

And here is a link to a SPECIAL ONE.

I can't wait to see the water go down the drain BACKWARDS there!

September 6, 12, 20, 27__Austin___ "Chocolates and Chiaroscuro" contact V...,. 

Sept. 15, 2012___Salado TX, Contact Belinda Walker__1 or two spots open!
Oct. 28-30__Texas__at Fredericksburg Artists School

2013___New York City, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania...

2014___February 23-March 1___New Zealand

**BE SURE to tell me if you sign up! I like to send things to my students to get them ready, keep them "seeing", and thinking, and talking about it!

Chocolatier 1

Chocolatier 1___a sketch in charcoal

Finally I have posted CONTACT INFO and dates for the first two workshop get-togethers. Please see the September dates below...an join us!

The sketch today is Brad, the Chocolatier and Barista at Joel's in North Austin.While he made his special truffels, a few of us sketched the action, and got full on the wonderful aroma of real chocolate!

______________________________________________________________________ 

Here are some locations for a few of my workshops. email me if you want more info on any of these...

And here is a link to a SPECIAL ONE.

I can't wait to see the water go down the drain BACKWARDS there!

September 6, 12, 20, 27__Austin___ "Chocolates and Chiaroscuro" contact V.... 

Sept. 15, 2012___Salado TX, Contact Belinda Walker

2013___New York City, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania...

2014___February 23-March 1___New Zealand

**BE SURE to tell me if you sign up! I like to send things to my students to get them ready, keep them "seeing", and thinking, and talking about it!

Fillet Finisher

Fillet Finisher___from my sketchbook
His name is Charlie, and he was working alongside the guy who was filleting the fish (see yesterday's sketch)

It looked to me as if he was spreading something with a brush onto each fillet. Again, I had to work REAL FAST, because he was working fast. This is what "impressionism" is: capturing the IMPRESSION of what is going on. It might not be TECHNICALLY accurate, but gives the idea of what I saw. Frankly, it's all about his cute little hat...I wished I had my camera, at the time, but really, it's BETTER to NOT rely on the camera for an impression. Later on, when I make paintigs of these guys, I will work from more knowledge (ie photos or more sketches and notes) to make sure I am not wrong about the proper form for filleting big fish!

Fillet Master

Fillet Master___from my sketchbook

We found a great Sushi Restaurant near our house in Round Rock. I went over there to get some food to go, and while I waited, I noticed a couple of the chefs, preparing things behind the bar. The lighting was amazing and the skill of these men was so artful, I asked if I could sketch them . I happened to have my sketchbook, so I was able to do a couple of 10 minute sketches before the food came out. This man was fileting salmon. HUGE salmon! Since he worked fast, I had to work fast...I put my lines down quickly, and noticed some things later (after he cleaned a second and third fish) that I will change next time...I will go back as soon as I can.

Note to Artists:

When you sketch something like this, it is REAL important to observe technical things: the way he holds the knife, the angles of his wrist and arm, and the tilt of his head....after getting all that right (he worked so FAST!!) I noticed on the third fish that, by the time he is cutting the big line down the front, his hand was on top of the fish...I think it would be dangerous for him to cut this way, with his hand here...FORM MATTERS!!! It's like the sports sketches I do..make sure you understand the sport a little bit before you commit to describing someone's form...a real player will KNOW it's wrong if it is!...I am teaching a Workshop: Feb 5-7 e-mail for details! vvaughan8@yahoo.com